Having a four day weekend every weekend is spectacular! The only thing to make it better is having visitors. My mom, who is over visiting my aunt, was able to drop in for a few days this weekend and take in the sights with me. To continue from the previous post, I will continue with my day to day activities.
Friday the 17th:
Mom's arrival at Glasgow was at 11:45 and rather than forcing my own mother to take the bus with all her luggage I had arranged for a friend of mine to drive me out to the airport to meet mom as she stepped off the plane. No problem, I was informed that it is about a 2o minute drive from here to the Airport. So I figured we could leave around 11:15 to give us plenty of time. Well it would have been plenty of time providing we had not driven the opposite direction for the first 15 minutes. With no decent map, a satellite navigation that didn't show the Glasgow airport, and a set of hand written directions copied from map quest, one might say we were floating down shit creek with the paddles still on the dock. So after asking for directions, finding the correct highway and some driving which I refer to as "401 style" (this form of driving doesn't) use the brake, so much as just weave through traffic) we did collect mom only a few minutes late. We also then got lost on the way home, but used it as an excuse to show mom the other side of the city. In the afternoon mom and I walked around campus, took in the Kelvingrove Museum, and had a great dinner at Curlers pub on Byers rd.
Saturday the 18th:
A very early start to the day had Mom and I out and about wandering the shopping district of Glasgow downtown. We had a "Scottish Breakfast" complete with, potato scones, sausage, blood pudding, eggs, toast, and something else but I can't remember. We were able to see George Square just prior to hopping the Clockwork Orange (subway) back to the west end. I had a hockey game in the afternoon which we demoralized the opposition with a score of 5-1. And I am proud to say that the one goal they scored was at the end once I had subbed off. After 18 years of watching countless ice hockey games and telling me to not fight and to be careful, mom has now witnessed a field hockey game. I was hoping that the game would be a little more gentle so mom would not have to worry, I was wrong. Within the first 10 minutes of being on the pitch I had a 45 year old man challenge me to a fight, and crosscheck me in the chest repeatedly. I also had the pleasure of him driving his stick into my gut shortly there after. Just so everyone is clean on this, I did not actually instigate this event. And both my team and the few spectators are witness to that. This guy just didn't like the fact that I was playing man to man defense on him the entire game. So he told me to stop or he would hurt me. I laughed at him and kindly asked if I was just threatened by a grandfather. Understandably, he got upset and started pushing and telling me he was going to hurt me. I responded by smiling, laughing and responding by asking him if men's hockey was his big money maker for the support payments I was sure he was paying. I was then crosschecked in the chest. I laughed again and calmly told him that it was not in his best interest to scrap. Few more crosschecks and some poor language. I told him not to get too worked up cause we didn't have any oxygen tanks on the bench and I didn't want to see him collapse. Stick to the gut. I told him how cute that was and if his daughter had taught him that little trick. He finally gave up and switched positions with some kid who looked about 16. The kid was great, no harmful play for the rest of the game and he was actually able to fill me in on a few more rules. As it turns out the old guy is one of the best strikers in the league and doesn't not take kindly to defense playing that close to him. None the less, I am sure we will meet up later this season.
Sat. night mom and I went out to celebrate my birthday (A little early but while she was here). After walking out on one restaurant, we found a great little place upstairs of one of the pubs on Byers. I have never sat inside a restaurant for so long in my life. I never noticed it at the time, the food was great and it was not as if the service was slow. It was actually better than most places. But just shy of 4 hours later, we left.
Sunday the 19th:
Another early morning to catch the bus south to Ayrshire so we could revisit Culzean Castle. Mom had never been and it is so big and so impressive that I thought it would be nice to return to. I slept for most of the bus ride down, though mom said it was very nice. The castle is great the grounds are amazing but the weather just does not want to co-operate when I am there. Two for two now, the downpour while we visited the castle was horrendous. You couldn't use the umbrella for the speed of the wind, and the raincoat only covers your upper body and where all the water runs off leaves nice sopping circles on your upper legs. So we didn't really wander the grounds much and instead had a Hot Chocolate before making a mad dash for the bus back.
After a night in with Pizza, mom gave me some gifts from the Family to further celebrate my B-day. I received some wonderful cards and gifts that will help me while I am over here and while I am traveling after school is over. I was given an amazing pair of Binoculars, Multi-tool, an Internet phone-kit and financial aid to help get me around.
And to top it all off, Mom gave me a package that holds "a few small items" that are meant for Christmas and that I can't open till then. So temptation now lives in my closet.
Monday the 20th - Today:
After getting mom sent off to the airport at about sunrise, I crashed, lay in bed all day. Worst part was I couldn't sleep for a while so I ended up watching TV on my Computer and then snoozing all afternoon. So I did not get as much work done as I would have liked, but there is always tomorrow. Tonight I had hockey practise and am enjoying them more and more as I pick up a few more of the skills involved. Looking forward to the match this weekend as the team Captain is going to give me a better stick to use which makes a massive difference from the piece of lumber I have now. The reason I need a new one is that I managed to break the handle of the one they gave me (these sticks are solid wood which is then lacquered and wrapped in fiberglass). It was a really old one anyway and was just a practise stick that was owned by the club.
Tomorrow I have a few classes and a lot of readings from Finance and Law to do. Football tomorrow night which should be interesting because I missed the three hour practise on Sunday. So I should also probably know all the plays for tomorrow, which is not going to happen.
As lengthy as that was I think I am all caught up now.
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