#LEN SO TEENY WEENY I LOVE HER

[jishing]

Also something interesting to me: going off the average size of a guitar case this would be their canon heights

[lraerosesims]

Non-sims content: Dolls

OK I lied when I said 'that's it from me today' in my last Xella post earlier 😂

I realised I needed to get photos of her 3rd outfit!

I apologise for the crappy quality, my phones camera has a crack across it so it tends to get blurry in some areas, and crazy lens flares in others.

But anyway, this outfit consists of a:

Ribbed turtle neck top

Knife-pleated plaid skirt

Pinafore style apron

Some cute little teeny weeny tiny hair clips

I'm currently lacking in any form of fasteners except for a few of these white buttons so she's very much pinned into her clothing for the time being.

I also love how easy her hair...I mean tentacles! (sorry Xella) are to style in different ways.

Alrighty I'm officially done fawning over this galactic gal for today 😂👽

[simmeons]

okay this is kinda a sad announcement but i feel like i need to make it and it's going here bc it's where this sorta all started

last year one of my friends Mega (hi Mega) SOMEHOW got me into a little teeny weeny star trek ship. Khotty. it was AOS Scotty x Khan, and Mega mostly wrote whump with them, and i SOMEHOW got pulled into it. all her AUs were awesome- and i felt inspired to make one. so the vamp/priest au was born

i won't go into intense detail about it, but it was pretty much what it sounds like. Scotty was a priest, Khan was his hidden vampire lover, and McCoy was the other priest who would be their downfall. i loved the story so much! i was so happy i made an AU that i was proud of!

but after a while during the development, the characters didn't seem like the actual the characters anymore. i felt like they were becoming "occ", i think is the term. i liked the new ideas for the characters, but i felt like i wasn't being true to the real material- so in secret i started to develop them away from the star trek characters

the new Khan (Nkah) became different, not just some cold meticulous ruler- he was a nerdy vampire who likes reading dictionaries, playing in a band, and loved to garden. Scotty (Monty- yeah i never changed his name which i feel i need to) wasn't just some engineer turned priest anymore. he loved Twilight like a fucking dork, he became a transman who yearned to not be human because he hated how he was treated

so all in all, the au stopped coming out so much is because i was guilting myself. i was tied between just keeping the au and discarding all the new development i liked- or make them ocs. eventually i decided to just make them ocs in secret, and never tell anyone why i stopped developing the au. but now y'all know. the au became it's own little story with the same plot i shared before (Len turning evil and blah blah blah, Khan/Nkah being abandoned by Monty, etc etc) but with different-ish characters

so i apologize to those who liked the au, but it's these guys now and i hope y'all can still love them like i do, and if you're mad then that's okay and i don't blame you

[ssruis]

cpdb rui + nene cards and emu5 tsukasa + emu cards for the alien alien/niccori survey team/opera space opera “alien race w the goal to spread love and cheer because positive emotions are their society’s fuel (like monsters inc. laughter as a fuel) invasion for Benevolent Reasons” ruikasa/emunene au where emu+tsukasa crash land on earth and are found by rui+nene who have to hide them from authorities/fix their ship… maybe len as the alien ship AI rin as the AI rui made/found/whatever… do u see my vision… the dish I’m cooking up…

Assorted vague ideas that may or may not end up making the cut:

> CPDB cyberpunk dystopia being a result of emu’s grandpa giving earth (his favorite little planet) some technology because he was like surely the humans will use this to usher in a new era of peace and love 😊 (he was wrong)

> emu’s grandpa gave them souped up hyper competent chat gpt/ai to solve their more boring meaningless issues so they could focus on creating art and then capitalism ruined it 😔

> no I don’t have an agenda against ai generation what would make you think that (graphic design major being told to use generative AI because “that’s the future” when it Looks Like Shit)

> emu crash lands them on earth when they’re meant to be going elsewhere because she wanted to take “a quick teeny weeny detour” to look at her grandpa’s favorite planet (she knew something was wrong w it. Energy outputs were bad? Maybe the alien society wrote off earth as a lost cause) and tsukasa’s like no absolutely not (they wrestle with the controls -> crash land -> emu’s like oopsie daisy 😊 while tsukasa has a hysterical fit)

> if I want to be really evil emu’s grandpa could have died on earth and she wanted to see if he was alive? But I don’t want to hurt emu like that… I’d rather just go the path of her Really Really wanting to save earth. Au version of Wonderstage.

