One ring to rule them all

Marty proposed again - this time with a huge diamond rock. I said of course, again. At this rate I'll be dripping in jewels by the wedding.

Dinner at Kum and Go

I know it sounds gross, but anyone reading this is probably from or at least has spent some time in Iowa City and knows that Kum and Go is a convenient store and not a porn shop. But anyway, it was still at the very least an unhealthy meal, but delicious and cheap. After a long day of painting Marty and I we're starving, but it was already almost 10 pm and we had about 10 dollars in our pocket. Hence, the meal of Cool Ranch Doritos (whichever ad exec thought of that name was brilliant and deserved whatever prize they gave to the guy/gal who named the Big Mac), 2 wonder meat dogs a piece from the sweaty roller, and Old Milwaukee to wash it all down. For dessert we had a leftover cookie from the wedding we went to on Saturday. One of my wonder meats had cheese penetrating throughout that oozed out after a big bite the other had a smoked hickory sort of feel. Marty said that he had a sort of Jalapeño flavored hot dog and then also the cheesy surprise. So all this and a bag of chips for about 10 bucks. Not too shabby but will definitely make us flabby, I don't know if my sister Abby has ever eaten a 3-course meal at Kum and Go. It would probably make her crabby, like a pissed of calico, Siamese or tabby.

Getting Hitched

Marty and I just went to the wedding of our friend from medical school. It was a beautiful ceremony and mercifully short. Especially since we were about 20 minutes late and it was about 25 minutes long. Although, we missed the vows we saw the most important bits from the back of the church and the reception was rocking! Wedding season has arrived so hope for the open bar and let the good times roll. By the way they had a very deliciously moist wedding cake. One of the best I have tasted and I like my cake. Congratulations Timaroo!

Our House

We are back in Iowa City and Marty and I closed on 247 Koser Ave on 5/3/07. We are so excited about the new house and have already been to Lowe’s three times. It came down to the wire with getting things settled with the seller, but now it is all ours and Marty has attacked the walls with vigor. Good thing they can’t fight back. Keep on checking the blog for updates on our home improvement projects.

Last day in Edinburgh

Marty and I are headed to London today from Waverly station to Kings Cross. For our last meal out we returned to the Grain Store and mom and dad Buckwalter treated us to one final delicious lunch at this excellent Scottish restaurant in Victoria St. We walked our favorite streets and said our private goodbyes to our secret corners of the city. Sadly, nobody seemed to care that we were leaving, except maybe the man who runs the internet café who will be loosing his steady revenue. It’s nice to know that we have helped pay for his villa in Italy.

Although we are very excited to be heading home, we are also sad to be leaving the foreign city that has been our dwelling place for the past 6 weeks. I'm a little worried that we might not make it with all the luggage - but we'll give it our best effort. We have been very fortunate (minus the ceiling incident) in having a safe, educational and fun time. It is hard to say what we will miss the most. Perhaps for Marty it will be the scotch or the great pubs showing Manchester United games. For me it might be the Scottish accent or the occasional old man strolling along in his kilt.

Scotland will always have a special place in our heart since it was where we got engaged. We have toured the Highlands and eaten Haggis, we’ve been to five castles and slept in one, and although we didn’t make it to all the sights we aspired to see we are satisfied and would be happy to return to the land of our pre-Honeymoon.

Stone of Destiny - Rocking Edinburgh

Marty and I finally made it just up the hill from our apartment to Edinburgh Castle and saw the much contested rock that Scottish kings and queens placed their feet on during coronation. The thieving English monarchs who stole the stone from Scone in 1296 have placed their bums upon it when receiving the crown to their kingdom. To clear up any confusion this stone is from Scone (actually many believe originally it came from the Holy Land), it is not a rock hard scone petrified from a medieval tea party. Prior to 1996 for 700 years this special stone has rested in Westminster Abbey, except for a brief period in 1953 when a Scotsman stole it back. If a simultaneous coronation were to take place the Scottish monarch would put their foot up the Royal English ass. We also saw the crown jewels, the prison, and beautiful views of the city on a clear day.

Last night Marty and I returned to one of our favorite pubs in Edinburgh, The Conan Doyle. As our time is wrapping up in Ole Reekie we are excited to be heading home and trying to get all the things in we’ve been wanting to do as well as return to some of the places we have liked the most. For the first time we went “clubbing” to the Opal Lounge located in the posh area of town, Georges Street. We wore black, waited in line, paid our cover, and dropped it like it was hot!

Edinburgh vs. Dublin

Marty and I are back in the fair city of Edinburgh. Yesterday afternoon I took a walk through Princes street gardens (pictured), which were simply gorgeous. We had some excellent Indian food and have been happily enjoying the world snooker championships and dreaming up projects for our new house. Although Dublin was dangerously exciting, like eating blowfish or walking a tight rope, I prefer our temporary home city of Edinburgh. Both cities have their share of drunks, although Dublin wins in the violent drunk and vomit in the street categories. Dublin hands down has better music, but Edinburgh is more romantic. Despite being 56/78ths Irish I prefer living in Edinburgh, but am so glad we visited Dublin. Besides it’s not a competition, but as the former Trinity college student (although he transferred to Oxford), Oscar Wilde, said, “I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.”

