Merry Christmas, y'all!

OMGYOUGUYS. It's Christmas. I think we all know a blog isn't happening today but I wanted to check in to reassure you it's been perfect: there was a luscious hotel brekkie, followed by another round in the spa, and then a beautiful meal and celebration with Marie, Al's sister, in West Linton. We have been grazing and eating and grazing for basically the last ten hours. I am so full and it takes me half an hour to climb out of the couch but that's okay, because I need the workout.

I am going to sleep like a lamb tonight. I know this, because I'm nodding off just writing this.

Here is some proof of the loveliest of lovely feasts:

  

 That's right. I HAD MY OWN PHEASANT. Satsuma for scale. You can be jealous, because it was juicy and tasty and A WHOLE BIRB JUST FOR ME.

Later I got to snuggle with their kitty Neptune, who is touching me with a paw in this pic so I don't forget to give scritches and scratches. WE ARE BEST FRIENDS I LOVE HIM.

Now it's time for the sweet sleep that follows game-eating and game-playing and terrific chats. Much love to you all, and I hope you had a Happy Christmas!

Cheers,

Esssss

Kirkcudbright: a photo series

GUYS GUYS GUYS. I got the pictures up! So without further ado: AN ALL PIC POST. You have earned it after yesterday's mad ramblings.

Cheers!

Boatmen doing whatever it is men on boats do.

Kir-koo-bree, The Village of Precious Closes (seriously. there were a million)

No, YOU wanted to steal a boat and travel back to London by water

STOP IT YOU TWO

I mean, cute enough, I guess

THE BOWLING GREEN. 

Come on in, the water's fine!

Where I enjoyed my lunchtime quiche in the distant land of New Galloway, town motto: It's Further Away Than It Looks

Fish and chips for dinner! (lols, jk, I got the pizza) 

Also a spam fritter. DON'T JUDGE ME.

The back garden of the beautiful home we stayed in, where Alan sunbathed to his heart's content yesterday. That rooster has seen things.

And last but not least: the fine company I enjoyed this weekend

Love you guys! See you tomorrow from - dum da da dum - MANCHESTER! 

Big hugs,

Esss

What else.

OKAY so I spent all day today taking pictures of a beautiful coastal village in Scotland for you but it currently looks like I may not be able to get them from my phone to the computer. So.

THIS MAY BE A TEXT-ONLY POST. God help us all.

I ate three sausages for breakfast and a macaroni pie for a snack and a quiche for lunch. Fish and chips are on the agenda for supper (being coastal, the selection in the local shop is posh-as) but they also sell stone-baked pizza and I am shamefully tempted by this.

What else.

My iCloud isn't updating and there's no phone signal. Did I mention I may not have any photos today?

Wolf and I are currently sat in the back garden (I have a picture of this garden in my phone!) and he is shirtless and sunbathing. You cannot keep this guy in a top if it's warm out. He's like Matthew McConaughey this way.

I didn't know how to spell McConaughey but for some reason my spell check did so I am pretty sure my computer's up to no good when I'm not around.

What else.

I can hear church bells.

This little town has a harbour and two bakeries and a Co-Op and a Tesco, two Chinese places, one Indian, and a tea room. It has a well-curated antique shop with an original Arne Jacobsen chair for £95 and Picquot teapot for £40. The aforementioned chippy has a fish shop attached, where they also sell English asparagus, Scottish strawberries, and Ayrshire potatoes. Soon a cafe called Wrap N Roll is opening. Everything is perfectly contained.

Here, the wind makes things creak, the sun makes things crack, and the water makes things progress. It all seems very gentle, though that could be because the skies were as blue as the water today.

Oi vey these birds, though.

Earlier an older gentleman gave us directions when he heard our confusion at a junction. We didn't have to ask, he just helped. People also say hello when they pass on the sidewalk. Are they all high on clean living?

They have a town bowling green. Organised teams in matching uniforms were using it today.

We went to a beach this afternoon, just on the other side of the water. It is a craggy beach, and the stones are tall and aggressive, like some sea god threw a tantrum and yanked them up, straight out of the sand. They are a fierce contrast to the still waters sleeping nearby. The smaller stones - palm-sized, ideal for throwing and smooth to the touch - are pastel yellow and green and purple. (I have photos of these, too!)

What else.

I am going to shower tonight; I will also braid my hair. I like going to bed with it clean and contained, off my neck. I sleep like a baby on Braid Days.

The sun is trickling away over the horizon; Wolf's shirt will go back on soon. That's when it's time to go indoors and find the TV set.

I hope tomorrow my connection to the outgoing server doesn't fail and I can show you this place.

Big hugs and lots of love,
Esss