Foodie Penpals

If you've found my blog through Foodie Penpals my reveal post is over on my new blog, The Wee Mouse.

Upcycle..recycle...

Hi it's me, I used to blog over there here. Now I'm back. Maybe a shiny new blog should have been calling but I feel an attachment to this one, so I'm upcycling it or recycling it, or whatever.

Life has changed a bit since my New York days. I thought my time there would lead me home to a new shiny job in a big fancy city. Ha. How wrong I was. So what I pictured for my future didn't exactly pan out but somehow I'm precisely where I should be.

I came home, moved to the country, fell in love with it. I kind of haphazardly blogged about that. Then I met a boy and fell in love with him. So now it's about building our home and our life together. Life now is less about where to get brunch or which happy hour are we going to hit. Now I'm happy to be tucked up in bed with a cup of tea and a good book, rather than squeezed up against a bar trying to get served; spending my Sunday morning reading the paper, not hiding under my duvet with a hangover.

This little blog kind of took a back seat amongst the falling in love stuff. I've still been lurking and reading some of my favourite blogs and finding some new ones to love but the desire to write and share just wasn't there. Well it's back and share I will again (and probably doing some commenting rather than just lurking!)

So here's the start of a new chapter for this old blog. Oops, nope not this blog. It's this blog now. I changed my mind, it's a woman's privilege apparently.

Image by me taken on Drummond Hill,Perthshire.

It's been a long cold winter

I'm ready for spring and colour and life. So I'm actually taking part in this great idea by the lovely Kristin. I've got my eyes open looking to take some photos over the next 7 days looking for 7 colours.
The image above is my addition for today, vibrant greens. It was taken a year ago when I was travelling down the Baja peninsula in Mexico. It was hot, sunny and the cervezas were cold! Happy memories.

Simple, Elegant, Beautiful

Thanks to the Sartorialist I'm now craving the perfect navy blazer!

Just because...

...this cheered up my morning!

For a bit more of the lovely Josh

Image stumbled upon via the wonder of the Josh Brolin page on facebook

Huh?

I'm an Obama fan, but....

...this made me go 'huh?'

On the shortlist there were candidates who, in my eyes, would have been more deserving winners.

But, hey, that's only my opinion, and I'm not on the panel that makes the decision.

Warm toes and tummy

It was my birthday on monday, a great spent walking on the beach in the sunshine and then home to a cup of tea and a big slice of birthday cake (with coffee cream icing, yummy!) made by my wonderful mother.

With my birthday pennies I will be treating myself to these little beauties to keep my toes cosy in my wellies. My parents gave me a slow cooker (and recipe book!) and I'm now looking forward to a winter of coming home on cold dark evenings to a proper hot meal waiting for me! Thank you Mum and Dad x

P.S. If any one has any good slow cooker recipes I would be pleased to get them.

Image from toast.co.uk

Can it really be 2 months since I last posted?

Yes, apparently it can and very much is.

The lack of internet in my new (or should that be current) home and the craziness of work over the summer season has lead me to not only be unable to post but barely able to follow any of the blogs that sustained me through my dull NYC job!

A crazy and wonderful summer it has been back here in Scotland and working in the rafting industry again. It is now drawing to a close again and many of my friends are disappearing off on exciting winter adventures; rafting in Nepal and Morocco, canyoning in Washington, skiing in Alps. And the sun worshippers well they are off to rafting jobs in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

As for me and a few other hardy soles we are toughing out the Aberfeldy winter. A winter which will most likely to be cold and wet, with less faces to make us a smile on dreich days. I have a new job lined up for the winter, and a new contract for my current one to start back in January and with this news today, I feel pretty lucky.

I'm on the look-out for a new home to call my own, well I say my own but it will be rented. I really like where I am currently but it's my friend's place, full of his things. I feel some need to nest, although I'm very much neither pregnant or newly married (and very far from being either!). I want a home to place my stamp on. I already have a picture in my mind of one corner of a sitting room; an old winged armchair in battered leather, a standard lamp behind, illuminating a wall of photos..... one day.....!

But for now who won't want one of these on their doorstep?

Woohoo!!

Expedia have finally refunded me!! My credit card is now sitting in credit....weird!! It's only taken since the middle of March but they have accepted they screwed up and I have all my pennies back.... well kind of. The exchange rate has changed and I'm actually still about 200 british pounds out but most of it is back so I'm a happy bunny.
After far too many expensive calls to the US and quite a few letters and emails, I finally spoke to an intelligent girl who sorted it all and withing 24 hours my refund had been processed.

Note to Expedia - employ more girls like Terrilyn, she's is awesome and almost made me rethink my vow never to use you again....almost!

Pigtails

Well I am doing my best to keep up on reading all the lovely blogs that sustained me through the 8 hours a day at my New York job. I was delighted to spot this post on A Cup of Jo.


While my new job keeps me busy at my desk every day or out taking photos like this and this I do get to spend some time on the water and then pigtails (or braids!) really are the only option for my wayward locks. I'm tapping away at the moment with the hair still in damp pigtails!

