Upcoming trips and visits

Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe. -Anatole France-

Steve and I will be taking another trip soon. We never traveled much in Texas. We tried to get out about once a year. Now we are finding that we can make time to travel more often. Maybe it's just because we know we won't be here very long. Maybe it's because things are so close, and everything is new to us. Who knows? This time we are going to Pitlochry. I found a neat bed and breakfast that is pretty inexpensive. It's £60/night. It's called the Buttonboss Lodge. While we are there, we are going to tour the Edradour distillery.

Photo from: http://www.edradour.com/main5.html

I'd also like to walk through Killiecrakie to Soldier's Leap. Maybe I can get Steve to try the jump across the river. ;)

"It was here, after the Battle of Killiekrankie in 1689, that Donald MacBean a soldier in the defeated government army, escaped his Jacobite pursuers by leaping across this 5.5m (18.5ft) rocky chasm."

-http://www.welcometoscotland.com/things-to-do/attractions/natural-features/perthshire-angus-dundee/soldier-s-leap-killiecrankie

In June, my friend Kristi is coming for a visit. One of the things we have planned is to fly to London for a few days. We are planning to see Big Ben, the Tower Bridge, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. Any suggestions for good places to eat while we are out and about?

"Westminster Abbey is steeped in more than a thousand years of history. Benedictine monks first came to this site in the middle of the tenth century, establishing a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day.
The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs.
The present church, begun by Henry III in 1245, is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the country, with the medieval shrine of an Anglo-Saxon saint still at its heart.
A treasure house of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles and other artefacts, Westminster Abbey is also the place where some of the most significant people in the nation's history are buried or commemorated. Taken as a whole the tombs and memorials comprise the most significant single collection of monumental sculpture anywhere in the United Kingdom. The Library and Muniment Room houses the important (and growing) collections of archives, printed books and manuscripts belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, providing a centre for their study and for research into all aspects of the Abbey's long and varied history."
From: http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history

We are also going to the Royal Opera House to see Mayerling.

The tickets came in the post! Champagne voucher included. Get excited Kristi.

In August, my friends Randi and Adam are coming to visit. Steve and I are trying to plan a trip to Ireland, which is their first stop before they get here. We already have some things planned and booked! We are driving to the Glenlivet Distillery for a tour. We are going to Loch Ness for some "glamping" in an "armadilla" as they call it. Only £55/night.

Photo from: http://www.lochnessglamping.co.uk/

We'll get up the next morning to tour Urquhart Castle and other Loch Ness attractions. We plan to spend some time in Perth where we are staying at a cute B&B called the Ardfern Guest House. Of course we have some hiking and other visits planned that don't require overnight stays. We'll have to go to Banchory, Stonehaven, and possibly even Edinburgh or St. Andrews! We don't want to burn out or be exhausted and cranky, but I'd like them to get to see as much as possible while here. Of course, just spending a few days experiencing "normal" life will probably be interesting to them as well because it's so different. Kristi and Randi should both know that a trip to the cheesemonger is totally on the "to-do" list. Get excited.

Things I like and things I don't like

What I like:
I really like my new coffee maker. It has a reusable filter, and the top will heat up your coffee cups if you sit them up there. Also, it's yellow. I like yellow.

I like that food here is so fresh and that it's easy for me to get local products.

I like that there is a support group here for expats (AWA).

I like how dog friendly the city is, and that when I go to the park, I almost always meet somebody new as our dogs chase each other.

I like that the weather is mild enough for so many outdoor activities such as hiking, running, biking, walking, and castle exploring!

I like that Scottish people have many different new and interesting words I didn't know before moving here.

I like that most people bring their own bags to the grocery store. I also like that the cart is called a "trolley."

I like haggis. It's yummy.

I like that things are so close, including friends. I also like that anybody who lives further than a 30 minute WALK seems far now.

I like the rain.

I like my little compost bin that the city gives me.

I like all the granite buildings and houses.

I like the fuel efficient cars.

I like that almost everybody here seems concerned with safety. Almost every cyclist or runner I see has on a bright yellow vest, jacket, or backpack cover.

I like how polite most people are here and how happy they sound when they say good-bye or thank you (Cheers!).

I like that if there is no possible way to create parking for a place, they create it on the sidewalk. Makes me chuckle to see that.

I could probably go on longer, but I'll stop there for now.

What I don't like:

I don't like hanging clothes all over my house to dry. It makes them wrinkly and crispy, and I have to iron more.... which brings me to my next point:

I don't like ironing.

I don't like how early everything closes here. This city is almost shut down by 6 PM.

I don't like the people who let their dogs poop on the sidewalk and don't pick it up.

I don't like NOT having outlets in the bathroom... but I'm adjusting to sitting in the floor to dry my hair and put on makeup. Plus, it forces me to stretch at the same time. :)

I don't like white floors.