> or maybe tsukasa and emu are just sent to see why it’s failing. But I think the crash landing thing is really funny.

> ohh maybe instead of emotions it’s music based (harnessing the true emotions behind music) and the reason earth has begun to fail is the increasing drive to create empty pop songs that go viral. That would be a better explanation than the general positive emotion harvesting if you’re assuming everyone in the CPDB dystopia is “happy” (complacent with the status quo of capitalism driven entertainment)

> “it’s a tragedy to view it from this small fry of a planet, but it’s a comedy if you view it from space” “I fell in love with you from far far away” “when this song reached over there and resonated, it was you who gave it meaning! Sure enough this universe is wonderhoy!”

> “I don’t read the lyrics anyway, so give me something catchy” “is it about the numbers than the artistry/awful price to pay for vitality/then what do we do? Was that how it’s supposed to go?/the mind going in circles and slowly dying away” “don’t disguise yourself, fantasies and ideals are fine”

> “The trembling streetlights, the pelting rain/My wavering feelings, an emotional telepath/The lost two make contact/And my heart learned of love “A fluorescent light repeatedly switching off and on/The paranormal confusion quietly ate into you/The parallel signals intersected due to singular point/Created-reality-blind acceptance-itus, sensitivity instinct”

> “we will set out to study the world’s smiles” “Between us, we have something that will turn the impossible into a possibility”

> ^ I can probably do something with those lyrics. General vibes to work with. Etc.

> (rui kamishiro voice) sometimes the cure for complete apathy/hopelessness and disillusionment with the current state of the world can be two goofy aliens (nene kusanagi voice) what the fuck are you talking about

> obligatory rui making joke threats about dissecting emukasa (as he did w wxs sekai plushies/aliens in 2024 April fools) & tsukasa going “y. You’re not serious right” “hehe” “RIGHT??”

> tsukasa initially is very “we need to fix this ship and Leave we have a job to be doing” (realizes the state of the earth) “nnnrgg FINE we have to fix this”

> (sees one bug) “nvm emu can we explode this planet into a million pieces and leave- emu. Emu why are you letting it crawl on you dONT GET NEAR ME WITH THAT” (emu chasing him around w a centipede in her hands)

> emu is immediately infatuated with nene “your voice is the prettiest thing I’ve heard in the whole universe” -> “you make me happy just by existing and I want to make you smile every day”… nene goes from “I want nothing to do with this” to “ok I’m involved now. Not just because emu asked. Rui stop laughing at me. (Would be crying and throwing up on the inside if emu was even a little upset)”

> as with all my aus the ruikasa dynamic is “oh he’s pretty and very talented” vs “what an interesting guy (I want to put him in a maze and watch him solve it for rewards)” -> “this guy is fucking insane and is going to kill me one day (said with begrudging fondness and irritation at his own shit taste)” vs “what an interesting guy (I want to put him in a maze and watch him solve it for rewards) (also I am madly in love with him)”

> they destroy the ai thing or something yay happy ending. Idk. I’m not a polisci major you can’t expect me to have a good neat solution for a huge societal issue.

> ending is hard because I don’t want to separate them but emu + tsukasa have way too much left on the home planet to ever consider leaving it permanently… hmm ending where emu + tsukasa are like we gotta go back for a bit but we’ll return to check on the progress -> more permanent way for visits to happen is set up with the eventual intention for rui and emu to join tsukasa and emu on their adventures?

