Seagulls are big

Sometimes I forget that I'm on a island. Then, I'll hear the familiar squawking of the seagulls or see one of them swoop down to steal food. My Sifu said that he watched one take an entire chicken breast from a person's plate at a restaurant on the beach! Seagulls are really big here. I threw some old bread into the garden, and they quickly chased away the smaller birds who saw it first. I see now why my neighbor chases them away from her yard. Poor little birds don't have a chance. They were trying to quickly grab pieces and hide in the shrubs to eat. Anyway, to give you some perspective on the size of the beasts, that's a deflated soccer ball in the yard. Oh and picture this: As I looked out to see what the seagulls were doing, I noticed one of them was standing with his beak wide open. He was stretching his neck out as far as he could and then withdrawing it pumping back and forth with his head. After a moment, I realized that he was choking on a piece of bread. Stupid seagull tried to swallow a very large piece instead of picking it apart like the smaller birds. Don't worry, he didn't drop dead in my garden; he managed to finish what he started... the eating bit, not the choking.

Just for fun:

Towns such as Peterculter are pronounced "Peter-cooter," but the area of Cults is pronounced as it is spelled. 

Changing seasons and a pollen forecast website for the UK

"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier 

state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring."

- George Santayana -

Things are changing here in Aberdeen. However, it's still cold some days. Tonight's low is 39°F. It's amazing to see so many things blooming, even with it feeling cold, cloudy, and windy.

Winter

Spring

Victoria Park - Winter

Victoria Park - Spring

With the changing seasons, you may notice that your allergies here have kicked into gear. I've talked to many people who are often wondering what is in the air. I found a website that gives pollen counts here: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/health/public/pollen-forecast. I really like the calendar they have on their website. I've attached it below.

Monthly fish and chips visit and our anniversary celebration!

So, another difference between the UK and the USA that I learned today: In the UK, the expiration date IS the expiration date. There is no 7-day rule for milk. I opened my milk today expecting to use it since it had expired only 2 days ago, and it was sour and clumped. Yum! Anyway, moving on.

This weekend, Steve and I celebrated our 6th anniversary. We went to Cafe Boheme for dinner. Steve ordered duck, and I ordered lamb shank. It was really good, except for the wine incident. The server had just filled Steve's glass and was putting the bottle into the cooler. He knocked over Steve's glass of wine. I had to jump to avoid getting wet! All the server did was refill his glass with our bottle. We weren't compensated in any way for the full glass of wine that kid spilled. Steve said, "Well, there goes £6 onto the floor. We didn't feel like it was worth the fight since we were celebrating and trying to have a good time. We decided it was probably best to not have that extra glass of wine anyway.

Afterwards, we went to the theatre to see Iron Man 3 with some friends. It was a really good movie. A plus was that now the Union Square theatre allows you to take your drinks from the bar into the theatre! After the movie, we went to The Globe where there was a band playing. We saw some young girls there acting really dumb. They were daring each other to do things. One acted like a mime in a box in the middle of the bar. One was dared to talk to some guys and was eventually rescued by her friend, the wingman. One girl was doing something at an empty table with some leftover wine glasses. She slammed them down on the table while yelling "yeah!" breaking one and cutting her finger. Not smart. She could have really hurt herself.

The bars here close at 1:00 AM, so we went to a casino for one last drink. Well, I had water. I was thirsty, and then I was hungry. So on the way home we stopped at a chipper to get me some cheese and chips! I know it's bad for me, but every now and then is okay. It was FANTASTIC. While we were in the chipper, a guy stumbled in the door and asked Steve, "Whatre youuuu.... gonna dooo... at tha endofthwa world?" Steve wisely chose to pretend he wasn't there. The guy behind the man wasn't so wise. There is never a dull moment in Aberdeen after 11 PM.

On Sunday we went for our monthly fish and chips with Pam and Fin. For this trip, we went to Hornblowers Fish and Chip Restaurant in Gourdon. The restaurant overlooks the harbor. You can choose a regular or lighter portion if fish and chips. There is beer, cider, and wine if you want an alcoholic beverage. They also serve a variety of fizzy drinks and milkshakes. For desert your choices include cheesecake, apple pie, sticky toffee pudding, and Mackie's ice cream amongst others. It's a great little place, and you can take a walk around the harbor after eating. We got to see the crab catch for the week while we were there!

Photo from: http://gourdonview.wordpress.com/

My Dog Gives Good Advice

My dog has a good idea. She's found the warm spot in the house, the spot in front of the dryer. I started thinking about a few things as I looked at this picture. I thought, 'How simple was her decision? She was cold. She was uncomfortable. Instead of suffering through it, she went somewhere warm.' I thought about experiences. My experiences and how we react. Some from others. A bit of both. Angel has the right idea. Go to places that are warm. I think that works in so many areas of life literally and metaphorically. Just as you would not willingly sit in the freezing cold or scorching sun with no protection...just as you wouldn't willingly allow your body to be abused, so should you not allow your heart and mind to suffer the same. Surround yourself in warmth. 

