A Perfect Mix

This weekend was remarkable. It was the perfect mix of relaxation, time to myself, and time with friends.

I celebrated the 4th of July with a chocolate muffin instead of fireworks...both fulfill completely different satisfaction quarters, but it was so delicious! I also watched a really cute and informative movie called Arctic Tale. I didn't realize how much the effects of global warming were affecting the lives of Polar Bears, Walruses, and other animals of the North... They mentioned that in the last two decades, 20% of the ice in the north has disappeared, and by 2040 (that's only 30 more years...), if trends continue as they are now, all the ice will disappear completely! The animals up there are having a hard time finding food and have to go for longer periods without it, also babies have to be weaned from there mothers a year before they normally would due to lack of food. My new favorite website is: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/, as there are so many eye-opening stories and pieces of news on it.

Saturday was filled with shopping, and sales galore are filling are stores here in Ireland! I've never seen such a thing here (it's not as normal as it is in the States for sales to occur...!). I bought some new exercise shorts for the gym and a few bits and pieces of summertime clothes. I also splurged on some cute cards that weren't on sale, but I was in a world of my own when i discovered an entire floor dedicated to cards and little gifts! I probably spent an hour or two just wandering around Eason's looking at the cards...! Saturday night, I met up with friends who I play table tennis with (they're from France) and it was a load of fun, just chatting back and forth in a cool church bar (a protestant church renovated into a bar/disco club...). It was handy too because they live in the next apartment block to me, so getting home in a taxi with three people was much easier than just myself!

Sunday was a relaxing day in the morning, and I met my friend, Sonja, for a walk through Phoenix Park. Would be nice to ride bikes through the 15 acre park, but I have to get a bike first...! I ended my evening with a lovely Italian ice cream from my favorite Italian restaurant in Temple Bar... :)