Happy Hogmanay To All!!

Happy New Year!!!

So sorry to all of those who have been checking my blog to see if I have updated it, etc. So - here finally - is a small update of what has been going on in Becky's World. Because my family is thousands of miles away, and because I didn't want to spend Christmas alone in my little flat, I decided to take up the offer from my dear friends in Airdrie (near Glasgow) to stay with them for the holidays. It was quite nice to be amongst them, and to enjoy their company again. They're like my very own version of family - right here in Scotland. Most of what we did during the holidays was watch TV (and let me tell you - TV is waaaaayy better in the UK than anywhere else in the world) and eat amazing food that is really not good for you, but still must be consumed during the holidays because of tradition. As a result, I have gained about 5 pounds I think. I'm feeling uncomfortable with that, which leads me to my resolutions to be blogged about at a future date. (soon that is) Anyway, June and Robert and family were really great, and they made me feel right at home, as they always do. It was also nice to have Cara around to keep me company...



So, yeah - ate amazing food - including Turkey, Swede and Carrots, Steak pie, Trifle, Yorkshire Pudding, Vegetarian Haggis (my new favorite - which incidentally may turn out to be a fantastic stuffing - if anyone is willing to try it), June made THE most amazing Rice Krispie Squares I have ever tasted in my life. It's true - best ever. Also, potatoes (mashed and roasted), and a number of other wonderful things which escape my memory at the moment - oh and Schloer - buckets of Schloer - which is a fancy fizzy grape juice Mormons here use to replace Wine - haha. It was pretty great. So - yes food a plenty. Loved it. Missed my family a little, but enjoyed myself nonetheless.

I also ended up doing a fair bit of bargain shopping for the flat - various things I just need to feel at home. I went to Ikea to find some of these bargain items, and I have to say - the Ikea in Glasgow is almost exactly like the Ikea in Calgary - and apparently - they are exactly the same all over the world (even in Sweden Steve tells me) So, that was nice, I felt right at home in Ikea. I now have curtains up in my bedroom instead of towels covering the windows, and a few rugs in the living room, and one big rug that June gave me in my bedroom where it is most needed - there's this weirdo pumice stone floor in there that make my heels feel like velcro. Also - various household/kitchen items that were necessary. I have all the proper bedding on my new (to me) bed now as well. So, that's nice. Yes, things are coming together here at the flat. I just need bedroom furniture, a couple of sofa beds (picked them out at Ikea), and a coffee table really and I'm set. However, all of that shall have to wait until - I find a job!!! I really really need a job it turns out - at the very least - I need work - temp work - this week. That's the real focus right now - finding work. Everyone is quite nervous here about the "Credit Crunch" they're calling it. The financial situation of the banks here is worse than in Canada, so jobs are scarce at the moment. But, I remain hopeful. I also exercise my Faith as much as I possibly can.

For New Year's Eve or Hogmanay as it is called properly here - June, Robert and I went to a Ceilidh - where we danced some lovely traditional dances. Robert was up dancing almost every dance in his kilt, and let me tell you that man can dance. He's 74?ish and he had way more energy on that dance floor than most of the young fellows. It was a lot of fun, and I ran into a couple of friends from my previous visit to Glasgow and area.

While June and I were out shopping - we stopped for lunch at this place called The King's Cafe near the King's Theatre in Glasgow which was really nice, clean, and reasonably priced. I had a salad, and a Toastie, AND - I tried the Deep Fried Mars Bar (Jodi - this bit is for you) which incidentally wasn't as decadent as I was expecting. Basically it's just like eating a Mars bar, and a bit of batter. It was good though - and added - yet more calories to my Holiday Festivities.







So - yeah - that's the small update of what I've been up to. More to come over the next few days.