> saki as a researcher on the alien planet w the rest of L/N… tsukasa prioritizing getting communication set back up first and foremost and rui’s like “is he gonna contact his home planet and ask to be rescued even after he promised to help” & then tsukasa calls home just to tell saki (+ she updates toya) he’s ok (she was understandably distraught thinking her brother fucking crash landed somewhere and died) tsukasa tenma voice I’ve upset my sister. I’m going to go run directly into traffic.

> rui and nene live together (making money thru mechanics and programming). Nene has a shit load of arcade games that she and rui fixed up. Neither of them like how society is but they’re both kind of like “wtf can we even do” although rui does his guerrilla shows on the side (how he finds emu+tsukasa maybe?). Rui dragging himself home at 4 am wounded from nearly getting caught by security and nene’s like are u fucking kidding me.

> actually I think nene playing video games and making money by being a top player is a funnier idea than her helping rui with mechanics. She has some tech knowledge by virtue of living with him but she’s also rank #1 in several competitive games. Nene is the real bread winner in this household.

> I think nene should play video games with emu… emunene arcade date while ruikasa are in the workshop downstairs fixing up the ship (tsukasa is kinda useless he’s just micromanaging/doesn’t want to third wheel emunene because nene kept giving him death glares last time)

Nene: (long winded gaming explanation) so that’s why you want to keep the higher ground during the game

Emu: woaw! you’re so smart nenechan!!

(Loud explosion heard from downstairs) (tsukasa screaming) (rui laughing)

Nene: um. Is tsukasa ok.

Emu: yep he just does that sometimes 💕!! Ooo what’s this game called??

Nene: (whatever it’s not my problem and I’m having fun with emu) this one is called DDR do you want to play 🥰

[tellytantra]

