The Big Trip, part 7, Scotland at last!




(Sorry this is late and not all that thorough… I haven’t had a computer at home until now. See earlier entry about my Mac becoming a paperweight.)

Finally, after a full month on the road, it was time for the big journey across the pond. United was on time, and that’s about all the good that I can say about it (wretchedly miniscule legroom, looped films instead of on-demand, and NO FREE BOOZE). We had time to get some breakfast in Heathrow (Owen learned a new phrase: “chocolate croissant”) before the uneventful second flight to Edinburgh and hour-long drive to Dundee. Our hostess Ullie was at work but had left us a map showing the way to the nearest corner store, so we were able to find some lunch and then begin to unpack. Ullie made us a spaghetti dinner when she got home that night, and we finally crashed.

Since then, we’ve been finding our way around. Ullie left to join her husband Tony on vacation on the Continent, so we’re basically house-sitting in their lovely home in Broughty Ferry, a quiet and rather pretty suburb of Dundee. There is a compact shopping district, a large public playground and a 15th-century castle on the waterfront (see pictures). The weather has alternated between lovely mostly-sunny days and less lovely drizzly ones. We are so far north that we get an astounding amount of light – it’s fully light from 4:30 a.m. until almost 10 p.m., and never seems to get completely dark.

Ullie and Tony’s place is a literal garden of wonders for Owen. There’s a yard to play tee-ball in, a trampoline, an herb and berry garden, and a rabbit pen. We go out to feed the rabbits twice a day, and pick berries about once a day – there are strawberries coming out of our ears. Yesterday I made strawberry jam for the first time in my life. The black currants are nearly ready to be picked, too, so we’ll be trying currant jelly soon.

We started looking at apartments today and have several more to look at this week. With luck, we’ll be moving into our own place by the weekend or early next week.

Comments

jordan said…
I like strawberry freezer jam (not boiled). It's totally worth a try.
July 13, 2010 at 2:20 AM
Erin (moviemuse) said…
Making jam already? LOL Sounds like the assimilation has begun. Hope you find something you like soon!
July 17, 2010 at 1:52 AM
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