The Palace Hotel had a very surprising free breakfast and we feasted on smoked haddock and a full english breakfast complete with black pudding...which Mackenzie loved...and you know I'm kidding. We checked out and walked into town to explore...which took about 20 minutes and then headed toward the water to find a place to spread Jim's ashes.
We found the perfect place off of a long pier and there in the water about 20 yards out was a seal who watched us through the entire process. Now, if I'd believed in reincarnation...I would swear that that seal was Jim! We prayed, adjusted for the wind, and let him go into the North Sea. We sang a Scottish tune for him and we both felt lighter and more peaceful, but just to seal the deal (excuse the pun) we headed for the cemetery to look for some of Jim's family. We managed to find only one Mess (his family name and many of the tombs' names were spirited away from the sea breezes.
(mack is on the keyboard, prepare yourself, meaning i am typing now, muwhaha) After a healing morning, we back tracked to a castle mom just 'had to see.' Apparently we visited it when I was in my youth (because i am such an adult now) - mom kept saying "don't you remember???" and I am all "mom, I was like 4 chill." anyway we get to this crazy cool castle we have to hike down to. Picture this: fog, fog, and more fog hovering over a ruined castle that is crafted on the cliffs of Scotland overlooking the the sea while little sheep frolick in the neon grass. did we die? wait don't see dad, nope still alive just in the most beautiful place in the world. it was great, we ran around pretending we were princesses and I made my mom take photos of me overlooking the sea outside of the castle window, awaiting my prince in a kilt. Needless to say, he didn't make it, I am sure there was a lot of traffic on the horse route.
We left and drove through the Highlands while BLASTING BRAVEHEART SOUNDTRACK AND YELLING FREEDOM! yah, Dad would be proud. along the drive I made mother pull over 8 times for me to pet a sheep, unfortunately they all ran from me. one day I will pet one....one day. then mom let me drive! hooray!!!! jk, for like 5 seconds, I gave her a heartattack, so she took over the wheel, I pretending I was annoyed but really I don't mind because I like looking out the window. shhh, don't tell her.
We arrive in Inverness, "the capitol of the highlands" and we tried a million b&b's that were all full. Mom and I had been praying all day for the perfect, cheapest place we could find and I had a feeling about one in the distance and mom came to a screeching halt. I knocked on the door to this mansion looking house and a woman named Pamela opened the door. She had availability, actually she doesn't advertise as a bandb so no one was there except us. wahooo and a little creepy. Mom came in and then the Scottish lady and mother began to cry and hug. mom can explain that one, (i was more capivated by her adorable son, BUT he was 20, ugh so young, and had a girlfriend HAHA jokes on me, also he wasn't wearing a kilt so bye!)
anyway mother's turn: So Pamela said she had been widowed for 15 years and hadn't moved on until recently when she began to date men she found online. Her word of wisdom for me was, "You have got to move on!" I think she thought that I'd been widowed longer than I had and she realized that she had waited too long to try and move on and was passing along her experience. She really was sweet and asked us if we wanted a glass of wine. We said, no, but then yes, red wine, and she came out of her wine cellar with a bottle of Prosecco. We drank a glass and headed downtown on a nice evening stroll and ate at the Castle Pub...local mussels, chicken ceasar and great local beer.
Walked around the castle and the city at sunset...10:45 p.m....love the late sunsets! Looked for the pub that played the celtic music...we found it, but we were exhausted and only stayed a few minutes before heading back to Pamela's B&B
Tip of the Day: Always pray when you are winging-it in finding the perfect place to stay and always listen to that still small voice, because there is purpose in everything. Pamela and I are going to be pen-pals! And, Ross, the son was NOT too young for Mackenzie!
Fois (Gaelic for peace as in rest),
The Traveling Women
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