Guess Whose Back…
Hello, lovely humans, I fear I have not written to you since the end of the year!
I am writing to you as the voice of the incredible Stevie Nicks, singing Silver Springs Live to Lindsey Buckingham, not because I have been in the grieving process of a horrendous marriage, but more because I have never held less anger in my heart, and the poetry of the lyrics is rather inspiring!
I have missed you all dearly. Life has been nothing less than chaotic! I have been in two different countries, countless balls and attempting to juggle a job and a degree all at the same time. An update is long overdue!
Ballroom Biz
From St Andrews to Durham, it’s been a very black-tie fuelled few months (I have never bought so many evening dresses in my life). If you didn’t already know, when I joined Edinburgh, I also joined the Clay Pigeon Shooting Society. Honestly, it was one of the best things I could have done for myself. My family have a long history of game shooting, which previously I had nothing to do with; however, I am well and truly addicted! Clay pigeon shooting has very quickly become a very enjoyable hobby of mine that has slightly taken over my life…
Ice Ice Ice(land) Baby
I can honestly say this was one of the best few days of my life. Iceland has been a bucket list place for me for years and years. I have never seen such beauty while it rained, snowed, hailed, then all melted away into sunshine. My overall takeaways and recommendations are -
The food is incredible, but it’s VERY expensive - I had one of the best Pizzas I have ever had in my life at Padre Pizza, and we had some incredible soup and even better waffles (which were free) at Icelandic Street Food. I cannot recommend both of them so much, but we also had dinners at our hotels, like instant noodles, as a more cost-effective way to stagger spending through the trip.
Driving is scary - We did not hire a car, a point which every video, article and post we looked at before we went stated was a MUST. I don’t know about you, but I am not the most confident driver in adverse weather conditions, and Iceland definitely has them. We took a tour bus on our third day, which went to most of the most visited sites (Black diamond beach, Several waterfalls ect). It was a very long day (17.5 hours in total…), but honestly, it was amazing, and allowed us to see everything without the stress of having to drive.
Sky Lagoon - This was probably our favourite activity we did. We did it on our last full day, and it was exactly what we needed. Very relaxing and my skin has never been so soft, and my hair…I can’t even describe how soft and healthy my hair felt. Whatever they put in the shampoo, there is something I need in my life forever.
Overall, I cannot recommend Iceland enough. We most definitely will be back.
And thank you to Soph for being the easiest human to be around 24/7, being with you let my mind turn off for a while, and I am so greatful.
Sunshine and wine
Annually in March, my darling best friend, Bronagh and I go on a holiday, as we no longer see each other that often and life gets in the way of constant communication. This year we visited Albufeira in Portugal. Fueled by €5 wine and our kindles, we unpacked around 6 years’ worth of life-altering events, which we have talked about a thousand times, but it always gets a little better once we have talked it over one more time. As always, we did some touristy things too, we visited the absolutely stunning sea caves, a family-owned vineyard for a wine tasting and many, many cocktails…
Degree Diaries
Between the travel, clay pigeons, and cocktails, my degree has been a relentless but rewarding whirlwind. Juggling lectures, assignments, and endless reading lists sometimes feels like trying to herd cats while balancing a teacup on your head—but somehow, I’m managing (mostly). Each essay I write is a little victory, a little proof that I can do more than survive chaos—I can actually thrive in it, and in doing so, I buy a bunch of flowers to celebrate. And as deadlines loom, I’ve learnt to celebrate the small wins: a good brunch, a productive morning, or even just turning up to a tutorial on time. Edinburgh is in the transition from winter darkness into the lighter days, and it's definitely making life easier!
Abbey Antics
Working at the Abbey has been nothing short of an adventure; it’s definitely kept me on my toes. But more than anything, it’s the people who’ve made it so special. My coworkers (and even some of the regular customers) have quickly become like a second family to me—there’s always someone to laugh with, debrief with, or share a slightly chaotic shift alongside.
We were even treated to a trip to Aberfeldy Distillery, which was such a highlight and made me appreciate it all even more. It’s the kind of job that’s equal parts unpredictable and brilliant, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
So, there’s the update, and in some very exciting news -
Over Feis, I’ll be bringing my chaos, my love for people, and my very questionable dance moves to the Orsay Seafood Shack. I cannot wait to dive into the madness of festival life, serve up some seafood goodness, and make memories that will probably end up in next year’s newsletter. Expect laughter, stories, and maybe a little chaos—because what’s life without it?
Right enough rambling, I have missed you all, speak soon.
All my love (as always)
T x
