1999 Derry Diary #7 16 June
Diary #7 June 16, 1999', 'Wednesday June16th, 1999', 'Failte! Home stretch...only one more of these goodies to assault your e-mail boxes until I post the pictures and the comments of this most extraordinary trip...

Wednesday June16th, 1999
Birthday bash...bath day!...sing-a-long...Today is one of the girl's 17th birthday and we celebrated waaaaaaaay into the night here. I cooked dinner of lemon-dill chicken, baked potatoes, string beans...not an easy task when the cooker is teeeny tiny...everyone was impressed, I was impressed...', 'This all came after our Wednesday shower at the local pool...it's amazing what a little hot water can do for the spirit...I ended the meal with little Cadbury Eggs, you know, the ones they sell in the USA around Easter...later that night we had a few people over, Willy and his brother Steven, little James from around the corner who has become a permant fixture in the afternoon and evenings, Sean the foreman of the Bloody Sunday Trust building where the girls are painting...We had an enormous birthday cake with the girl's name on it, ice cream....then sat around playing 'telephone' and singing 'rebel songs'....off we went to Peadar O'Donnell's Pub to hear traditional Irish music...we must have looked odd sitting in front of the band drinking our Cokes and Sprites...It was great fun everyone joined in singing...we got back to the hall around 12.45 am and over in the East, the sky was just beginning to lighten...amazin'....During prayer that evening the birthday girl said that this had been one of the best birthday's she has had...Friday is our last full day in 'Derry, then off to Dublin on Saturday, and back to the states on Sunday....this has been an extraordinary Immersion experience for these kids.... Friday, also we will visit the grave side of those killed 27 years ago, a block where we are living... ==+==++=++=++=+==+==+==+==+==+==
Until tomorrow's last missive... Slainte, paul (BlackShade)