Re - Deathbed Regrets

[johnb]

I finally remembered to post something that I saw in the Daily Telegraph a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healt ... egret.html

While I'm sure most of us would relate to all five of them, the first item had a particular ring to it, which made me think it was worth posting them here.

John

[The Kilted Hoosier]

This is a book that I will buy, read and share. Thanks for this post.

TKH

[JRMILLER]

Interesting articles...

Based on these 5 points, I am not doing too bad. I don't think I will have any serious regrets when I am at death's door. The only point I disagree with is #3, "courage to express feelings", instead, I propose "I wish I had the wisdom to easily release all of life's problems before they got to the point of having strong feelings I need to express! That is, don't sweat the small stuff, then, it's all small stuff.

So far as #1 is concerned (living true to myself), I enjoy skirts and wearing them has taken a good bit of courage, but it is part of being true to myself.

[Since1982]

Thank you, Johnb...as I'm getting up there, this article has special meaning to me. < 70

[Kirbstone]

I'm not far behind. I'm sure it makes useful reading, but it's not my favourite subject, just now.

Tom K.

[RichardA]

Looking back over my life I can say I have wasted it God will not be pleased

[Big and Bashful]

Tom K.
I still hope to sail over and say hello, June is looking like an opportunity if you are game. I had booked leave for a Royalist cruise but since the powers that be decided to push the prices through the roof we have cancelled the booking. I was struggling to figure out what holiday I was going to have, then remembered that I have actually got my own boat! This could be the year I set foot on Ireland!
I hope there is decent ale there, I am not really into dark stuff like guinness!

[Milfmog]

I hope there is decent ale there, I am not really into dark stuff like guinness!

It should be some good sailing. I'd strongly recommend taking a small stock of beers with you; last time I visited, the pub scene was dominated by black stuff (fit only for resurfacing roads) or "Irish bitter" that ought to be the cause of national shame. There may be some craft brewers there by now, but if not your only bet for a half drinkable pint is probably Murphys Red (and that is usually served under gas pressure [spit]).

I loved the time I spent around Baltimore and Cork but (sadly) the beer was not on the list of things I enjoyed.

Have fun,


Ian (currently about half way through a pint of home brewed London Porter that makes Guinness look like a lager shandy; this stuff is BLACK).

[Kirbstone]

From the logistical point of view it's got to be Ballycastle, Co. Antrim. I don't know the town at all, it being a place we never actually visited on my many trips North. They have a marina there, so you don't have to worry about wrestling with a dinghy. I'm sure the town's got a few eating/drinking establishments in it. Ian Milfmog is sometimes right, and this is one of those rare occasions....Murphys or Beamish Red is our nearest to a good old North Country ale, something that has passed the entire Irish population by, but I expect neither would be available up North.

Then there's the weather & tides to contend with...

Shower on the way!.jpg

Tidal Sump.jpg

We would visit Bushmills distillery which is nearby and a few other coastal places of interest. You'll be able to make yourself understood to the locals, whose speech isn't all that far removed from Clydeside. This year is of course Titanic's Centenary and perhaps a quick nip down to the mind-blowing new Titanic Centre in Belfast might be worth it. Just a thought.

At a pinch I could make it there in about 3 hours from here if there aren't any traffic snarl-ups.

Naas Rush-hour Traffic.jpg

Going North you have to either go East or West of Lough Neagh, and frankly the roads are a joke unless you go into and out of Belfast on the way. Like in the Republic, the only motorways are all to & from Dublin, so to get from Cork or Limerick to Belfast it is advisable to head East to Dublin, round the ring road there and then on up North.

Tom.

[crfriend]

Naas Rush-hour Traffic.jpg

Ahem. Don't the Irish, like the Brits, drive on the left-hand side of the road rather than on the right-hand? (Note: I did not comment on the "correct" side of the road.) A motorway of the dimensions pictured might occupy a non-trivial portion of the Irish landscape. Then there's the matter that it's not wet. I call a fake.

On the matter of dark beer and ales (of which stout is a member): Yes, they're an acquired taste, but once acquired one will never look back at the watery stuff with nostalgia. I've been there, done that, and have been accidentally published for same. There is more to the world than "Bud", no matter what the frogs say.

Now the images of "shower and sump" have me reconsidering signing on as navigator for an upcoming run this summer, around the summer solstice, from Boston to Provincetown. I'd not want to run into either of those. However, that said, Boston and Provincetown are on the same side of the plane so at least I don't need to worry about charting a course that'll take us "over the edge".

[Big and Bashful]

I will probably have to load up the pointy end with Fyne Ales brews, Avalanche and Hurricane Jack are both wonderful, I am going to blame Avalanche for tomorrows headache! I think Hurricane Jock is a Fyne Ales brew, if not it is from another of the West coast micro breweries, we have a few excellent breweries now. Which is nice!

[Kirbstone]

All you need to do is look out East on any clear day and you can plainly see the 'edge', over which you will fall if you sail out there too far. I stopped short of reminding B&B of what happened the the 'Essex', which was rammed and sunk by the enraged great white whale and the crew had to take to the whaleboats in mid Pacific !!
The pics. are serious wonder photos sent me by a friend who seems to have access to such things. The 18-lane motorway is in China and there was a 260 Km long traffic jam recorded there recently. Yes, China has rather more people living there than we do in Ireland and yes, they do drive on the right, like you Americans.

I don't think 'Bud' is even any good for washing your hair!

Tom.

[pleated]

Naas Rush-hour Traffic.jpg

Ahem. Don't the Irish, like the Brits, drive on the left-hand side of the road rather than on the right-hand? (Note: I did not comment on the "correct" side of the road.) A motorway of the dimensions pictured might occupy a non-trivial portion of the Irish landscape. Then there's the matter that it's not wet. I call a fake.

The fact that it is from a Russian website might also provide a clue.

[r.m.anderson]

It is outrageously funny when you are from this side of the pond (USA) and you go to a country like the UK; Ireland or one of the
Caribbean islands (Barbados) and ride or drive on the (wrong - no make that correct side; I don't know what did the Romans do
that built the first cow pasture roads in europe?).
Anyway did I mention outrageously funny - last year I took a cruise from San Juan to the southern caribbean islands and had a
port call at Barbados. My crew hired a taxi for a custom tour of the island and a stop at the Mount Gay rum factory. Well I wish
that I had been fortified with the rum before I rode the 'shotgun' seat (the left front passenger seat). We are cruising along at
some 40-45 miles per hour in a small van with a hugh windshield and making some left and right turns whipping through traffic
and my colleagues are having a lark at my action-reaction to my trying to grab the imaginary left side steering wheel and stomping
on the brakes. Rather unnerving at first until reality sets in with the mirror image of mainline/continental driving. I can bet that some
yanks going to the UK and driving a rental car are just scaring the crap out of the locals with some miscues!
The rest of trip was much better with the 'rum' and the mind over matter which now did not matter anymore.

"Kilted-Shotgun-Seat"
rma

[Kirbstone]

The car hire firms here will confirm that the majority of accidents occur within 20 miles of the point of hire i.e. the airport and almost invariably the drivers are American or mainland European.
If you DO actually come a cropper on the 'wrong' side of the road there'll be precious little time for 'deathbed regrets'!

Tom K.