All images by me, River Tummel, Perthshire, Scotland 12.06.09

Flowergirls make the best dance partners!

My friend looked so so beautiful, the groom cried when he saw her come down the aisle, and I danced all night with the 2 great little flowergirls. It's official, bouncing up and down while holding hands is the dance move of the season!

New Chapter

In the last week I have moved to the wee town of Aberfeldy in Perthshire and started a new job with these guys. (The website content needs some work but I'm hoping that I can attack that soon.) All is going well, although I'm currently like the Princess and Pea, sleeping on a pile of 3 mattresses in my mates kit room. Yes, kit room, I sleep amongst kayak and climbing gear with ice axes not far from my head...and I'm perfectly happy. Obviously it is a bit of a change from the bright lights of New York but I'm enjoying this slower pace of life and the very chilled out office work in.
I used to work up here so it is good to be back amongst friends and I'm looking forward to a summer of sunshine & sunburn, BBQs & beers, and going to work in shorts and flips flops...sweet!

Slap on the wrist

I've been a very lazy blogger recently, not even spending time reading the ones that kept me going through my dull job! I've got a good excuse though I promise...I'm a busy unemployed bum, honest....well ok then, not really. The benefit of the great weather we have been having though is that I've been keeping (and even increasing) my tan while doing LOTS in the garden at my parents.

I have the next installment of my Baja adventure started and I will get it finished soon. Tomorrow I'm meeting a Mountbatten buddy in Edinburgh for the day before heading to Glasgow in the evening to attend this. I love pipes and drums so that combined with seeing a 'New York' friend means I'm rather excited about my tuesday.

I have a job interview on wednesday, not for a real grown-up job, just a summer job, but right now I'm keen just to be busy again and I'm not having any luck with 'real' jobs yet, boo :-(

Blosson on the damson tree, Kilgrammie Cottage, Sunday 19th April

Baja Beginnings

I'm looking out of the window at my parents home, not too far from the beach. If you walk up the hill and you will see Ailsa Craig floating like a cupcake (albeit a brown and craggy one) just out to sea, on a clear day you can even just see a wee speck of Northern Ireland on the horizon (or so my father claims). It's grey outside but the wind is howling round the house and every so often blue sky and sunshine appears, then the wind brings more dark grey clouds and the rain starts to pelt down again.

It is 2 weeks since I arrived back home, my bags are unpacked and my tan is fading. New York seems like a distant memory and I've found that I don't miss Captain, I don't miss the worries he caused me, the worries I never shared.

But back to Baja...

I boarded the Green Tortoise bus on the evening of Friday 20th February and started 2 wonderful weeks of escape. Now the Tortoise probably isn't everyone's idea of the perfect 2 week vacation but I love it (this was my fourth trip). In total we covered over 2000 miles, driving down from San Francisco to the tip of the Baja peninisula and back. And in all those miles I drank lots of beers, played lots of cards, laughed a rididulous amount, played spitting games, learnt to make sushi, touched a whale, swam with sea lions, showered...um...twice, meet a rather curious lot of folk and of course, made some friends.

On the second morning we stopped at a whale watching spot. Standing having breakfast and looking out at the water we could spot whales. Soon we were on boats heading out amongst them. These particular grey whales are for some reason very friendly, which is strange when not that long ago they were hunted in those very waters. Mamas bring their babys right alongside the boats. They swim underneath you, looking you right in the eye, hanging out so you can reach over and touch them. Truly, a magical experience.

That evening we had another night drive, meaning we would be like sardines, snuggled on the flat sleeping platforms, snoring the miles away. Before we 'miracled' (turning the bus from day to night mode) we had a few hours in San Iganacio. I got slightly snap happy at the Mission and enjoyed meandering the quiet streets.

We were awoken from our slumbers by the shaking of the bus when the it turned off onto rough road. We soon stopped and began to unpack all our belongings from the bus waiting for this guy to appear up the track that lay ahead.

Our first beach camp lay ahead down the 5 mile track. Everything was packed onto the shuttle and then we set off to hike down to 'Playa Escondida', our home for the next four nights. This place was my kind of heaven, (well apart from the outhouse!). You could be as lazy or as active as you wanted, and with the exception of doing an hour of yoga each day, I was terrifically lazy. Thankfully not everyone was, so we ate freshly caught fish everyday. After our fantastic meals each evening that would be impressive if prepared in a regular kitchen, we would sit round the campfire, telling stories, laughing while rather too many beers were drunk and a bottle of tequila was passed round.

The second evening was Mardi Gras and also Margerita Night. The blender could be heard until the wee hours while we danced in the sand.

I watched the sunrise over the sea of Cortez on our fourth morning before starting to pack up my belongings. By early afternoon we were all back up the hill with our belongings waiting to board Pluto again, and getting rather excited at the prospect of a shower once we arrived in La Paz. It was only a week since we had first boarded Pluto back in San Francisco but it felt like a lifetime.

