Snippets from Valentine's Weekend in Edinburgh

James and I drove down to Edinburgh for the weekend to "celebrate" Valentine's Day (not really, but everyone else was celebrating around us, so whatever) and to attend the Scotland v. Wales Six Nations Rugby Match. It was a low-key two days—we just walked around the city and drank and ate until our hearts and our bellies were full. Overall, a very relaxing and calm holiday and one we intend on making quite often!

I know, I know. I've fallen off the blog-wagon again. 

SHOCKER!

I'll try to do better, but I just haven't had the desire to engage recently. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things with my blog and my blogger friends because I feel so out of the loop! It's likely I will always struggle with keeping this blog up-to-date, I just can't decide how much time and energy I want to put into it, and recently it has been pretty obvious that I can live without it... I don't want to let this online diary die because I actually love the end result and the community that comes along with it, but the writing and the curating has just been daunting as of late. You'll probably be seeing more photo-dumps rather than educated blogposts. eh, we'll see!

Soooo, above are my snippets from our first visit to Edinburgh. I am fiddling around with a different editing style, but I like the way that they came out! Life has been pretty good recently; I've been keeping myself busy in Aberdeen. No update on the house—still browsing. I think focusing on decorating the house is partially to blame as to why I have drawn away from the blog and blog world... Too much time and effort being put into thattt and none leftover for other social or creative works. Funny enough, tomorrow is my 28th birthday and I don't even know how that creeped up on me! 

Travel plans? 

James and I are heading to Chamonix for a six-day ski holiday and after that I am heading down to London and Paris to meet up with new friends and old friends. It is going to be a travel-filled month for moi! I CAN NOT wait to get back down to London. I just know that it will be the breath of fresh air that I need.

I can't believe that we are already into March. This. year. is. FLYING. by! Though I am not complaining, I would rather it be flying by then dragging on. Plus, it means warmer weather is on the horizon!

8 shoes you NEED in Scotland

1. The Classic Tall Wellie Boot — Because this is Scotland, people. Get with the program!

2. The Hiking Boot — The best part about living in Scotland is getting out into the woods—or the countryside, or the coast, or the Highlands— and witnessing the beautiful views this country has to offer! Hiking boots come in many different styles, colors and fabrics, but the main things you want to look for are ankle support and that they are waterproof.

3. The Heavy-Duty Winter Boot — Depending on where you live, a snow/winter boot might be unnecessary, but up in North Scotland, where there is ice and snow, you're going to want these to throw on when it's dangerous outside.

4. The Out-n-About Bootie — If the ground is wet, but not seriously raining, I will throw these babies on to run my errands. I get bored wearing my tall wellie boots all the time, and after a while, they make my feet and calves sore and uncomfortable. These are a great option for light walking and exploring!

5. The Chelsea Rain Bootie — I've been wearing these a lot lately! They've basically become my "go-to" option when James and I go out for drinks or a casual dinner. They are super comfortable, fairly stylish (they don't scream, "I'M WEARING RAINBOOTS!") and I don't have to worry about wearing them in less than appealing weather. There are lots of fun and fashionable Chelsea rain boot options out there, like these!

6. The House Slipper — We've talked about this; my house is an icebox. 

7. The Date Night Pump — Or the "just because I dress like a tomboy every day doesn't mean I still can't look hot for my husband on date night" bootie. I've retired most of my leather and suede booties for the winter because I don't want them getting ruined by all the salt on the ground. These high-heel rain booties are a perfect combination of style AND practicality—with the height, you can avoid the puddles and with the tread, you can avoid slipping on the wet surfaces.

8. The Trainer — I can't think of a time that you wouldn't just need a classic trainer to run around in... I find a lot of the waterproof shoes I wear to be quite suffocating, so on the off chance that it's not raining or wet out, I like to wear comfortable, breathable trainers to run errands or walk around town. Neutral trainers + black cropped trousers + cashmere jumper = perfect casual coffee date outfit!

A moody hike through the Countesswells woods

a new day will dawn for those who stand long,

and the forests will echo with laughter. LZ

Getting some fresh air in chilly Aberdeen

It probably won't shock you to hear that things have been pretty low-key for me since we got back to Aberdeen. Yep! The cold and dreary weather just isn't doing it for me, so I've decided it's better for me to stay inside, in bed, in the bath or under the electric blanket, and wait out the remainder of the winter.

You know, it's been snowing almost every day for a couple weeks here, but until earlier this week, nothing stuck...

How I stay warm during the Scottish winter

Electric Blanket
I don't have a reason to complain about being cold anymore since we got this electric blanket. It makes SUCH a huge difference; sometimes I don't even turn the fire on! Right now, I keep it downstairs in the reception room so that we can cuddle up on the (cold) leather couch and wind down together after dinner.

House Slippers

I know this seems obvious, but a good pair of slippers are key when keeping warm on the cold tile and hardwood floors. I always choose warmth over style!

Heated Under Blanket

You might think this is just another name for an electric blanket, but it's not. Unlike the electric blanket above, this under blanket only creates heat when placed under something like a mattress pad, blanket or sheet. I was skeptical that this would work under our foam mattress topper, but it works like a charm! J and I used to play 'rock, paper, scissors' to see who would get in the bed to warm it up, but now we just turn on the under blanket a few minutes before bed and it's nice and toasty when we both get in!

Ski Socks

My standard cotton socks are NOT cutting the Scottish winter. Inside the house, it's not that bad. I am typically in the bath, under the electric blanket or in bed, but when I leave the house, my go-to rubber shoes provide very little insulation and therefore, very little warmth. Now that I am wearing heavier wool socks, my toes stay nice and cozy no matter what shoes I'm wearing.

Bathrobe

I might be the only person on the planet without a bathrobe, but that's about to change very quickly. My pajama game is seriously lacking in the warmth department, and I am dying for something to throw on when I get out of bed in the morning... Wait, am I actually looking for a Snuggie?

Touchscreen Gloves

Nothing is more irritating than removing my gloves to access my cellphone when I'm out walking in the cold. It's such a hassle, so these e-tip gloves keep my fulangies warm and keep me from fumbling my gloves around. 

Other things I've invested in/use to get warm are: 

- a hot water bottle

- microwaveable slippers (horrible lavender scent!)

- electric radiator

- lots of warm coffee and tea

- hot baths

What are your go-to's when keeping warm inside and outside?