This Boy...

Can you spot him? In true Oscar style, he's in amongst the rocks and seaweed! Let me just warn you that this post is going to be a little smooshy, so if you don't want to read about all that romantic stuff, click on another post now!

This boy of mine has been a real gem of late. Let's be honest, he's always been a gem, that one...but even more so over the last few weeks. He got me an electric blanket even though he hates going into a warm bed. He puts my pj's next to said blanket to heat them up before bedtime. He sends me flowers and giant cookies. He doesn't care that I've bought about ten candles in the last week (and just ordered more on eBay). He had my dinner on the table every night last week. He drops me off at the train station at a ridiculous hour in the morning. He bought me some Lush stuff just to cheer me up. He's ferried me between Costa and Starbucks all week to buy festive coffees. He buys the beer I like. He puts up with my stressy tantrums (there have been a lot of these during the move!) and then talks me down afterwards. He has the craziest hobbies. This week he is taking up ice skating so that he can start playing hockey again. I love this. He takes the bin out every week without question. He lets me nick his slippers and pj's, because lets be honest...they're always comfier. He's helping me with my CV.  He's started planning our Canada trip next summer and I love how excited he is about it. He gives the best cuddles. He takes me on so many adventures, he just can't sit still.

He just generally roots for me every single day and you really can't ask for anymore than that, can you? I am one heck of a lucky lady!

Ok, enough of the smooshy stuff now. I'll deny all of this if he finds out about this post...you know that, right? ♥

Whisky with Oscar

Whisky with Oscar...just think of it like "Sheldon Cooper's Fun With Flags" but I get slowly more drunk throughout this post.

So, as we were...first an introduction is in order. I'm Oscar, Lou's fiancé at large if you will, and I am a little bit of a whisky nerd. This post and subsequent series is the product of some incessant nagging about the volume of my (read "Our") whisky collection. The whole premise of this series is to talk a little bit about whisky and how much I love it! I plan to spend this post (and the rest of the series for that matter) talking a bit about which ones are my absolute favorites and why...possibly with some absolutely useless whisky factoids along the way.

This post I'll be focusing on this little beauty, the whisky that started it all for us. This is Bruichladdich - The Laddie Ten. Firstly a little story is in order, all about how me and Lou fell in love with a small, windswept, damp Hebridean isle and the golden nectar it produces.

A few years ago, when we first moved to Kent/Essex we were traipsing through a nondescript Asda with Lou hankering for some Scottish goodies for Burns' night. First thing we found were Scotch pies (hidden in the, and this is what Asda called it, 'Ethnic Food' aisle) which did nothing to inspire any confidence that this trip would produce anything worth talking about. After this we did our obligatory tour of the booze aisles to look for our major tipple at the time which was gin. The juniper based pickings were slim, but then out of the corner of my eye a glorious azure turquoise tin glinted at me. I was sold. I didn't even know what was inside it but I wanted it! NOW!

After collecting the last of the tins the store had, we scarpered back to our hotel at the time - casa Hilton. I raced upto the room with the bottle in tow and proceeded to wash out the glasses that the hotel left for us in the bathroom. Then me and Lou gathered around to open the tin. All I can say about this moment is that it opened with a most satisfying pop to release the prize within. We then argued. We argued about who got to remove the little foil cap. I lost. 

Once said little foil cap was removed, not by my own fair hand I hasten to add, we pulled out the silver painted wood and cork stopper. A little squeaking and "Thunk" later and we were in. Any seasoned spirits fan will know exactly what noise I am trying to evoke. It is absolutely heavenly and usually means I won't remember most of the night that follows. 

We then proceed to pour this gorgeous example of Scottish craftsmanship at its best. It filled the room with a wonderful mix of fudge, honey and a spritz of sea salt and lemons. I had never had something this amazing before. Pardon my french but from now on b*llocks to your Bells, this is the one for me! 

When I finally overcame the smell, the taste hit me. It is a impeccable mix of honey, salt, vanilla and fruits with a slight hint of peat just to liven things up. Unlike other, more acerbic whisky from this neck of the woods, the Laddie has a sublime creaminess to it. 

Possibly my favourite ever. Possibly.

