Oh Bloody Hell......

 

A four day weekend is a thing of glory!  I was so excited to have a fun weekend after my birthday week and I had fun wee things planned during the day when Levi can't get on screens.  I had 12-7pm each day, and I was ready!  I didn't want to rent a car, because you know how that went last time, so I was staying local or taking public transit.  

On the bank holiday Monday, I had exhausted my thrift shopping and walks around town, so I decided, let's go couch (or sofa as they say here) shopping.  I did my due diligence, called the stores, shopped on line, knew what I wanted to see, google mapped the route and how to get there.  I was ready!!!

The day started quite precariously.  It was raining and cold.  Like 45F cold.  No bother, every day the rain always stops and the temps go up.  Right?!?

I stayed in bed too long and ended up racing around to get ready, get Levi fed, and get on the road.  I begged him to wear a winter coat - NO, a raincoat - NO, bring an umbrella - NO.  Oh how I love the attitudes of teenage boys (NO)!

I made him a quick smoothie that actually went all over the place, because I guess they really DON'T want you to fill past that line.  Who knew?  🤦‍♀️

We were now late, the kitchen was like a scene from a tornado touchdown and you would think I would have gotten a clue, but - NO, I carried on.

Levi and I walked/ran to the bus stop in Partick aiming for the 77 bus to Sandyford road.  Our destination was the DFS in Paisley.  DFS claims to "know a thing or 2 about sofas," since they have been making them for 45 years, right here in the UK.  Brilliant!  I'm in!

The bus was late, but aren't they always?  No worries, we are only a little wet at this point.  15 minutes in light rain can't hurt anyone.  

Once it arrives, I tell the bus driver where we are going and he quickly points out, we are going the wrong way (oh sh&%).  He tells me where to go and we run the 2 minutes around the block and LUCKILY catch it right as it arrives.  Whew - close one!

As we get on and relax, knowing it will be a long ride, I start to watch my google map.  Hmmmmm, I think something is off, should we be going towards the city centre?  Why are we going this way?  OH NO - WE ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY.  GD bus driver!  Why did I listen??

So I figure we better get off and switch directions, the bus driver gives me a transfer, we walk/run around the block and actually get there just as the 77 bus shows up.  This is amazing, because this bus only comes every 30 minutes.  Luckily, we really are going the right way now, coming back to Partick a full 30 minutes later.  But no worries we are on our way.

I watch the map like a hawk, barely looking up, other than to see if where we are is correct.  Funnily enough, the bus stops do NOT match the map.  I'm slowly starting to freak out.  But then I learn to watch just the map and not the names, and after a full 2 hours into this venture, we arrive at our destination.  

Yet, now, it is pouring rain.  I mean cats and dogs and we have 7 minutes to get to the store, on foot.  7 minutes is a long time in this kinda rain.  We get to DFS, but are soaked through and through!   Whatever, it is what it is, let's look on the bright side, there are a hundred couches here to try out.  

As I walk through the store, with the sodden, sullen teenager in tow, I'm enjoying the moment, thinking, we will just take an uber back.  I'll just surprise Levi and he will be thrilled.  It was much too long to get here (it's not even 8 km).  

I find 4 more stores to go through, loving this place that has these huge box stores for everything for your home.  I've taken pictures of everything that I want and we've been here a couple of hours, so I figure, let's get home before rush hour.  

I call the Uber.

It keeps calling.  

I wait figuring no worries, it's going to come up with something.

We wait 10 minutes, but there are NO UBERS available in your area!  

WTF?

BLOODY HELL!

I am in complete 'give-up' mode, ready to just sit down and cry, but that really isn't an option (or is it?).  

Okay, so let's try and figure out the bus again.  And if you can believe it, it's raining harder than it was earlier.  And NO, the temperature did NOT go up.  

We run to catch the 77 bus but we just miss it.  Damn.  So we have to get on the 36, then transfer to the 77 after Ikea.  The first 36 goes by as we haven't figured it out yet.  So 15 minutes later we get on the 36 bus.

I am absolutely freezing.  Levi is soaked, I am too, but I have on a good raincoat.  My feet are completely drenched.  I'm just walking through puddles at this point as my feet can't get any more wet.  

Once on the 36, we feel better, but I am starting to lose feeling in my fingers.  I am so cold, I'm shaking. All this for frostbite?

We finally make it to the transfer area, and I shit you not, there is no awning or bus stop, just a sign.  We wait there for 15 minutes (did I mention it is STILL raining?)  I FORCE Levi to use the umbrella I surreptitiously threw in the back pack.  But really, what's the use?

Back on the 77 bus, it finally drops us in front of Poundland in Partick, of which we went in for some kind of treat from the shit day we have had.  We deserve this me thinks!

Now for just the 15 minute walk home - all up hill - no joke!  

Once back. Levi goes to one shower and I go to the other, and I think we both stay there for the next 30 minutes.  My fingers hit the warm water and recoil as they feel like it is scalding my hands.  

I seriously just want to crawl into my bed and give up on the day, but alas, dinner isn't going to make itself.  

Ever have one of these days?  Just me?  sigh..........

discombobulated Kitty

and to add insult to injury, this is how the bun turned out for the hamburger I was making Levi.  I only had one.  Figures.

"UNCLE"

You win

Tomorrow has to be a better day

I'm NOT going anywhere!

Kaput Kitty

ps.  I did find the exact couch I wanted, in the exact color too.  But the unfurnished flat is now gone, and the new apartment I want is furnished.  I just think that was the universes way of trying to tell me, "don't go sofa shopping, you won't need it!"  If only I had listened...............

pps.  Levi says to me at dinner that night, 'what would you do to make that day worth it?'  Not a thing, I answer, I would not do that day over if I could help it.  He says, "I'd do it all again for a sprite from McDonalds."    Seriously, I can't make this stuff up.  SMDH.  🙃

Balmaha, Rowardennan and Buchanan Castle!

