24th of December to 6th of January, 2021.
Oh my Loki! This lodge is incredible! I can’t barely believe I am staying at this place! It looks like a Home Magazine or something. It is so gorgeous! And the view? Wow! The kind which takes your breath away. I am telling you, this place is unbelievable! And I am staying in here, all by myself, for two weeks! TWO WEEKS, BABY! (by Monica, in F.r.i.e.n.d.s. , when she is in a counting down for her wedding). I think most of the people would be sad for spending Christmas and New Year’s holidays alone (I actually heard that quite a lot). Me? I was thrill!
I finally meet my hosts: T. and N.. They are so cute! And generous! Oh my darlings, you have no idea how much food they have bought me! And some really good stuff! They are insane! For two weeks straight, I was cooking some wonderful dishes and eating so well as I had never before in all this years of volunteering. You all know how do I feel when people give me food. And as if it was not enough, they also gave me some wonderful Christmas gifts! What? Yeah! T. was felling bed because I would have to spend Christmas alone so she gave me some really nice chocolates, pastries, biscuits, fancy soaps, perfumed candles and what I needed the most: socks! I am telling, it was like I was leaving a dream. I should have sensed that something real bad would have to happen to give back some balance in my life. But let’s not talk about that yet…
For my Christmas’ Eve dish I bake some vegetarian empanadas Argentinas. It is the first time I make by myself and dear Lord, they are good! I mean, seriously good!
I have a deal with T. that I will paint parts of this cottage so I can, in somehow, return the favor to the current owner. And I am happy to do it because he, as a friend of T., let me stay in here for two weeks for free. Why do I need another quarantine? Before I start helping T., I will spend some time at her parents’ house, helping they around a little bit. Because they are in the most risky group for Covid-19 (they are over 80 years old), we agreed that would be better if I quarantine myself again because I was travelling here in different buses.
So I am enjoying myself everyday. The view from my room is amazing. The couch where I spend most of my day has also the same wonderful view. Everywhere I look outside a window there is a great view! I make the fire, I watch movies, I write and read. Everything is just perfect! T. also lend me some winter clothes for the time being. So I can go for long walks without freezing.
In one of my walks, I go to visit the most famous hiking attraction in Aberfeldy: The Birks of Aberfeldy. Site which became internationally famous after the Scottish write Robert Burns wrote a poem about them. It is a truly amazing hike. And to make it even better? When I was half a way, it started to snow! How does that makes it better? Well, I was doubtful at the beginning too. I have seen snow before but never hiked under a fall. But now with my super prepared clothes, I was courageous and decided to carry on. The best thing I could have possibly have done. You can see for yourself in the photographs. And guess what? I did not get wet or sick AT ALL after that.
I finish the painting and two days before my departure I helped my hosts to clean out their shed here and pack in everything in their pick-up. On the next day, everything would change, I would not finally leave my quarantine and start this new experience in Scotland for good. My life would change for ever.
