We took a brief gander in the shop, and I came away with a sodium lauryl-free soap base (1kg) and ginger oil for €10. I'm ok with that. The shop had everything, aromatherapy oils, essential oils, base oils, soap mixes, moulds, and every kind of bottle and container imaginable. I can't wait to make some Christmassy soaps.
After our trip to the store we headed up and up for a drive in the hills. I have only briefly been to Wicklow before and, while I've been to Glendelough, I've never been in the mountains proper. It was a gloomy day, but this just enhanced the bleakness of the landscape.
The Wicklow mountains are a predominantly granite landscape, with sparse foliage due to the high winds experienced. Winding roads reveal new treats at every corner, as acres of pine trees are replaced by corrie lakes, waterfalls or sparse foliage and heath for miles. We got out at one point and hung out with some sheep, but they didn't want to talk to us, so we proceeded.
The rest of the afternoon was spent driving, and catching up with my aunt and cousin, who I haven't seen in a few months. I ate mandarins and white chocolates and drank tea, and it was really nice. The funny thing is, last night was the first time I've had less than 8 hours sleep in months, and right now I'm absolutely exhausted. Time to go home to bed, I think. I'm going to give some creative writing a go first, though. I was at a zine launch last night, and they're looking for submission for the next edition. I never write anything decent, it would be good to challenge myself for once :)
I'll finish up with a few pictures of the Wicklow mountains to give you an idea. Stephen did take some pictures, but I don't have them, so the Wikipedia stock photos will have to do:
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| Lugnaquilla, Wicklow's highest mountain |
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| Feral goat |
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| Tonelagee mountain in the Glendasan valley, Wicklow Mountains |
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| Deer on the slopes of Camaderry Mountain |
