Mixed memories of Ulster

After another brief early visit to the Mercadillo for fruit and veg this morning, I walked into town for a meeting at the Balcon Hotel  with a couple from Ulster due to have their marriage blessed in San Miguel on Saturday afternoon. She's a university administrator and commutes north to Belfast. He's an environmental conservationist and manages Armargh's AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). He too commutes an hour a day to the west, so travel is something they both take in their stride. Sixty of their family and friends are coming to Nerja for their celebration. I think they'll enjoy the contrast between the spectacular beauty of their mountainous home region and that of the Andalusian sierras, just as I enjoy the contrast between here and Wales.

I discovered the couple live in Newcastle County Down. That was the first place where I ever did locum duties in 1973 and 1974, when Kath and Rachel were both under three. Fond memories of two summers there with them in a traditional resort with a golden beach for to play on. Sadly my father died back in Wales towards the end of our second stay there. He'd been so worried about our safety, going to stay in Ulster both years, because of the troubles, yet the only upsetting thing of all our time spent there was learning of his untimely death, just as he was about to have a pacemaker fitted for a heart condition caused by something undiagnosed at the time. Although he'd been unwell and had heart trouble for several years, this came as a shock. Sad to think our kids grew up knowing neither of their grandfathers, as Clare's father died just two weeks before Rachel was born.

I went to bed late last night because I started writing after I stopped watching telly, and didn't realise the impact until after lunch, when dozed off in the chair and slept there all afternoon until supper time. What a waste of outdoors time, and not the first time I've done that recently. I must be getting old.