Sunday Afternoon.

Hi! 

So we did it - a successful housewarming party! It was great because almost everyone made it and there was an abundance of great food and wine of course. Erin and I got up on Friday and cleaned the flat and then both began to make all the snacks for the evening. We went out shopping and hung out all day. I really enjoyed it and it was quite lovely hanging out. So then we got ready, dressed up a little (we were the hosts - have to look smart!) and waited for our guests to arrive. Everyone ended up showing up around the same time so it was rushing to take coats and giving flat tours for the first hour. That of course was followed by a room full of up-roaring laughter and conversation so it was worth all the work!

People ended up leaving at around 1am and then we all dispersed to our rooms because the next morning we were all going on a hike for Tom's birthday. 

It was really nice of Hannah (Tom's wife) to invite me along for his birthday hike seeing as I haven't really had a proper conversation with Tom yet and well, I just got to Edinburgh. Nevertheless she's a great lady and extended the invitation to me. So I embarked on my first Lothian Bus Trip! I finally got a lift from the bus. Never been on them before Saturday, just admired the grandeur of them from afar...

Well it was just as lovely inside the bus! The seats are cushioned quite nicely and it's a double-decker bus so of course I had to sit at the window in the front - you know, simulating me being in the driver's seat and all. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip on the number 5. Wendy and Ruth and Mel joined us on our bus trip up to Hunter's Tryst. We all sat in the Hunter's Tryst pub while we waited for Tom and Hannah and their friends to arrive. 

Then after about a half hour we started the hike. And by started I mean walked outside into this cloudy and windy atmosphere that rapidly turned into full on snow that was accompanied by a gust that in turn threw the snow in our faces. Amidst obvious shock there was a plan for a hike and the rubbish weather was supposed to just last for a short while so we kept walking. Well, below are the pictures and I didn't get any from the top because I had forgotten mittens and was actually incapable of moving my fingers by the time we got to the top and when I tried the wind was blowing me all over the place so sadly there isn't any visual for the top but I can deifnitely say that it was beautiful and showed vast farmland to the right which is in direct contrast to the compact city to the left.

Then we all went home, had a nap for a half hour and ate dinner then went to a Pub on Blackfriars with Phil. Hung out for a while there and I had a Guinness! It was on tap but I think it's the Scottish version of it but nevertheless it was leaps and bounds better than the cans we get in Vancouver. I don't think I'll have another one in Vancouver (now that I've tasted the real thing... haha). So we walked home from the pub and settled in for the night. 

This morning Kurt and I went to church and had a really nice service with the anticipation of the Ash Wednesday service coming up this week. Erin told us she kicked butt in her match today and I'm sorry I missed it - it's frustrating that her matches conflict with church right now.

Well that's all.

I get to see my mum on skype tonight - WOOOOOOO!

Love

Well, here we have parmesan bread sticks, homemade hummus , carrots and green and kalamata olives.

Crackers and cheese and my sweet treats!

Lounge

So these are Energy Bites and in the back is Pound cake.

Vanilla pound cake with cream cheese/honey icing topped with brown sugar coated pecans!

Some crackers for your cheese.

Erin made it all look so lovely

Such a great glow from the candles

My bright orange dress (New Look find) and Kurt posing of course.

THE BUS!

Look at that cushion - nice and comfy.

Dt

It was so nice out

Castle

Nicolson Street

This is past the furthest I've been by foot.

Gets quite cramped on the roads the further we went

There's no side streets, the bus goes everywhere

Beautiful buildings for accommodation!

Another main street - Morningside Road

Where we will be hiking shortly

You actually can't see the snow it was coming down so fast

Thank goodness none of it stuck on the ground

Look at those hills!

Spacious - so nice

A highway!

Part of the posse.

Just for you Hollie Chow!

Pretty.

Swanson Farms!

Little bridge over a stream

I would live in one of those flats.

More tiny flats.

So it begins.

Looking down.

See the snow?

This is the other side.

Sparse snow

Hello Sushi (actually her name)

Up we go.

Right before I got hit with a snowball - thanks Tom.

The golf course in the distance

Sushi and Steve

Water, Arthur's seat, and the farmland

The snow and the trees.

Highland Cows!

Lone black cow

At least there was one sign to make sure we didn't get lost (haha)

The first incline

After the incline, faced with snow and even more of an incline

Snow where we're walking, to the left - no snow whatsoever

Completely dry and sunny.

Rolling hill

Yep, more incline

Landscape of the hills

I love the misty fog over the water

My hands must've froze after this because this was the last shot!

Going home on the bus

Braidburn Park

See ya Morningside