"There is a charm to letters and cards that emails and smses can't ever replicate, you cannot inhale them, drawing the fragrance of the place they have been mailed from, the feel of paper in your hand bearing the weight of the words contained within. You cannot rub your fingers over the paper and visualise the sender, seated at a table, writing, perhaps with a smile on their lips or a frown splitting the brow. You can't see the pressure of the pen on the reverse of the page and imagine the mood the person might have been in when he or she was writing it" ― Kiran Manral, The Face at the Window Dear Angry Chorni I know at this very moment you are frowning because of the way I have addressed you but I can't help it because for me you will always be my angry, violent chorni who stole my heart. That day you asked me why I loved you and I told you that I am lucky to have you in my life. Today, give me the chance of telling you why I thank God every day for making you. I still remember the day you waltzed into my life. It had been 21 days since, I had left home but for me that was the norm. You see I was like the free bird who couldn't be tamed by his own mother. So, I used to go on these solitary excursions and surprisingly, rather than being at home, I felt more at peace when I observed other people or when I somehow could help people solve their problems. I was clicking pictures when my camera lens managed to capture your eyes and you instantly hid your face by bending down. You tried your best that day to hide your face, but your eyes not only had left an imprint on my camera, but their allure had captivated my soul as well. There was just something about them it felt like those brown orbs were full of mysteries and I couldn't help but feel like unraveling them. You compelled me to ask "Tasveer main kis ka chera hain" and I just had a feeling that this was going to be the start of something new "Ya koi kahani shuru hui hain jis main naam humraha hain" . When I turned my attention elsewhere you slowly walked towards the front and sat with your back towards and then music started playing and ah well you know me I couldn't help but dance to the beats and at this one particular moment I was almost about to fall but you held my hand making sure that I don't fall. I should have known there and then that you will always be there catching me, holding me together when I fall apart. I did thank you that day but instead of saying you are welcome like normal people do you told me "Haath samblnay kay liay diya tha thamnay kay liay nahi aur waisay bhi jab apnay hi chod kar chalay jayay toh haath thaamnay ki adaadt nahi rehti" I won't shy away from expressing that what you said hit really hard. I couldn't help but reminisce how baba had let go of my hand in childhood and how he had abandoned me and I knew for sure that even you had experienced a similar kind of pain. The very same day I heard you telling Ketki that she was blessed to have such a loving family and that she had no idea what it felt to be left behind by the ones you loved. "Tumhay koi idea nahi hain kaisa lag ta hain apnay papa kay liay wait karna jo shahid kabhi nahi ahayay gay" Ketu might never know but I do. I know how it feels to wait day in day out hoping against hope that the one person you have looked up to for the most part of your childhood would walk through that gate and would embrace you in a hug. I had waited on the foyer as well and I knew how much it hurt. Ironically, the second time I met you was due to pain as well. The atmosphere at my place due to Ketki's Godhana had been stifling so I stepped out trying to divert my attention from yet another day where my Maa had managed to manipulate things in her favor. While reciting my shayri I was flicking through my camera gallery when again your picture piqued my interest"Kia koi aur hain duyna main jo meri tarah deewana hain" and right on cue your voice echoed amongst the ruins and than you and I started our hide and seek game. You managed to locate me behind that pillar and than like the stubborn angry chorni you are you decided to leave warning me that I would be sorry if I tried to follow you but do you remember what I told you that day "Shaid upar walay nay mujhay aap ki madad karany kay liya bheja hain ya phir aap ko meri in short Upar wala hum dono ki help kar raha hain" you scoffed at the idea that day and in your haste you managed to drop your earring and as I clutched that earring in between my palm I just knew that somehow those words would come true. You had indeed helped me that day because witnessing your pain, playing that game with you had managed to make me forget my own pain and I have never thanked you for that. It was at night time near that mandir when I first got too see my violent angry chorni in all her glory and I couldn't help but admire your fierceness. I wanted to stop you but and even smeared your face with color but than you looked at me and this one lone tear fell from your eyes and you said "Galat toh woh tha jo ho raha tha main toh bas ussay sahi karnay ki koshish kar rahi hu" and I just knew that you were telling the truth. The very next day we met for the first time where you challenged me that "Aaj main tumhay apnay rang main rang dun gi" and you managed to fulfill your end of the bargain. You are right when you say that one should never underestimate Misthi Aggarwal. I could go on and on about how we kept meeting again and again and how slowly and gradually you managed to creep through the deep crevices of my heart but there are a few things that I can't help but mention it is your ability to see beyond my mask of indifference. That night at the mandir when I was trying to tell you that you need to let go of the past you stumped me when you said "Tum bhi apnay Baba ko yaad kar kay itna sad mat hua karo" and you managed to silence the boy who loved talking. There was a chink in my armor and you had managed to seep through the crack I however, wasn't prepared to let anyone in so I immediately diverted the topic. When Ketki's wedding was called off I set up camp near the lakeside that I often used to visit with my father. Misthi that day I really missed him and I