Naas, IKEA, Liffey Valley - yesterday

I had a really brilliant day with Maaria, yesterday =)

We'd thought of meeting up in IKEA, but as I still don't have a full driving licence (self-reminder: book that feckin' test!!!), and therefore amn't allowed on motorways, it would be a pain to get to IKEA from Bray.. So, instead, I went across the mountains to Naas, and then Maaria drove us to IKEA (and Liffey Valley shopping centre as well).

I left home very early in the morning, and stopped at Kilmacanogue Topaz for petrol. As I hadn't eaten anything at home (having skipped my weekly shopping to save up for the IKEA trip..), I decided to look if they'd have any sambos or such.. They had Oishii Sushi!!! =D I stopped at Lough Tay to enjoy my sushi breakfast.. It was 7:20am - I happen to know this as one of my photos shows my car clock.

It was very, very foggy on the mountains, but once I got to Blessington road, it cleared up a little bit. After Blessington, it got very rainy, and there were lots of dodgy bits on the road..

I stopped at Naas Tesco, to buy some fresh croissants, and once I got to Maaria's place, we had them with her homemade jam. Mmmmm...

IKEA was fantastic! I think we were there a few hours.. My only disappointment was to find out that their meatballs contain pork =( I no longer eat pork (or maybe it would be more correct to say that I no longer buy pork), so I had salmon and bread instead. Such a shame, though - I'd love some IKEA meatballs. Why can't they use beef mince only?

I had a shopping list - I wanted two sets of IKEA mini furniture (which is actually bigger than I'd expected, but I still got the two sets I'd planned to get..), some more storage boxes, and maybe some fabric.. I got it all, and then some.. The grey(ish) blanket can be used as a winter scarf as well.. I only had one towel that was large enough for my hair, so I bought another one.. Some vanilla scented candles.. New dishwashing brush.. And IKEA rhubarb chordial.. Oh, and their apple & lingonberry bubbly drink, which we had in Naas, later on. I think that was all.

On the way back to Naas, we stopped at Liffey Valley shopping centre (where I hadn't been before), to get some sushi, etc..

We went to some shops that Maaria knows - I'm on €100/week budget, so I just get all my clothes from Dunnes, generally, and my most expensive piece of clothing in the last 20 years or more, has been the practical green summer coat I bought at Tinahely Show for €40, two years ago.. LOL.. But yesterday, I just happened to find something I've been dreaming of for a few years - a maxi dress that's nearly perfect.. I say nearly, because it's sleeveless, and I'd have wanted sleeves, but I can always wear something under or over it, with sleeves.. But it was €75!!! Anyway, I had wanted one for such a long time, and I knew that it would be very unlikely that I'd come across anything as nice again, at least within price range that I could afford at all.. So, I bought it! =) No pics yet.

Finally, we bought M&S sushi & donuts, and went back to Naas. It was a really clammy day, and the air was really bad at IKEA, so we were both quite bollixed. It took a while to eat, sort our shopping, take some pics, etc.. And then I drove back home, over the mountains again. It was even foggier, this time! Zero visibility.. Roundwood road was the worst bit again, and I was so glad for knowing the road quite well as there were times when I really couldn't even see the road.. I thought about stopping and waiting if it would clear, but then decided against it as it might have just stayed foggy, and there would have been darkness as well! =D The sheep were a pain, too.. It was as if the fog made them ALL end up on the road, and they were running back and forth, in front of the car (and I was driving very slowly, at that point)..

I made it safe home, anyway, and it took 1h 27m exactly =) Funny: I was at Lough Tay at 7:20pm, having been there at 7:20am as well! (Also, I'd left Naas at 6:20pm, so it took an hour to Lough Tay..)