Catch up

I knew it had been a while since I'd updated this, but I didn't realize quite how long it had been! I was having trouble thinking about what I've done since I last wrote, so I'll refer to my handy planner.

January 25
Dave's mom won a photo shoot from a local photographer so she, Andrew, Peter, Euan, Dave and I go along to get some pics taken. I'm having flashbacks of picture day at school--especially the one in grade 4 when the camera lens had a hair on it and the pictures came back with a large hair hanging off the end of my nose. At least that's what my mom said to make me feel better. Maybe there was a hair on my nose. Needless to say, I went for re-takes. Anyway, writing about our most recent picture escapade has reminded me that we haven't gotten the pictures back yet. I'll have to ask Elspeth about that.

January 27
My friend Carrie who used to work with me at Ninewells has returned from her year-long trip to New Zealand and it's great catching up with her. She sent semi-regular email updates to her friends and family while she was away, but it's always nice hearing about stuff in person. She's heading back in mid-March for another year.

January 30
The bottom of my pull-along box of supplies that I take with me when I'm doing study visits at GP offices falls apart when I get off the bus with it, blocking the exit of everyone else from the bus. 47% of the contents fall in a large muddy puddle under the bus and I have muddy water on my face for the first time since going to the mudflats in Nova Scotia. More people than necessary rush to my assistance, exponentially magnifying my embarrassment. As the bus stop is at the hospital entrance, I phone the office for someone to come down with a replacement trolley. As I wait, my appearance elicits looks of sympathy or disgust from those passing by.

January 31
Sharaya and I go to Broughty Ferry for ice cream at Visoci's and a walk along the waterfront and castle. The fact that it is extremely cold and windy doesn't deter us.

February 1
I accompany the church's African choir on my guitar. The ladies in the choir take pictures of the group and laugh at how the flash reflects off my pale skin, making me look like a light bulb.

February 8
I arrive in Stirling (about an hour's drive from Dundee) at 6.30am to help with a study involving competitive swimmers from across the region. We're all there until about 2.00pm and are sustained by lots of coffee and croissants. I decide that I will not actively encourage my children to go into competitive swimming.

February 9
I have my fastest dentist appointment ever. No more than 5 minutes in the chair!

February 14
Valentine's Day. Dave and I go to see "Bolt" in 3D. I think the 3D glasses make us look like Roy Orbison. We have lunch at "Bon Appetit" (a local French restaurant). One wall has clippings from various French newspapers and Dave amuses himself my asking me to translate them. My attempts at translation are modest at best and completely inaccurate at worst.


February 19
We get a Wii! I receive confirmation from the Wii Fit that I am indeed 24 years old and my mother has not been lying to me about when I was born.

February 27
We go to the bi-weekly movie night at Neil and Felicity's. Everyone contributes £3 and Neil and Felicity make dinner and desert and we watch a film. Last night was roast beef/roast chicken, sweet potatoes/roast potatoes, and various veg while watching "A Knight's Tale". Afterwards we play "Rub-a-Dub" on Playstation 3 where you have to round up all the rubber ducks before they are eaten by sharks and without falling off the edge of the tub. Bizarre game, but good fun.

So that brings me to the present. I slept until 10 this morning in an attempt to make up for all my really early starts at work this week. Just finished my breakfast and then planning to catch up on a bit of the housework that I've neglected to do this week. Going over to Ross and Justine's tonight. They have a 2-year-old son Roory (that's a phonetic spelling since I don't know the proper spelling) who's one of the cutest kids ever.

I guess that's me caught up. Resolving not to let my blog get so neglected in future.