just wanted him to come back so when you kept a comforting hand on my shoulder I couldn't help but embrace you in a hug. I was so overwhelmed with emotions that it took me a moment to register that at such an odd hour of the night you had sneaked out just to check up on me. No one in my family had stopped me when I was leaving, they hadn't even bothered to ask me if I was okay but you did and honestly it meant a lot. No one had shown me that amount of care. With your arrival my mood lightened up and I started cracking jokes but one thing I said still holds true "Tum awesome ho" you have no idea about the affect you have on people. You don't even know that how that concern of yours made me feel on cloud nine and the way you deliberately lost the race just warmed my heart. You called it your friendship ka discount but what it meant to me is indescribable. I have got to admit though I am a teeny weeny bit scared of your anger that you showed in full force when I got arrested. The whole car ride I dared not say a word because it felt like you would just skin me alive not only did you drive my car but you also had the audacity to lock me in it. I asked you the reason and you pointed towards by bruised knuckles and once again Angry chorni you surprised me. You told me how my uncontrollable anger invariably end up hurting my friends who care about me and then I asked you that why were you so concerned about my friends and you replied with all the haq " Kyun kay main bhi tumhari dost hu" and just like that you managed to left me speechless. That day you showed me that my well-being mattered to someone that day I knew that in you I had found a true friend or maybe just maybe something more than a friend. Than you started working with me and completely took over the exhibition preps. The way you carefully handled my paintings and my photographs and the way you managed to display them making sure that their beauty wasn't diminished just made me admire you little more as none of my family members had ever offered their assistance. They hadn't looked at my art with the same glee and excitement. The way you showcased it made my art look even more beautiful. On one end I was helping Kunal in wooing you and on the other end I was falling for you. No wonder when Parul Maasi asked me to paint from my heart I filled the canvas with your picture. A chorni who without even me knowing it had stolen my heart but at that time I felt my feelings were forbidden as you were promised to someone else. My dreams and hopes were futile but when the fire broke out that day and the foolish you decided to stay back to save my painting, I realized that I was in the deep end. My feelings for you were too strong because a mere girl without fearing for her own safety had walked into a room full of fire trying to save something that was precious to me. No one had given me that much importance and here you put your life on the line for me. I tried to stay away from you but somehow you knew that something was bothering me and on the day of the godhana I came to meet you one last time and you gave me your diary. You asked me to jot down what I was feeling and as fate would have it I accidentally picked up your personal diary. While I was leaving the city I flicked through the pages of your diary and I realized that all the things you admired about Kunal were actually done by me so it wasn't Kunal for whom you had feelings for it was for me. I felt elated I finally felt I had a chance and so I raced back to try to tell Kunal the truth so that he would call off the engagement, but you beat me to it. You broke the ristha your own self by citing some very valid reasons and I understood that you and Kunal were just not meant to be. A part of me was afraid that after knowing that I had done all those things for you instead of Kunal would make you give up on our friendship. A friendship that was slowly becoming the best thing that had happened to me in a while. I couldn't afford to lose you. I was so desperate to talk to you that I even got a phone just because you had asked me on numerous occasions to get one. The champagnr trip couldn't have come at a better time as I got the perfect opportunity to say sorry to you. Remember our bus ride the whole journey was a laughter riot and with a jolt I realized that travelling solo now will never have the same charm as travelling with you by my side. I had almost given up on you accepting my apology after I missed the bus a part of thought that you had left but imagine my surprise when I saw you walking up to me struggling to drag that scooter. To say I was happy to see you would be an understatement I was elated beyond measure. Someone had finally stayed back for the boy who had been left behind. Our scooter ride is one of the most beautiful memories of my life, I am glad that my jokes managed to make you laugh and that day I wished greedily that the journey would never end. When we reached the school site you again astounded me with the way you handled everything not for a minute did you flinch while looking at the dismal state of the school. No, no my angry chorni is a women of action who encouraged my team and I to pull up our socks and to get to work. Oh btw when I fake proposed to you that day each and every word of that proposal was true.3     "Qismaton ki mujh par yay pehli mehrbaani hain Aik shezadi jis ka chasma hi uss ki nishani hain" I just can't thank fate enough for playing its cards and for introducing me to you because Angry Chorni you have completely transformed my life. When Kuku got kidnapped I asked you to not to follow me and to out yourself in danger but I should have known better. Of course my angry chorni had to be all daring and bold as she arrived unarmed, all alone to the lion's den in order to save all of us. When I saw you in the hands of those captors I was willing to give up Baba's land and his dream because your life mattered more to me than anything else and somehow you understood my intentions without me voicing it and you kept on asking me to stop. Angry chorni if that day that guy had asked me for my life, I would have gladly given that up for you as well because for me nothing