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Monday, July 15, 2019
Blair Atholl
My name is Cristi Marchetti and I do not know how to do hair.
Picture him with sort of blonde hair and you are picturing me.
Things I can't do:
1. Use product correctly.
2. Use a hair dryer.
3. Create a part.
4. Use a brush.
Things I can do:
1. Keep my expectations low.
Isn't it fitting, though, that my hair matches my ancestry? Apparently, my family hails from Atholl. (hee! I laugh every time I say it!) Tell us about Blair Atholl, Wikipedia! Blair Atholl (from the Scottish Gaelic: Blàr Athall, originally Blàr Ath Fhodla) is a village in Perthshire, Scotland, built about the confluence of the Rivers Tilt and Garry in one of the few areas of flat land in the midst of the Grampian Mountains. The Gaelic place-name Blair, from blàr, 'field, plain', refers to this location. Atholl, which mean 'new Ireland', from the archaic Ath Fhodla is the name of the surrounding district.
When Diane and I were on WhatsApp planning where to stay, I said I wanted to go to Atholl just for the name because I am incredibly immature. Diane, though, is awesome and understood my childish need for giggling.
Diane Allison is the Thelma to my Louise and I want to road trip around the world with her every chance I get. If you want a taste of what it's like to side-ride with Diane, check out this video we made for Mark:
This Atholl rode up to her town and saw A Cute Little Shop. That's what it was named and it was spot-on as a descriptor because it was cute, it was little, and it was a shop. I bought Midge a picture of Blair Castle.
Oh, look. A castle.
Now I'm going to work backward (because I'm lazy and Blogger suuuuuuuuucks and makes it really difficult to add photos and videos. I will DEFINITELY be switching platforms for next year's travel).
Outside Blair Atholl is a vacation-y town, Pitlochry, a town that's hard to beat in terms of quaint charm. If Gilmore Girls were set in Scotland, I think it would use Pitlochry.
Our house is a very, very, very fine house.
Diane's room
Viv and Cristi's room
I think.
It's only been a few days, but I can't remember sleeping that night. #PerpetuallyTired
You do picturesque right, Scotland.
Can you pick up that ice cream cone, Viv?
How is this even a real place??
The garden. The wall. The cat. Stop, Scotland, I can't take any more.
Cation (heh): Viv named him Mr. Meowzers. He was super friendly and cute.
The congregation which today worships in Pitlochry can trace its history back to at least the 7th century when it seems that a church dedicated to St Colm or St Colman was founded. Further evidence of early Christian activity in the area is the Dunfallandy Stone, an 8th-century Pictish stone depicting a Celtic Christian Cross, which was found near Killiecrankie, 4 miles (6.4 km) to the north.but was moved to Dunfallandy farm close to Pitlochry.
The original parish church was at Moulin, just north of Pitlochry, from the Middle Ages. A charter for the church at Moulin together with "three carucates of land" was granted to the monks of Dunfermline Abbey by William the Lion, King of the Scots(1165 to 1214). In 1231, Pope Gregory IX granted the monks of Dunfermline Abbey patronage of Moulin, thus augmenting their income. (thanks, Wikipedia)
Diane: let's make that basket of flowers look like a crown!
Yes, Diane. Yes.
We stopped in a charity shop because when Viv and I were in Belfast, Diane turned me on to the charity shop addiction and I found this plate for our friend Sean Lewis. I couldn't resist. Even though he's trying to eliminate stuff from his house, I feel it's necessary to add this because "Butt of Lewis" is not something you pass up.
Interlude: Did I mention this hangs in the living room of the Airbnb?
Meow.
Purr.
Other people wanted in on the petting action. Meow
Flavors I've never seen in America. I was not tempted to try them.
USA won the World Cup! And I got to watch it from a pub in Scotland!
3 girlies, sun is out, gorgeous old pub in Pitlochry, and then Cristi found out they were televising the women's world cup final inside 😆
Two Atholls
Diane wanted to mail a postcard to her mum so she told us to keep an eye out for a postbox. Then she pointed to this sign, we all were delighted, and then walked on. An hour or so later, Diane realized we all passed right by the postbox. Don't worry! The postcard was posted!
I love that she loves her name.
The family plaid
Hang on, what are these flavors?
Viv wanted to bring James Pringles so he could weave them together. Christmas gift idea? Perhaps.
These hanging flowers were all over and I love that people embrace the circles.
Viv: "they really did smell amazing."
Still Atholls.
We are embracing Atholls.
The Atholl jokes will never get old (for me).
Viv took over the phone to take pictures and I feel pretty confident that my days of being the family photographer have gone by the wayside. Dam. (heh)
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