Where is my phone charger?

I'm working from home this morning as I have to get myself to Irvine for my second rabies jab mid morning. It's all frosty and wintery outside and I'm feeling very snuggled up with the Christmas tree lights on, a cup of tea, and hinba asleep in front of the fire. I'm supposed to be writing a presentation on Miller Genuine Draft but I've lost my phone charger and I'm totally distracted by looking for that instead.

We had our housewarming & christmas party on Saturday night, with Chris and Nicola flying up from Birmingham and filling our little house with laughter and merriment. We had quite a locals dinner party that Saturday night, and were even joined by our 86 year old land lady who came to join in the mince pie munching and mulled wine supping. Hugo and I took advantage of having a captive audience to cook all the game he'd been storing away in the new freezer, so we made one huge pheasent casserole which was brilliant - to prepare the meat, we flopped it about in flour and then flashed fried it to seal the juices in, before dropping it into a simmering pan of beer. (Not Millers). Anyhow, many compliments, and we all got merry and Hugo even managed to dent the wall by exploding the champagne bottle cork into it. Definitely a sign of a good night (thank goodness at this point, the 86 year old land lady had gone home..!)

I also hosted my first 'book club' meeting here last week - 7 or 8 local Ayrshire ladies and me, and these nights are always fun as we do make a point of really discussing the book (so far, we've read The Bonesetters Daughter, Amy Tan, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith and this one). I had baked some banana bread (thanks kate for the receipe!) and we sat around discussing The Collector (John Fowles). For anyone who hasn't read it, but is interested in the 8-year kidnap of the austrian girl, Natascha Kampusch, then I'd strongly recommend it. It was written in 1964 and you do wonder whether people like that Priklopil chap hadn't read it himself and found real inspiration in it. Half way through the evening, one of the book clubbers had a call to say her daughter's baby was on it's way, and the following day little Amelia was born, so that's all very Christmassy and lovely. (In case you hadn't worked it out, I am the youngest by 8 years).

This weeks' social events are somewhat limited (and boy do I miss my London lifestyle now that it's winter and nothing to do here in the evenings) but we're going to see Borat and I've got work drinks on Thursday with Taylor McKenzie which will be great, as so far, it sounds ridiculous but I haven't been for one drink after work with anyone yet. Not because I am totally mateless (well, actually, yes I am), but because everyone is 22 / 23 and they are all trying to snog each other and frankly I am seen as grandma alice. I also find that I am dressing like grandma alice too - but that's because in Glasgow, even if it's -4 degrees C, you are a complete numpty if you are not wearing leggings under a mini skirt and a low cut top with a push up bra underneath. They even overheat the office so everyone is comfortable wearing nothing. I tell you, it's a whole different culture up here (David, why didn't I listen to you?!). Sometimes I really miss working somewhere where I am one of the youngest and least experienced - I miss being around older and sage people.

Anyhow, it's 26 days til I leave for the hot shores of Costa Rica and although my original plan was to go and stay in Manuel Antonio national park for 8 days before Raleigh starts and really do some surfing, I quite fancy the idea of having a good look around the area as well, and perhaps even pop into Nicaragua for a couple of days.

We had an email from the country director of Raleigh in Costa Rica yesterday who said he hadn't managed to get funding for one of the projects ($6000 or £3200) which was one I was really keen to do - working with indiginous people on the Panamain border, in a very remote area you can only get to by walking 8 hours along a beach between tides which would cut you off because of the cliffs at either end. He asked us to see if we could find the funding as he's got to go to Mexico on holiday...erm, ok?! When we met him at our training weekend in Dulwich he was pretty confident he'd get the cashish, so it's a bit of a blow and I'm not sure how he's going to plan our expedition if he's one project site down, other than put three project managers on each site and increase the size of each of the venturer's groups. We shall see.

As for coming home again and future plans, at this stage, I'm due to come back to Scotland mid May. BUT, I really miss London at the moment, especially all my friends and I am very drawn to coming back to London. BUT, the lifestyle here is amazing in the summer and as it will be summer when I come back, I'll come here and enjoy that again, and then decide where to go in the Autumn I think. I really would be happiest if everyone came to live in Edinburgh and be a stone's throw away from me. Come on guys...you know you want to...!