Wanderings . . . and picking up the pieces

THE TATOO  

2018 Tatoo - makes me realize just how long I have been here. This was my 2nd Tatoo performance and it was a fantastic performance. Military groups from all over the world performing their specialties. My favorites are the bagpipers--absolutely outstanding. At the end, they turn off all the lights and just one bagpiper stands atop the castle wall and plays "Amazing Grace." Goosebump time!                                                                                             

At the right side of the picture is the Edinburgh Castle --light shows
play off it all night.

The Tatoo doesn't start until 9 pm and is two hours long, so it is a late night. We taxi to and from the castle and always get caught by at least a little rain. Nobody seems to mind, they just don their ponchos and keep on enjoying. There are people from all over the world in attendance. Maybe I will come back to visit someday and see the Tatoo again, but then who knows, there are lots of places to see.

These are all bagpipers and drummers

My companion will be with me just one more month, so we are trying to see every little thing we haven't seen--so much of our travels are "bits and pieces."  We have seen over 60 Castles and still have more to go. We have seen palaces, estates, gardens and the Royal Mile at least a couple dozen times. The Royal  Mile is the mile between the Edinburgh Castle and the Holywood Palace (where the Queen resides in the summer). The mile is filled with shops, souvenir shops, and restaurants as well as interesting alleys and nooks and crannies. I couldn't even begin to tell you all the places we have seen and explored. We both enjoy the Castle ruins the most, especially if you can climb around inside. Oh, I forgot to mention that my new companion will arrive on September 23 so I will have several weeks to train her. She is a single sister in her late 50's from England. Sister Call will return home on October the 8th and I will leave on November the 8th.

Sister Call's replacement is from the states (Utah) also in her 50's. OK enough talk about "replacements"--its bringing tears to my eyes.

Dunoor Castle
I loved this castle ruins. I can understand why they would want their
castle built right on the cliff overlooking the sea, but what I don't
understand is "how" they build it on a cliff, who does it and where does
all that rock come from and how do they get it to the site. It is just amazing.
Did I tell you that there are over 3,000 Castles in Scotland?

These structures are often found with Castles-- It's where they kept their doves (birds)

My trip home is as follows: Nov. 8th I leave Scotland for Michigan (to see my siblings), then to NY (Lewis family), then to Vermont (grandaughters & their families), then to Ohio (Boyer-Gifford family), then to Maryland (Gifford family), then to Virginia Beach (grandaughter and her family), Dec. 12th leave for North Carolina. I'm so excited about this trip. I have two new great-grandchildren to see and many grandchildren that I miss (not to mention my own children . . .I miss them too).

NOTE:  As most of you know I usually close my blog with a message to my mom, but my mom passed away last week and her funeral was just this past Friday. So I dedicate this blog to her . . .she loved to have my sister, Kay, read my blogs. I'll miss you mom and I love you so much.

Hindu Prayer Tree - each ribbon is a prayer sent to a deceased