18 April 2006
... by Pix, aged 29 and 8.5 12ths
Part I - Up North
Monday
Woke up, packed, went to work, went to Euston, bought lunch, got on a train, sat for six hours, knitted, read, looked out of the window, fell asleep somewhere past Carlisle, woke up just outside Glasgow Central feeling very discombobulated, got off the train, got confused because they'd moved the toilets in Glasgow Central, found my way in finally, found my way back out too, met Alan, went for dinner at Arisaig, ate haggis (twice - once in the starter, once in the main course) and really enjoyed it, got lost getting back to my mum's house, got covered in cat hair, went to bed in what used to be my gran's bedroom, finally got to sleep.
Tuesday
Got woken at 5am by the wind and rain lashing against the window, fell back asleep, got woken up again by the wind and rain, fell back asleep, got woken up by Fred doing something stupid at the end of the bed, sat up, gave in to his attention grabbing tactics when he jumped back onto the bed and eventually fell back asleep again. Woke up again when the door buzzed to let my mum's carer in. Got up, fed Fred, pottered around, almost mugged postman for parcel of sock yarn from Get Knitted (managed to restrain myself and only yank the door open as he retreated down the garden path), got changed for the funeral at the last possible minute to try and avoid immediate transfer of all cat hair in the entire house to my outfit, amused Kath (who'd kindly gone out of her way to come and pick me up and take me to the funeral) by exclaiming at all the changes en-route to the funeral, attended funeral (managed not to fall apart), was hugely impressed by how composed Donna was and that she was able to do the two readings she did (I know I'd have been in pieces), attended wake, felt immediately homesick (despite being home) at the sight of a plate of proper baker's cakes (including pineapple cakes which I can't find a picture of but appear to only be sold in the West of Scotland), chatted to various member's of Donna's family (including one lady who looked uncannily like my granny (dad's mum)), came home, made the first of two visits to continental palace-of-cheap Lidl, had some dinner (regretted it), watched telly and finished my first pair of handknitted socks, which were immediately handed over to the intended recipient (my mum), started new socks, watched some more telly, restarted new socks, went to bed.
Wednesday
Got woken up by door buzzer again, met yet another of my mum's carers, pottered around a bit, made second trip to aforementioned palace-of-cheap, bought random but inexpensive items, went back to the house, did some more sock, had a nap, woke up feeling discombobulated, did some more sock, wrote entirely new pattern for socks (with absolutely no idea if it'll work), did some more sock, ate dinner (lovely stew made by carer from earlier), watched telly while mum went to Confession (and marvelled at over 1000 people expected to turn up and the foresight of laying on 5 priests to cope with demand...), shouted at The Apprentice, did some more sock, messed up sock and ripped it back a bit, did some more sock, went to bed.
Thursday
Got woken up by door buzzer again, got up, got ready, went into Glasgow (via large puddle at local station while attempting to buy a ticket from a machine that wasn't working), had really lovely lunch with Gordon (who it was great to finally meet after reading his blog and vice versa for so many years), wandered down Hope Street in the rain, sheltered under the Heilanman's Umbrella, marvelled that it smells no different from how I remember it and that most of the shops still seem to be there, except Tower Records, wandered along Argyle Street and up Buchanan Street (via far too many shoe shops - although I didn't buy anything), took a trip on the clockwork orange to check out K1 Yarns, bought the latest Interweave knits, some 5" long 2.5mm Brittany double pointed needles and some Orkney Angora yarn, went back to Buchanan Street, wandered through Buchanan Galleries, bought some face stuff, thought about getting a manicure but changed my mind, bought a couple of nice cardigans in the H&M sale, wandered down to Princes Square where I grabbed a drink and a much needed sit down at Starbucks while waiting to meet R&G, had dinner in Darcy's (and had a very strange moment where I forgot I was in Glasgow and thought I was in London), left when the live music got a little too lounge for our tastes, made the obligatory visit to the Borders Magazine Department, shocked G by telling him I'd taken up knitting, got the train home, went to bed.
Friday
Woke up before the bloody door buzzer, couldn't get out of bed, realised I didn't have much time left, rushed around trying to fit all the stuff I wanted to bring back with me into the available baggage, mostly managed but had to leave hte instruments behind again, tried to get some disk space cleared for my mum (ran out of time), made it to the station in plenty of time (because my mum is more of a panic merchant about being late than I am), got into Glasgow Central 40 minutes before the train was due to leave, got slightly confused because my ticket said Euston and the only train leaving at that time was going to Kings Cross, checked and found that was the right train, decided to spoil myself and bought lunch and munchies for the train journey from Marks & Spencer Simply Food shop in station (which used to be Peckham & Rye delicatessen, a shop which I still miss), got on the train, grinned with geek joy when I found out I'd be travelling on the Flying Scotsman, found my seat (with a slight delay as my many bags got stuck between seats), sat down, ate lunch and prepared to return to London.
(to be continued)
Yeesh. It took me all afternoon to get over the excitement of meeting your for lunch... and you had energy to go shopping!
Hope you didn't get too wet (although have little sympathy for daft eejits who walk about with a jacket!! ;-) )
And do they really only make pineapple cakes (nipple cakes as I was known to call them) up here?
A bit late, but Happy Easter.
Oh, BTW, great blog about your trip
Oh, oh, ooooooh, what does a Scottish pineapple cake look/taste like then?
I might be visiting Glasgow myself later this year, will definately have to try a pineapple cake!
(have done one of my bookshelves by the way. I think it says a worrying amount about me and The Husband *L*)
Restaurants duly noted for my next trip to Glasgow!
Want to come and play on a Knit and natter stand up there later in the year?
Gordon: Yup. Never seen them down here at all.
Mike: Thanks (and you too...)
H: It's got a shortcrust pastry base (and is the size of a Mr Kipling apple pie), in the bottom of the case is some pineapple jelly stuff, and on top of that, and forming a (admittedly, Gordon is right on the money) fairly breast shaped gentle peak is a pile of creamy stuff, which is then covered in yellow icing. There's really no delicate or dignified way to eat these things... but they're damn good.
Fimb: Look for the yellow nipple cakes ;)
Yvonne: OOooh, might well do... depending on work and train fares...
I shall perhaps set up an online pineapple-cake distribution site.
I'm not a big fan of em, but then again I can have them whenever I want. :-)
I'd definitely miss "real" tattie scones, as well as square sausage, if I moved away - oh and I'd miss drinkable tap water!!!
Oh, pix, the deli around the corner has just launched the most incredible idea: The Scottish Baguette - which is basically a full on bacon extravaganza with haggis mixed into it. Mmmmmmm.
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