When you think things are kinda quiet, stuff happens.

To an extend that it’s hard to keep up with them.

The 'Black' Forest

The ‘Black’ Forest

Sitting on the train to Dusseldorf, the German departure airport for low-cost flights to Dublin this week (why do those airports have to be always that far away?) the phone rang with a +1 prefix. As the train was passing some of the most beautiful German countryside along the Rhine-Valley, a very friendly lady from the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Office told me that a former District Attorney in the Criminal Bureau is reviewing the Brewster Police material in an investigation lead by the Public Integrity Bureau.

Have I lost you? – Doesn’t surprise me.

We'll be staying at the back of this apartment building for the next 5-6 weeks.

We’ll be staying at the back of this apartment building for the next 5-6 weeks.

Imagine hearing all this on a mobile phone line that’s coming in and going out on a fast moving train along the river Rhine. This was a scene straight out of a movie. With the best intentions in the world communication was challenging. Eventually, the line dropped completely.So I will be calling this lady back tomorrow to fill in the gaps left by bad mobile phone coverage.

Earlier in the day, someone in TG4 rung to say that she’d be interested to do a programme on Pádraig returning home. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Then an email arrived outlining the procedures for his return to Dublin, with dates! Can you believe it?

The http://www.ansaol.ie website and email are up and running. No ‘proper’ content yet, but it’s there. We are planning the review of an action plan for the short- and medium-term at some time in September.

Schwarzwälderkirschtorte

Schwarzwälderkirschtorte

And, last but not least, Pádraig is already showing some definite improvements.

His head control has very notably improved. Today, for the first time since the accident, he was able to sit almost straight in the wheelchair, with his head up. He can’t yet do this for a long time, but he can do it now, while before he was not able to do this at all. It was so good to see him managing.

After an hour of speech therapy at 8am, physio/OT from 11 to 14, and more than 30 minutes in the Lokomat, he finished his exercise regime at around 3pm to have some lunch.

But today’s highlight was, without a doubt, the “Kaffeetrinken” in the afternoon: he had a go at this Black Forest Gateau. With immense pleasure! While looking from up there on a balcony down towards the Black Forest! Magic. His first piece of gateau. It had to be Schwarzwälderkirschtorte!

The only thing missing in the picture was the stream with the Dreamboat sailing down towards the sea. It was there in our minds. As was Sara who blazed the way for Pádraig, not just once. A Dreamboater who’ll always be with us, never forgotten.