Sunday, May 25, 2008

HORSIES!

No, that is not the cry of a five year old at a petting zoo; unfortunately, that is a twenty-two year old Texan giddy with excitement at seeing something to remind her of home. I know the whole horse/cowboy boots/western thing is so stereotypical of Texans, but I still like to buy into it. I even tell people I meet that I rode a horse to school everyday when I was little...they love that stuff. Well, on Thursday I was having a rough day at work---nothing in particular to bug me, just overworked, underslept, and a bit down. Anywho, one of the new girls who started in the shop-Hannah-let it slip that she used to be a professional horse jumper and she still owns a horse that lives a mere 15 minutes away. Well that was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Veronika and I convinced her to take us to meet her horse-Rosie-in Strathire and then we took a scenic drive in her car until dusk. So relaxing. I almost forgot how nice it is just to sit in the car, play a little Norah Jones, and soak in the scenery. I might have got a little carsick at one point (these roads here are dang curvy), but I just stuck my head out the window into the cool air like a dog and I was ready for more. I need to pursue relaxing activities like this more often. So refreshing.

This is Rosie with her momma Hannah....


Rosie in all her glory. She's retired now (being 11), but was quite a show stopper in her time.


So Veronika's a bit freaked out not only by horses, but ponies as well (this is Blossom).

Hannah and Rosie are super close, but then again they have been together for over a decade

Me getting some horsie lovin' from Rosie. Note the overcoat. In May. What the crap Scotland? Haven't you heard of near summer-like weather? Guess not.

Anywho, nothing else is really new at the moment. Just the same old same old work, sleep, etc. I'm trying to finish up my visa papers to send in this week and I hope everything goes through ok. Red tape is so frustrating to get through. Damn bureacracies. Pray for me that the right thing happens...I feel really confident in my decision, but you never know what the Big Guy has in store for you.



Oh, I almost forgot! I got a letter from Grandma in the mail the other morning at work that made my life! Thank you so much for the kind words and the updates...I loved hearing from you! I actually tried to read it in between serving customers, got all teary eyed, and then had to pretend I stubbed my toe to account for the water works. Anyway, bottom line..you're awesome and I heart you.



Sorry for such a nonsensical, blabbering, mess of a blog, but I hope the pictures help make up for it! I love you all like crazy! Muah!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Monday and Tuesday are my favorite days of the week.

Weird right? Most people are 'working for the weekend' and all that jazz, but for me, the weekend is when I work the hardest. And sleep the least. And then the grumpy version of Shivonne starts to show herself and it just isn't a pretty picture. I hate that girl....she gets on my nerves. Well when I'm smack dab in the middle of a hectic busy weekend, I just think to myself-'all you have to do is survive until Monday'. Oh how I love Mondays. Why? Because they are typically my day off. And not only that, but after my day off, I get a (generally) slow and pleasant Tuesday at work followed by (drumroll please....) Girls Night! Yep, Aimee, Monika, and I started having a girls night every week after work on Tuesday since Monika can get a late bus home that day. It makes work much more bearable to know you get to have a relaxing evening together at the end of the day. The only trouble with back to back days of fun is that Wednesday mornings I wake up and think, 'oh crap. my little ray of sunshine to get me through the week is a painfully long, dragging, never ending 6 days away. Oh well, I guess it just makes those days that much more special...

So on my precious Monday/Tuesday back to back combo fun time this week, I started off with a nice, relaxing day off. I slept in until about noon. Well, by that I mean my damn internal clock woke me up at seven, I layed in bed willing myself back into slumber, and finally snoozed on and off until I gave up and got up. During the afternoon, Chris, Tony, and I went into Stirling to run some errands. I (finally) got a new charger for my phone. Yes, the same phone that I left the charger for at the hotel when I moved about 2 months ago. Now I only have to wait until my next day off to pick up a sim card that receives service here in Callander (the two current ones I have don't) and I will officially have a functional mobile. Nice. Also while we were there, my boys got haircuts so they are looking less hobo chic and more clean cut these days. Then after a quick subway sandwhich, we were off to pick up some food and head out to a barbeque at the hotel which was a lot of fun. It was a gorgeous sunny day and we had a nice time with all the staff up there; the hotel is situated in a gorgeous location, and it's nice to get away from callander if only for the evening.


