I've been a bad bad blogger. I am sorry, but the weather has been blissfully beautiful and the wine has been flowing like, well, like it does when certain relatives of mine have their hands ona bottle - perhaps I have inherited a Sampson gene that is just now rearing its lush head. Ahem. OK, sorry I am exaggerating there, but I must admit I am starting to sppreciate the idea of having a glass or two of vino midweek to break the mundanity of it all. UNfortunately, I find one or two glasses often means one or two bottles. In any case, I've been slacking on the emails and blogging as a result of the sunshine, wine and lunchtime exercise.

An update of past events and future plans:

OK, last week is pretty much a blur (refer to above paragraph regarding vino consumption for reasonable explanation as to the blurriness of it all). I know I worked a lot, did boxercise on Wednesday and went to Helene's on Thursday night to do travel research which, of course, required wine & chocolate consumption!

Anywho, it turns out Helene is more of a Beatles nut than I am...so we are doing a weekend trip to Liverpool!!!! We are going to do the Magical Mystery tour and check out Strawberry Lane and the site of the Cavern Club and all that jazz (or pop music..whatever)!!!! I am soooo excited!!!!!! Liverpool is meant to have a fab nightlife as well. Anyways, we are missing Beatle week by only a few days, but I think I am glad I will not be in Liverpool whent ehre are thousands of Beatles fanatics about. Don't ask me why I think avoidance is a good thing- I just have a gut feeling :)

Anywho, Friday evening was pretty tame - Kelly, Lindsay, Ailbhe and I went to see the Wedding Crashers with Owen Wilso, Vince Vaughn, Christopher Walken and a guest star who rules!! Film was hilarious. Lindsay was even more hilarious, but that is another story which I will not divulge.

Saturday I was up at 6.30 and at work by 8.00 to do O/T. Yes, I am desperate for some extra cash. Anywho, after five hours of O/T we all kind of thought it would be a good idea to haev a few drinks at the pub. By we I really mean Helene, she si always the instigator. ANywho, after a mad rush to the box office to get a bunch of Fringe Festival tickets, I met up with some of my workmates at a pub in town and we had a wee bit of wine. I finally made my way home about four hours later (and one bottle of wine later). I had, in this span of time, managed to rnu across teh street to Sainsbury's twice. The first time to buy the new HarryPotter book, the second time to buy TP (I had an inspiration and recalled that we were lacking TP at the flat)

I had dinner and then Ailbhe and John came over and we all went out to the Walk About, which was actually fun. I think it is only decent in the summer there. Teh Old Guy was there and Jen practically shoved me into him, insisting I must talk to him before I depart Scotland. Alas, not tonight Jen!

Sunday was pretty low key - Kelly & I went to watch Jen and the Canadian guys play softball. Grand was looking especially sporty and hot in his bleach blonde eighties hair wig and fake tatoos! I can't believe he played the tourney donned in that wig - priceless and picture worthy. Good thing I brought my camera :)

Kelly & I then left the ball field for the high street where we searched for bargains - July is sale month over here!!!! I foud two tops but ironically, neither was on sale. Actually, that isn't realyl irony, that just sad....

Um..ok, that' teh weekend review.

Plans/News for the future:

I have next week off - I am going to the Isle of Arran and maybe hosting a fellow Islander and his girlfriend, who have been touring around Scotland and saved the best city for last!!

August = Festival!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHannon's Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Church Community BBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Trip to Isle of Skye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, you get the idea - lots of fun and excitement to be had as the days wind down....


Hope all is well with everyone else - it would be great to get some email updates (hint hint)

I cannot walk. That is my only excuse for not going ona stroll with Helene on this absolutely gorgeous lunch hour. Apparently a weekend that involves charging at full speed up an incline of more than 45 degrees to show off and then climbing many spiral staircases of a palace can lead to sore calves. And OMG are my calves sore (no, i haven't moved to a farm..I speak of my lower leg muscles!). Um, yeah, so I am apparently walking a bit like a chicken today and at the speed of a snail (What is with all the animal references??). This is all much tothe amusement of my co-workers. I, however, am slightly concerned that this could only mean one thing: I am getting OLD! But I digress, this is supposed to be Weekend Review post, so here it goes.