I don't like the negative treatment received simply for being American (hasn't happened much, but has happened).

I don't like the popularity of instant coffee here. ;)

I don't like being unable to hang my own pictures, mostly because I can't get things on the wall when I want.

I don't like the cell phone service as much here. No 4G... terrible reception in most places... if you have any.

I don't like that my coat hooks are about 8 feet high. I have to stand on my tip-toes while Steve laughs at me. hehe

I don't like how quickly things spoil (there's the catch to having fresh food... can't have it all)  :o)

I don't like boilers because they lose water pressure sometimes, and you wake up freezing! 


Before closing, I would like to say that even if I don't like something, it doesn't mean that I'm not thankful to have things. I mean, I'm thankful to have hot water but that doesn't mean I like it when the shower sends a burst of scalding water down my back. ;)

Anybody have anything to add about where you live? I'm so curious.







 

What does a housewife do?

"Back to life, back to reality,

Back to the here and now yeah"

- Soul II Soul-

Now that we are back from our trip, we are back to business as usual. I know a lot of people out there must ask, "What do housewives do all day?" Well, here it goes (I thought this would be an opportunity to take fun pictures too!): I won't go through every single detail such as what I eat for breakfast and where I sit while I'm having my tea or coffee.  Every day I cook dinner, may run to the market, wash dishes, clean the kitchen, make the bed, and constantly mop the kitchen floor as dogs with muddy feet run in and out. haha. :o)

Monday: 

My grandma told me that I'm like my great grandma. I have a day for everything. Do other people do that? Mondays are bathroom and bed sheets day. I scrub 3 toilets, 2 showers (including tiles and glass and removing drain covers to clean out), 3 sinks, and walls around them that are tiled. 

I can totally make it all fit...

Tuesday:

Floors. I vacuum and/or mop all of the floors in the house. This takes forever, especially with stairs. The rugs take a long time too, especially the one that the dogs lay on all the time. I usually go to the grocery store on Tuesdays also, and take recycling out to curb every other Tuesday. Tuesday night we have Kung Fu.

Wednesday:

Dust the furniture, blinds, doors, and baseboards. Get in some XBox time (you knew that was coming eventually). Laundry all day. Cook something a little more difficult because I have the time to prepare.

Thursday:

Go to Bible Study. Pick up around the house. Mop floors again (They are always muddy within a couple of days from the dogs and from Steve bringing his bicycle in the house.). Empty trashcans around house and compost bin. Kung Fu in the evening.

Friday:

Mahjong with the AWA ladies. Long walk in the dog park. Pick up around house. Cook another fun meal since I have the time. Maybe meet up with people for happy hour when Steve gets off work, or rent a movie to relax at home. :) Can't stay up too late because we have Kung Fu on Saturday morning. Clean up the garden (yard) because well.. we have dogs. I do this on the Fridays before trash day on Monday.

So there you have it. That's my basic schedule in a nutshell. Of course it varies often with paying bills, booking stuff for Steve and I, picking up things Steve needs, taking care of whatever is broken or has stopped working around the house, ironing Steve's work clothes, etc,...I also take the dogs walking every afternoon for 45 minutes to an hour in the park. I really enjoy it now that they are behaving better. We even met another French Bulldog a couple of days ago named Loki. They were so cute playing together. Even the dogs seem to love the park. Seriously, look how smug Angel looks in this picture:

When it gets close to the time we normally go, the dogs start acting all crazy and clingy! Oh! Another thing I'm enjoying at the park is the flowers. I looked them up, and they are some sort of Crocus. They need a cold winter and snow to reproduce, so don't even think about digging them up during your visit Grandma.

When I'm not cleaning or at the park, I find time to meet with friends for lunch or coffee. We went to a place recently called Wagamama. It was so great. I love ramen, and they have an entire menu of ramen dishes!! Also, I got this super yummy and pretty jasmine flower tea. It blooms in your cup!

I had some time today to learn more about baking. We all know that I'm terrible at it. I went to a friend's house to learn to make macarons. Mimosas and baking with good company equals a pretty good time. It doesn't hurt that the macaroons were pretty darn good. I got to take a couple home for Steve, and he really liked them as well.

I guess I can close by writing, I love my job. Sure, I went to school for years and got an M.Sc., and at first I was a little resistant about this new role because it wasn't the exact plan I had developed when going to college. However, God has His reasons for everything. I get to spend my time taking care of my home, my dogs (who were always left alone for 10-12 hours a day when we were both working. I only had time maybe once or twice a week to walk them due to the long commute in Houston), taking better care of myself, and taking care of somebody I love very much, Steve. He came home yesterday, opened a beer, and gave me a hug as I was cooking. He kissed me and said, "This is all I need right here. You and this (the beer.. hehe)." It was really cute. It was his way of saying that he's happy. That made my day.

