New Year - Old Memories.

Just a quick, random, photo filled post. Apologies for the grainy photos - took them while it was quite dark in the room.


We we're putting away the Christmas decorations today, a sad event in itself since that means it's over for another year, but we came across a wee festive looking box that immediately filled me with wonderful, happy nostalgia. I'm not sure how we missed this box putting the tree up, but I'm so glad I found it again this side of Christmas. It's a very dear item to me, even if it's a worse for wear.

 And inside this mysterious Christmassy looking box is something that fills me with wonderful childhood memories - oh and the box is filled with these lovely wee guys.

Beautifully hand carved, wooden, vintage/retro tree decorations. Delicately painted and glued together with wee wings, musical instruments, presents and ski poles.

I've no idea where they are from, or how long we've had them, but they've been in my family for as long as I remember. I associate them with the smell of real pine trees we used to cut down from the forest behind us (that's right, I'm a country bumpkin, you'll see more of Foyers later on here) and with the chocolate baubles you used to get - does anyone else remember them? It used to be my job to decorate the tree (I think it probably got 'amended' by my parents afterwards) and these were always my pride and joy. Think I used to take them off and play with them too - maybe explains why only a handful are still intact. But they are still beautiful!

They really are delicate wee things - varying between a couple of centimetres to about an inch/inch and a half. A lot of them are wee Angels in various poses - like the 3 above. I remember their wings really clearly, I also remember them snapping off :'( but the majority of them still have the original tree loops so I'm tempted to put them on our tree next year - a vintage inspired tree :-)

There's around 4 wee gnomes/elves with pointy felt hats like the one in the third picture, but since they're spheres they don't really stand up. Very cute wee beardless things though. The four bells are beautifully painted - two pairs with opposite colours. Could maybe do with a wee touch up to their paint. I love the wee guys on sledges - they look like they're having fun. Both of those Angels still have their wings. I think the presents used to have wee bows on them too. I'd love to make a wee wintery scene to put them all in actually, like something you'd find in the fancy shop windows. Maybe next year.

A wonderful choir scene with soldiers and Angels singing. I think they all had something in their hands - now it's only a few. The drummers definitely had beaters and I think the furthest right Angel had cymbals but now she's only got one arm - how sad. I asked Mum tonight where they came from but she doesn't remember. I'll need to show them to her next time she's down. But I'm so glad I found them. They bring back such vivid childhood memories of a much simpler time, a time where I still had Christmas at home. As much as I love hosting, I do miss waking up to my wonderful Foyers view - simply stunning in winter, and summer, and well.... always. Think I'll need a trip home soon after reliving all these childhood memories.


The box says there are 20 of them inside, there are 25 here... so obviously there were multiple boxes with different characters - I only remember this one box, so they must be from before my time. Wow! 


They're very precious to me, if I didn't realise before, I sure do now. I'm going to keep them very safe from now on - somewhere that I'll remember where they are for next year.

One last picture before I head to bed. Lovely wee crocheted hanging decorations that were in the same box. I remember these well too. Not sure if Mum made them or they came from somewhere else - I'll need to show them to my parents and hope they remember. I love the face of Santa. So unusual. The heart is really delicate too. Lovely.


Do you have any old decorations that trigger any childhood memories? Or any other item that might do the same? I love it when that happens. Guess it shows I had a happy and full childhood.


Do you recognise any of these? Or know where they might have come from/rough age? I'd be fascinated to find out.


For now - night night, I'm off to put these lovely things somewhere safe until next year.

We wish you Merry Christmas!

 Well I've tracked Santa since I woke up this morning! Followed him on his outstanding journey around the world and now he is in England... woop! I better get to bed before he arrives further North otherwise I might not get a visit :( I'll just hide in bed and listen....

Merry Christmas from Max! And our beautiful, smaller than usual, tree.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas, wherever you are and whatever you've asked Santa for. Enjoy your time with your family and friends and be grateful for everything you have, even if it's not necessarily what you wanted.

Presents waiting to be opened on Fakemass and Christmas. Eee!!

