Hassells in the Highlands

Bits and bobs.  What a fun expression. I have heard it several times here and have decided I am going to add it to my own list of expressions. It means 'this and that.'   'Odds and ends.' That's what this post is about. Bits and bobs. * THE GROCERY STORE You may recall from a very early post that they have shopping carts here with four wheel drive. They are so much fun to shop with!  They glide along so easily - until you try to turn. Then you really have to manhandle them. Here, shopping carts are called 'trolleys.'  Of course, in the US, a 'trolley' is an open-air, often electric, bus-like form of transportation. It sounds funny to hear moms ask their young child to sit in the trolley. The grocery stores are kid-friendly. At least Tesco is. At the front of my local Tesco, there is a stand with at least 3 kinds of fruit in it. It is meant for children. Isn't that a great idea?  When my children were young, we loved going into S...

        It is 10:15 am and I am sitting in the Birmingham airport waiting for my flight that leaves at 2:15 pm. I have a cold, frothy coffee drink from Costa, an e-book, the internet, and this blog post to keep me amused.    Katrina, Leah and Carol are on their way back to Scotland, and we should all be arriving at our destinations tonight about the same time.       This has been a fun week. But a week ago, and even 5 days ago, there was no way to know how it would go. Four women, all used to running their own households, together in a car for hours and hours and hours day after day after day and even sharing rooms.  Would we all get along? Would it be fun? And most importantly, would my roommate snore long and loud throughout the night, keeping me awake so that I was tired and dragging and cranky? (my own personal concern)    These were things that remained to be seen.   I...