Category: Recreation

Our Scottish Adventure Part 1 | Edinburgh

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After arriving in Edinburgh, we took the airport tram exiting at St. Andrew’s Square and wheeled our well-balanced luggage the half mile to our first hotel of the trip. We were not the only tourists in town. The revamped Iron Throne was also touring the UK to coincide with the release of House of the Dragon. Lucky for us, its last stop was Calton Hill a beautiful vista point in Edinburgh which was only a short, although entirely uphill, walk from our hotel.

We hiked up the winding path and after a brief wait, my husband got his turn on the Iron Throne. We also got to enjoy the beautiful views of the city from this elevated spot. Arriving during a garbage strike took a bit of the shine off the experience but it was still a wonderful view. I knew immediately we were going to love the city.

After working from our hotel lobby the rest of the day, we headed to Hoot the Redeemer for some pre-theatre drinks. Walking down into the basement level bar, you’re immediately met with an art deco speak-easy crossed with a carnival vibe. A repurposed arcade claw machine sits against one wall where a three breasted temptress beckons you under a Pinch‘n Sip sign to let fate pick your drink flavors for the evening.

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Our Scottish Adventure in 5 Parts

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I love airports. When I posted this sentiment recently on Facebook, a friend commented, “You’re being sarcastic, right?” I was not.

The energy and endless possibilities have always excited me. I typically arrive extremely early well before the suggested arrival time. I’d rather sit in an airport relaxing and enjoying a drink, or meal, depending on the time, while people watching than rush through security and get to the gate as my flight is boarding.

Our most recent adventure brought my excitement to new levels. Three years of planning our Scottish Adventure and constantly tweaking and updating our plans as pandemic shutdowns delayed us not once but twice had not dampened my anticipation but rather heightened it. When we finally arrived to gate E12 at Logan International Airport after a leisurely in-airport meal at Legal Seafoods, I was giddy and ready for our red-eye.

Maine and Scotland share a similar vibe: the mountains and the sea coming together. I felt very much at home in Scotland. But sadly, at least for my husband, the whisky is uniquely theirs.

I’ll be departing from my usual Maine centered posts for a bit as I document our recent travels around Scotland. The trip was worth the wait!

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Rossi’s art installation and a desperate (and failed) attempt to save my furniture

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I love all animals but in weighing which of my pets have done the most damage through the years, that honor clearly goes to our cat Rossi (aka Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi). I don’t say this lightly. Two of my Labradors were chewers and one even ate his way through a paneled wall in our basement.

But, the cat still wins the award for most property destroyed. He has managed to claw his way through most of our furniture leaving behind shredded fabric and broken decorating dreams in his wake.

He seemed particular fond of one end of the couch so in my brilliance I hung a cat scratcher for him in the same spot. He opted to find another area of the couch to start clawing instead. I then bought him a cardboard scratching bed and redirected him there. He took a nap in it, and after waking proceeded to walk over to one of our recliners and claw the arm.

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Making a Fancy Trash Can from a Holiday Popcorn Tin

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The popcorn never tastes fresh and the flavors are questionable at best but somehow I’m still suckered into buying one of those holiday popcorn tins every year. At least I’ve learned to buy them after the holidays are done and the price drops by 50%. It still means I’m paying more than it’s worth but at least I feel like I’m getting a bargain.

The flimsy cardboard divider loosely separates the popcorn into three designated flavor sections: butter, cheese, and caramel. The cardboard never really keeps the actual popcorn flavors fully separated so in the end you get a generic blend of semi-identifiable flavors with each stale bite. Yet still, I can somehow get through the caramel section in its entirety in one sitting. Maybe it’s nostalgia. Maybe I’m just too attached to junk food.

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Every glass planter needs a hot pink crocheted basket to keep it warm.

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Crochet is having a moment. A recent Instagram search brought up almost 40 million posts with everything from crocheted bikinis to surprisingly varied plush turtles. The expansiveness of the crocheted projects I scrolled through in my feed is beyond anything I imagined although I shouldn’t be surprised. Creativity unleashed always leads to something amazing.

For National Handmade Day, I decided to dig out my crochet hook and try something new. While I love living in a DIY space, crocheting is not something I have done much of as an adult although I did have a prolific phase in my teen years. Between my obsession with rug hooking kits and attending one too many Artex paint parties with my grandmother, I did spend enough time with a crochet hook to make a decent granny square.  I was up for revisiting this timeless craft.

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