For me Christmas really isn't about the presents any more, at least, not the ones I receive, I do get a lot of pleasure giving them to other people thought, especially when you get it just right. I think Stu was pretty happy with what I got him this year - he really needed a new hoodie and spotted that one a few months ago, I secretly bought it and hid it away in October (Yup, I really do start that early). He was really surprised because he wasn't expecting me to have bought it and thought he'd need to go get it himself. Woot! Point to me!! I also got him a couple of books that he'd been talking about on holiday, but I don't think he'd realised I'd mentally clocked it and added them to my 'to buy' list for later. Another point to me! Woot! As well as a few smaller silly things - including a Simon's Cat calendar, I love that wee cat! So true to life! - I also got him, along with my parents too, an Oxfam Unwrapped gift. I love these types of gifts, really makes me feel like I'm giving back and everyone is getting something useful from it. My Mum started giving these a few years ago, over the course of time I've received a toilet (tee hee) and a goat. I find them a really amusing and quirky gift to give, and I guess it does make me feel good about myself, which is slightly selfish, but meh! This year I bought Stu 'Safe water for 20 people', since I think we waste quite a lot here, my Dad a 'Plant an Allotment' because he is a wizard in the garden, and my Mum a sheep to go with the goat she got me years back. If you've never heard of this scheme, please do check it out. I don't really have a pet goat in my tiny Edinburgh flat, it just means that Oxfam give a goat to a family somewhere that will really benefit from having one - they are such hardy and giving creatures and can pretty much live anywhere, so ideal for the struggling countries like Malawi. You can read more about them here. I've spoken about them with Stu before, I don't think he's ever experienced anything like that before so he's never really appreciated the feeling or idea behind it. He even said that he'd rather not receive one because there's not really anything in it for him - this got me slightly worried since I'd already bought them and the lovely card that comes with the gift was sitting under our tree. Oops. But I also realised that I had been getting it for me too, so I didn't fully mind. But when he opened it on Fakemass his reaction was TOTALLY different. He really understood the thought and meaning behind it and I think he became quite emotional about it too. Which was really the reaction I was after. Woot woot! Who knows, maybe I've started a tradition. Hope my parents still appreciate their gifts tomorrow.

Santa is here!!!

Ok, since it's now well passed midnight, and Santa has now visited Edinburgh and now in Inverness (say hi to all my old school friends), I really think it's time for bed! Eeeee! It's Christmas!!! Wooo!! Merry Christmas everybody! I hope you have a great day, Santa has been good and you are suitably stuffed after the awesomeness that is Christmas Dinner! Enjoy! And night night!

Merry Christmas Inverness!

What are you hoping to get for Christmas this year? Have you ever received a similar Oxfam gift? How do you think you would react to being given one of those?

I wish it could be Fakemass everyday....

So last night, we celebrated our own Fakemass. Yay!

Our beautiful big tree, complete with perfectly wrapped boxes and family presents
underneath.

Stu and I still go home to spend Christmas with our own parents - him to Livingston, me normally staying put and hosting Christmas in which ever flat I'm living in. It's nice to host Christmas, it's nice to have the parents in my flat. It means Gran has less of a distance to travel since my Parents live WAY up north in Inverness, and it means that someone can feed Max and he's not left along on Chirstmas. The only downside to hosting away from home is that I don't get the usual catch up with old friends that everyone else seems to. Been YEARS since I've ever been able to. But I don't really mind. I enjoy our Christmas' just as much.

Pretty festive wine bottles.

So yeah, we celebrate our own 'Fakemass' as close to the real Christmas as possible. This year we've managed to celebrate it on the 23rd, which is much later than normal.Yay!


We treat it just like the real deal.... massive amounts of delicious food, excessive amounts of desserts topped off with a few glasses/pints of alcohol! It's a very special day for us! Max even joins in too.


This year we decided to keep it low budget, special presents with meaning and thought behind them, but not costing a lot. And I LOVE everything that I got! They are perfect, and SO ME! My man knows me well :D as does his Mum. Yay! I'll put up photos of my wonderful presents a bit later on.

Max enjoying the paper. He's just Puss in Boots!

I got lovely pretty necklaces from the wonderful Katy Cupcake's shop. Things I'd been eyeing up for a while but wasn't sure if Stu would notice. HE TOTALLY DID! Yay! And he wrote a lovely wee heart warming card to go with them, makes me teary just reading it.

