Spring has sprung!

I wandered lonely as a cloud:
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

For some reason, when I was a child, my father had me learn these first 6 lines of William Wordsmith's poem 'I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud'. Yet, although I am not sure why he did that from his perspective, it makes sense to me. I love daffodils. Perhaps it's the poem that introduced me to the beauty of daffodils or maybe it just articulates the way I felt about the bright yellow flower. Either way, the poem remains the same for me today as it did 25 years ago - brilliant.

The daffodils are coming out in Scotland now. Spring has definitely sprung! There's something about the freshness of spring that makes my heart happy. It relaxes me - winter is on its way out... hats, scarves, and gloves are no longer a given. The sun is bright, and the skies are blue. Of course there are still days of rain and wind, but at least it's changeable and in between the dark clouds, the sun shines through briliantly.

I don't have much more to say on this - other than that I am thoroughly enjoying a Scottish Spring. ahhhh...

Almost a year

The flashbacks are back. It's been almost a year since we moved to Scotland. Today, I left the house later for work as I am going to be out for work this evening. As I was on the bus going up Leith walk about 11 a.m., the weather and light was such that I suddenly felt like I was a year ago. We'd just moved to Leith and my days were spent unpacking, cleaning, being a housewife - and going on jaunts into town. The weather was much as it is now - cold and windy, but bright. We were at the beginning of a new adventure!

For those of you who don't know yet, we are at the beginning of another new adventure: Brian and I are expecting a baby! We are due on August 9th. That makes me just over four months pregnant. It's so exciting, but there's lots to do. Not least the fact that Brian has to figure out where he'll work. His office is currently in what will be the baby's room!

I am back!

Yes... it has been ages since I last wrote an entry. Oh dear. Well, if ANYBODY is still ready this - well done for persevering, and I am sorry I have been so lazy!! I promise I am going to write more...

Well, where to begin. Life has been moving on of course, as it generally does! Let's begin with Christmas.

Christmas was just lovely. Fi hasn't had a proper Christmas at home for a while, so it was a real treat. We spent Christmas eve with Fi's Dad in Anstruther and had a very relaxing day enjoy each other's company, Christmas eve telly, and good food! After the midnight service we went back to mum's for mulled wine and mince pies. Ahhh... can't beat that for a proper Christmas eve!

Christmas day saw us at church in the morning, then back to mum's for a day of presents, fabulous food, conversation, and of course, the obligatory Doctor Who Christmas Day Episode. Again, ahhh... can't beat that for a proper Christmas!

It truly was lovely and we felt thoroughly relaxed. The next day - Boxing Day, we spent a small amount of time at the home of one of my childhood friend's parents.

Christmas felt like a rush of warm, comforting air. the only thing we missed was Fi's brothers. One is in Kent, England and the other promised to spend Christmas in the south of England with his girlfriend at her dad's house. I have fantastic brothers and I did miss them, but it's good to see them living their lives out.

On the evening of Boxing Day my dad drove us back through to Edinburgh and we started to pack for our trip to Barcelona! Now, here's the weird bit: I was really upset at having to get on a plane so soon after Christmas. 'Why'? You might ask... 'you were off on a lovely holiday with your hubby'... The thing is, that for 8 years, every Christmas season in Scotland has been marked by the fact that I had to leave to head back across the ocean. Every Christmas for 8 years has been marked by another set of 'farewells'. Packing and getting ready for a plane ride brought all of that flooding back! It was so strange - yet healing. It was healing to know that this time I get to come home to my family and friends.

Now, of course, it's all reversed. We'll be saying goodbye to our American friends and family over and over again - and that will be hard.

For now, though, I must rejoice in the fact that I am near my family and old friends. And that is good too.