A day trip on Spring break told by Jackson

Today was the 9th of April and we have been going on day trips to different places around Scotland! We rented a car (its an electric car) and have been visiting castles and cool lakes and other stuff. Today we had 3 destinations and the first one was Balmaha. Balmaha is a small village on the East side of Loch Lomond. It is a popular tourist destination but there are only around 60 people who actually live there. It took us 45 minutes to drive there from our house. 

Once we got there, we started to walk on this trail that went all along the edge of Loch Lomond. We walked over rocks, and saw small beaches as we walked along the water for a couple hours. We walked through forests and it was very beautiful. It was quite cold with the wind though.

After walking for a long time we got to a parking lot that had a large beach with a lot of people at it. It was off of the main road so we assumed a lot of people stopped here to look at the amazing views. There was this one cool looking tree that had the background of the mountains over the lake. Here it is:

From there we decided to walk back because we had to take the same route back to Balmaha to grab our car and go to our next destination. As we walked back the wind slowed down and the sun made it warmer than our first half of the walk. 

We walked back to Balmaha and once we got back, we entered the only shop in the Village that we could see. We bought some sandwiches for lunch and some snacks, then went back to our car. We sat in the warm car and had our lunch, disposed of our garbage then put in Rowardennan to our map. Rowardennan is a small rural area on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond further north than Balmaha. It is the furthest place you can drive with a car on the east side of the lake. It was about a 20 minute drive to get there from Balmaha driving on the edge of the lake. The only thing in Rowardennan was a youth hostel and a couple houses.

When we got there we found this really cool rock with a pyramid inside of it and the incredible view behind it. 

We walked on a path that led us to the youth hostel that was located on a huge patch of grass right on the beach. The view from it was amazing!

After seeing the awesome hostel, we walked back to our car and decided to drive to one last stop, Buchanan Castle. This was one of the castles I had researched earlier that was not too far from Glasgow and it was basically 10 minutes drive from Rowardennan so we would make it our last stop for the day. While we were driving on the very skinny roads, we had to pull off the road to let a huge truck pass, and we tried to drive on but we couldnt move. Me and Levi hopped out and realized we were stuck in mud. It only took a push to get us out but the mud we were in was super deep and left our 2 left tires super muddy:

We drove through some water and assumed that that would clean it up. We got to the castle and found a fence guarding it. It was a really old castle that was in ruins, and had signs telling people that it could not be entered. However, we were walking around it and saw a hole in the fence and decided to go in it anyways. It was awesome, there was moss and trees that had grown on and through everything. There were even stairs intact still that allowed us to get to the top of the castle at some parts:

After exploring the castle for like 40 minutes we got back in our dirty car and started to drive back. We had to take a very bumpy and rocky road back to the highway that took us back to Glasgow. We stopped at Lidl to do a massive grocery shop before we went back to our house. 

Happy Mother's Day in the USA everyone.  Kitty Crocker is taking a break!  I did love this day out with the boys, that Jackson writes about above.  Scotland is magnanimously breathtaking!  

stay well,

Kitty

 

Birthdays are the BEST!

 As Yoda would say, 

"Spoiled I was, Grateful I am!"

It was an absolute blast from start to finish.  I even got to go to a restaurant for the first time since last year!  I love having someone else prep, cook, clean, and serve.  Even better still, I got to go with friends.  Such a novel concept!  Levi even got a little fancy to celebrate.

My dear friend Aine!  (she might not be so dear after see sees that I published this).  

It all started with a surprise party at the park.  Complete with fantastic scones, fabulous tea and a great story to go with the mandarin almond cake that some found inedible.  For the record, I ate it, no matter how much baking powder was in there.  

Looks can be deceiving!

I had the whole week planned, as you do, if you have been locked-up in lockdown for 4 months!  Glasgow opened back up just in time for my celebrations, and celebrate I did!  I now know how a prisoner feels with getting out for the first time.......

Monday:  TKMaxx - of course was first on my list and I was just about the first one through the door.

Tuesday: The Library - I had many books to return and replace!

Wednesday:  Is for the WEG's - my group of West End Girls, complete with the surprise shown above.  They're the best!  I also snuck out to an antique store to quench my furniture shopping thirst!

Thursday:  My actual birthday that started with a trip to Lidl, as that is when the deals come out and "when it's gone, it's gone!"  I needed some middle of Lidl treasures.

Friday:  Duvet Day!  I only got out of bed to eat, then returned.  It was glorious!  

Sat & Sun:  I went a thrifting and not at Meijer!  It was a blast and I scored some great finds.

In my natural habitat.  Did they change the K for Kitty?  

Partick Library - 5th in line.

TKMaxx haul

Middle of Lidl, I'm prepping for a new unfurnished apartment.  (I know, I'll explain later).

We also got to go hunting for flowers that Oma shipped to elsewhere.  

Finally securing them by 11pm that night.

The fun of coming home from Lidl with the most gorgeous flowers and chocolates from my dearest friend Ayala!

And ending the day with two of my besties that come zoom or face time were determined to get through to talk!

I even got flowers back in GR!  Thx Chelsea - I love them! 

I love birthdays!  FB blows up with such nice notes from people you have met throughout your entire life.  And luckily for me that means from every corner of the globe.  It's so fun to look back and see just how far you have come, all while realizing that you have amassed quite an amazing group friends along the way.  I feel ever so blessed. 

Thanks everyone for helping me celebrate! 

The day was absolutely perfect!  

the ever fortunate and grateful,

Kitty