Yesterday wasn't a good day for me. Things just kept going wrong, and I was really down. I guess we all have those days when frustrations keep piling. I thought about just sitting on the couch in front of the tele for the rest of the evening. Instead, I forced myself to leave the house. I walked to places I enjoy. I ran some errands, and despite all of my emotions screaming at me to fold under their weight, I got on my bicycle headed toward Kung Fu training for the night. Man it was hard to keep moving...to keep surrounding myself with...well anything except loneliness. After training, I kept moving. I was afraid to be still. Have you ever felt that way? Like you just don't want to be alone with your thoughts because they might take over you? So, I took Angel to the park. We ran and played together. When I got home, Steve hugged me and told me, 'Everything will be okay.' I was on the road back to my happier self, and after a conversation with God, I found her again. 

Today I played Mah-Jong, ran some errands, and then had coffee with my neighbor. She has had such an interesting life. Sitting with her chatting over coffee was like hanging out with my own grandparents. It was nice.

So I'll say it again. Surround yourself in warmth: God. Peaceful people. Loving people. Happy places. Cozy spaces. And don't forget your loyal, slobbering, furry companions that will always be there to lick your faces.

Falls Of Feugh Restaurant and Flowers in Aberdeen!

This week I went to the Falls Of Feugh Restaurant in Banchory for a ladies luncheon. It's a nice spot for tea with free parking and beautiful views of the river. We were served soup, sandwiches, sticky toffee pudding, and tea/coffee.  I enjoyed everything except for the coffee. I recommend getting the tea instead. For the luncheon, all the ladies wore fascinators. There were so many different types. I didn't wear a very big one; it was just a small clip.

My Mah-jong buddy, Margo!

Now I'm going to get real for a minute. I struggle sometimes in social situations. I worry so much about how I may be received. I will stress later over everything I said, hoping that I didn't offend somebody or appear upon first impression to be a person that I really am not. Sometimes it drives me mad. I'll worry about things that weren't a big deal or that were so minuscule that people probably don't remember that one sentence I'm worried may have been interpreted differently from my intentions. I may even start stressing in the middle of the conversation. I'll suddenly zone back into the conversation and realize that I have no idea what was just said. I was replaying my words anxiously and worrying without even realizing it. If I do hurt someone's feelings, I will likely fret about it even a year or two later when something reminds me of it. (SIGHS) I know it sounds stupid. I'm making a huge effort to overcome this. My mom suggested that before I go to an event or function that I repeat: "I will not have any regrets." She says that I will probably hurt somebody's feelings unintentionally today and probably tomorrow because I am human and so are they. So who cares? Let it roll off and move forward. It's not like it was done intentionally, and you can't control everybody's feelings or interpretations. She said that I'm going to worry so much about all of this that I will start to withdraw and stop being myself... and I've seen it happen. She's a wise woman.

Anyway, all of that was just to explain the next bit on this blog, which I'm sure you can tell I'm already stressing about writing. However, feelings are feelings. They are not right or wrong.

We were given assigned seating, which meant that I ended up at a table with only one person whom I knew. Most of them were older than me as well, which means they have kids and many more experiences than I've had. It's easy to talk to people regardless of age if they are family, have known you for a while, or if you have participated in activities together. It's much harder when they don't know you at all.

"Have you been here long?"

"No."

"Do you know or have you been to ____"

"No, sorry."

"Do you have any kids?"

"No. Just dogs."

They were trying so hard to find something to talk to me about. God bless them. It's already difficult... meeting new people.. but throw in an age gap (and my small town experiences, lack of travel, and lack of children) that leaves you grasping for things in common... and it's worse. I just sort of stared off into space for a while. I was just so tired, and I'm already anxious in social situations; I felt...alien. I started to withdraw. I hope they didn't think I was rude. I wanted to talk more, I just didn't know what to say. I asked about their kids and interests, but I couldn't figure out how to relate to them in a way that would sustain a longer conversation. Luckily, near the end of the meal, we finally all found some common ground...the education system...teenagers.. and pets. All of which I have experience! So, it did get better for me after my initial struggle. They were all lovely ladies.

Moving on. I love living here in Aberdeen, and one of the reasons is the time I get to spend with my dogs off lead, in parks, and in a climate that suits them as well as me. Angel loves to chase the sticks I throw. Sometimes she chews them up a bit before bringing them back. Dogs are great. They love you unconditionally. I've added some pictures of things blooming in the park. It's so beautiful. It really makes me smile to see God's beautiful creations.

Flat Stanley Comes to Scotland - A Blog for Luke

This is the 7th Flat Stanley that has visited me. Flat Stanley comes from a children's book about a little boy who is flattened. He makes lemonade with the lemons life gave him and decides that because he is flat, he can travel easily around the world in envelopes. Flat Stanley came to Scotland this year! Did you know that the national animal of Scotland is the unicorn? We live in Aberdeen, which is known as the "granite city" due to the granite found here and that the majority of buildings are made with it! 

Flat Stanley saw many places during his visit to Scotland. We went to many castles traveling along the cliff sides that overlook the North Sea. The North Sea surface water ranges from about 34-54 degrees. It's very cold water!

Our first stop was Dunnotar Castle. Dunnotar has been around for over 1000 years! That's really old, Luke. Important battles were fought here during the Dark Ages.

