I'm 30 days into my wheat free lent and I miss this:
7 April 2017
28 February 2017
Pancake Tuesday
Happy Pancake Tuesday!
It's pancake Tuesday, which means that from tomorrow, lent offers another chance for making up for a failed dry January! I haven't yet decided what I'm giving up, but there's one more night to sleep on it.
So, what are you giving up until Easter?
It's pancake Tuesday, which means that from tomorrow, lent offers another chance for making up for a failed dry January! I haven't yet decided what I'm giving up, but there's one more night to sleep on it.
So, what are you giving up until Easter?
- Chocolate?
- Coffee?
- Alcohol?
- Social media?
- Complaining?
- Moderation?
- Your hopes and dreams?
15 February 2017
Happy Chocolates-on-Special day everyone
This is what my flatmate got from her partner for Valentine's Day:
- a card outlining how weird and wonderful she is
- three bars of soap
- Swiss chocolate
- two blowtorches
10 February 2017
Thanks for sparing me the pain and resentment of a slowly fading love
I was searching for an example of using the words "thanks for sparing me ..." and found an electronic greeting card saying something semi-witty, but it started quite poetically with this sentiment:
Thanks for sparing me the pain and resentment of a slowly fading love
12 January 2017
Back to school
I am early.
I find my way to the notice board and send some other lost souls theirs. My class assembles. Fiddle 1a. We are the second intake this year.
A dozen people from all walks of life. The youngest, a Canadian community gardener in her twenties. The oldest - hard to tell, there are three candidates in at least their seventies. One of them built his own fiddle. He used to play fiddle tunes on a cello to which he added an additional string. Some hesitant conversation and then the teacher arrives. Irish and ohmygod so hothothot.
Last term, my Uke class rehearsed in the language room. The occasional German writing on the blackboard used to tempt me to add something witty, but I could never think of anything witty. Today we're in the addiction room. There are colourful charts about cocaine, cannabis, "ecstacy" and other drugs, with beautiful illustrations, drawings and commentary. It smells funny here. Musty.
The class begins with a long round of introductions. There is another German. This fact we both take with the usual slight embarrassment that is common when German emigrants meet.
We learn to hold the fiddle and the bow, with a floppy hand. The teacher asks us to play the A string. I think I know which one is the A string, but what to do with the bow? The part of the bow that touches the strings is made of hair (horse? hamster?) and needs to be tightened before playing. But by how much? I shout stop, too advanced, and the teacher slows down. We take 25 minutes to tune three out of four strings. In the process we lose two strings which is not so bad considering how many fiddles there are in the room.
The difference between a fiddle and a violin is that you shouldn't spill beer on a violin. I like this relaxed approach to learning music.
I find my way to the notice board and send some other lost souls theirs. My class assembles. Fiddle 1a. We are the second intake this year.
A dozen people from all walks of life. The youngest, a Canadian community gardener in her twenties. The oldest - hard to tell, there are three candidates in at least their seventies. One of them built his own fiddle. He used to play fiddle tunes on a cello to which he added an additional string. Some hesitant conversation and then the teacher arrives. Irish and ohmygod so hothothot.
Last term, my Uke class rehearsed in the language room. The occasional German writing on the blackboard used to tempt me to add something witty, but I could never think of anything witty. Today we're in the addiction room. There are colourful charts about cocaine, cannabis, "ecstacy" and other drugs, with beautiful illustrations, drawings and commentary. It smells funny here. Musty.
The class begins with a long round of introductions. There is another German. This fact we both take with the usual slight embarrassment that is common when German emigrants meet.
We learn to hold the fiddle and the bow, with a floppy hand. The teacher asks us to play the A string. I think I know which one is the A string, but what to do with the bow? The part of the bow that touches the strings is made of hair (horse? hamster?) and needs to be tightened before playing. But by how much? I shout stop, too advanced, and the teacher slows down. We take 25 minutes to tune three out of four strings. In the process we lose two strings which is not so bad considering how many fiddles there are in the room.
The difference between a fiddle and a violin is that you shouldn't spill beer on a violin. I like this relaxed approach to learning music.
4 January 2017
New year, new challenges
Happy new year everyone! I spent my Hogmanay the Scottish way - in a bothy with a fire, Scots in kilts, dancing, singing Auld Lang Syne, and a long new year's day walk in the snow.
