i can't believe it's almost over

well, i have safely made it back to the good ol' US of A. where people drive on the right side of the road and are generally less welcoming. it's strange when something that's been long expected is over, or almost over. i still have a 5+ hr road trip tomorrow before i can settle back in. it seems both like it's been ages since i left and also as if it's over way too soon. so it's mixed feelings of happiness and contentment at a trip well spent, sadness in leaving mom and a grand country, happiness that living out of a suitcase is almost over, and fear at what the up and coming days and weeks bring with school starting in a short 2 days.

fortunately, the trip home went much more smoothly than the trip to scotland, but unfortunately, my camera has been at the moment misplaced and as it is not with me, it will be a week before i get it and am able to post pictures. and i still have to find it. it's not at mom's in troon, so hopefully it was placed in sheonaid's bags by accident and she'll swiftly send it back over to my side of the country once she herself makes it home to sunny colorado!

i'm sitting in my family room in rochester, with a sleeping dog at my side (brayson) and another dog quiet in another room (zeke)...glad that they have settled down, and glad to be with my baby. a bit pensive about the craziness of life...and more specifically, how my family is so scattered once again. aaron, is currently in ireland, mom still in scotland, dad here, sheonaid in colorado and me, soon back in wv. exciting for all our ventures, and yet still strange at the distances.

anyways, enough strange sadness for now...i'll end with a list of things done on new year's eve in scotland...a great day in Edinburgh. i wanted to do this in order, but i don't have enough brain function to finish the flights over to scotland which ended up taking a whole 10 hrs longer than they were supposed to. boo bad weather and flight regulations! with the help of sis and mom, we finished dec. 31 already!

Dec. 31. Edinburgh (Saturday)
Slept in til 10am
Went home to mom’s place to shower.
Left by 11:30am
Got coats from andy and marion Hamilton. Sofa was covered in coats, muffs and hats. Looked like closet threw up on couch. Loved the long gold coat. So did Marion, apparently.
Andy = animation
Drove to Edinburgh with great navigation by sheonaid. I was the moral support by sleeping. Mom said 'thank you sheonaid' upon arrival
Found parking on learmonth view off of queensferry (aka. queenberry) and proceeded to ask locals about bus route. returned to car to layer up and get ticket info.
Upon unclear yet helpful instructions about bus route, decided to walk anyways.
Took pics along bridge and got wet from passing car who drove in puddle and splashed my pants.
Rain and wet. Feet squidging in shoes.
Got to princes street and tried to find the royal mile. Labored over directions for many minutes.
Took walk up the street called “The mound” and then walked through 'the close' and stairwell to the Hub (church for tickets). Very medieval.
Pics of me and sheoanid on stairway may have been unclear. Blame mom.
Got tickets after being instructed to stand “in queue” (in line).
Went into Scottish store to buy cute t-shirts—2 for 10 quid.. mine is definitely neon-green
Went for dinner at the deacon’s Inn, upstairs from the bar. Bar had tartan carpet . were not treated well by wait staff. Food was not hot.
Walked royal mile. Starbucks for coffee. Took pics by john knox’s house. walked on cobble stone streets lined by century old buildings.
Made it to new parliament building and palace at end of mile where queen Elizabeth still resides on trips to Scotland. Parliament building was an amazing site with new architectural mastery.
Sheonaid had to pee…so we sped back to starbucks.
Got hit on by Australian boys who liked my gloves. Chatted for a few minutes.
Got hit on by drunk boys singing for money. Thought it was great that we were American. I stated that we ‘literally had no coins on us’.
Went to roses st to enjoy some good pub beer. Had to show ID before entering. Needed proof that we were 21. i used passport.
Struggled with ordering beer in Scotland. Amused bartenders by excitement of Scottish coins and discussion of tipping/bar etiquette.
Discussed family, life/ relationships, religion, etc.
Went to toilets 12 times (probably).
Left over three quid for tip….way more than anyone else ever does.
Went to princes str. Party.
Had to walk several streets to find entrance to party. Showed bracelet to officers to get in. Struggled to find good spot to stand to see fireworks. So many people- felt like human cattle. Joined ‘conga’ lines. Most people were pleasant while a few were rude and scary.
Got butts pinched by rude yet funny drunk boys. Mom decided to put her hand behind her to clearly indicate a “hand’s off” policy.
Ate hotdogs to hold us over. Disgusting. Tasted like …freakin...haggis (ground intestines) FOUL. None of us could finish them.
Moved closer to castle and to massive tv screen to see fireworks and time countdown.
Castle was all lit way across grass, and trees had blue and white lights on them. Beautiful.
Famous Scottish/European music group (texas) was singing and all the locals sang along.
Got cool hats
Wanted drinks. Disappointed that foster stands couldn’t be found. Next time BYOB.
Got hit on by others in the crowd.
Group of people we stood next to were funny. drunk girl tried to jump on friend’s back but didn’t do it well. Sheonaid helped her with her crack. Hmm!!
Screamed count-down with the whole crowd of thousands of people. Amazing experience
Yelled happy new year
Watched amazing firework show
Sang ‘Auld lang sayne’ with everyone else and held hands with big group of people, by Crossing hands and in an up and downward motion. As one would shake a catsup bottle.
Walked back to car and drove home
Bed by 3:45am
Awesomo