Now for the bad news. They have stopped making this flagship for the range. They have moved onto pastures new with a totally different spread of whisky. A shame yes, but the other drams they craft are also superb. We fell in love with Islay when we went for a little holiday there last year. It is the most idilic place you could ever wish for, it even looks beautiful in the rain. On top of this it is also the home of eight of the best distilleries in the world. And we went to every damn one. Even if it would of killed me I would have bagged them all. But it didn't kill me, it just led to Lou losing most of the holiday to a drink fueled haze. I can't say that I blame her, it was her birthday after all.

We went to the distillery and had the obligatory tour around the fermenters and the stills and had a little try of the Laddie at it's home. Then it got interesting. I had booked a little tasting session in the warehouse without Lou knowing. We got led away from the group by our guide and proceeded to spend the next hour and a half sampling whisky straight from the cask. It is an amazing experience and I can recommend it wholeheartedly to any spirits fan. After this we went back to the shop and bought a lot of booze.

I think we were drunk. That is all I can blame it on. I think it was the whisky cake they gave us that pushed us over the edge. Or possibly the 6 or so cask strength whiskies and G+T they offered. I still reckon it was the cake though.

Anyhow. That is a wrap. Now go and have a whisky and comment below to tell us what you're enjoying.

- Oscar

Coasting

c

I know, I know...all my posts these days are seriously photo heavy. But just look at those WAVES! We've been making a conscious effort to get outside at the weekend, instead of sitting in front of the telly. 

Yesterday we jumped in the car, camera in hand and headed for the the coast. We literally spent the whole day following the coastal road south, until we found some food of course. Smoked salmon from a local smokehouse...just in case you were wondering. We ate it all before I had a chance to photograph it. A sure sign that the food is delicious, if you ask me!

The monument you can see is a memorial to the Russian war ship Varyag, which sank in 1920 just off the coast here in Lendalfoot. The Russian typography looks so strikingly out of place in this little Scottish town, which is why I think you can't drive by without investigating.

I managed to cut 170 photos down to about seven (I think?), which was a hefty task, let me tell you. We are so lucky to live right on the coast and I don't think I'll ever get sick of walking along the beach and taking photos (sorry, not sorry). I don't know about you, but being outside next to the sea makes my heart happy. It also wipes me out and I snoozed half the way home, much to O's delight! 

How were your weekends? Did you manage to get outside and enjoy the (brief) sunshine? Have you been inhaling festive coffees like me? Have you started your Christmas shopping? I'm not quite ready to start it yet. O is on the ball this year though and has given me the choice between three gifts this year...one is a new MacBook (mine is about five years old and is slowly dying), a new camera (hello Canon DSLR!) or a certain designer handbag!! Spolied rotten, I know...but which to choose!!? 

Sunday Mornings #11

So I just realised that I missed last week's Sunday post. Whoops! Lets just forget that happened and talk about this week, shall we?! This last week has been crazy busy and I've loved every bit of it! It makes a nice change for me to be a busy bee and to be properly exhausted by the end of the day. This also means that I'm sleeping like a tired badger, which is amazing! Anyway, enough about badgers, lets chat about the little moments that have made this week a lovely one...

:: Helping out my buddy C by doing some shifts at her opticians. I love working with C & J again, it takes me right back in time to when I used to work there about three years ago. It makes such a difference when you get to work with some of your best buddies. It ain't really work at all then, is it?

:: Festive coffees! If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you'll know that I've been partaking in some of the finest coffees of the season this week. In my opinion, you can't beat a Starbucks Toffee Nut Latte, so much so that I bought the syrup to make a homemade version! They've made my morning commutes so much merrier and have perked me up after three 5am starts in a row! My teeth however, are not fans of this new indulgence!

:: The Christmas John Lewis advert. I need a Monty in my life! Is it really only November though? Is it just me or is Christmas starting so much earlier this year? Not that I'm complaining, I've gone Christmas candle crazy!

:: On Tuesday evening I had dinner with some old work friends. It was just what I needed! We spent almost four hours eating pasta, catching up and laughing til our faces hurt. 

:: Waving around some sparklers on Guy Fawkes Night. The lovely O earned some serious fiancé points by going to the supermarket and picking up some fireworks whilst I was still at work. We got all bundled up and headed out to the back garden to play with our firework swag!

