What a day. I'm almost too tired to type, but I want to make sure I remember today.
It started off at 10 with breakfast at Rebekah and Lindsay's (egg in toast, gorgeous), which lasted over an hour thanks to the number of people and the fact that we had a spontaneous Bible study. I was exceptionally happy because I finally remembered to take some 'thank you' banana bread with me. Eventually the 7 of us piled into the van and we headed off to Stirling, with no idea what there was to do there except go and look at the castle.
At first I tried to be really good and read Another Country, but it's the first time I've been to a different part of Scotland (and the book is hideously depressing) so I soon gave up on that and just watched the view changing. It sounds terribly twee but Rebekah had her guitar with her and we sang some hymns to pass the time.
Stirling is very pretty, and it has a character hugely different to Glasgow. The buildings are all made of the same golden stone, but they're more spaced out and don't have as many storeys. It feels more relaxed. There are also more hills and mountains to look at; this time of year the trees are turning an extraordinary orangey-yellow colour. I tried to take a picture but my camera just couldn't handle it.
We parked on the castle car park, then found out that it's £9 per adult to get into the castle itself. None of us can afford that right now so we wandered round the few bits you could get at for free and took a whole bunch of photos of the incredible views (which are all up on facebook) and kilted statues. I saw two real men in kilts, which was possibly the highlight of my day :p we spent quite a while in the shop and I fell in love with every single item of jewellery they had. My favourite was a pair of silver studs in the shape of bagpipes. I boguht a green celtic knot fridge magnet because it was on sale, a thimble for Grandma's Christmas present and a postcard to send home, because that's what Thorleys do.
After a picnic lunch (during which my banana bread was much admired) we drove to a little village called Aberfoyle, which had been recommended to us by a local. It was during this drive that I felt something strange happening inside. I'm not sure how to describe it. It was a kind of opening feeling in my chest, and I found myself desperately wishing that I was Scottish. I've often joked that if I could have chosen where to be born I would have picked Scotland, but today I really, seriously, desperately wanted it. I wanted to be able to call this place home and know in my bones that it was.
By the time we arrived this feeling had settled down to an unshakable feeling of contentment. We had a look round the Scottish Woolen Mill, which sells an awful lot more than wool and its products. I fell in love with yet more jewellery, as well as the purple kilts (£50!!), a gorgeously soft, deep blue scarf and a canvas bag covered in sheep with Scottish flags on. If I ever win the lottery I am going straight to that shop.
Then Glen and Denise (who, I just realised, are like the Mum and Dad of our friendship-family) had a sit down in the coffee shop and the rest of us went for a walk. I'm tempted to call it a hike, I was so knackered by the end of it. But that's probably just becuse it was mostly uphill and my little Crewe legs still aren't used to such slopes. We walked round the village, looking at all the pretty houses, then wandered on to a bike trail. I was kind of worried that someone would come freewheeling down the hill and knock us over, but apparently it was too cold for cycling coz we didn't see a single biker.
When I eventually got to the top, gasping for air, it turned out to be well worth the effort just for the view. I can't even begin to describe it, you'll just have to come and have a look one day. We found the start point for a Go Ape (always worth knowing), a few wooden carvings and a visitors centre. I would have loved more time to look round the centre properly, but by then the sky was starting to turn pink so we headed back down the hill before it started getting dark. The timing was brilliant; as it got just too dark to see properly under the trees, we walked into the coffee shop.
Lindsay bought me a cup of tea and a cake, although I REALLY didn't need any more sugar in my system, and when everyone had finished their drink we headed home. It was a comfortably quiet drive home - the kind that only comes from a day of fresh air. I think I must have slept a little bit because we seemed to go from little country lanes to the streets of Glasgow remarkably fast. When we got back Denise gave us homemade chilli and rice with garlic bread and then we just sat around and chatted.
And now I'm home. I feel like I shouldn't eat for a week to balance out my average weekly calorie intake, but I'm happy. On the way back I found myself praying Lord, if you ask it of me, I could make this place Home.
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