Birthday at Laguna!

Today to celebrate my actual birthday, we went with the Kellars to our favorite beach.  Shaw's cove at Laguna Beach.  We played in the sun and surf and I enjoyed turning 26.

Mosey takes over my spot.

 Can't believe I have (for the most part) taken a picture every day for a year!  I think the biggest thing I've learned is that life and memories are made up of the small things.  It has been fun to catalog those little moments.

Mystery Birthday!

Jason surprised me by taking me to a murder mystery dinner theater tonight!  The Kellars went with us and it was really fun!











 P.S. The waiter did it.

Where are my legs?

Pierre likes to snuggle.  My legs don't really.

International Food Fair and Protest

At school today, we had our first annual International Food Fair.  This was always my favorite event in college so I was excited for lunch today.

One of the tables.

My poor students are really the most international thing we have so there was a lot of pressure to perform!  ;]  My students brought some delicious kim bops and vegetarian chop chae.

Some of my students eating some Pringles that someone brought.  Hey, it's a work in progress.

After school Louisa and I took part in my very first protest!  I made a poster and everything.   Upon further reflection, I should have made my sign a little easier to read.  It was pretty fun and there were enough people that I didn't feel uncomfortable.  I even saw some people I know!

It's Alive!!!

The Furminator is awesome!  Look how much hair I got off Pierre!!

The Trade

We are home safe and sound and relieved that Mosey is also alive and well.  Now that my mom has kept him alive for so long, we have to return the favor by taking care of her dog, Pierre.  Here is Mosey with our ward for the week.

A Day in London

You can't get much sightseeing done in a day in London but we tried our darnedest.  Well, not really.  But we went to Covent Garden where I got a pasty that I had been craving since the last time I was here a couple years ago.

We also got to Buckingham Palace and few other places.

We finished the day at a Lebanese place near Harrods. Some of the BEST falafel sandwiches EVER! Flying home early in the morning.  This has been a wonderful vacation, especially since no one could reach me on my cell phone the entire time!

Driven Out!!

We were far too tired to go anywhere today.  At least half of us were. I was with the group that sat by the fire, read, and put together puzzles.  Jason was with the group who set out the back door and walked for miles in the heather taking pictures, or "Jason's treasures" as he likes to jokingly call them.

Jason's favorite "treasure" and a great picture of Michelle!

After the wanderers got home we decided to go out for just a little while to a nearby estate.  Back in the day, estates used to make their money by renting out farms and using the money to pay for the upkeep of the house and lifestyle.  Nowadays that isn't as common.  If families want to hold on to their land and make enough money to keep up the house, they have to be more creative.  This estate had turned its massive grounds into an adventure paradise.  White water rafting, mountain biking, skiing, etc.  We wanted to go rafting but all the trips were full so we settled for a walk around a very beautiful lake.

A massive Scottish Pine (?) on the side of the lake.

 On the way home, we visited some horsey friends.  As soon as we stopped the car, they came running.  Very majestic.

We got back to the cottage feeling rested yet adventurous today.  Huzzah!

Merrily We Drive Along

 Today we took another long drive.  We stopped by a beautiful river where I sat in the heather while the others explored.  

Heather is quite soft.  You can never really be sure where the beginning of it is.  I imagine it wouldn't be at all uncomfortable to sleep on.  Not to mention sphagnum moss!  This whole country is soft except for its craggy mountains and its people.

The river we explored

After driving awhile, we stopped at a scenic overlook to eat a lunch of sandwiches. 

 I was more interested in taking a picture of a typical Highland house than the overlook.  It took me a long time to get a shot that I was happy with.  

An electrical wire and the road kept getting in the shot.  Finally took a shot that looked like it was totally isolated!  Ha!

We then drove down into a little bay town.  Before we got there, we just had to take a picture of it! 

 I stopped into a book store there and walked the streets.  Very cute but then it started raining and we wanted to get back in the car.  We were headed back when we spotted a woodworking shop.  Since Chad and Matt are into that, we stopped and had a nice long chat with the proprietor.  He gave us a tour. I though he was one of the most Scottish looking people we have seen yet! 

   Then we stopped at a huge chasm to look over the edge and went home. 

Go, Go, Go

Took another drive today.  Always on the go!  This time we took a nice river hike in a beautiful forest area.

We also walked through some unbelievable woods.  We are sure to do more driving tomorrow!  Boy, vacationing is tiring!

I took this picture of which I am very proud!

Castles and Such....

Inside a moldering castle.. I haven't used the word 'moldering' before.  That's fun.  Moldering.