Stu's beautiful festive boxes.

Stu puts in so much effort wrapping up his presents for people - even MAKES boxes for them, then beautifully decorates them. He's done it for a few years now, since we've been together really, one for each year starting with my 21st Birthday box. He's been getting better each time and this years were the best yet. He made 4 this year - one for me, his brother and parents. He really put a lot of thought into each gift to go inside the boxes, then made the boxes to fit - just as well I hoard lots of cardboard. They are so festive looking too. I'm going to use mine to keep special things in. Yay!





Me opening the thoughtful and perfect presents from Stu's mum. A Bow from Savy-Sailor and a delicate and perfect butterfly ring from a wee shop on Cockburn street. Lovely! Think I'll wear it on Hogmanay. Yay!


I'm wearing my festive snowman jumper. It's so festive and so over the top! YEAH!


Apparently Katy insisted on wrapping my bow, she did it so beautifully too, with a wee heart shaped wooden tag, and then Stu wrapped both the bow and ring together. Was a bit like pass-the-parcel. Only I got all the layers! Woo! And it just added to the exciting anticipation that I was feeling.

Ha ha, we were opening these presents while the dinner was cooking, and we were totally not coping with multi-tasking. We put in the pork which took the longest (neither of us like turkey), and then remembered about the yorkshires, and then the potatoes, and the parsnips, and we needed to prepare the carrots and sprouts (I LOVE sprouts!) and it all got a bit hectic. But considering how unprepared we were and frazzled, it turned out really delicious, filling and perfect! So it was all GOOD!

Stu in his new hoodie from me.  

Presents opened, food eaten, and Christmas films in the background. Yay! Just like the real day! Followed by board games. YEAH! Such fun and such a special day. I kind of like that we have it on a day that, as far as I know, no-one else celebrates on, it makes it our own, unique.

We're both a little obsessed with Zombies, and everything related to Zombies.... including the game.... Zombies! If you've not tried it and you also like the living dead... then give it a go! You won't regret it. We both get so involved and childish playing it. And actually, it was Adam that introduced us to the wonders that is that game. We became slightly addicted to it before he left. Hopefully play it with our visitors at New Year too.

Intense strategical thought required for optimum apocalyptic world!
Good times!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas - whether you celebrate it with your special other half or family, or both together - I hope you have your tummies filled with good food, good liquid and good treats and that Santa is good to you all! No lumps of coal I hope.

What are you hoping to get for Christmas? Do you have a special 'fakemass' date with your other half? Do you set a budget or a certain number of presents? I love finding out how other people celebrate, especially those that don't get to spend it with each other.

What is Christmas about for you? Do you enjoy the anticipation more than the actual event? Are you about the giving or receiving? I really do enjoy the lead up to Christmas, I feel like that's what the important side of the season is, not the presents, but the feelings before, during and after. And coming together with family and friends.

Whatever you do, whatever you get and where-ever you are, I hope you all have a wonderful time. Merry Fakemass one and all!

Stu's just left for back home and I'm off to get the flat a little tidier for the arrival of my parents and Gran to distract me from the fact he's abandoned me (I know he's not really, but it's still a little sad to see him go... a whole 5 days without him, thank god I've got Max).

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Yay! Christmas! Santa on a polar bear! YEAH!

Just a short, heavily photo-filled, post to share my excitement for CHRISTMAS! EEEEEE!!! Not long now! I really am so very festive this year, more so than usual. I can't help but think it's because I've got an advent calendar again this year. I didn't have one last year so nothing to visibly move the days forward. Although I did have a major Christmas binge in my classroom last year, so I was excited during work, and then maybe the excitement had run out of my system by the time I got home - like most of my energy did, life of teaching 6 year olds. We did have our major snow week too last year.... ok.... maybe I was equally as excited as this year. (I might actually put up some snow pics from last year since we've still not had any snow!) But I love it! I'm filled with ripples of excited anticipation for the big day! And I know the anticipation is almost always better than the real thing, so I'm enjoying it lots while I have it. Yay! 

Saw this in a shop window. Not Christmassy, but I love it,
it's just such a Scottish take on an English craze! I'd love something of this - necklace maybe?