:: No surprise here, but the Mr has been awesome this week. I've had a three hour commute every day and each evening he's had my dinner on the table along with some other tasty treats. He's put my PJ's in between the duvet and the electric blanket so that they will be toasty warm for me coming from a cold cold night. He lets me steal his slippers (the ones I bought for him) every night when I complain that mine aren't warm enough. He puts up with an overly warm bed (which he hates) just so that I won't go to sleep cold. He buys me coffee, candles and generally just takes care of me like a pro. I heart him ♥

:: The M&S and Sainsbury's home depts. Oh lordy. Can someone just give me an unlimited gift card to wipe these two stores out? I want to fill my house with every single little morsel. 

:: New Big Bang Theory. I can't remember if I mentioned this in a previous post, but I'm loving the new season. I hate having to wait a whole week for a new episode though!

:: Watching the sunrise from the train in the mornings. I'm never up early enough to see this and it makes my commute worth while. Oh and ScotRail now has free wifi?! 

:: Philip Kingsley One More Day dry shampoo. Now, let me just say that up until a few weeks ago, I didn't believe that dry shampoo even worked. I have seriously eaten my words this week. Philip Kingsley is a deal breaker. It makes my two day hair look like I've just finished blow-dried it. I am in love. It is a little pricey, but as someone who normally has to wash her hair every day, it is worth every single penny! 

:: Lena Dunham's new book. I know I'm a little late to the party with this, but it's been making my dull commute so so much better. I'm only a few chapters in, but I've already been laughing out loud about ten times. Which, when you're on a train, is slightly embarrassing...

:: New lipsticks. I've become a fan of the bolder variety. There's just something about sporting a plum lip on a cold morning that makes life that little bit better. 

Oh this has been a long one this week, hasn't it? I told you it was a good 'un! What's made it on to your happy list this week, dear ones?

Adjusting...

You'd think I'd have this whole adjusting thing down by now, wouldn't you? Having moved four times in the last two years and all. Some things I've mastered, but there are still certain parts of moving and re-adjusting to new surroundings that I find difficult/hellish.

:: Calling a million different companies to give them our new address/close accounts etc. The hold music never gets any better.

:: Unpacking. We've hidden a few boxes in the attic, but we still have a spare room full of stuff to unpack/organise. Hell. 

:: Finding a new spot for everything. 

:: Why do I have four different bins to deal with? How am I supposed to remember which day which bin gets emptied?!

:: Setting up a new office space. I've found it difficult to blog in the midst of all the chaos. Hence my radio silence for the last few weeks. Finally sorted it out yesterday, so hopefully I'm getting my blogging mojo back.

:: Fitting in again. Being home is great, but it's hard finding where you slot in.

:: We've never lived in this town before. So we are trying to find the best takeaways (we already had a bad curry experience...), shops and public transport....

:: Looking for a new job. I haven't had to job hunt for a few years and I'm finding it hard this time around. Mainly because I want to move my career in a new direction...but I'm yet to decide what. Oh and CV's. How I hate CV's. HELP!

:: Learning not to be SO stressed about EVERYTHING. Our default mood has been stressed for the last few months what with the move and all. Trying to get out of that mindset is tough. Realising that we can dump that dead weight, go out and have some fun is blissful. 

Have any of you lovelies moved recently? How did you cope with all the change? Any Ayrshire bloggers out there? Hit me up with your local recommendations! 

 

Loch Fyne // Scottish Advenutres

On Sunday, the lovely O took me out on an adventure. With all the moving tomfoolery, it's been a while since we just went out and had some good old fashioned fun. He wouldn't tell me where we were going, just that we were going somewhere for a meal and that we had been before! Of course, this was no help. All we do is go out for meals, so it wasn't until we drove through Loch Lomond that I had an inkling of where we were off to. 

O and I have been to the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar and Restaurant three times now and each time I am still in awe of the scenery and of course the amazing seafood. The first time was last summer, en route to Islay for a holiday of camping and whisky distilleries. The brunch is by far the best I've ever eaten. The lunch and dinner menus are out of this world. The fish is the freshest (is this a word?) I've eaten and what with the restaurant being literally sat on the banks of Loch Fyne, the view is one of the most beautiful things I've ever set my eyes on. 

