~ ANNE! ~

I am very bad and haven't posted in ages. My excuse? I've either been working or gone every single day since I got my job (ie. two days after I arrived in Edinburgh). Things have tended to fall by the wayside.

I've been quite busy, though. My aunt Allison was up in Edinburgh for a holiday, visiting her friend Erikka. Bee and I hung out with them the night before she left (we meant to have a going-away party of some kind, but it was just the four of us!) Bee, by the way, has made it safely to Vancouver. She's having trouble finding a place, but may have a line on a job... I hope it goes well for her. I definitely miss her here, it's very odd not having her around.

Erikka invited me over for dinner last week as well. It was a very entertaining occasion (and not just because of her whiskey collection!) Her husband, Simon, is a classic academic - he pretty much could be the academia poster child. Which of course means I liked him very much. We had a good dinner and some very entertaining conversation - my favorite kind, where you go from complete frivolity to debating very earnestly about the Grand Narrative. I really miss having people around who like talking about esoteric stuff.

On Friday, Allison and I got up (VERY EARLY, not my idea!) and set off for the Isle of Mull. It's north and west of Glasgow, off the Western coast of Scotland. It's also where my grandma Sivak's ancestors came from (they got booted out during the Highland Clearances and came to Canada). As expected, travelling with Allison was fun, despite the early hour. The train ride through the Highlands was amazing. It's some of the most gorgeous country I've ever seen (though I think Bearberry, in Alberta, still holds the record).

We spent two days staying in Tobermory, which is a famously picturesque "fishing village" (of course 90% of them make their living from tourism!) Still, it was beautiful. We went for a wee hike to the local lighthouse and the sun came out just as we came over a ridge. The sea was sparkling in a million shades of blue. I was entranced.

Of course I have a ton of other things to say, but sadly I seem to be missing "Too Posh to Wash" on Channel 4 (yes, it's very sad: I have become a horrible-British-television addict). If you saw the show you'd be hooked as well - two nasty old ladies find people who never wash, and shout at them for a while, and then clean them. Pure entertainment, I say! More tomorrow, though, or at least soon.