I suppose I am a bit late with that - but it is kind of Ukrainian New Year's tomorrow!
I am now in Glasgow, Scotland. We have had a whirlwind tour for the last two weeks. At some time I will add up the miles to see what we have covered.
It is about 8 pm local time and Callum, Jamie and Stuart have gone to the Aberdeen - Kilmarnock football (soccer) game tonight. I have stayed back with Vanessa as she has come down with a nasty cold and flu. She is really trying hard to tough it out and take nothing since she is pregnant, but she has quite a sore chest and stuffy nose. Jamie has been suffering with the same flu since last Friday. He has taken many meds to help break the fever and get some relief, but he had a lot of pain in his chest and back for a few days. Such a shame on an all too short holiday!
Our plans were to go to Edinburgh tomorrow, Callum's birthday. We wanted to take the kids to see Edinburgh castle and Holyrood Palace. Vanessa has plans to meet with her friend Lacey on Thursday for supper or after supper. However, we have decided to take an easy day tomorrow and try to give Vanessa, Jamie and Callum a rest day. Callum wasn't sure he would be able to take in the soccer game and go to Edinburgh the next day. They have to travel by train about 30 miles south of Glasgow to the football pitch and kick off was scheduled for 7:45 pm so it will be a late night for them. So, we will see what Glasgow has to offer tomorrow and see if we can make it to Edinburgh, or possibly Stirling, on Thursday.
We have had a great time. We first spent a few days with Peter and Sheena in Fraserburgh. This included a shopping trip to Aberdeen - I dropped a few $$ in Baby Gap and Disney Store! We headed to Grantown-on-Spey on Sunday, Jan 4. Callum, Jamie and I stayed at our cousin Nicola's/Aunt Fiona's place, and Vanessa and Stuart stayed at Auntie Sandra's and Bob's place. They are only about 2 blocks from each other so were easy to walk to. Except for the wretched icy streets and sidewalks! There was freezing rain on rain on freezing rain for a day or so and walking was difficult. Callum had a little tumble but is no worse for it. We had lovely meals and enjoyed our visit. Nicola has a 20 month old girl so it was fun watching her for those few days! We had some extraordinary visits with Nana Campbell. It was such a special time for her and our children to meet. She is 90 1/2 years old, is physically frail but her mind is sharp as a tack! She is living at Nicola's and Fiona's so they are kept busy looking after her. Nana Campbell told us many times how well they take care of her, and how lucky she is to have them there. We only wish we had more time to spend with her, but she tires easily and we really wore her out in those 3 days.
We then returned to Fraserburgh on Wed. Jan 7 - thanks to Auntie Beryl, Uncle John, John and Mhorag - who drove us both ways. We had a lovely dinner with them at the Fraserburgh Leisure Center before heading back to Peter and Sheena's place. Thursday, Jan 8 was a miraculous day for us all, but especially Jamie and Callum. It was Jamie's birthday and Peter had arranged a trip to St Andrew's. Unknown to us, he had also planned to stop at Carnoustie. We were able to walk a bit on each course and enjoyed reliving memories of past British Opens. We dropped a whole lot of cash at the St Andrew's gift shop and I am sure pretty much everyone was wishing they had their clubs - even though it was quite cold -as you can see by our choice of outdoor clothing for the day! We finished the day with a visit to the cathedral and castle (or what is left of them) and a wee bit of shopping before heading back to Fraserburgh. A good time was had by all and Jamie says it is the best birthday he has had - since his birth! Friday was a "do whatever you want" day and Saturday was spent getting ready for the good-bye party for Peter and Sheena who are off to Qatar for a 5 year stint.
Sunday was an easy day with dinner with Peter and Sheena, their daughters and families - Debbie and John, Kerry, Cieren, Catelynn and Camryn. Monday was spent packing and now here we are in Glasgow.
Callum has been very well. At times tired, but so are we! He is a trooper - no complaining and doing his best to take in every experience and opportunity.
We are having a truly wonderful family holiday filled with many treasured memories. And with very little talk of the "c" word we can, at least for now, believe that it will be just the first of many, many other family holidays and visits to Scotland.
"Yesterday is but a dream, tomorrow is only a vision. But today, well lived, makes every yestereay a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day, for it is life, the very life of life." The Sanskrit
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