Here is my experience (so far) of an Aga without Googling. In other words, just what I've observed the last few days. It's supposed to be an oven that doubles as a type of home heating. It never turns off. You can adjust the temperature somewhat - there is one big dial that adjusts the level of heat of the whole oven and range top. You can't adjust the various heating areas separately, like you would a normal oven/range top. There are two burners (not really burners but more like hot plates) on the top of the stove. One is hotter, one is less hot. There are two small ovens and it's the same - one hotter, one not so hot. So far, I've tried both a pizza and a ready-meal in the ovens. While it did get both warm, it kind of dries out the food as much as it heats it. In the case of the pizza, that wasn't too bad. It just meant that the crust was very crispy. In the case of my poor ready-meal, by the time the whole thing was heated through, the outside layers were dried up and hard. Ick. I guess I should have covered it and given up the idea of a crispy-topped bake. Oh well. As a heater, it doesn't work well enough to heat the house to a comfortable level, just to take the edge off the cold. My current feeling, as it's freezing tonight and my little peat fire is doing nothing for my numb toes, is that an Aga is a rather useless invention that doesn't work well for either of its intended purposes. I do rate is a 10/10 for cuteness and making me feel like I've time-traveled into the 1920's. Very timey-wimey. All I need now is a fez and a bow tie. The Aga completely open - you're probably not supposed to do this, but I'm cold and short of being able to climb inside the darn thing, this is my strategy. The rest of the adorable (if low tech) kitchen.
Stayed in a cottage with a Rayburn once - very similar, and equally hopeless. They do look nice though.
As for the rest of the day, I'm sorry to say there was not a dog in sight - Labrador or otherwise. After a morning work meeting, the sun looked like it was trying to peek out, so I decided to hop in the Tardis and brave the mud track. It wasn't so much for adventure as for the fact that I was out of pizza. I headed towards Mizen Head, Ireland's westernmost point. I've been to Mizen Head nearly every year since 2004. It's a great old lighthouse, a scary suspension bridge, crashing dramatic waves and a sure place to watch seals frolic amongst the rocks. It's a also a great scenic drive with amazing beaches no matter whether you're approaching from the north or south. Today didn't disappoint. There was sun. There was rain. There was hail. There was snow. You know what they say about Ireland, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes". By the time I rolled into the Mizen Head visitor centre parking, I was thinking maybe this would NOT be a good day to try to cross the suspension bridge due to all the high wind. Well, they beat me to it... the whole place was shut tight as a drum until March. Oops. I guess I should have checked that online before setting off. Still, it was a great drive and the way back home took me right past the Skibbereen Lidl. Win! Meet Sean, my erstwhile satnav companion with the lovely Irish accent... A stone altar on the shore... Typical southwest Irish coastline... The little motor that could ( I have no dog to photograph in front of the sights, so the Tardis just has to do)... And finally arrived at Mizen Head - can't get any further west than this and still be in Ireland...
Yeah, it's more beautiful than practical. I was thinking before I rented it that it may be good for a longer (month plus) stay, but while the internet is great, host very friendly, views to die for, it's a little too 'out there' for me. And I like to be warm and have a shower., which I can't here. But just for a few days it's an interesting experience. If I had a dog to keep my feet warm, it would do even better.
I don't have a passport either, though I have had one, maybe it is still lurking somewhere, I loath flying, am scared stiff, though I did fly to Atlanta on my own! @Emily_BabbelHund, am still very impressed and didn't even attempt to snooze while reading your post, it was fascinating.
Aga's traditionally keep kitchens very toasty. Contribute to the kitchen being the hub of the home. There are whole bookshelves of how to cook with Agas. Never had one myself but neighbours have and I feel somehow you are missing something......
Probably has something to do with me being completely incapable of cooking! I know Agas are real status symbols and much sought after. I'm sure you're right about there being some operator error going on.
That's probably it - if you've got the cash to throw away on something that isn't even that great, then you've made it! Thanks for the photos and the description, it's certainly a beautiful bit of whiteware. And not to spoil your Mizen Head narrative, but a quick google shows me that it's the southernmost point in Ireland, and Dunmore Head is the westernmost point. I googled because I don't know my Ireland and wanted to see where you were, and saw that there was quite a bit more Ireland out west! Those photos though *sigh* that is the Ireland that people like me who've never been there imagine
Lovely. "One day" I want to go to Ireland too! Along with pretty much every inch of Great Britain. Sigh.
Oops, you're right - sorry for leading you astray. The visitor's centre says it's "Ireland's most southwesterly point"... whatever that means!
I stayed with friends in Exeter many years ago. They have an Aga (a beautiful cream one), and O-M-G they made roast potatoes to die for in that little oven cupboard. That Irish coastline is just no good without a dog to hike along it. It is crying out for a dog! Whenever I go anywhere lovely like this without Snowie, I always think how much more I’d enjoy it with him. Emily, I just have to say I feel privileged reading along with you on your trip, like a first-class travel documentary, reminds me of that wonderful series by Michael Palin.
@Emily_BabbelHund , thanks for the visit to Mizen Head My youngsters and I spent a week near Baltimore 10 years ago, it rained a lot. One day in the rain we set off for Mizen Head, couldn't see a thing, barely the hand in front of your face. So we didn't even get out of the car! But as we drove back along the peninsula the clouds parted, blue sky appeared and far down below we could see the golden sand of Barley Cove and matchstick figures of people on the beach. All my son and daughter, then in their early teens, wanted of a holiday was the sea, I can hear them now saying "Lets get down there Mum", eventually we found the relevant parking place and had a glorious afternoon, it's very beautiful. I'd love to go back to Barley Cove! Even now, on seriously wet days we look out for that "Barley Cove moment" -- when the clouds part and everything is better! Just to bring it back to dogs, the place we stayed had a 3 legged Airedale called Teddy. Now that was a dog with spirit!
Isn't it amazing? The photos of the coastline and stone altar above are taken just on the headland before Barley Cove. I had my own "Barley Cove moment" the first time I visited. It was my first trip to Ireland, I was very depressed (long story) and it had rained on me for a week straight. I don't even remember why I was going to Mizen Head, but somehow it had ended up on my list of places to visit. I rounded a corner in my rental car, and as you say, the clouds parted, the blue sky appeared, and all of the sudden there is the whitest sand and the bluest water... just this huge expanse of beauty. I can remember just parking the car and staring. I was really not in a good place within my head, and that moment just seemed to blow the cobwebs out and give me enough sunshine to start to turn things around. That's pretty much why I get to Mizen Head every year, big old sentimental goof that I am. And that's why I loved traveling with Brogan and why Ireland was one of our very special places. In Dingle overlooking the Three Sisters... In Baltimore at the Beacon... In Galway (Connemara)... In Dingle again... In Killarney (Moll's Gap)... In County Clare doing a bit of earflap parasailing...
*sniggers* Maybe dear old Moll had a particularly gappy mouth...maybe. I'm not convinced the Connemara photo isn't taken in the South Pacific! That could be Fiji!
Except for it was August and about 11 degrees! Not that I minded, you understand, just a bit chillier than Fiji!
Exactly that, superb description. I think we went up the Beacon, and definitely had a super afternoon kayaking on Lough Ine - the one allows the sea in at high tide, very interesting marine life in a freshwater lake. Oh yes and the coast of Connemara, that clear water and whitesand, stunning. You know what? Think I'm going to take Cassie to follow Brogans pawsteps round Ireland
‘Following Brogan’s Pawsteps’ - what a great idea. I think @Emily_BabbelHund could start a new travel company