All images from my collection

Back on the beach...shame it's not as hot as Baja!

Turnberry Beach

All images by me.

Back in Scotland...

..and it's raining!

My trip through Mexico was amazing. I touched a grey whale!! Yes, really!! Snorkelled with sealions, made sushi (and ate it! yummy!) and drank way way too many beers.

Photos and a full report to follow once I can actually charge my laptop, silly me forgot to buy a US -UK converter before I left the States. I also have to start fighting BMI/Expedia to get back the money I had to fork out to British Airways for my flight home. I was supposed to have flown with BMI (booked through Expedia many months ago) but they have stopped flying Chicago -Manchester, so I got moved to a BA flight except my ticket wasn't transferred so when I went to check-in at Denver I was told I would have to buy a new ticket for $1000! I had no choice but to do it and now I have to fight BMI and Expedia to get my money back but they are both blaming the other!

Rocky Mountain High

Since Friday I have been in Beaver Creek, CO. It's so so beautiful here and I've had such a great time with my cousin. Today though I'm off to San Francisco for a couple of nights before leaving on friday evening for Mexico. I'm back here in Colorado in just over 2 weeks before I fly home.

All images from my collection (you would't know that our mothers are identical twins would you?!)

The End

The snow is falling outside and I'm cosy in my cousin's apartment in Avon, Colorado recovering from an emotional few days. I managed to control the tears until, at the airport while Captain and I were saying our final goodbyes, we hugged and I realised he was crying behind his sunglasses. Of course this set me off. (Thanks to the lovely check-in lady who saw I was trying to control my emotions and came round and gave me a big hug.)*

Thursday night turned into a late on. After work there was drinks with the great workmates that were the only reason I put up with my DULL job and not-so-nice supervisor (who btw didn't bother to come and say goodbye to me!). Then home to try and finish my packing and back into the big smoke for final goodbye drinks with all my wonderful friends and the lovely Captain. For a change I had my sensible head on and switched to soft drinks after 3 G&Ts (finally I must be growing up haha!), it was about 3am that we finally got home and to bed, I was not a happy bunny when my alarm woke me at 7am. I was however, happy to know that the alarm won't be waking again for a good while! Yippee!

So I managed to just about squeeze everything into my suitcase and big backpack and suddenly Captain was there to drive me to airport. Typing this now I'm tearing up, thinking about saying goodbye to my friends and hugging them. I know I will see them again soon, one in fact I will be seeing at Heathrow in a month as we both wait for out connections north, but I also know that we will never all live within 2 minutes of each other again. Our little Mountbatten bubble has burst and now we have to face the real world.

I still can't quite believe that it is all over. This year (of 13 months) and living in New York is done. Now to move on, move back home, now to begin again. I've had enough practise over the last few years but somehow this time, this time it's different. Now I want to finally settle, build my own home and become a grown-up...better try and find a job then!!

Both images by me: Grand Central Station and Lady Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry

"the best yet"

If you are feeling vaguely teary or emotional today I would advise against reading this wonderful post by redframe today but do read it another day. It's oh so beautiful!

Our Leavers’ Dinner last Thursday evening went superbly. Last night we went over the finances and much to my delight all my sums were correct and we had made just over $450 in profit which we have donated to the newly set-up scholarship fund for the progamme. The feedback from all the interns and staff that attended is positive, I was particularly happy to hear that it was deemed “the best one yet”! I may have drunk a little more than I should have, a one or two tears may have been shed but I got myself out of bed the next morning and was one of just a handful that managed a full day’s work on Friday. I’m not sure what that says about British drinking habits!

The lovely, lovely, lovely Chris R and I on the reception table.

This is the best shot of the downstairs area where we had the champagne reception and it really just shows an untidy bar but the room looked so pretty and we had a great view out across the water to the Statue of Liberty.

There were lots of laughs

And the tacky awards went down a treat!

With G, PV and Stevie (who G rather aptly described as looking like a 3rd division football manager!)

All images by Ben Sayaseng

The final week countdown has begun

This evening is the Leaver's Dinner for my internship programme. One week today is my last day of work and my last full day in New York, tonight we are celebrating in typical British style by, most likely getting rather drunk! Well apart from me, I'm full of the cold and I have to work tomorrow so two very good reasons not to over indulge.

Despite feeling rather pants and have a very croaky voice, I'm looking forward to the evening. I've been the treasurer on the committee organising it all and seeing it all come together will be great. I'm one of the hosts of the evening too, there are various speeches and a small awards section too, hopefully my voice holds out. My fabby new kelly green dress from J Crew will get its first outing this evening, whoopee!

So the final week countdown has begun....unemployment looms....eeek! I had hoped to be getting a position with in the London office of the company I've done my placement with here. I had a phone interview last week and was told "the job is yours", I was then waiting to hear back on salary etc before making my decision. Yesterday, however, I got an email saying sorry we have decided not to replace the girl that is leaving due the currently economic conditions. B*llocks! But for now I'm going to enjoy this evening and worry about jobs tomorrow.

Image from Flickr