Roll, stretch, mobility, video analysis and eventually we were on the field. A sharp warm up before we went into some attacking phases of play which lead into an 11v11 game to practice a few things that Kenny wanted the team to work on. Before finishing with set pieces, which ended up dragging on for a fair while. When they were finally done and the boys went for a stretch, I went to do some of my own extra running. It is becoming more and more important for me to raise my fitness levels, because I am not playing 90 minutes each week, and also if I am to go away from Derry I need to be fit and ready for whatever team. So I was about 75% of the way through the extra work I had decided to do when Donal and 3 of the other younger lads were setting up some sprinting things. I jumped in that knowing that extra work would always be beneficial, and just put the head down and got on with it. We were out there for another 15 minutes before we were finally done. After a fairly light session, I felt like I took something away from the session for my own personal benefit.

Wardy and I stopped at the supermarket to get food before we headed on home. While I was at the supermarket, a friend from my high school, Garin College, Katy Sinnott sent me a message as she was driving through Derry on her way back over to the East coast. We had been in touch earlier that week after she found out I was in Ireland, as I wasn’t aware she was, and I let her know where I was. So it turned out that she was driving through Derry and she picked me up and we went for a cup of tea/coffee and a catch up. It’s crazy how small and connected this world is. It had been at least 4 years since I had last seen her and there is always lots to talk about especially good old high school times and what all our friends were up to. It was a lovely afternoon. The sun had come out so we went for a walk across the Peace Bridge, before she dropped me home and then headed on her way. She lives about 90 minutes away working as an Au Pair for a family, who happens to have various holiday houses around Ireland. I have next weekend off, and depending on how things go this week, I may finally get to see a bit of the country and possibly stay at one of the holiday houses. We shall see.

I fairly uneventful evening with a nice FaceTime chat with Shannon who begins her second week at Yale New Haven hospital. Her first official shift in the Pediatric Emergency Department isn’t until Tuesday however as it has all been orientation and education so far.