Well that's Monday. As for Tuesday this week, it was a bit of a bummer. First of all, Aimee couldn't come because she had unavoidable dinner plans with her Mom. Then, Monika decided to change jobs to the Pub/Cafe down the road. Yeah, I pretty much cried. I think it will be good for her though...she's really tired of working in the tea room. Anywho, we went down to the Riverside Inn to confirm her start day, said hello to Cheffy Chef (our old Chef Ian who used to work in the tea room as well), and then headed down to the River to play frisbee (which, in case you were wondering, I'm absolute rubbish at). That was pretty much it for this week, but we've already planned our next girls' night- Aimee's going all fancy pants and decided to cook us dinner! Well, by decided I mean more of I told her she should and she gave in, but still very exciting. Unfortunately I still have the entire weekend to get through, but at least there is a little light at the end of the tunnel.


Well, I think that's about it. Not very newsworthy stuff, but y'all always complain when I don't update and that's all I got for now. I miss you all dearly, and don't forget to keep me updated too people!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Okay. So I know this quote by John Lennon has become somewhat cliche and common, but I really like and relate to it. Why? Because, I must confess, I am not a planner. This might come as a suprise to some of you, and I understand that. I have my planners stuffed with lists and pictures, my color coordinated online calendars, my mulitple notebooks filled with list after list of everything you can imagine from the books I want to read to the items I want to purchase in my near (and distant) future, my ever growing and constantly changing records of what I want to do before I die, etc. I even had myself tricked into believing I was a planner, but, alas, it is not so. I've come to terms with it. I just really like to appear to have things organized while avoiding the actual decision making process. Mature and healthy behavior for a twenty-two year old I'm sure. Gah, I hate to make decisions. They seem so final. And then you have to be responsible for that decision that you didn't want to make in the first place along with the consequences it entails. Plus, planning can eliminate so much of the excitement and ingenuity of life. In my short experience, it really is the random and unexpected twists of fate that make life exciting. Unfortunately, this isn't really realistic or entirely healthy behavior: prior consideration is often advisable if not necessary, if you don't act chances are someone else will do the decision making for you, and if you really want to take full advantage of this one chance at life we are given, plans must be made.

My anticipated return to Texas is quickly approaching; I only have 67 days until my scheduled flight home and 10 weeks remaining on a non renewable/non extendable blue card which allows me to work in the UK. Now despite how much I adore Texas, despite the fact I have not even considered a respectable post college career, despite how much (and this is the big one) I miss and love all you wonderful people, I am not ready to come settle down. I've only been away a little over three months, and that is like a little vacation from reality, a mere wrinkle in the time that constitutes my (hopefully) long life, and not an adequate length of time to really experience life abroad. I think I've mentioned before that I was looking into a visa so I could live in Ireland; however, the visa I would be able to obtain would only last for three months before they kicked my booty back to the states. Fortunately, another opportunity has opened up. My boss has expressed interest in me staying longer than my planned time. I let him know that I had no control over it, I couldn't extend my visa, and it wasn't up to me, but I would be interested in staying longer if possible. To make a long story short, there's a pretty good chance for me to get an open ended visa, paid by the company, that would allow me to work anywhere in the UK. Catriona (one of the administrative staff) has put my paperwork through and a letter should come through the post in the next few weeks that I need to take to the British Embassy while I'm at home in order to request an out of country visa. It isn't guaranteed that I will get the visa after all this, so I need to look into it more, but I think it's an exciting idea anyway.

