Light Travels in August
I am currently in Kyrgyzstan – midway through my three-legged August. First, we went to an island in the English Channel for some Shakespeare. It’s a National Trust property, and an excellently English summer evening. Adorable. By the time you are reading this, I am probably camping with sheep some 4,000 miles above sea-level. Google … Continue reading
Bon Voyages…
This weekend my grandmother left the world as we know it. And in her brilliantly stubborn way, she did so exactly like she would have chosen to do so: In her house, with her nails done and with all of her family laughing and telling stories in the kitchen. It went very quickly, too quickly … Continue reading
Kyrgyz Ahoy!
So remember how I won those plane tickets? Thanks to those of you who voted in the poll, Marrakesh was the firm favourite. I regret to inform you however, dear readers, that your choice has been disregarded. After all, I won TWO tickets, and I think my partner-in-crime deserved the trump vote. You see, I … Continue reading
Gertrude Bell
I was in the library the other day. I found myself wandering aimlessly among history, politics and travel sections partly in research mode, but also craving a little inspiration. And in my meandering I discovered Gertrude Bell, an enigmatic and wandering adventuress. A contemporary of TE Lawrence (as in ‘of Arabia’) she is, by turns, … Continue reading
The Pentlands
Edinburgh is nestled among the hills, a little oasis on the waterfront. Each peak and each range have their own character – from the imposing volcanic mass of Arthur’s Seat to the sweetly suburban greenery on Blackford Hill. Now we have Ollie, I am spending a good deal more time out south, in the Pentland … Continue reading
Oxford
We spent the last four days (and Ollie‘s first 1069 miles) driving to and then around Oxfordshire. It was very beautiful, which I expected. And quite posh and snobby, which I also expected. But after a couple of days I also found lots of other, quirkier things that make me think I might really like … Continue reading
Meet Ollie
Our family is growing. (No. NO. Calm down. There is no bun in this oven. Promise. Unless you mean cinnamon buns. Then you’d be right.) We just have this habit, ever since we started dating many moons ago, of naming things. The first gift I ever gave Bean was a fern. He named it Cornelius. … Continue reading
Roger M Jones Fellowship
Did I ever tell you the story of how I moved to Edinburgh? The short version goes something like this: Once upon a time, Sara was a college student in the grips of terrible ennui. Her chosen major was not shaping up as she expected. Life ahead seemed terrifyingly uncertain. Her freetime was consumed with … Continue reading
Swingsets are for Grown-ups too
The tiniest whiff of spring has been gaining traction in these parts – and for my part, it seems to have come before it’s time. I can’t remember ever being caught off guard by sunlight like this. It’s a little unnerving. Not that I’m complaining, mind you.There is something rather pleasant about a shocking arrival … Continue reading
Monachyle Mhor
My birthday and Bean’s sit in very close proximity. So over the years we have developed birthday traditions which have merged our individual days into more of a week-long celebration. Since neither of is in need of any more stuff, probably ever, we usually go away on a little mini-break. Once, we went to Hadrian’s … Continue reading
Que Sera Sara? 