Cool....ish

Dia dhuit! What a wonderful day today in Northern Ireland! We have had almost a full week of sunshine! I know that means nothing to those of you stateside but here on this island that very rarely happens. You might say it was like raining cats and dogs it was that peculiar (though after all the types of rain I've experienced here I actually would be too surprised if it actually did rain cats and dogs someday).  While it is not sunny today, it is still the same warmish temperature it has been all week. Isn't ish so cool? Not even coolish it's just plain cool.

A lot has happened since my birthday. I had an interview, got a job, quit my other job,  got driving insurance, got a hair cut, walked around lots of different places, pooped a lot, wiped my bum with cardboard (at least that's what my dad says the tp here feels like. How he knows that I will leave to him to explain), had my lovely parents visit, laughed at Leo "talking" to sheep, broke my toenail, plotted surprises, and brushed my teeth. That's essentially all I've done these last months.

I got a job at Almac as a quality control technician the beginning of May and I am loving it! No mystery sized delivery to put away in the mornings, crazy customer that give you lip because they don't have their ID because they didn't read their email and text saying they needed ID to get their package, no more moaning about every little thing(yet!),  etc. I don't do anything super sciency but that's just fine with me. We many quality check the packaging the medication is going to be put into, and occasionally the capsules or tablets themselves but we don't do chemical tests on them. We check how durable they are and if they dissolve quick enough when you swallow them. It's a bit further away than Belfast but I don't mind. It pays better and I'm enjoying it more :)

Because it is a bit further away I am in the process of getting my UK license. My US license will only be valid for me to drive on until August and even thought this job is only a six month position I still would like to be able to drive myself to work. The have some very different things about their driving that we do. We have cross walks but here you can have zebra, pelican, puffin, toucan, and pegasus crossings and they all have different rules to them. I have an app and have been going through the questions for their theory test and this one came up.

As you are driving down a road you see this sign

What does it mean?

1. Motorcycles only
2. Motorcycles only during restricted times
3. No motorcycles
4. No motorcycles during  restricted times

Submit your answer at the poll on the side and we sill see if you can get it right.

The most exciting thing that happened also happened in May. My parents came for a little visit. It was such a fun time spending time with them and being able to giving them hugs. Two years was a long time for me to not see them. It will be even greater when I am back for keepsies. We went to some cool places I had never been before. Belfast Castle, cave hill, The Gobbins, and some places I have like Tollymore forest park, Castlewellan, Rostrevor, and Clandeboye Forest/Helen's Tower. It was super fun. Leo worked most of the time but was able to spend a day with us. My super nice padre paid for a room for us at a B&B while we were down around Newcastle. Leo's and my room overlooked out into a sheep pasture. I never knew a more vocal animal. Sheep are like the ultimate relief society women. They never shut up. All night long they were baaing. I slept through most of it but I was impressed, when I would wake up, at their commitment to conversation.

Leo practicing his second language at the B&B.

If the video above doesn't work click here. It was a really good time and I was sad to see them go but like my mom said, at least this time I know it's not forever and a year is nothing compared to what I've done so far :)

Who doesn't want to be pooped out of a deer?

 Pictures taken the other day at Scrabo

Congrats to all of you have had graduations or mission jazz and happy birthday to all you now older people. Have another good set of months and I will see you all later!