Visiting Dignitaries

I don't know if you are aware, but Cop 26 is happening in Glasgow starting tomorrow.  Dignitaries from all over the globe are descending on our wee city to tackle climate change.  Greta Thunberg is already here.  Biden is on his way and even Matt Damon, though I'm not sure they are traveling together.  Bummer the Queen had to back out, but understandable due to her recent visits to and fro the hospital.  We've got 120 world leaders and Lord Levi is already here, so we got that covered.  

But my favorite visiting dignitaries have been the friends who feed my soul!   

My best bud Heidi has been a friend for decades, we even moved to Dublin at the same time.  She is one of the greatest souls I know and I'm honored that she lets me be her friend!  She is a slice of home to me because I feel at peace in her presence, never having to prove who I am or even explain it.  She's just that precious to me.  

She has a love for travel that matches my own and is up for adventures of any kind!  So we hit the road.  

Stirling Castle was first up and we got to explore it with her daughter Morgan and Chad.  The three of them were touring Scotland all while visiting me in Glasgow as well.  

I loved this castle.  It was complete with people dressed in period clothing touring us around the castle.  This was the home of Scottish monarchs including Mary Queen of Scots.  The graveyards and garden walks were amazing.

We then headed over to the Wallace Monument for another heart and lung workout.  The climbing felt like 5 miles straight up into the sky, and is where I found these skallywags.  

William Wallace to the rescue.  A national hero here in Scotland and said to be who the Braveheart film is modeled after.  

I created my own shield.  Since Levi can become a Lord, I think I will become a knight in neon armor!

The views on this stunning day were incredible.  

After Heidi, Morgan and Chad toured the Scottish countryside, Heidi returned to Glasgow for some more adventures.  And boy did we have fun!

The first day we set off to go to Pitlochry for Heathergems jewelry.  We decided to stop at the Scone Palace since it was on the way in Perth.

It was the crowning place of Scottish kings.  

There were peacocks everywhere.

Heidi and the Highland cows were discussing the meaning of life.

This wee one, couldn't care less.  

We then decided to head on over to St Andrew's, because it really isn't that far.  It was a bit rainy for the golfers.  

But they were dressed well!

I love the wee town of St. Andrews.  It is stunning and fun to walk around in.

We even found a fantabulous Thai restaurant complete with free beer glasses to tourists.  At least that is how we interpreted it!

On Heidi's last day in our fair country, we got to visit the Mackintosh house.  I've been wanting to go there for a year, and it was well worth the wait.  Besides the Museum nazi's that targeted me and my deviant ways, we had a great time exploring and enjoying the house.  

I can confirm that touching the table is off limits! 

So much of the designs were beautiful, and smacked of Frank Lloyd Wright to me.  Stunning and quite uncomfortable IMHO.  (though trust me, I DID NOT sit down, we would have been immediately evacuated if I had!)

Margaret Macdonald was Charles Rennie's wife and was an artist in her own right.  They met at Glasgow Uni.  It is cool that she was/is celebrated as well as he is.  But they did not gain that fame until long after their deaths.  So true for so many artists I'm afraid.  

These are the exact same iron spindles I have in my house.  I was feeling quite special about it until the guide said that the Macintoshes wanted to change them, but didn't have the time or resources.  I'm just gonna pretend he loved them and kept them for that reason.  Because I do love mine and think they are cool (until I have to clean them, and then I curse them!)

It was so great to see friends and enjoy some travel.  It was a blast.  All while having a bit of a 'chinwag' (a 'chat' in Britain - I find that hilarious and a bit graphic).  

Thanks for stopping by Heidi!  

Okay who is next?  The guest room is ready!

Celtic Kitty

  

PS.  We never did make it to Pitlochry.  Maybe next time.............. 

On the catwalk...

We have had the cats for 2 months now.  Cassie and Freya were indoor/outdoor cats before they came to us and we'd like to get them back to this freer way of living.  So after consulting the google gods, it was determined this is long enough for the in-home quarantine, and now we can try to let them outside.  But of course, we wanted to take it slowly and with a measured approach. 

They are the sweetest cats, yet are still a bit skittish.  They are getting used to the house, but still jump when hearing new noises.  This past weekend was lovely weather, so we thought it was time to try the back garden.

Since we do not want to lose the cats, we bought a harness and leash to help with the transition.  

This should be easy, right?  I mean it can't be harder than bathing them after the first 24 hours since they climbed up the chimney.  Right?  

Step 1 - get the harness on Freya.  

Step 2 - keep trying to get the harness on Freya.

Step 3 - Freya is making it quite clear that she DOES NOT want the harness on
                Freya.

Step 4.- can we do this without a harness on Freya?

Stwp 5 - Take control and GET THAT HARNESS ON FREYA!!!!!!!!!!