It's also really nice to walk around the town, look at wonderful Christmas window displays, and see all the street decorations varying with each street. The shops really do go all out on their displays. They just add to my excitement - I'm like a little kid and I really hope it never changes.

Empty Princes Street for a change.
Crisp clear day! Cold! Beautiful!

So this post is really just to share my excitement with the rest of the internet world. A few photos to mark my travels over this month and the lead up to the most celebrated two events of the year - Christmas and Hogmanay! Woo. Can't wait for both. I can't believe there's only a week to go till Christmas Eve. Wow! And only 6 days till Stu and I celebrate Fakemass. So technically I get 2 Christmas'.

This weekend was the last real time to go shopping and my gosh were there a LOT of people out! Was a good day though. Stu's lovely Mum came through to go gift hunting for me (how lucky am i?!) and then she and I went hunting for a few more things for Stu. Easy peasy! Then we stayed in town and wandered round with a couple of other friends through from Dundee. I'm really enjoying going into town and enjoying Edinburgh at this time of year and not having to hop back on a train to head back to Dundee. I live here now :-D sometimes I need reminding of that.

Same day, hours later - almost same place.

Another reason I'm so festive this year, I think, is being able to stay at home and watch all the Christmassy films that are on TV during the day - one of the benefits of being jobless just now. Every cloud eh?

I really get a feel for the seasons by the weather. Do you ever get that? You're out and about on a day and suddenly you think - hmm it's cold and dry and crisp, feels like today should be Halloween? It happens most around the Autumn/Winter time, probably because so many things happen during this time. I may be the only one that feels this - I hope I'm not alone. 

But recently, looking out my window to Arthur's Seat, and walking through the park into town, I really do get the feeling that its Christmas, or very close to. Ah its a good time! I'm glad I've got such a positive outlook on things just now, it would be so easy to let the negativity get the best of me. And I really hope Hogmanay is good on the 31st, so many years have just been meh when they had so much promise, but hopefully living here now will be much better. Bring it on!

The Red Bus - selling Pizza and a Pint. Not bad!
Snapped with Santa's sleigh coming past, with Stu and Ewan enjoying mulled cider. 

Some shops really do put a lot of effort into their displays! Especially the high end shops like the two here. They are both jewellery shops, with very very expensive beautiful items. I really love the wee snow-y scene with the park bench. Such a simple idea but executed so brilliantly. The wee LCD screen actually had a film playing snow falling. Really did make a wonderful display. Even the wee post box. They had 4 of these wee things, I'd love one, just to sit and watch. And the image next to it, my word! They had watches costing 50K+! 

Incredible! But they were Rolex. They had a lovely wee snow-y scene too, and had a wee toy train on a circular track, pulling trailers of rings and earrings. I took Stu back to see it later but they'd cleared the display of everything valuable, just had price tags and empty stands, and a dead track. So sad compared to earlier - but I did manage to snap Santa's sleigh!

And some pubs just go all out! Like the Dome on George Street. It's legendary at Christmas so I had to pop in and have a look. I've driven passed it loads and always marvelled at the huge wreath covered columns outside and wondered what it was like elsewhere. It was wonderful! Like stepping into a M&S advert! It even smelt of Christmas! My photos don't do it justice, but my emotions thinking back do!

The columns outside.

There was even a red carpet to walk up and get in. And a waiting list, it was THAT busy! But worth the wait to get inside, to the Christmas scented warmth.

Main bar, with stunning door decorations.

You can see the centre-piece Christmas tree in the centre of the main bar. They had loads of other ones, smaller but equally as beautiful, on each of the stairways.  They apparently have had an upside down tree hanging over the bar before. I'd love to have seen that.

Door to foyer and red carpet.

The place is huge. I'd love to go back sometime that it's not packed! They have a huge outside area too, with a huge tree, all lit up, with bows and presents and everything. It was like a Christmas dream! Definitely worth braving the cold to see.

Review: Leopard's spots and Polka-dots.

Mini-review: Misguided Lorette Skater Peter Pan Contrast Dress.

