Lainey says Relax!

I'm off to Edinburgh tomorrow for a week for Fringe festival fun.
(Aside: I may be getting a little sick of festivals--why are humans not able to have fun all the time?? Why do we need to feel like we've earned it?)

The Big Sister and fiancee (Edin-burger) have finally bought a flat there so with a place to stay and ridiculously cheap flights from Shannon the time is finally nigh to bear witness to The Festival. We've booked tickets for a pile of new comedians, a French-Canadian circus act, a play set in a Tel Aviv cafe moments before a suicide bomb goes off and a Spanish film about Kleinfelter Syndrome.
Ya.
Bring on the mood swings.

Helping me get in the mood for all things Scottish are the Big Sis's fiancee's family (Rosses) who flew in last night. His parents and two grannies come to Galway quite regularly now, although probably not quite so often as my folks visit Scotland. (Lucky for my Dad that my sister moved to the region with the highest concentration of great golf courses in the UK; he still hasn't stopped smiling since he witnessed Padraig Harrington lift the Claret Jug in July.)

Granny Richie (Cathleen) and Granny Ross (Alice) are great craic. They get on far better than in-laws rightly should and spend so much time together they actually finish each other's sentences. Well, in general, Alice tells the stories and Cathleen interjects with juicy details and raucous cackles of laughter. They actually say stuff like "Ooh dearie me".
I think I prefer them to my own family.

We spent the day visiting the church and hotel for the wedding (which isn't happening till July 09....yes 09!) debating the merits of the yellow walls of the church and whether they'd be able to pull off a Scottish ceili on Glenlo Abbey's small dance floor. It's our first family wedding and their last one so the pressure's mounting. (So glad I'm a middle child.)

Fortunately the Rosses are pretty easy-going and relaxed about preparations. a good counter-point to our control freak mother who will be worrying about the shade of lipstick on the bridesmaids as my sister says her vows.
Dammit I'm a bridesmaid.

I'm Chief Bridesmaid!

It's two year's away and I can already sense the tears, arguments and accusations.

Note to self--July 09--buy Valium, in bulk.