#westkerry

As expected, reducing our lives down to suitcases and moving to a foreign country did not come without complications and surprises. All research and preparation had been done. All that was left was getting two dogs on planes, a feat neither had done. One tucked under a seat and one with her own seat.

They both played their role perfectly. We all took red-eyes and arrived in Dublin early on the 2nd of January. There was a lot of walking done by all and not much sleep was had. We somehow crammed three humans, 2 dogs, 6 large suitcases, and 2 computer monitors (purchased in Dublin) into a “large Irish SUV” which was the equivalent of the smallest SUV on the market in America. The drive from Dublin to Dingle was long and cramped but everyone made the best of it. We all spilled out of the car at our Dingle Airbnb at 7 pm and made our way to beds. All was well…we made it.

The next two days were filled with new beauty but also an unexpected twist. Boone could not get up or stand on her own. If you touched her front legs and shoulders she would cry out. We were hoping a day of rest and some OTC meds would suffice but she was no better the next morning. The local vet was able to squeeze her in so long as we could get her into the back of the car and drive her to the office. She had not gone to the bathroom in over 24 hours and was being fed and hydrated by hand. The vet was kind and thorough. All tests came back normal and a plan was made that if there was no improvement by tomorrow further tests would be needed. I will confess I was certain when I saw her unable to rise that morning that I would be confronted with having to put her down that day. Another night on the couch next to her hoping things would turn the corner…

We all felt great relief seeing her up and eating. Her nurse, Hannah, no longer had to feed her by hand but the bond was made. Boone was now allowed many new comforts including space on the couch. With that at our backs, we could now focus on purchasing a car and working on the house.

My parents left this house in the early 80’s having done some major repairs but it was still not livable. My father came back in the early 2000s to replace the slate roof with a more sturdy metal roof. The property has been inhabited by farm animals and most recently a black Shetland pony who we have named Lightening. The property needed a rest from hooves so Lightening has moved back to his own property.

While we wait on planning permission to build, we will work on cleaning up the property, emptying the house, and repairing the outbuildings. First up was clearing all the briars and rebuilding fallen rock walls. Mike was able to make a huge dent in the briars that had invaded the forgotten windows and doors of the old house, however, it was time for some better tools.

We took a drive to a fantastic farm equipment store in Milltown where Mike & Hannah bought their first big yard tool. The Husqvarna Kombi allows them to attach many useful motorized tools- the first being saw blades for those pesky briar bushes.