"Little stuff
Big stuff
In between stuff
God sees it all the same

While I may not know you
I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?

Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long
As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
Cause he made you
To do
Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
Tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And everything you do"

-Steven Curtis Chapmen, Do Everything

Home Through the Highlands - Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” 

- St. Augustine -

Monday was "going home day." So sad. Although I was excited to see the drive since it was dark when we drove to Ardoch Bothy, I was so sad to leave. Steve kept saying, "I don't want to go." I agreed. But alas, the real world calls. Of course, that didn't mean we couldn't stop by a few places on the way home. Loch Ness anybody? Uh.. yeah. You can't just drive within 10 miles of it and not stop for a visit. We popped in Urquhart Castle at Loch Ness first. Steve decided to just get us a Historic Scotland membership since we've been visiting and will continue to visit so many sites. Urquhart Castle has been one of the best so far. We went into a small room to watch a video on the history of the castle, and at the end they pulled back a curtain that revealed the entire property. It was amazing! So when you visit the castle, walk straight to the visitor center, and once you get inside go to the movie. Don't try to sneak a peak at the castle because it will totally ruin the unveiling! Oh.. uh.. spoiler alert... pictures. :o)

This is what it looked like before they blew it up.

That's Loch Ness in the back.

Pretty smart, eh? Who knew gutters have been used for so long?

I'm sitting in the chicken coop. :o)

We had so much fun walking around the ruins. Steve and I love that kind of stuff. We have good imaginations. After walking around for a while, we left for lunch. We ate at a little cafe in town. It was terrible. Steve's burger was microwaved. Yep. Gross. My coffee was good, so as far as I was concerned, all was right in the world. So what was next?

Oh yes we did, and it was fun! We went from room to room listening to testimonies, reports, and results from scientists. I learned a lot about the loch (lake)! Apparently there are not enough fish in the lake to support a monster. Sorry Nessie hunters. Although Steve still believes. He's even convinced that there must be a place somewhere that sells "Nessie Nuggets." I told him, "That's disgusting. I'm not eating anything called 'Nessie Nuggets' because I don't want to think about what the nuggets are."   haha

Anyway, back on the road. We had to stop a couple of more times for a look at things.

Urquhart Castle is on the low tip of that closest hill near the loch. You just can't really see it in the shadow of the picture.

We walked down from a viewpoint to the edge of Loch Ness. You can see from this angle how the glacier cut the gorge right between the mountains!

Steve likes to take these kinds of pictures. He said this was really cool.

On the way home we passed several signs for distilleries and castles. We will definitely have to take a trip up the A96 to visit those places. Well, we've reached the end, and my heart aches for the simple, relaxing, beauty and fun experienced on this trip.

Holiday in the Highlands - Part 3 (Eilean Donan Castle and Castle Moil)

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!  

-John Muir-

I'd have to agree with that. (Just click on the pictures to enlarge) We woke up to such a beautiful Sunday morning! If it's this enjoyable in the winter, I can't imagine what it must be like during the summer. Sunday we decided to see some castles. First we went to Eilean Donan Castle. On the way there we stopped at a couple of viewpoints. From one, we could see Strome Castle!

Can you see it on the hill? From the big, white house look just behind and to the left.

We were trying not to laugh as I pushed the button and ran around a fence to stand by Steve...look natural...

Eilean Donan Castle has a live webcam on their website. We paid for the tour (about 6.50 each), which was totally worth it. We even got to see the "secrete rooms" and look through the spy holes! So fun. The castle has such an interesting history. It was actually in ruins for a time and then rebuilt using what was left of the walls instead of tearing it down to start new. The caretakers, the Macrae family, still live there in the East Wing. How cool is that? Also, there were some movies filmed there. From their website:

Eilean Donan has starred in many films - including;

• Bonnie Prince Charlie starring David Niven (1948)
• The Master of Ballantreee starring Errol Flynn (1953)
• The New Avengers (1976)
• Highlander (1986)
• Loch Ness (1996)
• James Bond - The World is Not Enough (1999)
• BBC One Television Idendity (1997 - 2002)

 My pictures were taken during low tide, so it seems like there isn't much water.

After touring the castle, we popped into the cafe for lunch. It was pretty good food, but the coffee was from one of those machines that does the instant latte stuff, which wasn't good. Go somewhere else for coffee. From there we went across the bridge to the Isle of Skye to see Castle Moil (ruins). We didn't walk over to the castle because of the tide, but it was still a great view!

Bridge to the Isle of Skye

On our way home we saw a sign for a monument and decided to stop to see what it was. We're impulsive sometimes.

Robert Frost, anyone? We took the one on the right... most traveled. I don't think Robert Frost considered how not fun it would be to get lost.

The rest of the drive back to Ardoch Bothy was so lovely. The colors just amazed me.