else mattered. He had you and he was about to hurt you there was no choice to make. It was you and it will always be you. In the next moment when the gun shot 's noise echoed in the air and you fell to the ground a part of my heart stop functioning. I couldn't fathom what I would have done had something happened to you that day. I know that you are the bravest girl I have ever met but please be careful and be mindful of your safety because after all it's not only you that you need to take care of but its also my heart that is yours for eternity. You broke your promise that day and put yourself in a situation that could have had dire consequences so generally I was angry at you because I just couldn't come to terms with the fact that how could you think that your life is so indispensable how could not see that your safety was the only thing that mattered to me. I however, could not stay mad at you for long as you used my very own shayri against me and managed to mend our friendship. Afterwards both of us desperately tried to bring KUKU closer and somehow in the process even you and I got closer. Misthi I don't think I have thanked you enough for saving my life that night when a cyclone wreaked havoc in our city. Once again without caring for your own life you ventured out alone to see if I was okay. I can't even tell you the relief that coursed through my entire being when I saw you through the car window. A part of me had accepted the fact that I am going to die as I thought that no one would come for me but yet you did. Just earlier that day I had express my conviction that whenever I needed help my painting wali would never shy away from helping me and you didn't. I don't know what super-human strength had possessed you that day as you broke the window and managed to get me on the cart right in the nick of time before my car exploded. Everything after that is a blur but I remember waking up to you sleeping on my bedside and at that moment I realized what true serenity actually is. You held on to my hand so firmly that even when I tried to remove it from your grasp I was unable to do so. Than you woke up and I pretended to be asleep and in my sleep induced haze I asked you to stay with me forever. You began chiding me for stepping out in such dangerous weather and expressed your fear on what you would have done had something happened to me and at that very moment I dropped all pretense and asked you the real reason you came to help me out. You diverted the answer and got an opportunity to slip away when my family came. That day I became sure of one thing that the feelings we had for each other were mutual and so I began my quest of making you realize the true depth of your feelings and for also showing you my love through actions rather then just my words. When Bade Papa told me that you had left for the airport I felt like my whole world had been blown to smithereens. Nanu may god bless him reminded me of how I still had time and how you hadn't left. So, angry chorni I raced to the airport clad on a white horse such a stark contrast to the boy who once said that "Kitna impractical hain kay koi prince charming safed godhey par ahayay" to which you had replied "Mainay kabi aisay sapnay nahi dekhay kyun kay meri life koi fairytale nahi hain" that day both of us were proven wrong as we lived our very own fairytale. I took you to mandir because I wanted to confess my feelings for you at one of the most purest places ever , a place where God resides as I wanted Him to witness our love. As I have already said that you managed to live up to your end of the bargain and I will repeat it here "Tumnay mujay apnay rang main rang hi diya , Angry chorni I love you" apart from all the reasons I have stated I can give you a million different reasons but every day since our confession you leave me spell bound with the amount of love you shower on me. Recently, when Kunal insulted you publicly once again I apologize for his idiocy not once did you get angry at me although you had every right. Instead you asked me something that I had never expected it was something that no one had ever asked me. I know for a minute you hesitated because you know how sensitive the topic was for me but that hesitation didn't stop you asking if you could assist me in trying to find my father. No words can encapsulate what I felt when you asked me casually if you could help like it was the most normal thing ever. I couldn't help but fall in love with you all over again. I was so overwhelmed with your gesture that I just hugged you because as I already said words could never convey how grateful I felt for having you in my life. I know that now with your support I will find answers to all my questions. So before, I sign this off I want to say thank you. Thank you for loving me back. Thank you for teaching me that sometimes in the process of saving other people we forget that we need saving too. So, thank you for saving me both literally and figuratively. Thank you for making this banjara realize that while a house can be made out of brick and mortar a true home/ghar can only me made when all inhabitants of it experience the same amount of happiness and pain. That home need not be a place sometimes home is a person. Thank you for being my person. A person that I am not ashamed to show my real self beneath my mask. Thank you for being my biggest support system and helping me with things that I never asked your help for. Thank you for making me realize that I am enough to make someone stay for me to make someone root for me. Thank you for making me realize that I am worthy of you sneaking out and jumping of walls just to meet me. Thank you for making us a part of a modern day Cinderella story. I don't know what the future has in store for us but I want you to know that I am deeply and irrevocably in love with you. I don't need a reason to love you for me its as easy as breathing for me its something worth living for. Forever under your spell Your Ajeeb Rajvansh Suno remember how I once told you chori karna buri baat hain well when you robbed me of my heart I realized that "Kabi kabi dil ki duyna main chori karna achi baat hain" Fangirl1012z

