Spending time with old friends and new babies

Last week, Cameron and I drove down south to Buckinghmashire where we spent the week with one of my besties, her fiance and their 4 month old son. 

I spent the following days catching up on chats, going on walks in fields and woodlands, eating wild blackberries and raspberries, subsequently walking into a patch of stinging nettles for the privelege, finding windmills,  making banana bread, eating homemade ice cream, rearranging their kitchen....

Saturday Afternoon in Buchanan Castle Ruins

In a bid to do something on a miserably-weathered weekend, we waited for a break and at 3:30pm Saturday afternoon, we headed off into the wilds! Jks, we drove along some roads for 38 minutes until we reached Buchanan Castle. 

It's tucked away amidst a housing estate, unsigned and fenced off from the public because it's so dilapidated and at risk of crumbling. Buuuttttt we might have found a well-used hole in the fence that Sarah and I slipped through to have a little nosey around the outskirts. We didn't go in too far and paid careful attention to where we put our feet, but it's definitely one of those things that you do at your own risk. 

What we saw was incredible though - derelict and green and so lovely. We only spent 20 minutes there but it was worth it. It was apparently built in 1852-58 as a replacement for the Buchanan Auld House, which burnt down in 1852. It served as the Montrose family home until 1925 and in 1954 the roof of the building was removed. Since then, the building has since (obviously) deteriorated. 

We intended to make a stop at the Devil's Pulpit on our way home, but after parking the car and walking 20 minutes towards the path, we were stopped by a police officer. Another tourist had slipped or fallen and were in the process of being rescued; no more visitors were allowed access. 

It was pretty interesting to see how many police officers and search and rescue persons were on the scene. Roads were blocked, trucks and utes filled the tiny car park that had been blocked to tourist traffic for Covid reasons. It definitely made us more than intrigued to come back one day hopefully to see it. Preferably in sunnier, drier conditions...

(Two minutes from being turned around)

We were home by 7pm and made it in time before the heavens opened back up. It has just been incessant recently - definitely not the summer we were anticipating!

A trip to town

With a lot of stores beginning to open up at the start of this week, a friend and I decided to take a trip into the city to have a wander, stretch our legs and see what the mall looked like as rules shifted.

First we caught the subway, which was a ghost town; we were the only ones in our carriage.

The mall was busier than we expected, with most stores open - exceptions were some department stores, restaurants, beauty salons and some private coffee shops. Every shop that was open had someone at the door monitoring how many people were allowed in and offering hand sanitiser to anyone who wanted it. Speaking of, I need to moisturise my hands....

There were more people without masks than with and walking through the mall, people were definitely not being as conscious of the 2m rule but get them in a line and the distance was maintained. 

We wandered about, ducking in to H&M, Zara and Cass Art, just enjoying the chance to be out and browsing and being in the company of someone not from our household (who I still love dearly, don't get me wrong!).

We saw some cool architecture, found a wicked mural, and then got lunch from Pret - one of the few places open. Takeaway only, of course. 

Then back on the subway to head home, this time sharing our carriage with three others. 

Today was the first day I wore a mask - they're mandatory on public transport - and I can already tell how much of a skill it is, to wear them without fogging up your glasses. Even with the sewn-in nose piece that canbe molded to the shape of my nose, my breath still manages to thwart it and slip up my cheeks to fog my lenses. I am skilled enough that most times I go on the tube, I achieve this effect, but now it's going to happen without fail for the forseeable future....so I've told Cameron that when we start travelling again, I'm just going to take my glasses off and let him lead me around :P 

The only thing I bought today (apart from lunch) were these biscuits, which I had seen recommended by my favourite Youtuber, Zoe Sugg, MONTHS ago.

Verdict? 100% amazing. They're like the KitKat Chunky bars :D Which is amazing because UK KitKats don't taste as good as Aussie ones, so this is the best discovery. What a way to end the day!

June Round Up

Making: terrible art and not caring

Cooking: nothing right now, but planning on making some Anzac biscuits tomorrow!

Drinking: all the water. I'm smashing my 2L-a-day lately :D

Reading: the same book as last month. I'm  actually confident that I've not read a page of it since then.... but I interrupted it to read Beth O'Leary's 'The Flat Share' and 'The Switch' which were both SO GOOD!

Wanting: another nail polish because nude is well and good but this girl likes COLOUR

Looking: forwar to our trip to Brighton at the end of July!!

Playing: some seriously great music in the background c/o Anita's Record Club Spotify playlists

Deciding: when to go visit Maddy, Martin and Mason :D 

Wishing: for a few more sunny days

Enjoying: the rainy weather even if it is meant to be summer

Waiting: for my sausage rolls to finish crisping so I can eat lunch already

Liking: Rise Against. Why haven't I listened to these guys properly before??

Wondering: if it's time for dessert. And what to have for dessert

Loving: this entire experience - even the bits that weren't forseen

Pondering: if I'll ever book any accommodation that isn't through Airbnb

Considering: trying on one of my face masks later so I can adjust the ear straps

Buying: art from local (UK local) artists who I've been following for years

Watching: The Dragon Prince - SUCH a great animated series!

