What a weekend, what a day today.    Both were wonderful

As you now, Felicia, Luann and I left between 1 and 2PM on Friday for Chicago and IBAM.    We got to our hotel at about 5PM.   I called my friend Maureen.   She was just leaving the Irish Center, so came to our hotel and the four of us has dinner at Harry Carey's which is attached to this particular Holiday Inn.  What a pleasure to spend and evening with Maureen again.   We have been Celtic friends and personal friends for over 12 years now.   We met at one of the early Celtic Women conferences and have been close ever since.

We got to bed fairly early that night which was good because Saturday night was late (for me anyway).   Luann, Felicia and I got up at about 7:30AM or so, got all dressed and ready and then went downstairs for breakfast.  Joan and Richard Kramer joined us for breakfast.   We all caught the shuttle to the Irish Center provided by the hotel at 10:30AM.  I met some great new (hopefully) friends on the shuttle.   Rob, a sweet man from Ohio, who had come to see Phil Coulter and connect Bat Burns, a seanache,who was also at IBAM with his CDS , books and story telling presentations.   I did not get to a presentation but met him (also on the shuttle) and at breakfast on Sunday.  I bought two of his CDS and the three of us listened to them with great pleasure on our drive back home from Chicago.   Great stories.   Anyway, Rob kindly carried my bag, full of my props for my presentation to the shuttle, and into the center for me.    Ran into him several times during the day too.  

I also met two men, muralists, Mark Ervine and Martin Levine from Ulster who painted two murals LIVE during the event.   I fill show you the murals as soon as I figure out how to download them from my phone.

I gave my presentation at 2PM in the Literary Salon, right after Mary Pat Kelly of Galway Bay fame.   My presentation was on how I envision,  design and put together the wall hangings that I create sporadically.  I brought several of them and Maureen liked that as we had something to hang on the walls to brighten things up.    I am always so flattered that people like them.   The talk went well, I was told.   And I felt so also as I had a good time doing it.  

I went to the awards dinner with Maureen and her husband Marty.    It was up in the top floor that used to be a gymnasium.   The room has been completely remodeled and was nicely set for a grand dinner.   Awards were given at the dinner - Phil Coulter for music, Morgan Llywelyn for literature,  Matt Lamb for visual arts, Stephen Rea for performing arts and Richard Moore for the Person of the year.   Richard Moore was blinded by a rubber bullet fired by a British Soldier at the age of nine.  He forgave him personally and in 1996 founded the charity Children in Crossfire.  

The next day started with mass in the auditorium with the Irish Center choir singing (Much of the mass in the Irish).  Then on to more lovely programs, most of them in the Literary Salon where I gave my talk.   I did join the children when the Fairy Queen let them make Magic wands.   I wanted one too.   So I now have one.

Today was busy.  Bobbie came this morning and I went to bible study and then over to Mom's to pay her bills.   Then home to start putting things away and catching up around here.

Quite successful, actually but there is always SOMETHING left.  Seeds for tomorrow, I guess.

So rest tonight and tomorrow will be another great day.  I am going to see Mother tomorrow night.

Dia Dhuit

Mary