I think the photos (taken on my iPhone, so not very fancy) speak for themselves, albeit slightly moody. We danced in and out of rain showers the whole day and by the time we arrived at the restaurant the sun was just leaving for the day. Can we just take a moment to appreciate those HILLS?!? This is the Scotland I love and I am so so happy to be home. If you're ever over on the west coast, a trip to Loch Fyne is a must. Get the smoked salmon starter and a bottle of West's St Mungo...you won't regret it!

Sunday Mornings #10

My apologies sweet lovelies for not posting in what seems like forever (12 days?). It feels like a whole other life time since I sat down to write and I don't like it...not one little bit. There have been lots of happenings over the last two weeks that I want to tell you about, but this post is all about those little moments, so let me fill you in...

:: Living so close to the beach that I could throw a stone and hit it. I LOVE living right next to the water, I find it a little therapeutic maybe? All our problems seem much more insignificant when you're standing in front of those gigantic rolling waves.  

:: Sleeping better. I'm not sure why, but so far I sleep so much better in this house than the last one. My sleep in Middlesbrough was always broken. The five sleeps that I've had in Ayr have been uninterrupted and super L-O-N-G. The first night I slept for 12 whole hours and each night after I've been snoozing for ten. Long may it continue!

:: My new electric blanket!! What can I say? My little hot water bottle just wasn't cutting it anymore! It's much much colder on the west coast of Scotland, so O went out one day and came back with a glorious electric blanket. There were some swear words from O when he was trying to attach it to the bed, but when you slip inside the snug duvet, its all worth it (in my opinion!).

:: Our slow cooker. Oh how I'm addicted to this! We sling on our dinner in the morning and by the evening it's bubbling away ready to plate up. We've used it three nights on the trot now and every meal has been delish! It has really become a winter staple and it saves so much of that precious time that we don't have much of these days.

:: Seeing old friends. Before we left Glasgow we frequented the local ice hockey games every single week. This weekend we were able to go back for the first time in over two years! It was so grand saying hello to old buddies and watching the sport that we've so missed! Braehead Clan won by the way, just saying!

:: Deciding on which colour to paint our bedroom. The BRIGHT yellow walls that we currently have are not kind on the eyes when you first wake up in the morning...or anytime really. So we've decided to paint them a slightly more neutral colour. At the moment, a very light grey is top of the list for me, but I think the Mr has other ideas...more on this in another post!

:: Having a DISHWASHER! I've never in my life been lucky enough to have a dishwasher. When we got the keys for our little bungalow on Tuesday, we opened a random cupboard in the kitchen to find it was actually hiding a little dishwasher! I haven't washed a dish since!! The Mr also seems to be enamoured with it, as I also haven't had to load it or empty it either :)

:: Healthier eating. During the run up to the move we were living in takeaway central and our bodies were hating us for it. I was actually craving fruit and vegetables. Every day since we've moved in we've been sure to have our five a day and to drink more water. My body is much much happier for it.

:: Little surprises from O. On Friday we took a break from packing and headed into Glasgow for some sushi. We went in to a few shops and I gave him some subtle hints about Christmas presents I might like (an Urban Decay Naked palette and a Mac lipstick). The little sneaky fiancé some how managed to buy them without me noticing and proudly presented them to me once we got back in the car! So so naughty, but I am in LOVE with them (and him!). 

:: Candles. So many candles. I think I've bought six candles in the last week alone. Is this excessive? No? I didn't think so! We have two fire places in this little bungalow and I'm quickly filling them up with said candles and oh some cute little cacti!!

I have so much more to tell you lovely people about, but I shall fill you in soon. I promise now that we have internet and we have located my MacBook that my little blog won't be so neglected. Normal posting should resume this week. I've missed my little patch of internet and reading about all my favourites. Please tell me how your weeks have been, have you been enjoying this colder weather? Do you have any slow cooker recipes I should be making? Are any of you ice hockey fans out there? Anyone else doing some decorating or DIY and have any tips? Tell me all about everything in the comments below or on Twitter @weezyduffy :)