My 30 Days, 30 Cards challenge was a great failure. I wrote not thirty, not twenty, not ten, not five, no, not one single Christmas card last Christmas! I did write a little thank you note to my Ukulele teacher though, so maybe that counts. I'm saving the cards for next year for another try.
But moving on, tomorrow starts the Kinder Scotland challenge (*click*), where I'm trying to do a random act of kindness every day for three weeks. The challenge is that they all have to be different. Apparantly, the first ten are easy, but then it takes creativity to come up with new acts. Wish me luck.
My 30 Days, 30 Cards challenge was a great failure. I wrote not thirty, not twenty, not ten, not five, no, not one single Christmas card last Christmas! I did write a little thank you note to my Ukulele teacher though, so maybe that counts. I'm saving the cards for next year for another try.
But moving on, tomorrow starts the Kinder Scotland challenge (*click*), where I'm trying to do a random act of kindness every day for three weeks. The challenge is that they all have to be different. Apparantly, the first ten are easy, but then it takes creativity to come up with new acts. Wish me luck.
21 December 2016
That's this year over, next one please
2016, eh? What a year to be alive. I tried to make 2016 a bit less shite by not moaning about it, but I did moan about the moaners which is just as bad. Anyway, as December is nearing its deserved end, it's time for review, reflection and resolutions. How convenient that I keep a blog, so reviewing my plans for this past year is easy.
I made a number of resolutions (*click*), some of which worked out to a degree and some did not.
Overall, I probably didn't laugh more. There was a major increase in the laughing amount during my Ukulele classes but that was offset by the mopey months before, when I contemplated the sadness of being lonely. Anyway, it was a good resolution and I shall hang on to it.
1. Laugh more
No speed dating! Plans were made but then my friend's grandad suddenly died and we all didn't feel like it anymore and then forgot. More boys? Equally, nope. I think 2015 was peak boy for me.
Did I get fit? In a way - I have established a weekly yoga routine, so that's something. Should be good enough for now, together with my cycle commute and the occasional hillwalk. At least I hope that it's good enough, as I gave up swimming before I even started. But I do want to check out the fitness machines in the park behind my house. What a luxury to have them there. I just need to get over the feeling of looking silly on them. Of course I'll look silly on them, so what.
2. Use fitness machines in park
As for new resolutions, there's something about food. Food stopped being the enemy years ago when I decided that life's too short for diets. However, I have treated food poorly, taken it for granted, and not given it the attention it deserves. My pasta and cheese binges surely don't make the pasta feel appreciated. Any successful attempts at cooking I negate by shoveling the food into my mouth while watching a TV show. My mum must have sensed something, because she gave me this book a few weeks ago:
It is inconceivable that picturing myself at dinner with Mr Darcy won't make me be nicer to food.
3. Do food better
And finally, reflection. What else happened in 2016? I went part-time and now work four days a week. This was a great decision and there is no going back. I started to study statistics. I took up the Ukulele and signed up for the fiddle. My Uke teacher said with my mad Uke skills I'm already halfway there - he's a charmer. And finally, in addition to yoga, I've also established a meditation routine and am all zen now.
So, 2017, bring it on.
I made a number of resolutions (*click*), some of which worked out to a degree and some did not.
Overall, I probably didn't laugh more. There was a major increase in the laughing amount during my Ukulele classes but that was offset by the mopey months before, when I contemplated the sadness of being lonely. Anyway, it was a good resolution and I shall hang on to it.
1. Laugh more
No speed dating! Plans were made but then my friend's grandad suddenly died and we all didn't feel like it anymore and then forgot. More boys? Equally, nope. I think 2015 was peak boy for me.
Did I get fit? In a way - I have established a weekly yoga routine, so that's something. Should be good enough for now, together with my cycle commute and the occasional hillwalk. At least I hope that it's good enough, as I gave up swimming before I even started. But I do want to check out the fitness machines in the park behind my house. What a luxury to have them there. I just need to get over the feeling of looking silly on them. Of course I'll look silly on them, so what.
2. Use fitness machines in park
As for new resolutions, there's something about food. Food stopped being the enemy years ago when I decided that life's too short for diets. However, I have treated food poorly, taken it for granted, and not given it the attention it deserves. My pasta and cheese binges surely don't make the pasta feel appreciated. Any successful attempts at cooking I negate by shoveling the food into my mouth while watching a TV show. My mum must have sensed something, because she gave me this book a few weeks ago:
It is inconceivable that picturing myself at dinner with Mr Darcy won't make me be nicer to food.