Post Cold War Kids

Despite the Cold War being over, these guys can rock! It was a great show last night in the Ambassador Theater. The venue caps the end of O'Connell St. on Parnell Square. Marty and I had an excellent vantage point with balcony seats. We are finishing up our time in Dublin and heading back to Edinburgh in a few hours. We have seen and done a lot in the city in a short time thanks to the great recommendations of Abber and the Luck of the Irish.

Or maybe it was the good luck I was due after a bird pooped on me yesterday in the Temple Bar - or perhaps it is the good karma we built up by turning the other cheek after the ceiling slapped us in the face. Whatever it was, we somehow got premium box seats to the Hurling and Irish Football championship games, we we're in time for the early bird special at the cafe we ate at yesterday afternoon, and have not been robbed by the gypsy mobs that crowd the streets, yet.

We managed to do all this by getting served just plain old corn flakes at our “B&B” instead of Lucky Charms and without having caught one of those squirrelly leprechauns and him granting us three wishes. But there is still time left – to be mugged by a gypsy and maybe see a dwarf dressed up in green suit.

Hells Bells it's the Book of Kells

After dragging ourselves out of bed this morning we went and saw the famous old book in Trinity College. It was a late night, as we had to celebrate my victory ( I won the Literary Pub Quiz). After having already drank at least a half pint at each stop along the crawl, we headed to the Octagon Bar in The Clarence Hotel, which is owned by Bono. The bar was a little bit high class for my half drunk ass so we continued on our merry way to the closest spot with live music where after a little more drink and a lot more courage I felt compelled to lead the bar in Bon Jovi's, "Livin' on a Prayer." The rest of the night was a fun adventure for the Cartoon Drunk and Dancing Maniac (they are one and the same), which ended up in a conversation with the Kenyan Burger King security guard and trying to buy a bottle of water from the only grocery store in Dublin protected by a live poisonous snake.

But, seriously the Book of Kells was bitchin!

A Guinness a day keeps the doctor away

Today Marty and I toured the Guinness Storehouse and his cold is practically gone. At the very least, he is feeling better. Is the slogan true that, "Guinness is Good for you?" I learned today that Guinness has a variety of uses from a refreshing drink, an aphrodisiac, to a beneficial bath for newborn babies. In Ireland, Guinness is still made available to blood donors and stomach and intestinal post-operative patients. Maybe even to anemics, since Guinness is known to be high in iron content.

After drinking back our admission fee in the Gravity barthat crowns the brewery and overlooks the city we headed to the oldest pub in the city. The Brazen Head (est. 1198), recommended by my sister, prooved to be an excellent choice for another pint and some traditional Irish grub. Marty and I have been getting our fill of hearty Irish Stew lately! Last night we were priviledged to hear some traditional Irish music at O'Neills. The band was excellent and on certain particularly toe tapping tunes some little ole ladies got up and did some Riverdance and we got to sing along to some tunes (although I had no idea what the actual words were).

Tonight we're off to the Literary Pub Tour and hope to be educated and show are mad skills on some pub quizzes. Respect!

Hakuna Matata

Hello from Dublin! Marty and I have just come from the most awesome display of limbo talent we have ever witnessed. In the middle of the Temple Bar area a very talented and flexible young Jamaican was able to bend backwards and shimmy underneath a flaming pole blanced on the top of two wine bottles. That was just one of his many tricks - his acrobatics also included doing a handstand on top of three wooden rectangular blocks stacked vertically on a thin bench. It was like Cirque du Soleil but instead of $100/ticket in a big Vegas theater, we threw Euros in half of an overturned bongo drum as it was passed around and he tumbled on a carpet remnant spread over the cement. It was a great show with Bob Marley playing, no lights or costumes, and no other characters except the main rastafarian gymnast - solo - and shouting, Hakuna Matata before he attempted each feat.

Lemons to Lemonade – Weed to Cash Crop

So sissaroo’s original web site is no longer functional. After many woman hours spent in pursuit of trying to fix the “unknown error,” I have finally given up in order to preserve my sanity and thereby Marty’s peace. I think perhaps what irritates me the most is not that I can no longer post and share photos of our adventures (which is really annoying), but that despite my best efforts I still do not know why. However, I won’t let it get me down or rather shut me down. Welcome to the new blog and along with our posh new apartment in Old Town, the silver lining to the dark cloud that has been following me around Edinburgh.

Today, I am embarrassed to admit, I burst into tears after the hospital café’s barista spilled a hot cup of coffee down my shirt. Maybe it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back or maybe I’m an emotional wreck. But as the Buckwalter motto goes, “It could’ve been worse” and considering our escape from the ceiling disaster it could be a lot worse and there is no use crying over spilt coffee. No more whining, because despite the UK’s reputation for bland food and gloomy weather, life is pretty sunny and sweet over here. Onto what is new, fun, and exciting . . .

Yesterday on the bus I read an article about the discovery of a cannabis farm growing in the swimming pool of a Scotland mansion. The sophisticated operation included hydroponic lights used to grow the estimated street value of 800,000 pounds worth of pot discovered. I wonder where these criminals got the idea for their illegal enterprise? If you don’t know the answer to this question watch the movie, “Saving Grace.” You won’t be disappointed