Today we got passes that would get us into many historic sites for the day.  As it gets to be a better deal the more sites you visit, I knew it was going to be a tiring day.  We started with a tour of a whiskey distillery and then hit the road stopping at as many places as possible.  Our last stop was at Dunnottar Castle.  These ruins were featured in Mel Gibson's "Hamlet".  I had visited them once before with my friends when I was studying in Italy.  It was different this time.  There was a car park and wide path all the way to the castle.  When I was here years ago, we had to search to find a small little trail head and then hike a mile or so and approach the ruins from the side.  It was a slippery slide down some neglected steps to the facade which was built into the rocky sides of a cliff.  There wasn't another person there and it felt as if we had randomly come across it.  This time, there were many other people there and it was a short leisurely walk to the vista point.  The stairs looked new and there was even a hand rail taking you down to the entrance of the castle.  Being older and more prissy now, I appreciated the pains that had been taken.  Part of me though, the romantic and mud-loving part,  preferred the first time I had visited it. 

In Elgin Cathedral.

On top of a moldering castle.

The group in front of Dunnottar Castle

Jason and I walking very dramatically away from the moldering ruins of Dunnottar Castle.  Ok, I'll stop.

On the long drive home, we stopped to visit with these friendly Scot fellows.

One of the only pictures I took on the trip!

Bangor Cottage and Culloden

Last night as we were pulling into our new cottage, the dark night and dead broken trees surrounding us on the long driveway in, were enough to start us off fearing our new abode.  In the morning, we decided to face our fear by exploring.  After all, we technically had acres upon acres at our disposal.  We walked to the cliff to look down at the river and the sight didn't soothe our fearful hearts.  Down on the banks of the river was a tiny little house surrounded by ruined trees.  It looked as though a sonic boom had emanated from the tiny place annihilating everything around it for a hundred yards.

We made our way down the steep embankment to the river and found a swaying bridge to get to the other side.

A view of our cottage from the other side of the river

After our little jaunt, we decided to go grocery shopping at the Tesco in Inverness.  I have fond memories of Tesco from my last trip in Britain so I was excited to peruse the aisles.  Michelle and I wanted to visit the Culloden battlefield as the Outlander books went far in inspiring our trip location.  We walked through the visitor center and through the battlefields to find the marker we wanted!  

Jamie's clan

That night we feasted on haystacks and relaxed in the parlor talking long into the night.  

Nothing could have tasted better than those haystacks!

St. Andrews

After checking out Edinburgh Castle, we headed back north, driving through St. Andrews on the way.  After an excruciatingly long time, we finally settled on a place to eat lunch.  Such is the way with 5 vegetarians and 1 flexitarian traveling together...  The pub we ate at had vegetarian haggis and I partook!  It was delicious!

St. Andrews has the distinction to be known as the birthplace of golf.  We walked around the famous golf course and then the beach where Jason picked me up and flung me about.

 We walked the streets for awhile  and explored some ruins before getting back in the van to drive to our next rental house, Bangor Cottage.

We wanted to see some of the grand houses behind the stone walls!

Edinburgh Bound

Today we drove down to Edinburgh to briefly see the city.  As we are thrifty folks, we all stayed in one hostel room together.

 We walked around the city craning our necks at the beautiful architecture and peering into souvenir shops looking like complete tourists I'm sure.  Which we are so that is ok.

I even got a picture with a piper!

 We walked up the million claustrophobic stairs to the top of the Sir Walter Scott Monument.

Beautiful views abounded.

Jason captured this stunning view.

We Get Around

We had quite the adventure today.  You may notice that I am in most of the pictures that I will post on this trip.  Indeed my rule for this photo blog is that I must have either taken the photo or be in it.  As the only one of the group not to have brought my own camera, I am sure it seems like I have my own entourage of paparazzi.

We started the day with a walk along the River Ness.  This river flows through Inverness and into Loch Ness.  The river walk was quite pleasant, the winding paths and bridges took us from the river bank to some little islands, passing quaint houses all the while.

Next was a drive along Loch Ness, which is quite a drive indeed.  Loch Ness is very long.  We stopped and had a look at its pink rocky shores and at Urqhart Castle before finally breaking from the water to drive Northwest toward the Isle of Skye.

On the way, we found some peat in this grand setting.

Running towards the  peat fields 

Peat!!  Don't ask me why it was so exciting... 

We stopped whenever the urge hit us.  Which was quite often.  With landscape like this, can you blame us?

When we reached Eileen Donan Castle, we decided it was time to turn around as we had a lengthy trip back to the castle we call home.

Eileen Donan Castle

 As we were driving through Invermoristen, I glanced out the window to see this scene whizz by.

 I yelled at the driver (poor driver) to stop and back up.  He did and we spent the next hour romping around the woods and scrambling over the rocks of the river.  It was a long day but very fulfilling.