3. Do food better
And finally, reflection. What else happened in 2016? I went part-time and now work four days a week. This was a great decision and there is no going back. I started to study statistics. I took up the Ukulele and signed up for the fiddle. My Uke teacher said with my mad Uke skills I'm already halfway there - he's a charmer. And finally, in addition to yoga, I've also established a meditation routine and am all zen now.
So, 2017, bring it on.
19 December 2016
North Berwick to Dunbar
I did another long walk yesterday. The stretch between North Berwick and Dunbar is the final section of the John Muir Way - and the only one I have walked to far. And conveniently, both towns can be reached by train.
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| John Muir Way |
North Berwick is a seaside town 25 miles northeast of Edinburgh. It sits beneath a hill, North Berwick Law, which was formed by a volcanic plug and then shaped by time and Ice Age. North Berwick Law stands out in the otherwise flat area and can easily be spotted from as far as the Pentlands or Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. In fact, I climbed it once with my friend Colin. It looks quite tall from afar, but we were up and down in an hour and spent the rest of the day on the beach.
I left North Berwick at 10.30 am and followed the well-signed route south, past North Berwick Law. The route desription on walkhighlands.co.uk (*click*) said that East Linton would make a good stop for lunch. The walking was flat, I saw few people, most of them with dogs. It was quite a long walk to East Linton, maybe 7 miles (10 km), and by the time I got there I was quite hungry.
The pretty town centre had a couple of delis - both closed - but no cafe or tearoom. I passed a co-op supermarket, but I was really after a hot drink and some soup. I started to wonder if the walk description maybe suggested I should have my packed lunch here rather than talking about dining options in East Linton - when I spotted the pub. I had soup and a coffee by an open fire and was more than happy.
I didn't stay long though, as I wanted to get to Dunbar and the final section on the clifftops before it got too dark for walking on clifftops. Leaving East Linton I walked along a river Tyne (but not the Newcastle one), across field, and when the sun started to set I reached the saltmarshes of the Tyne estuary. Pretty cool, I hadn't expected any saltmarshes.
Walking through John Muir Country Park I then saw something odd. It started with the Lamas. Then ostriches. Sheep, goats and donkeys. And then a huge castle-like structure with slides and ladders, and a little monorail. One moment in the wilderness, and in the next I find myself in a safari park.
The sun properly set when I just spotted the red cliffs of Dunbar. I skirted the golf course (you are never far a way from a golf course in Scotland), and the sky turned pink, and the cliffs turned too dark to see. I arrived in Dunbar at 4 pm.
Dunbar's centre was astonishing. The Christmas lights were wild and colourful, but when I looked more closely I saw that they were in fact sponsored by local businesses: "Season's greetings from all at Torness", or just the name of the firm with a tree or a star. Odd, but cheerful.
My train home was very busy but warm, so that was nice. I even caught the connecting train to my local station. But when I got off there, Network Rail or Scotrail or whoever I can blame had done quite a blunder: The road that crosses the rails next to the station was closed for roadworks. However, the pavement alongside this road is the only way to get from platform 1 to platform 2 - and this was also closed. So, only one half of the train station was accessible from each side. People living north of it can only take the trains towards Edinburgh, or coming from Glasgow. Unfortunately, coming from Edinburgh, I was on the wrong side. So after walking 15 miles already and being only an 8 minute walk away from home in theory (I could almost see my house) I had to walk another 2 miles to cross the rails in a different place.
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| The route |
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| North Berwick Law |
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| Dangerous Ford! With a footbridge next to it. |
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| River Tyne |
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| Baby lama |
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| The bridge to nowhere |
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| Pink skies |
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| Local businesses outshining each other |
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| Sponsored Christmas decoration |
14 December 2016
Stramash
Such a musical week!
I met with my friend Francoise to jam - she on the piano, me on the Uke on Friday. On Sunday, I sang Christmas carols with my choir at the Summerhall christmas market, and today I sang more carols with the annual Christmas pop-up choir in the office. And I don't really know what Stramash means, but I was in one tonight, when my music school had their end-of-term gathering, the Stramash, where all the groups performed a couple of songs to each other.
My Ukulele 101 group was combined with the Ukulele session group, and we performed Patsy Cline's Tennessee Waltz, and then Andrew Lloyd Webber's Christmas Dream, together with the accordion 2 group.
And since making music with other people has been so much fun I signed up for fiddle classes next year. And maybe I'll start a band. Never too early for New Year's resolutions.
