Thanks to everyone who posted good wishes on my win of the Wild West of Ireland Tour: Kathryn Ann, Fran, Bit, Angela and anyone else I've neglected to mention.  A special thanks to Ger Regan, Mike & Trish of WIld West Irish Tours, Jon Ragnar Jonsson and all the others at WOW Air who are helping to make this happen.

My mother has decided that it's just too much for her to travel across time zones.  My sister and both my aunts had plates too full to make the trip... All of us in the time between July and August. Sooo... I'm going with my mother's brother Dan, my uncle.

Dan is close in age to me, and was my go-to person for advice during my college days.  He introduced me to "Doctor Zhivago," The Clancy Brothers, and took me drinking the first time, so I'd know how to handle myself when I was tipsy.  Now we're two old retired people, and I'm very grateful to his Love, Ramona, for letting me borrow him for this adventure!