Day 56: Everything Stops For Tea!

Went into Glasgow today for my British passport interview.  Had no idea what that was going to involve, turns out there were loads of questions about my application (many of which I stumbled over because I had had to look up the answers myself when writing it!), but I imagine they expect that people don't know all those answers from memory anyway.  Hopefully get my new passport in about a week.  At any rate, after the interview I stumbled across this beautiful little tea-shop tucked into a corner of Buchanan Galleries.  It's called Brewhaha and has these 50's drawings all over the wall, and happy little tables with comfortable and beautiful chairs.  (The tables really are happy - they just look contented to be there.)  I ordered a jasmine green tea and sat writing and thinking and resting and just generally enjoying some me time.  There are statements painted on the wall like "Everything stops for tea!" and I couldn't agree more.  I had plenty of errands to run but for the moment time just took a break and so did I.  It was very enjoyable. 

A lot of walking today - dropped the car off at the garage to get a puncture sorted, and then walked from there to the train station; then walking here and there in Glasgow, and then back to my flat.  I'll need to walk back to the garage later as well.  Again, just rejoicing in the fact that although a little tired, I'm holding up quite well with a good bit more walking than I used to do.  It did help that the sun was showing face today (a little shamefaced, I must say, and rightly so!), but still sharply cold -  I never took off my  hat and scarf, not even during the interview!  (I was a little surprised...I mean I could have just had a wig or even false head on under that hat for all they knew!)

Glasgow was its own inimitable self - a man in full Indian (or should I say, Native American) garb playing some kind of windpipes...a noble statue with an orange and white traffic cone on its head...the sun sparkling off the windows of tall buildings...people hurrying, hurrying...people doing nothing....people stopping in the middle of the walkway for no reason, or to check their phone...so many people on their phones...a building under construction that was wrapped entirely in blue, like a birthday present...people talking...snatches of conversation and snatches of many swear words...frustrated people, happy people, bored people, people who seem to be dead inside....friendly shopkeepers....a helpful security guard who noticed me trying to find a shop and helped me out...and me, winding my way amongst it all and being part of someone else's scenery. 

Took the train home, having to remember to actually get off in Airdrie now that the train goes all the way to Edinburgh.  Still haven't taken the Airdrie-Edinburgh line yet, but it's on my list! 

Walk length:  1.25 hours +

Day 46: Bond. James Bond.

Soon I will have more in common with James Bond and Jason Bourne than I ever had before.  (Before, I had nothing in common with them.)  Today I walked to the post office to send off an application for my British passport!  Very excited about getting this document - I am pretty confident that I will feel pretty cool having two passports.  Of course, the United States isn't overly thrilled about dual citizenship, but they don't say that I can't do it, so I figured I'd better seize the opportunity whilst it's available.  After all, I remember the day when I applied for my UK residency after having been in the country for four years, and after I got my residency status they changed the rules to five years.  I was pretty thankful I'd done it while I could! 

It's pretty exciting being a British citizen, about to get a passport.  The lady at the post office very kindly commiserated on the ninety pounds I had to spend to get it, but really that is nothing in the grand scheme of things.  After living in Scotland for ten years (in June), I'm thrilled that it is now my country, too!  I got a letter from Visit Scotland today, sending me some information I had requested, and they said, "Thank you for your interest in exploring a bit more of your home country."  What a happy statement!  Of course I have three home countries, including heaven, and I love exploring the two that I have access to currently.  I look forward with great anticipation to the explorations of the third country some day!!

Today was actually 'quite nice', compared to much of the previous crazy, wild, dark, cold weather we've been having.  The sky was blue  - imagine!  No, you don't have to imagine, I took a photo for you.  It's a good thing too, because a few minutes after I snapped it, the clouds started rolling in a bit more.  It was that funny kind of nice day where you step outside and think, gosh, this is lovely, I don't really need my hat or gloves or anything.  Then you walk along a little further, and think well, maybe I will put my gloves on, just.  A little further on and the hat goes on.  By the time you get where you're going you are more bundled up than when you left, and you have to take it all off again because you're inside where it's warm.  What a complicated country to go walking in!

I actually took two walks today - also walked to my MET group tonight.  I couldn't remember how long of a walk it was - at first I thought a half hour and then I remembered it was quite close and so thought maybe 15 or 20 minutes...turned out to be about 10 or a little more.  When I got to the street on which the house was, there was a man walking alongside me, just about the same pace.  I figured he would speed up so that we weren't both walking in the same direction at the same time but without speaking, but he didn't.  So I (following the rules of etiquette for Encountering Another Walker) passed to the other side, but then it was still awkward because we both were walking at the same speed on opposite sides of the same street.  He steadfastly refused to look at me (he, too, was familiar with the rules of etiquette previously mentioned), but he refused to speed up.  So I took the initiative and did so, but I swear he did too because I couldn't get him out of my sights.  I started to wonder if he was going to my MET, too, but I didn't know him! Or at least I didn't think I did.  Finally he turned in just one house earlier than the one I was going to.  Whew.  Wouldn't want to have to Speak To Someone that you're walking next to! Imagine!

Walk length (total):  35 minutes