Hoping: that the bird feeder I superglued back together yesterday actually holds >.>

Marvelling: at the power of a good outfit and a great hair day

Cringing: at the Australian government's reaction to the arts sector during Covid....and the rest of the time

Needing: some new brown boots. And probably some new brown flats. 

Questioning: dressing gown or Cameron's hoodie?

Smelling: one of my favourite perfumes, Miss Dior

Wearing: exercise pants. They're my uniform now

Following: more and more people on socials. I don't have time for all their lives plus my own!

Noticing: my arms getting stronger from all my downward doggs and chaturangas

Knowing: that I need to educate myself more

Thinking: I need to get my headphones so I can listen to my laptop on the couch

Admiring: my nails - I keep having to trim them!

Sorting: out the best way to get to London - cheap flights but frustrating queues, expensive train ticket but painless boarding?

Getting: excited about a trip to town tomorrow just for FUN

Bookmarking: all the airbnbs we're hoping to stay at for all of our upcoming (and hopefully still going ahead) travel

Coveting: a Bard snuggle

Disliking: racists, homophobes, climate change disbeliebers, Trump supporters, and idiots

Opening: tooooooooo many tabs

Giggling: about Cameron finding a bit of almond in my eyebrow today. HOW??

Feeling: itchy-eyed. Is this hayfever? I've never had this symptom before...

Snacking: on some Japanese mochi, red bean paste flavoured. SO GOOD

Helping: dry Cameron's (freshly laundered) jacket by wearing it. Mmmm fabric softener.....

Hearing: blackbirds and robins and blue tits sing.....and computer mashing from Cameron and Daniel

Cosy Summer Mondays

Listening to the rain.

Burning a candle.

Hot drink tally:

• Green tea
• Coffee
• English Breakfast
• Peppermint 

Emails about Bard's latest couch snuggle.

Youtube watch later list down from 75 to 63

And a little bit of drawing.

A Cheeky Excursion to Edinburgh

We couldn't help it. We just got in the car and headed to Edinburgh.

The M8 was lined with yellow and white wildflowers (or are they weeds? Or a bit of both?) 

The sky was overcast and glary, so our photos were either too dark or too bright.

GoogleMaps took us up into Old Town, along part of the Royal Mile, until Cameron scored one of the best parks not five minutes stroll from Edinburgh Castle.

We walked up and down the Mile, from the Castle to Holyrood Palace. We had a brought-to-you-by-Starbucks lunch because no other cafe was open, and meandered through the Canongate Kirkyard.

Our excursion was rife with photo-bombers.

We traipsed across Waverley Bridge and inspected the Robert Burns....and then headed home under clearing skies.

Finding Things To Keep Me Busy (that isn't shopping).

Isolation has definitely messed with my sense of routine. It was already a bit screwy without having a job or our dog, but this pandemic has definitely kicked it up to the next level. Prior to mid-March, I was getting up between 7 and 8 (and when we were home in Aus, always by 7 at the latest), heading out to explore, get groceries, visit art galleries, meet people for coffee, reserching places to travel ,,, the list goes on.

Fast forward to now and this weird limbo we're all in where our days are spent indoors. Everyone is working from home so they're all in the lounge, making that their office, and I've moved to the bedroom to give them privacy, space, and myself the freedom to watch videos or listen to music without headphones.

I have even less struture now. I  get up on average at half eight though admittedly, I go to bed a bit later. I'm not waking up tired which is quite good, but even though I have energy, I don't seem to have motivation. I'm able to spend days on end watching Youtube videos. I have plenty of things I would like to do or try, but absolutely zero ability to start.

This isn't new for me. I've always struggled to motivate myself but now it's a constant battle without any of the usual markers giving me limits on my procrastination. I don't have the excuse of having work or Bard to walk or people to visit. So, in slow steps, what have I actually been filling my day with?

I've been watching a couple of new shows - demolished them, actually. Normal People and Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. I finally crocheted a pot holder. That was pretty satisfying because I did that while listening to the Wizarding World's audio version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone being read by a range of celebrities. 

***

I think I'm slowly coming out of this slump. I'm waking up at 8am now, if not earlier. I'm exercising everyday - whereby 'exercise' means yoga for 20 minutes. But it's becoming routine and that's what I'm loving. I'm definitely getting better at my downward dogs! That's care of the Home series by Yoga With Adriene, and a bit of the app, Down Dog. I'm sketching more often and constantly cooking things with Sarah. 

What changed for me then? I think I actually just underrated how much this whole thing affected me. All that time spent resting (that sounds nicer than 'being a lazy, no-good bum', doesn't it?) helped me reset and come to terms with everything (Covid, moving overseas, et al) and move on a bit. Plus, so many of the videos I've been watching by some of my favourite artists and creators revolved around how they're dealing with the lockdowns in their respective countries. Seeing how they are and aren't managing, and that it's okay to not be productive, to have the privelege of that option and be grateful for it. 

So here's to coming out of Covid-19, not with a finished book or a new hardcore fitness regime, not with a better diet or a sketchbook full of loveliness, but an intact sense of okay-ness because we got through an awkward, weird and unprecedented time.