I met with my friend Francoise to jam - she on the piano, me on the Uke on Friday. On Sunday, I sang Christmas carols with my choir at the Summerhall christmas market, and today I sang more carols with the annual Christmas pop-up choir in the office. And I don't really know what Stramash means, but I was in one tonight, when my music school had their end-of-term gathering, the Stramash, where all the groups performed a couple of songs to each other.
My Ukulele 101 group was combined with the Ukulele session group, and we performed Patsy Cline's Tennessee Waltz, and then Andrew Lloyd Webber's Christmas Dream, together with the accordion 2 group.
And since making music with other people has been so much fun I signed up for fiddle classes next year. And maybe I'll start a band. Never too early for New Year's resolutions.
6 December 2016
I'm back
It's been a bit dead over here, but I'm finally done moping now. I'm back to old form, open to new adventures and fun challenges!
Maybe it was the last weekend that did it - I hung out with my bestie Colin, and made gingerbread cookies with his girlfriend's little boys. They had a Wookie cookie cutter! Colin said choir wasn't the same without me - awww! I hadn't been going since summer as it clashed with my Ukulele group.
Or maybe it's Printer Guy who's back in the game. Remember Printer Guy (*click*)? He ticks all but two boxes: He is no laird and has no castle.
Or maybe it's because I remembered the time when I was newly single and spent my first holiday on my own, went to San Francisco, and kissed three guys in one night. Such fun.
But who can tell why we feel how we feel, all I know is that I'm done being sad, so there we go.
So, for the month of December I'm setting myself this challenge: 30 cards in 30 days. This is inspired by Kat who, last month, sent me the earliest Christmas card (and gift!) ever. Do I actually know the addresses of 30 people? Well, we'll see.
Maybe it was the last weekend that did it - I hung out with my bestie Colin, and made gingerbread cookies with his girlfriend's little boys. They had a Wookie cookie cutter! Colin said choir wasn't the same without me - awww! I hadn't been going since summer as it clashed with my Ukulele group.
Or maybe it's Printer Guy who's back in the game. Remember Printer Guy (*click*)? He ticks all but two boxes: He is no laird and has no castle.
Or maybe it's because I remembered the time when I was newly single and spent my first holiday on my own, went to San Francisco, and kissed three guys in one night. Such fun.
But who can tell why we feel how we feel, all I know is that I'm done being sad, so there we go.
So, for the month of December I'm setting myself this challenge: 30 cards in 30 days. This is inspired by Kat who, last month, sent me the earliest Christmas card (and gift!) ever. Do I actually know the addresses of 30 people? Well, we'll see.
29 November 2016
26 November 2016
23 November 2016
21 November 2016
Autumn in the Trossachs
Here are some pictures of my 50 km walk in the Trossachs last weekend, starting in Aberfoyle, finishing in Killin, with a scenic drive home along Loch Tay and the misty Tay valley.
9 November 2016
Oh America, what have you done?
Brexit suddenly doesn't seem as big a deal anymore. Can we please fast forward four years?
2 November 2016
Ben Ledi
My friend Ben and I walked up Ben Ledi last Sunday. The autumn leaves were in yellows, reds and oranges, and we walked over the clouds.
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30 October 2016
Stereotype
When I went on the scrambling weekend a while ago, there were two instructors - a chatty, charming one, and a quiet, earnest one. First, I liked the charmer better, but then the quiet one grew on me. He didn't say much but when he did it was useful. There was one thing he said to me that keeps popping up in my head, even now, weeks later.
A couple of guys were taking pictures of each other on the ridge. I was in the field of view, so I offered to look scared to make them look more badass by contrast. To this, the quiet instructor said to me "Don't be the stereotype."
I'd hate to be the stereotype, that's the last thing I want to be!
A couple of guys were taking pictures of each other on the ridge. I was in the field of view, so I offered to look scared to make them look more badass by contrast. To this, the quiet instructor said to me "Don't be the stereotype."
I'd hate to be the stereotype, that's the last thing I want to be!
26 October 2016
Hallowe'en
We did a cute song at Ukulele class on the occasion of Hallowe'en coming up - Mysterious Mose. Enjoy!
Hope you can open it wherever you are!
Hope you can open it wherever you are!
23 October 2016
19 October 2016
Yoga binge
When I feel sad I go on binges. Nothing seriously bad, no booze, only something to distract me from thinking about it and feeling the sadness.
