Build a Shoebox of Memories

I have always been a bit of a hoarder (although not to the extent that I can’t let go of things). I never think of myself as an overly showy emotional type, but being honest I probably am. No matter my mood – angry, sad, happy etc. – I do tend to fully experience that emotion. As a result of this, I’m a very sentimental person.

I like to keep things. Little souvenirs of past experiences that bring back great memories. So I decided to add this little item to my list so that I had another excuse to keep little mementos.

Knowing that this item was on my list, I’ve kept a lot of bits and pieces, from cinema tickets to cards, to boarding passes, from the experiences that Graham and I have shared over the past year.

I think that it is so important to hold onto good memories and to be able to look over the time, that you’ve shared with someone special, with a smile. I feel that by keeping all of these little reminders of our adventures we will always be reminded of good times, especially as we look towards the rest of our lives and the unknown.

I have literally used an old shoebox to build this little memory keeper. Other than that I only used prix stick and sharpies, keeping it really simple.

I’m glad I put this little number on my list. It made me smile while making it, and having the opportunity to look over some very happy memories that have interrupted a hard year, for both of us. I am entirely thankful that I have someone like G in my life. He is a constant support and continues to make me laugh every single day, without fail.

Visit the Game Masters Exhibition 

This is actually an item I crossed off the list at the start of this year – but then I managed to loose the ticket until I found it hidden in a box earlier this week.

I added this particular item to my list as it tied in really nicely with the dissertation work I was doing at the time.

There is an almost 10 year age gap between my sister and I and so for the most part I spent my childhood growing up beside my three boy cousins. I reckon that this played a huge part in a tom-boyish-ness that I think I still haven’t quite shaken off. 

A childhood of playing Tig, Cops and Robber, Kerbie, Wrestling, and Football means that you can probably kick a ball at my face and I won’t flinch. It also means that I have massive interest in games, and gaming culture.

The exhibition, held by the National Museums of Scotland allowed visitors to delve into the history of video-games, RPGs, and the development of the console. Not only that, visitors were treated to a rare experience – the opportunity to play a huge number of games released between the 70’s to some of the most advanced indie games of the current gaming era.

The exhibition had a magical atmosphere. The space was alive with sound and light. The audience ranged from small children to grown men and women re-living their childhood memories, and everyone else in between.

Among the featured games and artists were several Scottish designers, including Rockstar and the infamous Grand Theft Auto, to lesser known names such as Edinburgh’s own Lucky Frame Studios.

The hyperactive, super interactive experience was one that I was glad I didn’t miss. It really was a feast for the imagination.

*Game Masters was created by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image*

Visit Adventure Gold Island

This was another fun one! I have always loved crazy golf, and will happily take a turn at putting if the opportunity arrises. So with that in mind, and considering I’d never been, I decided to visit Adventure Golf Island. On our way back from our trip to Dundee, visiting one half of my grandparents, G and I dropped by the mini golf, located in Dunfermline.

During the summer, G and I visited Canada. This was a first for G, who had never previously visited outside of Europe, but was the third time for me (having lived there for 6 months last year). While we were there, we stayed in Niagara Falls (Canadian side) for a few nights, and played two rounds of crazy golf. One course involved dinosaurs and an erupting volcano with real fire, and the other wizards and glow in the dark holes. I won both games. So this particular game was pretty high in the stakes, would G finally beat me, or could I hold on to my winning streak?

He beat me. By 1 point. 1 point.

I did get 2 holes in 1. So, really, I won.

We had a great time, but just played the one course inside. It was pretty windy and cold when we visited so avoided the outside course. We’ll definitely go back again, give the outside course a go, and see who the real champion of mini golf is.

  

Walk Over The Forth Road Bridge

The Forth Road Bridge is a 2.5Km long vehicle suspension bridge that connects Edinburgh and Fife. Before the installation of the bridge, the water was crossed via a ferry service that ran for centuries. At the time of completion, the bridge was the longest suspension bridge situated out of the United States of America, and the fourth longest in the world.

This feat of engineering was not the first to grace the waters of the forth, with the iconic rain bridge already well and truly established, operating since 1890.

Despite having lived in and around Edinburgh almost my whole life, and the countless car journeys taken to and fro, I had never walked across it. The bridge has both a ‘walk’ and cycle lane on each side, along with an underpass at each end. This allows you to walk across one side, and back across the other.