Back to Glasgow I go :-D I'm being banished from the City so Stu can buy my presents without the risk of me seeing where they are from. But it does give me another chance to see Sarah before 2012 arrives. I vowed to myself that I'd wear more skirts/dresses during winter, so now I'm starting, a bit late but better than never.

Just a short post, only an outfit post really. No one was in the flat when I left and I don't have a tripod - really need to invest in one - so had to make do with a trusty mirror shot.

I really love my new dress and overall outfit and makes me feel really bold and confident when I'm in it. It's a lovely Missguided peter-pan collared dress, covered in delicate polkadots - I LOVE polkadots and love anything with it as a pattern. My wardrobes are slowly filling up with spotty clothes but I really do like them. I think they add a childish, expressive, free-spirited feel to clothes whilst still being able to maintain maturity in the design of the outfit.

I really love this dress though. I'm always a bit wary of buying online because of sizes - especially since I seem to be gaining weight these days so I'm not actually sure what size I am any more. This is a 10, but it feels kinda snug with the t-shirt underneath, so I'm contemplating buying a 12 so that I can wear it longer if I keep gaining weight. But this size is very comfortable on - and I was wearing 2 layers under it so I dare say in warmer weather it will be ideal. The delivery was superb - free next day delivery - they even text you to let you know that your beautiful order will be arriving that day. Wonderfully packaged too. I found Missguided through a lot of my twitter people - so for anyone that reads Brag Doll and that I follow on twitter, thank you for introducing me to a wonderful, friendly, social company! With a great variety of clothes, at very good prices, and incredible delivery. Here's to you Missguided!

The fabric is a really floaty viscose-y fabric, with lining all the way through. Love the dark red colour too, I'm seeing so much of it this season and I really love it. There are so many colours that go with this red, and indeed with this dress. Yipee! I teamed with with the long sleeved mustard coloured top, and thick blue tights, and fluffy winter boots, but you wont see them till later. I feel like I've just stepped out of the 60s in this outfit and I LOVE it! The cut of the dress around the bust is great, made the most of the little I've got, so that adds to the confidence boost. And for such a light fabric it was very warm in Glasgow too. The belt I borrowed from another of the Missguided dresses I bought - I got 3 at one time - a bit risky for a new found shop, but very worth it. The other two dresses are equally as beautiful - in fact, one is very simliar, but much nicer, than a dress I found in New Look in Glasgow but had no luck finding online or in Edinburgh, very strange. But it means I bought the better, and cheaper, option from Missguided. And since then I've been into the Glasgow store again, found the original dress, and I'm glad to say the one I purchased is much nicer! Better cut, bolder colour, softer fabric. And much cheaper! Yay! Another point to you MissG!

I apologise for the mirror shots - not even particularly good ones - I just wanted to document how I looked before I left the flat incase I wasn't able to take any outfit pictures the rest of the day - just as well I did too, we were only able to take 1, and that was a bit of a disaster. I wore my new Leopard Print fluffy cardi that I got from here on ebay. Again, super fast delivery. And it's such a lovely, snug piece! I've been wearing it non-stop. And again, goes with many pieces in my wardrobe. Yay. I found it from fellow blogger and tweeter @frithalouise - I think she loves it as equally as much. I hope I can inspire other to follow our lead and purchase this cardi, you won't regret it. And I definitely think I'll be going back to Missguided for more. There dresses are just so lovely, and SUCH a variety too. And they won't break the bank - so you can get lots for a reasonable price. Yay!

Oooh I've not mentioned the skirt of this piece yet - the floaty material makes it ideal for twirling around, I just want to spin and spin in it. I tried to capture it on the camera too.... but not very successfully, still, I think it shows the floaty fabric quite well, and it's quite fun looking I think, just not very focused. Really need a tri-pod!

My only one criticism of this dress - and it's very weak - it's very high at the neck, and I found that with the beautiful back button and cut out detail, I seemed to get a little choked if I bent forward. This will be easy to fix though with a wee snip and sew so I'm not worried about that, and certainly wouldn't let it put me off wearing it. I also love the length, not too short to put the 'derriere' into inappropriate view, but also not so long that you look stumpy - a particular issue for me at times since I'm a wee Scottish lass of 5'2.

