Following the Stars

It's been a quick one! For Maisies last weekend with us, she went on her first ever holiday! (Something that was meant to have happened sooner, but Covid kinda got in the way).

This was a mixed week with Maisie. In some regards it was more successful (no barking during video calls, I was able to work upstairs in my study rather than the living room and she was eating both her breakfast and dinner with great enthusiasm), but at the same time we hit a real low when she had a moment of absolute petulance and went missing for 45 minutes. 

Petulant? How? Well, she ran around and past hubby as he tried to pop her on lead at a point in the walk she kept vanishing on, bounced over the stream, stopped, looked at him and casually strolled off. Tail sashaying along behind her. 

I got a panicked call. My number was given to everyone in the park and, after almost an hour, she reappeared proud as punch. 

And subsequently lost all right to be off the lead! 

So I won't lie, I was a little anxious about the weekend. Hubby had planned a boys weekend at a friend's, so I kidnapped my mum and we did a girls weekend away to the borders. Why the borders? Well, honestly, our number 1 option of the lakes was sold out and way over budget! 

We got lucky though as that was the weekend of the Jousting at Caerlaverock. 

Yes. More jousting. Am I sick of it? Nope, not at all! 

This event was much quieter than Linlithgow, despite being the exact same scale of show. I won't lie, as I bounced about the little jousting course astride my hobby horse, I was really pleased that we adults could have fun too without elbowing small kids out the way. The dogs got a lot more attention too from the re-enactment crew. 

We also got super close to the action. Missy is an old hand at this. She lay down atop my feet and power-napped during the show. Maisie, not so. We knew that she really disliked gunpowder, so had thought this a safe option, but it was quickly apparent when she refused to return to the Jousting arena for the falconry that she did not like the noise. Crowds seem fine as she was happy trotting about the stalls, but she wasn't happy  around the speakers. 

Not a problem. We explorered around the castle and the older ruins and called it a successful day at that. 

It was misty mountains this morning on the dog walk before we got a pleasant surprise when my Uncle decided to join us on our last little excursion to the Crawick Multiverse. 

It was a good way to end the holiday, getting to catch up whilst wondering about the giant art exhibits. Maisie seemed to have a good time too,much preferring the quiet of the multiverse to the crowds at the castle. A learning curve for us all. 

Although she was genuinely at her happiest when, arriving home, she spotted her daddy and bounced right up into his arms for a cuddle. 

Honestly, it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside to see.

We caught up on our respective trips, my brother in Spain and my hubby with his boys weekend and us at the borders and then everyone headed home, leaving Missy, hubby and I in what was suddenly a very quiet house. Missy quickly settled down to sleep whilst I caught up with hubby and now a bath is run and I plan on a long quiet soak! 

A good way to finish a weekend.

Although I am gonna miss that cheeky wee face! 

Caerlaverock Castle and Crawick Multiverse

Monday was my birthday and I decided that what I wanted to do was continue on our quest to get all the Historic Scotland castles ticked off our list and go for a nice day trip with Missy and just not make a bid deal of things.

I've really fancied Caerlaverock Castle since I'd first seen it in the guide book. A bizarre triangular shaped medieval castle that had undergone siege and battle, complete with towers and a real moat, it ticked all the boxes. We hadnt done this one before as, located in Dumfries with a drive time of two hours, it was definitely a day trip.

And it did not disappoint! The weather held fair and the black murky moat contrasted beautifully with the red sandstone, making this castle dominate the local scenery. I'd been told the castle fitted into the 'fairytale' description and, looking about the courtyard and the beautifully carved fireplaces, I was forced to agree.

We stopped for a homemade bento (the book and containers an early birthday gift) and looked out through the ruined curtain wall, over the boat and into the woodland beyond. The foundations of the original castle are still visible some 200m away and we enjoyed a nice stroll around there. The original castle was abandoned as it was too close to the sea and started to sink (the original owners apparently really wanted a moat!)

To justify the drive back, we visit a little gem called the Crawick Multiverse which is an outdoor art installation inspired by the galaxy and our connection to it. Whilst there, we walked past comet collisions, through the Milky-way and climbed up the Andromeda galaxy (where Missy decided to pee on it).

The area is huge and we could easily have spent far more than the two and half hours we were there. Its beautifully designed and, as it so quiet, we allowed Missy off the lead and she bumbled along beside us completely missing the point of her continued education! The weather had begun to turn though so we made our way back to the car and got in just as the heavens opened.

Missy standing atop the centre of the Earth

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a nicer day.