haul

There are LEGO hauls, and then there are time-capsules. The Ratoath pickup turned out to be the latter: a trunkful of 1970s LEGOLAND goodness (trains! aircraft! furniture sets!), a sprinkling of Classic Space, and Weetabix!

Some LEGO hauls are simple.A quick message, a short drive, a bag of bricks, home in time for tea. But

I still can hardly believe it. I have the new LEGO Star Wars 75419 Death Star. I showed up at the LEGO Store on Grafton Street before opening this morning, determined to score the newest Death Star set, and as luck (and planning) would have it, I was the very first person to emerge from that store with one in hand.

There are days that feel like a quick errand. Then there are days that turn into full-on road trips with multiple stops, chance encounters, happy meals, and a boot filled with treasure. Wednesday was one of those days.

Some LEGO trips are smooth. A quick run down the M50, a pickup, a tea, and home again before bedtime.

There are days in LEGO collecting you’ll always remember. Today was one of those days. It began the same as any other, but then a text from a familiar seller, the very same one who, back in August, entrusted us with their Sanctum Sanctorum, Destiny’s Bounty, and Loop Roller Coaster (that story is here).

But this time, the message wasn’t about three sets. It was about everything, their entire collection.

What was meant to be a quick spin to collect some LEGO minifigures turned into a 4 ½ hour epic journey across Leinster. Roads, roundabouts, traffic jams, and crates of bricks carried us through multiple counties, each stop adding another chapter to the growing story of the Redmond’s Forge LEGO Museum.

Day 14 brought something that felt both unexpected and inevitable, a reminder that the paths we take often circle back on themselves. This afternoon, I caught up with an old acquaintance from my kayaking days, someone I hadn’t seen in well over a decade. Back then, our lives revolved around rivers, rapids, and the simple thrill of the paddle. Today, the conversation flowed in a very different direction: LEGO, AI, and how he is developing his corner of Mill Lane in Palmerstown.

Some afternoons just fall together in the most magical of ways. Yesterday was one of those days, a perfect blend of family, travel, LEGO, and a surprise addition in the form of Sylvanian Families. What started as a plan for a LEGO pickup ended as an adventure that felt like we were living inside a Sylvanian Families playset, complete with Nana, the kids, and more toys than we knew how to fit into the car.

Sunday began in an unusual way, with a packed schedule and a strange mix of emotions. First up was Luke’s very first rugby training session with De La Salle Palmerstown, up at Kirwan Park for 9am. There was a buzz of excitement for him, but waiting for me afterwards was a challenge closer to home, quite literally parked in the driveway.