Autumn has arrived with its usual squalls, high winds and sudden outbreaks of glorious sunshine. Despite that it is getting cold and I must take a day to hunt down and seal off as many draughts as I can. Fuel in Ireland, in common with much of Europe, is ruinously expensive and sometimes hard to […]
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Jennie Finch on the seafront at Saltburn.
The Moth Man
The Drowners
The death of the Elver Man
All posts in category A big Adventure
Autumn Colour and New Beginnings
Posted by Jennie Finch on October 11, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/autumn-colour-and-new-beginnings/
The best and the hardest fortnight is over
These last two weeks have been exceptional, even measured by so many exceptional weeks since our move to Ireland. We have been waiting for two years for Jacqui’s cataract operation and the day suddenly loomed large ahead of us. That last fortnight of waiting was one of the hardest ever as we were not sure […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on September 27, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/the-best-and-the-hardest-fortnight-is-over/
A moment of calm in rural Tipperary
Well, I’m back as promised and enjoying a moment of calm here in rural Tipperary. The last few months have been both busy and, on occasions, a bit stressful and we are glad to have some calm before the next few weeks. This summer we have had two lots of visitors and one who had […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on September 13, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/a-moment-of-calm-in-rural-tipperary/
Happiness is rain – and a new fly screen
Living in Ireland which is famous (or infamous) for its rain I never expected to greet even the tiniest of showers with enthusiasm. Today I’m looking out of my study window and smiling at the clouds hopefully. Like all of you we’ve had days of scorching weather, sunshine that has become relentless and nights too […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on July 26, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/happiness-is-rain-and-a-new-fly-screen/
Bats, bindweed and several (almost) broken fingers
First of all, apologies for missing last week’s blog and many thanks for all your kind messages. As you can see from the picture, I have been quite incapacitated especially as I am left handed. It was one of those freak accidents where a heavy cupboard door that is supposed to be soft-closing slammed shut […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on July 12, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/bats-bindweed-and-several-almost-broken-fingers/
Onwards and Upwards – well, onwards anyway
Well, the past fortnight passed so fast I had to check my calendar to see if another blog is due. After the long and rather painful slog last month we were determined to push on – onwards and upwards was to be our motto. For some of the past weeks it feels as if it […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on June 21, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/onwards-and-upwards-well-onwards-anyway/
Making it to the weekend at last
Well, if events from the last blog were a bit fraught (“Mainly about –not-writing) this fortnight has been long and full of obstacles. After the whirlwind of last month it all seems rather mundane but it is just as important, if not more so. It is a relief to reach the weekend and draw breath. […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on June 7, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/making-it-to-the-weekend-at-last/
Short and sweet this week, I hope
It’s going to be short – and hopefully sweet – episode this week as life has been both very busy and rather repetitive. In addition we are experiencing a large number of wifi failures and the occasional power cut so I hope I manage to get this sent! I don’t know what is causing the […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on April 26, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/short-and-sweet-this-week-i-hope/
It’s a busy time in rural Tipperary
Well, life is busy as usual here at our “quiet retirement” retreat. The weather continues to tease us with a few hours of sunshine, occasionally a whole day, with heavy rain in between. The land doesn’t have time to dry out and so when Fergus, our tree surgeon, arrived we were rather worried about his […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on April 12, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/its-a-busy-time-in-rural-tipperary/
In like a lion, out like a (bi-polar) lamb
Well, spring is supposedly upon us and there are a number of promising signs. This last week we managed to get our new trees in, finally. After the scramble to get some from the “Free Trees Ireland” site there was a long delay. The weather has been so bad the poor growers haven’t been able […]
Posted by Jennie Finch on March 29, 2026
https://www.jenniefinch.me.uk/in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-bi-polar-lamb/