Bonnie Scotland

So not this Friday but the Friday before, we set off at way-too-early-o'clock to drive up to my Aunty's flat in Leith. Wearing my comfiest clothes, although unusual for me wearing leggings as trousers - it just looks chavvy in my opinion, strictly for the gym only. Hey ho, it doesn't really matter when you're in the car for 11 hours! That night we had a simple evening just watching The Kite Runner (which by the way is the most amazing novel ever - you need, NEED to read it).

Saturday we had a lazy morning then headed into Edinburgh on the bus for shopping on Princes Street. I have hardly any money to my name, it's so frustrating but my family up north gave Caoimhe & I belated birthday money so yay us! In the absolutely pouring rain I bought these lovely things:

Firstly, this Tee & Cake NASA top from Topshop which I absolutely adore! The first one of these shirts I bought had a T-rex on it, then I've got one with old-fashioned displayed butterflies on it as well...

This bunny rabbit jumper is also from Topshop and it's the comfiest thing I've bought in a while. I know it's still summer but I'm a massive fan of Autumn when I can layer up, wear scarves (like this red one from Accessorize in Ayr) and snuggle up with hot chocolate & blankets.... not to mention the heavenly crunch of walking through leaves! 

Urban Outfitters. Hallelujah for the Urban Renewal sale!

Aunty Kathlyn made sure to take a photo of Caoimhe & I... she was particularly fond of this shirt that Granny Jean (my English granny) got me in Bath - Urban Outfitters did me well. 

The best part of Saturday was that we had booked a meal at Pomegranate, a Turkish restaurant just off the Royal Mile which was absolutely sublime. We met up with my Aunt's boyfriend then as well which was laaavely. 

Our annual trip to Ocean Terminal on Sunday was pretty damn good... I didn't buy anything but they have Mövenpick ice cream which is to DIE for. Anyone who hasn't guessed, Ocean Terminal is a shopping centre btw, it has a lovely little Waterstones but they didn't have the books I wanted. Then the evening was spent eating Uncle Jim's famous cottage pie - delicious!

Monday was the best day! We went to the museum to look round the Mary, Queen of Scots exhibit which was incredible! The exhibits they have there are always so grand and beautiful. Although, it still can't beat my favourite exhibit at the museum - I was about 11 and we went round this amazing set up about Anastasia Romanov. I've been obsessed with the whole mystery surrounding her for years, had the video, got it on DVD, had the dress etc... never had the dolls, I'm very jealous of any of you who did! Also, little secret for you... I had a massive crush on Dmitri in the animated film, still do. 

Loch Fyne for dinner on the final day, which is right by the water! Cullen Skink for starter then butternut squash & salmon salad followed by passionfruit cheesecake, mmmmm. 

Tuesday we travelled up to Girvan to visit Granny Margaret. She's been in hospital (very complicated) but was granted leave for us visiting! On the way to the hospital I read an old magazine which was in the flat which mentioned two things I've been dying to mention (so it was a really happy coincidence): Wild Geese's Albatross & Kafka On The Shore by Haruki Murakami. 

Every time we go up to Girvan, we walk round Culzean Castle which may just possibly be the most beautiful, magical place ever. Our cousin Gordon works there (restoring artefacts, also hiding lego men in every room) so we visited him on Wednesday!

There's a new Robert Burns museum opened near his cottage which we hadn't visited yet, so Thursday was spent there. I don't know if any of you have seen the set of the broadway production of Matilda but the museum was similar with paper hanging from the ceiling, chairs bolted at angles, flashing lights, massive frames & his poems printed on the walls in his own handwriting. I found out that the cheeky devil had 15 children with five women - several of the daughters called Elizabeth! 

To A Mouse is one of my favourites. 

Wee, sleekit, cowran, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murd'ring pattle!

I'm truly sorry Man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave 'S a sma' request:
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,
An' never miss't!

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane,
O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's winds ensuin,
Baith snell an' keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' wast,
An' weary Winter comin fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro' thy cell.

That wee-bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,
But house or hald.
To thole the Winter's sleety dribble,
An' cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men,
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e'e,
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!

All the descriptions of the statues, photos and books were written in Scots, so if you cannae understand it, you're screwed if you go there but it's not too difficult to eventually get the grip of!

I don't think we stayed at Granny's house for a full day until Saturday 'cause on Friday we were off to Great Uncle Richard's in Dalmellington, Aunt Annabel fattened us up with plenty of digestive biscuits and our cousin Elaine came down with one of her children, Maria, who thrashed us at monopoly! Fun fact about the McTaggarts: Elaine lived in Spain for over 20 years, so she, Maria, Aaron & Annabel (her other two children) can speak fluent Spanish - better than English - so much so that it's their first language and they'll sometimes switch between languages in the middle of sentences!

Yesterday we stayed in Girvan whilst my mum took Granny Margaret back to the hospital. Our friends have just had another baby girl, Ailsa Grace Grant, so seeing as we were in the town of Ailsa Craig (a massive volcanic plug), we decided to go down to the Green Jam framers and we bought her a little painting of Ailsa Craig for her nursery (and contemplated buying a Scots translation of The Gruffalo for her sister Nancy, aged 2).

'Aunty' Carol was visiting her parents in Girvan this weekend so we invited her back to the house for dinner. It was a very exciting evening as she's finally getting married next June at Culzean Castle! I'm so jealous. I swear, if one poor lad ever has the ill-judgement to marry a freak like me, he'll have no choice about the venue. What's even sweeter than all that is the fact that Carol's little brother Jamie also got married not too long ago in New York!

My final little sentence: we couldn't sleep this morning so we were on the road just after 5am & got home 10 or so hours later. I'm exhausted and ready for bed now... but I had to stay up long enough to find out who the new Doctor Who is and to write this lovely little post for you (even if it isn't as short as I thought, sorry).

Oh, a P.S. I forgot to mention when I originally wrote this post that I now also have three new Penguin clothbound classics - Emma, Dracula & Tess (and I'm absolutely in love with them, they're beaaaautiful).