Wee picture of Edinburgh just before I got on the train... the first (and so far only) snow of the year! Yay! Hope we get some after Christmas - any before might mean I spend it on my own since my parents could get stranded up in the frozen North of Inverness instead of coming to me.... we shall see. It had turned to slush by the time I'd made it into town, but the grounds of the flat were still all white, and the roof tops had a smattering too. Yay! You can see the white of Princes Street Gardens too. Waking up to the white outside just added even more to my festive feelings! Yay for Christmas!

Made it to Glasgow, to find wind and rain instead of snow :-( was much colder than Edinburgh too. Always seems to be actually, but I still love it! Here I am in the St Enoch centre. I love their giant reindeer situated around the centre. And the giant snow globe behind me too. Really tempted to go in one and get a Christmas snapshot of fake snow. Next time.

It was really difficult to get a decent photo - there were just so many people running by doing Christmas shopping, it took forever, and lots of standing still. Eventually this lovely security guard stopped the 'traffic' and let Sarah take a shot - but just the 1 before the people crowded back around. So I'm glad I have the mirror shots from earlier. Apologies for the grainy-ness, I've had to enlarge the original quite a bit. You can see my fluffy boots and my penny farthing from Hannah Makes Things, and how the outfit works all together.

Dress: Missguided

Tights: Lidl

Mustard T-shirt: H&M

Cardi: ebay

Boots: gift

Penny Farthing Necklace: Hannah Makes Things.

What do you think of my outfit? Do you think the polka-dots work with the leopard print cardi?

Do you use a tri-pod to take self portraits? Are there any you'd recommend to use with a small Canon IXUS? Any tips on better angles than those above?

High in the rooftop trusses. There were loads of them, all different poses. Some reaching from one floor down to the next like they were looking for food from the shoppers.

Five days of Festive Frolics - Part 3.

Day 5: Touristy Edinburgh Continues.

FREEEEEEEDOM! Not much worry of it melting in this weather.

So, after our busy Saturday day and evening, and a long deep mildly drunk sleep, we headed back out to embrace a less windy, cloudlessly beautiful but cold, Sunday! The last day of the Brighton Boys staying. We had a lovely brunch/lunch at a famous pub on the Mile called The World's End. Again, I highly recommend a visit if you get the chance. Friendly staff, lovely food at reasonable prices, all in a snug pub like atmosphere, looking out onto tourists walking by. Very good! 


Post lunch walks led to a second and more successful visit to the Castle. Yay, we got in! There were incredible ice sculptures outside on the ramparts, and found the guy above, backlit by a low sun, and wonderful picturesque views of a crisp winter city-scape.

It was still so busy, even for the middle of winter! Just goes to show that Edinburgh really is an all year round city that tourists love - especially ones from further afield.

View from the Castle walls of the City Skyline, facing North. Really high up, you can see the Kingdom of Fife over the water.

The boys posing in front of the epic view. I think this one makes Adam look a bit like a puppet. Either that or Bruno is trying to grab his neck and throw him over the side. It makes me smile either way. It kind of sums Adam up - silly poses and always chirpy. He's good for cheering you up when you're down.

 A few compulsory cannon shots before heading further into the Castle. It was very, very cold to sit on, and surprisingly difficult to get up on to. Wearing my trusty duffel coat again and Wrangler boots. Different layers underneath though. We were asked to do a group photo of the 4 of us shortly after this, but the Castle Photographer. It was going to be really good, and I wanted to splash out and buy a copy as a memento of the wonderful weekend, but when we went to look and buy at the end of the day, it had got lost in the system somewhere. Totally gutted. The photographer was lovely though, and she really loved my jumper. Her gran was knitting one for her for Christmas, of a dinosaur! AMAZING!

Low sun hitting more of the Castle walls, the Foog's Gate apparently. So low, even though it was barely passed midday.

One of the many huge cannons pointing out from the castle. They were busy setting up fireworks close to these cannons, so I wonder if that's where they set them off for New Year. I always thought it was on the side of the hill (volcano) that the Castle was built on. Learn something new...

