June 6th
D-day! 80 years since the Normandy landings.
Landing was delayed by one day because Maureen Sweeney, a weather observer working at the Blacksod lighthouse, reported that the weather in the Atlantic was changing and that there was a storm the next day. All other weather stations had reported that the weather remained favorable. Maureen gave a warning about the change in weather. The management of the operation heeded her warning and postponed the landing by a day. That move saved the whole operation, because 5.6. 1944 In Normandy, it was raining and the wind was quite strong. Maureen Sweeney died at the age of 100 last December. Those who led the landing and those who participated in it have expressed their thanks to her for being saved and for the success of the landing. After the war, Maureen worked as a caretaker at the Blacksod Post Office. Blacksod is on the western edge of Ireland, about 15 km north of Achill Island.
We arrived here on the island of amazing scenery after driving from Galway to Castlebar to pick up Outi with us. At Outi’s we ate tasty vegetable soup with fresh bread. Outi packed her suitcase in Tellu and we started our drive here. As the journey progressed, the scenery became more rugged and finally the Atlantic coast came across. As the landscapes became more beautiful, the roads also became narrower. After all, we were driving roads where overtaking was not possible in all places. We got there without any problems. I had to stop a few times on the way so that Eva and Jette could take pictures. Outi colored our trip with great stories about the various destinations we passed.
In the village of Dooagh, we settled in Outi’s friend Marie’s house. A wonderful 75-year-old lady who is about to leave for a 10-day hike in Santiago de Compostela. It’s a pleasure to meet a lady of her age and such a cheerful disposition. A good thing!
Marie has told us that she was born into a fisherman’s family. She spent her working career as an employee of a nursing home in England. Now she has home here on the Atlantic beach where you can watch the sunset into the waves from the living room! I feel privileged to sit in this group amidst these stories in this landscape. Life is a continuum of different coincidences on the way to the grave – or the oven…! There have been quite a few great coincidences for me. Today is one of them!