Aug18

Making an ice cream cake

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Saturday, 14-February-2026

For my birthday last year, I’d wanted an Ice Cream Cake. Capitalized, because I freaking love Ice Cream Cakes.

We didn’t get a chance to make one, unfortunately, and so instead we made one for Valentine’s Day!

Oreo crust (since we couldn’t find graham crackers)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (capitalized because I love it)
Chocolate crumbles for the middle
Vanilla ice cream for the top
Sprinkles for color!

And seriously… It was so good. I savored it for nearly a month, I think, making each slice last.

Aug16

Stradbally Beach

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Sunday, 08-February-2026


I’d hiked Mt. Brandon the day before… And today, I was a bit tired. So I went on a hike.

I mean, okay. Let’s be honest here – it was a hike, but not like a HIKE, hike. It was a lovely long walk on the beach. A nearby beach that reminded me beautifully of Cannon Beach in Oregon, with the waves of grasses and the infinite sky reflected in the wet sand…

It was just so beautiful, I can’t even.

So I’ll show off photos, and be proud and happy in the memory.

Also, look at me go! Remembering to actually post the hiking tracks from that app that I pay for and barely use!

Aug15

Hiking Mt. Brandon

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Saturday, 07-February-2026

Now, in my previous post I mentioned going camping out in Kerry… but why was I in Kerry, you may reasonably ask?

Well, it’s pretty. So there’s one good reason. But the real reason is that Mt. Brandon is there!

It’s the second highest peak in Ireland, and… Well, between you and I, it seems like a pretty simple ascent. Sure, it’s ranked as hard, but let’s be real with the terrain, elevation, and distance… it’s not the alps, or the cascades, or… really, it’s a pretty simple hike.

I figured that it’d make for a good test hike – I’d go, see how things pass, and iterate on Irish hikes from there. A leader’s recon, so to say.

It went absolutely lovely.

A bit of fog, some marshy terrain, but it was clean, simple, and lovely. Not too tiring, not too steep, not too slippery… just a lovely training hike for a lovely weekend.