 Looking through the cannon holes into the Esplanade below. During the summer they deck the whole thing out in rows of chairs, a bit like football stands, for the military tattoo that runs. It's on my 'to-do' list so one of these years I'll get to it. Tickets sell out years in advance though. Look at the tiny people below. That's where we took the photos the day before, and where the ice sculptures are.

Time for a few outfit poses outside the Military History Museum.  It was really clear and really cold that day so I opted for the 'many layers' look, with the snowmen on top. I love this Primark snowman jumper. I received so many strange looks from spect, but I really like it. It makes me feel so festive wearing it. And totally hides the fact that I've got about 5 layers underneath. My face has the rosy glow of the cold again. I seem to specialise in that this year. But I was really cosy.

Can't really see it, but I've got on my lovely Penny Farthing necklace that I got from Hannah Make's Things earlier in the year. She has some really lovely things, and very good prices. I've bought quite a lot from her. I'll show more of her things, and my things later on.

The rediculously long queue to see the crown jewels.
I'd like to say we didn't join it, but we did.

More walking around the castle and in and out the amazing buildings, to the Royal Palace where the Crown Jewels are kept, along with our precious Stone of Destiny. The queue was so long, and slow moving, but the lead up to the jewels was really interesting and all about our history and importance of the Stone of Destiny - things every Scot should know. The building behind the queue is the memorial for all the soldiers lost in various wars. It was really quite emotional in there. People had come to pay respects to the dead, family, friends all lost whilst fighting for their country. There were walls and plaques dedicated to every war fought, regardless of length or size, with lists of soldier's names that people could pay respect to. So many wars that I had never heard of. It got quite busy, and quite noisy, and suddenly the guard shouted for quiet and told people to either show respect or get out and that it wasn't part of the Castle Museum, it was a genuine place of mourning that people paid to get into pay respects. I was really moved by the guard saying that. I dare say it was his job, but it must have taken a lot of courage to speak up like that and call for silence - reminded me of being in class and doing the same when my children got too loud.

Low winter sun reflections.

Onwards and further into the Castle Ramparts, into the Great Hall. Incredible wood lined walls, decorated with coats of arms and swords - took me a while to realise just what they were, but it was very impressive. But the thing that moved me the most was the perfect timing of us being in the room - look how the light hits the stained glass and bounces it off the wall. It's so beautiful! And we could so easily have missed it, or just not noticed it. Would have been nice to get there a little earlier to see all 6 panels shown instead of the 3. But still, beautiful!

Last few outfit poses before heading back down and for something to warm us up! I really do love this jumper, it's just so over the top! I may need to locate some additional 'Ugly Christmas' jumpers. Love them! And it really does hide the layers, just makes me look a little more chubby than I really am. Adam is singing the 'song of the weekend' - Glee sing 'Alone' - he really does know how make you laugh! Was such fun walking around the city singing it (well, the few words we knew) so loud... we have no shame when we are together... alcohol just enhances this! Yay!

Last photo of the city view - higher than the previous panorama photo. Really makes you realise how high the castle is. Spot Bruno and Adam at the bottom, ready to leave for somewhere warm - poor wee English boys, they just don't understand cold till they visit, and their wardrobe just isn't suitable! But it does give a good reason to drink excessive amounts of hot chocolate.

Ridiculously large flaming cocktail -
very gin filled, very strong! 

So on to dinner, and cocktails at The Villager on George iv bridge. First time in there and it was very good. We only sat down to get a first drink, then realised we were hungry, moved to a proper table and didn't leave for hours after! I can recommend the Penne Pasta with Pesto and Pinenuts (lots of P's). Check out their toilets if you go too, not really one to talk about such things, but they were very comfortable and decorated really nicely - and were playing radio plays over speakers, I wanted to linger just to hear more. There were big chairs and mirrors so obviously people tend to do so - I'll take a picture of just how amazing a loo it is next time.


Cocktails are very nice too - and they certainly don't skimp on the booze content. It was nice to be in the warmth again, and have a little healthier complexion. 


And so the wonderful weekend came to an end. But it was busy and very fun filled. Here's to the rest of December being just as busy! Off to Glasgow again this weekend to see my lovely Sarah again! I'm being banished from the City so Stu can buy my presents without the risk of me seeing where they are from - romantic - he's even paying for my train ticket. Yay!