Well that is as far as my planning process has progressed presently (like that tongue twister?). I'll keep you updated as I get more information, and please give me any advice you might have and keep me in your prayers. I love you all so much, and I really appreciate all the support you give. Love always, Shivonne.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

So...I'm a dirty liar.

Okay. I realize in my last post, I might have mentioned something about providing more timely updates and not waiting an entire week before letting y'all know what's going on in the world according to Shivonne. Turns out, I lied. It has, once again, been an entire week since I've blogged. I know, I know-it's quite shocking, but I really haven't felt as if I had anything interesting or of significance to relay. And remember, it's not the quantity of posts that matters-it's all about quality baby. Well, except maybe for this one. This is more in the way of a self imposed guilt trip blog. On top of that, I'm selling out and totally copying one of Miss L Dee's blogs....that's right. Pictures. Of where I work. This way when you find yourself asking, 'I wonder what that fun girl Shivonne is up to', you can picture me working which is pretty much all I do these days besides sleeping. So without further ado, here is a visual representation of my life (*bonus-a picture's worth a thousand words so this should cover me for awhile):

MHOR Bread-my place of employment-situated right smack on main street near where the coaches drop off, so we get quite busy with tourists in addition to the locals who come in practically everyday.This is the sign you see when you walk in the door...recognize the handwriting? I unfortunately have to claim responsibility for the cheesy logo bit on the bottom. What can I say, people just eat it up. Go figure. P.S. I didn't mispell Lasagna, that's how they spell it here apparently. Silly Brits.


Me showing off my front window display. After all, it's all about the window...it's how you seduce people to come in the shop. Okay, seduce might be too strong of a word, but trust me, it works.

A close up of the window products...mostly scones. People here are crazy for scones and tea cakes; you wouldn't believe how many types there are! Plain, wheaten, fruit, soda, soda fruit, treacle, tatty (as in potato), cheese (mmmm...these are super good right out of the oven), pancakes, crumpets.....

Monika posing behind the cake display arranged by yours truly. I like to think of myself as the artistic director of cakes. Hmmm. Too much? I thought so- sounds a bit pretentious not to mention ridiculous. I just like to make it seem like I'm important. Anywho, this is at the beginning of the day so the shelves are still full of bread and the cakes haven't been ravaged by customers in need of a sugar fix.

CAKES! (you'd think I'd get tired of them after serving all day, but no such luck. Working in a bakery is dangerous business for your waist line, I'll tell you that much.)Pies. Yes, there is a difference between pies and cakes. Here in Scotland land, Cakes are the sweet stuff, and pies are primarily meat goods. Again, tons of variety-Scotch (mince beef), Steak, Chicken, Chicken Curry, Venison, Steak and Haggis, Steak and Black Pudding, Haggis, Vegetarian, Macaroni, Sausage Rolls, Bridies (mince beef and onion in a pasty). What will I do with all the useless pie knowledge when I return to Texas? Oh yeah, and that little ginger haired girl grimacing in the background is Christina-one of the really cute local school kids who works part time. I like her. She's silly. This little gem is the downstairs office/storage unit/employee break room/locker where I duck into to escape from customers to grab a quick bite or drink and regroup for the next round of people desperately in need of mhor bread. Sorry, I just can't help myself.Christina and Lauren (the other sweet school girl who works with me on the weekends) modeling our new long awaited red aprons that we received today. Monika described them as something her Grandma might wear. I wouldn't go as far as all that, but they definately don't live up to the hype they were given. Well I guess that's pretty much all for now. I'd upload more photos, but it takes freaking forever to get them on the post. When I get a chance, I'll make another online album so you can see all the pics I took of the shop...there are some really cool ones of cakes Luis the pastry chef made for display. Sorry for the lame post, but maybe I'll have some more interesting news in the near future...I'm trying to think over my future plans. I let you know when I have more details. Until then, I'll be thinking of y'all as always. I love you guys!

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel
read only a page." -St. Augustine