Haircuts and Paella

I'm in Edinburgh for the weekend. I love visiting this city. It's like the smaller, Scottish version of London.

We woke up to sunshine and warm(ish) weather, so I spent the majority of the day walking around Princes Street, sitting in gardens looking at all of the blooming tulips, listening to someone play the bagpipes, and wandering through an outdoor food market I accidentally bumped into.

I met a friend I met at Iona and her son for lunch. I discovered that I love Sicilian rice balls (they had goat cheese and leeks in them...there was just no way those were going to be bad). And after we said our goodbyes, I decided that I really, really needed a haircut. This morning, I twisted my bangs and pinned them back for the millionth time this semester. I don't know if it's because it was really awful today in particular, or if being out of Aberdeen (where 90% of women either don't have hair or just go 'wild child' never get it styled) made me realize how awful it's been for  three months, but after passing two salons, I walked into one and got it all chopped off again.

The woman cutting my hot mess hair asked me how short I wanted it, and when the last time I had it cut was. Pixie. December. It took a while to cut it, so we chatted. But in moments that required more attention, she mumbled a little - "You have so much hair. So much...December? So fast...so much hair." 

I have less hair now, which made both of us much happier.

Afterward, I wandered back to the market, and bought some dinner for on the way home. It's moments like that - when I'm holding a tin full of a heaping portion of spiced chicken paella or a crepe overflowing with fruit and custard, meandering down a cobblestone street, with nothing in the world to get done - that I'm glad I took this semester "off" or at least away from Rhodes. I think in a couple months, when I look back, those moments will make trucking through all of those horrible theology lectures and grey days worthwhile.

I head back to Aberdeen tomorrow, but for now, my stomach is full of paella and blueberries, and I have a good book to read. I'll post some pictures when I get back!