Scarlett turns 7

Because the flight situation in the region hadn't really returned to normal, I packed my bag, hired a car and started the journey down to Jeddah via car for my latest flights back to Mullaghmeen to see the whanau, especially one very excited almost 7 year old. The drive itself is pretty mind numbing - hour on hour of dead straight roads until you hit the section leading into Jeddah and traffic starts building. I had heard that Jeddah traffic was mad and it certainly lived up to its terrifying reputation.

I ended up flying Turkish Airways via Istanbul and it was excellent. 4 hours up to Istanbul, that I slept pretty much the whole way on after leaving Jeddah at 1.30am and having an entire row to myself. 1 1/2 hours in the new Istanbul airport, which is enormous and really awesome, and then on another flight of about the same length and landed in Dublin at 9.30am - brilliant.

After getting back to Mullaghmeen on the 19th we chilled for the next day and half until the main event of this trip - Scarlett's 7th birthday, which even now writing this I can't believe. Joan and I standing in our kitchen at Maraetai Heights Road telling me she was pregnant after so many years of trying feels like it was yesterday, so its hard to get my head around the fact our first is now 7 years old. Scarlett has continued to grow into an incredible young lady, obsessed with beauty products just like her Mum, and remains staunchly kiwi in Fermanagh, just like her Dad. She truly is the best of both of us and I am incredibly proud of how well she has adapted to the big move and how she just takes everything in her stride. The day itself was full of laughs, presents, fun, and more presents - ha ha, and it was rounded off by a really great family meal with everyone at Molly's in Irvinestown, after not being able to be with her last year for her birthday in Maraetai, this year was just perfect.

The other really important part of this trip was the memorial rugby game down at the club to celebrate Ernie and to raise money for two very important causes, the British Heart Foundation and for Enniskillen RFC. A huge amount of planning and organisation by Joan and Shiner went into the day and everything on the day went perfectly. The family have donated a new defibrillator case to the club meaning that should anyone in Mullaghmeen or the surrounding areas need the defib that it is externally housed and available to be used. The match itself was played between an invitational team made up of players from around Ulster who knew Ernie and was arranged by Shiner and they played against an Enniskillen RFC selection. The players were piped out onto the field by a member of the Enniskillen Dragoon Guards playing Fare Thee Well Enniskillen - it was just perfect. The day was a roaring success and raised almost 2,000 pounds for the BHF and the club.

The next day we had Scarlett's birthday party up at the club with all her class mates from Ballinamallard PS, which was chaos and brilliant, everyone had a blast on the bouncy castle and gorged themselves on chicken goujons and chips - just like you should do at a 7th birthday party. David, Edel and most of their ones made the trip down for the party which was awesome, they are all great craic and its so awesome for Scarlett and Frankie to get to know some of their northern irish cousins more.

Unfortunately reality hit the next day and it was time to pack my bags, get on that Number 30 bus and head back to Dublin for my flight back to work. This trip was so much fun and was filled with family, great times and the rugby club - just like it should be. The next time we all see each other again will be at the end of July in Italy, so this was going to be a long stretch but the thought of a coupe of weeks at Lake Garda would get me throughRead more