Tally Ho!

What a fun weekend we've had. Last night we attended a birthday dinner party in honor of our friend Chris who is a fellow PhD student in ethics at New College. Chris is an exceedingly kind Londoner with a keen intellect and a humble disposition ... but I really adore his girlfriend Lizzie who's a true gem due partially to her amazingly fantastic wit. One cannot help but be delighted and amused in the company of these wonderful people. Lizzie made authentic Northern English cuisine complete with dumplings and roasted butternut squash and potatos. Dessert, or pudding as it referred to over here, was yummy baklava. One fascinating thing about Chris is that he attended primary school with Prince William and even witnessed Princess Di run in the "Mum's Race." Apparently, Di was quite athletic, as she was the winner in the "Mum's Race."

To top off a lovely evening, Matthew suggested we take a taxi home. God bless his soul -- that simple taxi ride was such a happy moment for me! Not having to wait for public transportation and be bothered by all the intoxicated locals on the way back to our flat was just too good. And the time it took us ... wow ... that was fantastic. What usually takes about 30 minutes turned in to about 10 or so minutes.

When I awoke this morning, my sweet husband informed me that it was "Ashli's Day" and that whatever I wanted to do today would be done. How fun is that? So, instead of working or doing household stuff, we set out for Morningside in Edinburgh. Morningside is a charming area of town comprised of antique stores, chocolatiers, stone cottages, gourmet food markets (French and Tuscan -- I was in heaven), bakeries, art galleries, churches, restaurants (we stopped here but the wait was a bit too long), florists, theaters (we saw this one and a few of these) and much, much more. It might be needless to say, but it was so much fun exploring this area. It might just be our next neighborhood.

After lunch at Two Thin Laddies, we went to the Filmhouse to see The Kite Runner. The book had been both telling and gripping, and I felt prepared to see the movie, having a sense of what to expect since I had read the book. But the cinematography, the acting, the scenery ... it was all so moving. I definitely recommend reading the book and seeing the movie if you haven't already done so. It's a good story and one needing to be told.

So here I am ... sitting on our couch ... feet propped up ... having just finished grading for the week and enjoying all the beautiful memories from this fun, fun weekend. I do hope yours is as equally delightful!