Seachain an duine a bhíonn ina thost

Bangor is frightfully relaxing when you've nothing to do. I've taken several strolls down the pier since I got back, and even watched TV. Mad. The journey back to Bangor was quite fun. I set off from home at 10:15 on Wednesday morning. Mum dropped me into Limerick to go to the dentist, but first I visited Lyric to drop off a copy of my dissertation. I ended up going for breakfast with the Lunchtime Choice team and sitting in on their production meeting. Liz, the presenter, is starting a blog and has been reading mine in preparation. How flattering!

The trip to the dentist was uneventful. My teeth are very good, which is always nice. Oral hygiene is important. The dentist is lovely. I'm going to marry his son, you know. I've never met him or anything, but we seem to be similar. We're always doing the same thing at the same time. For example, we both chose between studying Music and Theoretical Physics. He went for Theoretical Physics, though.

After the dentist I got the bus to Dublin, where my grandparents and cousin Phelie met me. I don't see my cousins very often, and Phelie and I get along very well, so it was lovely to see him. He had finished his degree the day before (despite being a year older than me: his was a four-year degree), his brother Mikey had finished that day and his mum has almost finished her MA, so there was a nice feeling of completion about the place. I spent the evening chatting to my grandparents (who seemed in good spirits, although Grandpa really isn't very well at all), wandering around the garden and in my cousins' house (they all live on the same piece of land). Phelie's going to Holland next year to play hockey semi-professionally which is quite an adventure, and his dad might be taking up a job in Canada. All change.

Thursday wasn't particularly exciting. I found the ferry journey incredibly frustrating: sunshine and water make the most wonderful combination, and I was itching to be outside, perhaps floating lazily across the Irish Sea in a dinghy. But no. I was trapped in a big ferry-shaped box. I went out onto the tiny cage-like platform at the back for a little bit, but the people I was sharing my table with didn't seem keen on minding my bags for too long so I didn't stay.

It was really weird saying goodbye to my flatmates yesterday. They were so great. We were all completely different, but shared a sense of humour. Just giggled all day long. I'll miss their silliness. At least Nick will be around in July; I think it'll be good to have someone to hang around with outside the SU. I might go a little crazy otherwise.