At the moment, there is currently a third bridge being built. This third bridge is being installed to help ease the traffic congestion, due to the hundreds of vehicles that cross every day. It is situated on the other side of the current road bridge away from the rail bridge. It look pretty spectacular and it was’t even half built when we crossed.

Luckily for us, the weather played ball. It was looking slightly doubtful if we would get across and back dry, but in fact, the sun came out to play. Shining across the rail  bridge as we crossed over to Fife, and then as we walked back towards Edinburgh, the sun really made a real spectacle of the new bridge.

I’m so glad that I included this item on my list as it was something I really enjoyed doing and is a great walk.

Here is the link to the Forth Road Bridge website, where you can read up on current news and info or delve into the history surrounding the river crossing: https://www.forthroadbridge.org/

Below are some photos that I took while we walked across…

Go Veggie For A Month

This challenge was more for the fun of it, just to see how I got on. Graham decided to join in, and we chose September to be our designated Veggie month. It was much easier for me than I expected, but I think that G found it quite difficult sometimes. I found that I certainly ate more fruit and veg each day than I did normally and felt better for that. I’m not the greatest meat eater as it happens, with my range mostly limited to chicken and fish, with the occasional beef chilli/lasagne/bolognese. I do not eat steak. Or any large chunks of meat as, to be honest, it kind of gives me the ‘heebie jeebies’.

I did try to go veggie a few years ago over the period of lent but I continued to eat fish during that time, so it wasn’t full on veggie. I can cook quite a bit better now than I could then, and I think that helped to make it an easier experience. G is also a great cook and we ate a great range of stuff due to the more experimental plates he offered up.

Although we switched back to our regular diet as the start of October once the challenge had been completed, I do seriously think it is something I could do full time. Apart from when it comes to Christmas Dinner. And maybe when it comes to pizza. Because, pizza.

Here’s a couple of samples of what we ate over the month!

Visit your Grandparents

I included this item on the list because I only ever got the chance to meet one of my grandparents, and thought it was important to revisit my parents memories of their parents and to visit their final resting places.

My mums parents are buried together on the island where she grew up. My grandad George was killed in an accident when my mum was just 11 years old. My granny, Molly, continued to bring up my mum, my uncle and my auntie alone. At the age of 60, she died of Alzheimers disease. Alzheimers was and continues to have no cure and remains a disease that is not fully understood. It is incredibly difficult for me to comprehend what it must have been like to loose both your parents at a young age, like my mum did.

The year my mum turned 60 she decided to remember my granny and help raise awareness of Alzheimers by completing three very physical challenges. The first was to run a half marathon, having never been a runner. The second was to complete The West Highland Way, a 96 mile (154KM) route from Milngavie to Fort William in Scotland. The third and final challenge was by far the biggest and most difficult. She decided to climb to Basecamp at Mount Everest. My older cousin decided to take on these challenges with her to offer support along the way. It took 14 days to climb up and down to and from basecamp of the highest mountain in the world. This included a flight in and out of the worlds most dangerous airport runway. My mum choose these challenges to highlight what you can do at 60 and the extent to which Alzheimers can effect any body.

My dads parents were laid to rest in different places. My gran Helena’s ashes were scattered at the War Memorial Gardens at the Dundee Crematorium. I never met her but it would seem that I carry a look of her, something that was often pointed out to me, especially when I was younger.

My Granddad Richard was buried in 2001, in Panpride, outside of Carnoustie, near Dundee. He was the only grandparent I met. I was only 9 when he died but I have memories of visiting him in his care-home. I can’t sing a line in tune but he used to love hear me sing and dance around his room and to tell him stories. His glasses used to fall down his nose. I remember him as being kind and often thought that he was with his thoughts in another place, forgetting time, lost in memories.

The following photos are of their final resting places…

The last couple of months have been a pretty rough ride. Looking back to July, it’s funny to see how much my life has changed in such a short time. From loosing a job (through no fault of my own, or my employer at the time) with no warning, to family illness, seriously struggling with living expenses and dealing with building anxiety, I have yet again found myself having neglected my blog.

However, despite the abundance of shit that seems to have come my way, I’m aware that I still find myself in a better position than many. Great things have intermitted the bad, as happens.

Graham and I have moved in together. I got a new job, which I love and I’ve met some great new people. And I’ve even found some time to tick of a good few more numbers from my list!

*** Unfortunately this post has been even further delayed because I’ve been pretty unwell these past two weeks. A chest infection is never a fun experience, especially for an Asthmatic. However, a course of Antibiotics and Steroids later, I’m finally feeling good again! ***