Step 6 - I'm sweating, exhausted and done with this venture.  But the g@d$%mn harness is on the fu&*%ng cat!!!

Step 7 - take a break and dress our wounds!

Okay, so this is not going as anticipated.  But Freya is saddled up and ready to go, so let's try the back yard.  

She is curious outside, but really more scared than anything.  She hides under the table and really is unsure that this is an adventure she wants to partake in.  We take her down the steps to the grassy area.  And while she likes this better, she still is leary.  

As Levi walks her around on a leash, which she clearly doesn't understand, she tries (and fails) to jump up on the stone wall.  Then she tries to hide under bushes.  Then some noise happens, she gets spooked, runs hard, slips out of the harness, and bolts right to the back door.  Indicating that while this was 'fun', she's completely done!

Levi and I are both quite happy she didn't run away, we open the back door, and call it a day.

SUNDAY

Now Sunday is an even more glorious day that Caturday was, so we have decided that it is now Cassie's turn.  We are one day smarter and totally ready this time.  

We get the harness on quite quickly and are feeling more confident than ever.  We decide that today we are going to let Cassie wear the harness for a couple of hours before we go outside.  This must have been our issue yesterday.  Right?

Once it's time to venture out.  Cassie is pretty good.  She also doesn't understand the leash, but is LOVING being outside.  She is sniffing, roaming, and clearly enjoying her experience.  

We walk her to the grassy area, where she goes to bushes and meanders through the wee backyard.  But she isn't loving the leash.  I've figured out this much, cat's don't like leashes.  I mean, who would? 

She quickly decides she wants it off.  She immediately flips and turns and is out of it in a matter of seconds.  Then she is off, and NOT towards the back door.  

OH SHIT!

She is up on the stone wall and ready to jump over to our neighbors when I grab her in mid air to retrieve her.  Back into her harness she goes.

And just as soon as the harness is on, she has it off!  

WHAT?

So we played that game a few more times until I gave up!  She has now purrrrrfected the art of escaping from the harness.  

So in the house you go Houdini.  

I'm done with this catwalk.

I can't say it was anywhere near successful, but it was maybe worth a try?  Nothing ventured, nothing gained?  

Oh well.  we shall try again another day.  

Kitty & her kitties -  Freya and Cassie 

Lord Levi and his Papa

 

So my father arrived in Scotland around a week ago and it has been great to see him again. He got here a day late because of delays but that's okay, he got here and that's all that matters; I opened the door and let him in while helping out with carrying the bags that he brought and took them to his room. We showed him to his now readied room and he got all unpacked and settled. 

For the first day, we just talked and caught up and planned the next days, he and I decided to go to Glencoe to visit my land and also up to Stirling castle. The thing is we didn't have day trip food so we had to do a little shopping that night. 

   The next day we went to get the car we were going to rent to get to the locations, it was a long walk and a confusing maze of a city, but we got to Europcar and got our Skoda that runs on diesel. Very good mileage and controls. The problem was papa driving on the left side of the road, it took some getting used to but he eventually got the hang of it and we were ready to go to the castle tomorrow.  

  

So the next day we did go to Stirling Castle, actually last year Mama and I (and Jackson) tried to get into it before, but they were filming a movie and we couldn't get into it. So this time they luckily were not filming and we went in. We got to look around and speak to some women dressed up as some maids. We listened and learned a lot about how the Scottish murals and quilts hung around the castle would tell stories and tales. One was about hunters hunting a Unicorn and it eventually being killed because it was distracted by some pretty women. So yeah the stories are something you'd hear from a children's book but supposedly accurate. So the castle was pretty cool and we got to see dining halls, dancing halls, and some opulent rooms for the royalty. After the castle, we headed home and hung out for the rest of the day, and played some cribbage.

  The next cool place we visited was my land in Glencoe that I own. A 2-hour drive filled with Toto, Blue Oyster Cult, and a bunch rest stops later we made it. We got out, stretched, and then went to the desk and asked for a map of the land, which we got and orientated ourselves, then started our walk. There was a deforestation team on site though and we had to maneuver around their trucks and past the cutting areas. After not that long of a walk, maybe 10 minutes, we used google maps to put in the exact coordinates and find the location. The connection wasn't the best when being out in some woods but we found it and I just started gathering sticks and rocks to mark my land. My mom will put in some pictures for you guys to see and I think I did a pretty good job at my marking.

  But yeah that was a great time and now I can say I own land in Scotland and can put "Lord" before my name on legal documents. I recommend getting some land there because why wouldn't you want the title? After that, we just drove back home and I slept most of the ride. It was awesome!

  The week has been great and I am really glad to spend time with my father again.

-Lord Levi of Glencoe