Friday Night

Started the weekend off with a glass of wine and company of Helene at the Ritz. Tehre is nothing Ritzy about the ritz..it is simply the closest and only bar within walking distance of Scottish Equitable. There were loads of people sitting and laying out in the greass surrounding the bar though, so it really was quite nejoyable and the scenery not to be dismissed. I love how Scottish guys (maybe all guys??) will remove as many items of clothing as possible when given any excuse!

I then made my way home and joined Kelly, Lindsay& MEily for girlie night which involved pigging out on taewaway anc chocolate with NO SHAME! And, of course, watching a romantic moive (The Notebook) and other films. Jen joined us later in the evening after her shift at the C Bar was over. We were watching the movie with the lights our when i spied a shadow running along the wall under the t.v stand. Our mouse is back - or a new generation has spawned. At first no one believed me, but they do now as more sightings over the weekend proved I am only paranoid and have an over-active imagiaitnon wihen it comes to certain things...

Saturday

I spent the afternoon with Sean - we were supposed to climb Arthur's Seat so I was really pumped to finally get away from an activity that involed me consuming food. AS I really don't need anymore. ALas, Sean was hungry so we had to stop for a meal and he insisted (no really, I was honestly putting up a genuine fight) that he order me a serperate dessert, on the basis that he belieived I would eat half of his if there wasn't a plate in front of me....as if... anywho, we eventually made our way up the hill/mountain I tried to show off and kind of run p the hill. That attempt lasted all of a minute but I am paying in pain now!

Following on that I raced back to the flat to prepare my potluck dish. I opted for making the easy but highly demanded Irish Soda Bread. The girls ate this up like crazy last time I made it!
Anywho, we had about ten people at the flat for a potluck in honour of Emily's Leaving :( We gorged, we laughed and then we gorged some more. Then I poped over the Aibhe's house party,. which was fab becuase they had M&Ms and cocktails and funny Irish guys and because, for once, I wasn't one of the hostesses at something!!! A very rare event in itself and very enjoyable

The night finished off in the Grass Market where I met up with the Emily leaving crew and we headed to Drop Kicks. I think that the novelty of that place has ended.

K - I will write again soon, but back to work now!

Life is back to normalish after a rather crazy/disturbing week. I suppose I was being a bit naive in my expectation that the G8 Summit would happen without any outbreak of violence. Oh how wrong I was - unfortunately. The trouble started on Monday with riots breaking out on the Princes street - crowds of angry people throwing projectiles at the lines of fully armed riot police blocking their path of destruction. Oh, it was a messy one - but no one was injured and teh police did an impressive job of managing the angry mobs. I woudl call them protesters but they weren't - these were just persons looking for an excuse to have a good ol punch out. You know the kind of people - they can be foudn at sports games, bars, concerts and generally anywhere where there may be achance to cause a bit of trouble. Anyways, it all ended without great incident.

Wednesday was teh beginning of the G8 Summit and there was aplanned march on Glenegles,w here teh 8 men were staying. I went to work withouta hitch, but jsut after lunchw e ahd a tema huddle and were told we were being sent home for fear that smoe of teh protesters may march out to the business park I work ni. Kudos to them if tehy did - its a heck of a commute from anywhere...Anyways, i didn't really feel right just going home so I joined my co-worker for one glass of wine at a pub in teh grass Market. Somehow one glass turned into two bottles and by the time I staggered home I am sure I could have been arrested for public lunacy.....

Thursday was, well, I suppose it was indescribable. I was genuinely shocked, as was everyone. These are sad times are they not? No more noble fights between two armed knights or even two armies who know the consequences of walking into battle. No, now it is commuters and tourists, children, mothers and fathers who find themselves victims of a faceless belief that will never prevail.

On that note, I believe I should finish. I will write a weekend report next time I am on the Interne.