A Very Lovely Afternoon Tea

We started one of our favourite family traditions several years ago: afternoon tea in the Atrium at Dublin’s Westin Hotel on Christmas Eve. We go into town on Christmas Eve day to soak up the atmosphere, pick up anything we may have forgotten and see who we run into. It’s busy and fun and filled…

The Day of Delphine Cake

I had a cake catastrophe. It was late, after a long but lovely day hosting my beloved aunt-in-law for Easter dinner, while also prepping for brunch with friends the next morning, and making cake for birthday cake in the afternoon with even more friends. The witching hour was approaching and the cake would just not…

You are Welcome

In early December, we said good bye to another house guest, our eighth since we returned from Canada the end of August. Our guests ranged from age 19 to early 70s, and represented five nations. One of the visits was planned for more than a year, with our friend’s desire to come and visit going…

Home for the Holidays

Who knew it would be so much trouble to go home? What should be simple, straightforward, and just, well, a basic human right, isn’t always. As I write this, I think about the millions of displaced people who not only have no foreseeable hope of going home, don’t even have another place they can call…