In the past few weeks since my recent breakup, while being mostly fine (honest!), I've developed another bout of binge-watching my favourite TV show, Doctor Who. There have been 122 new episodes since they revamped the show in 2005 and I had watched them all before. Three times I think. I'm now through 45 of them or so for the fourth time. Having to stay in and study for the Open University course I'm doing isn't helping either, it's enabling my procrastination. My flatmate's partner, who is staying with us these days, likes to mock me and hum the Doctor Who theme whenever he sees me.
The other thing to drown my sorrow in is hot chocolate. Both, the doctor and hot chocolate, make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Temporary and superficial it may be, but hey, I'll take it. Still better than compulsive online shopping. I need to watch myself there - it's the new season for all my favourite brands of outdoors gear - check out the new North Face Summit Series, and Icebreaker's new colours!
At the same time I've (re-)started yoga. I'd meant to take it up again for years and I finally took up the introductory offer of a yoga studio near where I live. Two weeks of unlimited yoga classes for a fixed price. And as I like to save money I went six times during these two weeks - yoga binge! It was great, I now hardly remember my back issues. It is also hot yoga, which means yoga in a room heated to 30 or 40 degree Celsius, depending on the class. This is meant to make you stretch better.
I tried three different types of yoga there. A more dynamic kind with flowing movements, called vinyasa, or power, cardio- or flow yoga. Lots of fluid movements, like variations of sun salutations. Lots of downward and upward dogs and - my favourite (not) - planks. Not really my thing, too much effort. Also, I'm not doing yoga for the exercise, I get enough of that from cycling.
Then there was the other extreme, yin, where I didn't even work up a sweat - in 40 degrees! This one was more about stretching "the deep tissue", whatever that means. Apparently, not the muscles are getting stretched but the tendons and joints. For this one we went into quite uncomfortable, but not strenuous, poses sitting or lying down and tried to relax into them for minutes. Interesting, but it didn't feel like it was doing much. Maybe it would grow on me.
And finally there was the "classic" type where there were poses standing up, sitting and lying down, usually needing a lot of balance, which were to be held for a few breaths. Definitely made me sweaty, but this was more about building flexibility and strength than cardio fitness. Maybe I should stick with this for a while.
Yoga definitely makes me warm - if not fuzzy - inside and out.
In the past few weeks since my recent breakup, while being mostly fine (honest!), I've developed another bout of binge-watching my favourite TV show, Doctor Who. There have been 122 new episodes since they revamped the show in 2005 and I had watched them all before. Three times I think. I'm now through 45 of them or so for the fourth time. Having to stay in and study for the Open University course I'm doing isn't helping either, it's enabling my procrastination. My flatmate's partner, who is staying with us these days, likes to mock me and hum the Doctor Who theme whenever he sees me.
The other thing to drown my sorrow in is hot chocolate. Both, the doctor and hot chocolate, make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Temporary and superficial it may be, but hey, I'll take it. Still better than compulsive online shopping. I need to watch myself there - it's the new season for all my favourite brands of outdoors gear - check out the new North Face Summit Series, and Icebreaker's new colours!
At the same time I've (re-)started yoga. I'd meant to take it up again for years and I finally took up the introductory offer of a yoga studio near where I live. Two weeks of unlimited yoga classes for a fixed price. And as I like to save money I went six times during these two weeks - yoga binge! It was great, I now hardly remember my back issues. It is also hot yoga, which means yoga in a room heated to 30 or 40 degree Celsius, depending on the class. This is meant to make you stretch better.
I tried three different types of yoga there. A more dynamic kind with flowing movements, called vinyasa, or power, cardio- or flow yoga. Lots of fluid movements, like variations of sun salutations. Lots of downward and upward dogs and - my favourite (not) - planks. Not really my thing, too much effort. Also, I'm not doing yoga for the exercise, I get enough of that from cycling.
Then there was the other extreme, yin, where I didn't even work up a sweat - in 40 degrees! This one was more about stretching "the deep tissue", whatever that means. Apparently, not the muscles are getting stretched but the tendons and joints. For this one we went into quite uncomfortable, but not strenuous, poses sitting or lying down and tried to relax into them for minutes. Interesting, but it didn't feel like it was doing much. Maybe it would grow on me.
And finally there was the "classic" type where there were poses standing up, sitting and lying down, usually needing a lot of balance, which were to be held for a few breaths. Definitely made me sweaty, but this was more about building flexibility and strength than cardio fitness. Maybe I should stick with this for a while.
Yoga definitely makes me warm - if not fuzzy - inside and out.
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