http://jodifiction.blogspot.com/2020/03/mishbir-os-dear-angry-chorni-yrhpk-yeh.html

[afarawayhome]

My mother and I used to go on long walks in the English countryside. We would fill our backpacks with pyjamas and shampoo and stroll around, feeling desperately at one with nature. We haven’t been recently, since my mum has concerns about her knees and general stamina, but on our recent trip to Scotland I had one major focus: we were going to walk up a hill.

We thought that maybe we would ask the hotel for suggestions but, then, I chanced upon an ordinance survey map. I’d been looking for one for our specific area of Scotland, and I’d found it. OS map in hand, we planned our own route. Mother thought we were being ambitious, but I knew it would all be ok.

Kit

Each of us wore:

long puffa coat

woolly hat/gloves/scarf

leggings/top/jumper

woolly socks

proper walking shoes

We took with us:

OS map

water

grapes

bread/ham/cheese (for sandwiches at lunch!)

first aid kit

emergency blankets (those silver ones trauma survivors get)

camera (including my new wide angle lens, for awesome landscape photography)

phones

And now, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present…

Our one-day circular walk in the Ochill Hills

We started at Broomhill Castle and went up the west-side of the Menstrie Glen. We followed the footpath to the Lossburn Reservoir, and beyond to the main road. We then headed back south down the main road, before heading back east at the ‘sheep pens’. After the ford, we went up both hills – to the memorial and then to Castle Law – before going back down to Blairlogie, and along the footpath behind the houses to Menstrie. It took about 6 hours, including around 1 hour of breaks and a teeny weeny bit of getting lost!

We headed out at dawn! Ok, more like 9.45am but still… the fog looked quite heavy up on the hills, but we were sure it was just morning weather.

The first climb was a little steep, but looking back over that first hill was very exciting and satisfying. After that it was much easier, along a nice gravel track.

The fog was still quite heavy, which is why we didn’t notice a herd of highland cattle. They were so still and silent we thought for a moment that they were statutes – some sort of weird art installation in the middle of the Highlands. We were a little scared of them, so we didn’t take any photos until we were well clear. I really like the shot I got though.

After that, more walking, more fog. It was really very beautiful, I promise! Even if the photos make it seem a little bland. After the Lossburn Reservoir we got to the main road and were very concerned about whether we would notice the turn back onto the footpath…

Fortunately, there was something of a carpark! It seems as though the two hills we’d chosen to walk up were a bit of an attraction. It was certainly very lovely to finally rise out of the fog – as we got higher and higher the air got clearer and the colours got brighter and brighter.

At one point we thought we were choosing between the two peaks, and decided to avoid the ramblers and go up the easier hill. Fortunately, we’d made a mistake and actually decided to go up the taller hill and, I mean, well…

…look at this view! It was really incredible and worth all of the sweat and effort. It was only 1pm or so at this point so we sat down to eat our sandwiches. We found a little nook on the side of the hill that was protected from the wind. It meant we were looking down the valley and, as the clouds shifted, we should see sheep on the slopes below.

After lunch we got a little chilly from all of that sitting down, so we decided to take on the second hill. It was very easy (because we were such champion walkers by now) although the path wasn’t so clear. We ended up cutting through a bog, and my feet got a little wet.

In fact, this was the start of quite a lot of getting lost. On reflection we were very tired and weren’t trying so hard on following the map. We wandered around for a little while, and eventually made it back to the main road. After that, we chose to follow the road rather than go back up into the hills to get back to Menstrie. What can I say, we were tired! If you want to take the scenic (i.e. hilly) route back, just follow the signs to the ‘high road to Menstrie’.

Once we got back to the hotel, we took a well deserved bath (each, not together!) and ate an exceptionally large amount of food. In short, a perfect day.

My mother and I used to go on long walks in the English countryside. My mother and I used to go on long walks in the English countryside. We would fill our backpacks with pyjamas and shampoo and stroll around, feeling desperately at one with nature.