Now, we couldn't let Flat Stanley starve, so we took him to a few cafes for lunch/dinner. The one below had some pretty neat paintings on the building.

I think Flat Stanley was trying to call you, Luke. I guess you didn't recognize the number.

Next, we took a look around Drum Castle (below). Drum Castle was the home of the Irvine Family from 1323 to 1975. This one is pretty old too, eh?

This is the front of Drum Castle.

After exploring Drum Castle, we went to Crathes Castle (pronounced "crath-is" like the word "is" sounds). This castle was built for the Burnetts of Leys who lived there for over 350 years. They like to keep things in the family around here.

Enough castles! Flat Stanley wanted some activity, so we decided to hike up Scolty Hill. It took about an hour to get to the top in the snow. The snow in some places was a foot or more deep!

There is the tower on top of Scolty Hill. We are almost to the top!

From the top, you can see the Cairngorm Mountains!

That little town down there is Banchory (pronounced like "Bankory")

 Our last stop was Slains Castle. This castle is said to be the inspiration behind Bram Stoker's Dracula! OOooo... spooky! It's perched on some amazing cliffs and gets pretty windy.

Check out the cliffs you can see from one of the windows!

This shows you how big the cliffs are here. See how small I am over there?

There is Slains Castle in the background.

I'm so happy that Flat Stanley got to visit us while we are living here. I hope that you enjoy the pictures, Luke!

I love cooking - Homemade steamed buns (Mantou)

I don't really feel like I'm good at much... well not much that is useful in the world... or even interesting. I often think, 'In a zombie apocalypse, would I survive?' I can't sew well enough to keep your clothes on if you move too much. I can only crochet in circles. I've never hunted. I shot clay pigeons and was fairly successful at that, so I guess that doesn't totally rule out my survival. I built "forts" in the woods when I was a kid, but I think if you saw those, you wouldn't put your survival in my hands. I can't identify as many plants as I would like. I know most of the poisonous stuff, but what can I eat? I'm not very good at baking. I don't know much about stars and navigation. I wish I did. I can't carve a canoe out of a tree. I don't know how to use a weaving loom or create pottery. Do you see my point? Sometimes I feel so... useless.

Gosh...what can I do? I guess I can fish. I can clean the fish too (although not well). I'm pretty good at fixing and installing things around the house. I fix the plumbing. I install switches, outlets, fixtures, and A/C panels. I enjoy gardening and do alright getting things to grow. I think I'm pretty good at cooking. I'm no 5-star chef, but I do well enough to surprise myself. "Wow...did I cook that?" I'm not bad at Kung Fu (does that count? haha).  So, I guess I'll end up being the village farmer and cook if the world comes crashing to the ground. It's something I really enjoy. Cooking. Sorry, my brain took a detour.

Today, Pam and Jessica came to my house to make steamed buns. I love those things! I don't make my own dough when I cook, and these recipes teach how to do that. We were going to use a bread maker, but we decided to do it by hand. It wasn't too hard. We followed the recipes on these blogs:

http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/jjinppang-mandu

http://kirbiecravings.com/2011/02/homemade-steamed-buns-mantou.html

We first started with the steamed pork buns. I won't repeat the instructions here because you can easily follow the great job those bloggers did at posting instructions, but I can show you some pictures and give you some tips. The steamed pork buns can be eaten as a meal. The plain steamed buns (mantou) are good with breakfast (or for breakfast). They make a great snack too! You can freeze the dough, and then thaw, steam, and eat later as well.

Mixing the dough. I recommend putting the dough in a glass bowl with a lid, and then put the glass bowl in a larger bowl of hot water to speed up the rising process.

Chopping the vegetables

There was lots of chopping

The Maangchi blog gives great instructions filled with pictures and a video

We used bamboo steamers. For the pork buns, make sure they aren't touching before cooking. They will grow as they steam. You can put them on wax/parchment paper or in little cupcake papers.

Use your thumb to push in the stuffing while you use the other hand to fold, pinch, and twist the top of the dough. Make sure you roll out each circle of dough so that it's a little thicker in the middle than on the sides. This will prevent tearing.

They aren't always as pretty as you want the first time you make them, but they sure are yummy!

Pam rolling out the dough for the mantou. We doubled the recipe.

Make sure you really thin out the dough before rolling it up like a log. Keep it very tight as you do this.

It should look like this when you cut it.

We put each little bun on parchment paper (you can use wax paper too) so that they don't stick to the steamers. Don't judge our multi-sized buns. It was our first time.

Steaming the buns for 20 minutes. Make sure to check on the amount of water left in the pot as they steam so that you don't ruin your pot.

Steamed buns. Ours were a little thick, but still good. Lessons, eh?

I hope that you enjoyed the pictures, and that it inspires you to try something new. Making this many steamed buns as beginners (and talkers) took us about 5 hours from start to finish with two small bamboo steamers. We made the dough for each type of bun separately and didn't start the second recipe until we were convinced that we had made the first one correctly. We didn't want too much going on at one time. So if you make these, it won't take as long, especially if you are only using one of the recipes instead of both in the same day.