MONDAY, SEPT. 10
Esther picked up Fiona in the morning to take her to Cork where she would catch her flight to London. Chloe and I were sad seeing her go but we felt we had made a new friend.
TAKING IT EASY
As per Fiona’s advice, we were not going to attempt anything too ambitious that first day. We walked Saffi to Olive’s, walked the dogs there and fed the pigs and chickens.
Back at Fiona’s, I tried to call to arrange pickup of Chloe’s modelling bag, but I had no reception in the house and had to walk half a kilometer to the end of the causeway to get a signal. The gusting wind made it difficult to hear people talking. And I felt exposed and strangely vulnerable standing outside on my phone, as if stranger’s eyes were upon me, peering through curtained windows from the few houses in view.
MODEL BAG ESCAPADES
I was first straight out told that the bag wasn’t there. The next person I talked to said he found a diaper bag that must be our bag. I lost my temper, and began calling one number after another until finally someone went to the right place, found the right bag — and voila, Chloe’s bag was in someone’s hand! Once I’d called the courier and given him instructions…I said a little prayer. Clearly this wouldn’t be resolved until the courier arrived in Ballintona and handed us the bag.
In the afternoon, we walked the loop, this time in sunshine. It was the first dog walk on our own, our first day of life revolving around Saffi.
The house seemed so quiet without Fiona.
