Since we're leaving in September my goal for January

is to figure out if I can attend the Shackleford Autumn School in Kildare when we're in Ireland. I won't let the fact that Ranulf Fiennes called him a "gas bag" deter me. And I'm not going to footnote stuff, but he was quoted that in the tremendously wonderful book by Isobel Williams, With Scott in the Antartic. Of course it goes without saying (although I'll probably be a giant gas bag when I talk about it) that we're visiting the Scott Polar Institute in Cambridge the day after we land in Heathrow. I do not want to get ahead of myself though. Today, since I'm having my domino buddies over for Sue and Pascale's birthday dinner and I'm making Irish stew as we speak (Speke, now there was an explorer), I've got to see if we can go as a visitor for a day at Shackleford's. My daughter will only be able to stand one lecture. Me, I could attend the school for a year. It's good for me to have her perspective. She anchors me, if you'll excuse the pun.

Information on Shackleford's school is available July 2011, duly noted. There was a lecture Nov 19, 2010 by Michael Smith on his book The Great Endeavor about Irish explorers. When we get to the Athy Heritage Museum we'll be able to hear it. Since my birthday is September 28 and I want to be in Ireland for it. I may have to schedule the trip more in October than September to catch a lecture at the Shackleford's.