Update

May was a busy month (though obviously not on my blog) and seems to have just flown by. I have a list of posts I need to write, pictures to upload, and my mind is swirling with all sorts of stories to amuse you with. But, seeing as our flat needs a really good clean, there is no food in the fridge or freezer, and it is a beautiful day outside, I am not overly optimistic that I am going to make much headway on that front. So, in the meantime, here's a quick overview of what's been going on in our lives:

• We had our first, second, and third visitors!

• We had house guests for 28 of the past 35 days.

• We've visited some really great places--North Berwick being our favorite.

• Joe is going to be in Paris for one month this summer; I'll be with him for 2 weeks.

• I'm still riding my bike a lot, and loving it. I even had my first accident (and, yes, I'm fine).

• We learned to play Euchre with my parents and enjoyed nightly games while they were here.
  

• Joe has his board review this month--that means he'll be presenting his dissertation proposal to a panel of three and (hopefully) gaining approval to continue in the program.

• He's had several papers accepted at conferences for this summer and fall--so Copenhagen and Oxford are now on our list of places we'll be visiting soon.

• I had my 6 month review at work and am happy to say I passed my probationary period.

• We hiked the Pentland Hills, hiked Arthur's Seat twice, walked the city of Edinburgh several times over, and rode bikes to a nearby island.

• We've managed to watch season 4 of The West Wing.

• We got a second bike (this one for Joe) for free!!

• We are enjoying our second wedding anniversary this week--planning a trip to the Scottish West Coast for next weekend to celebrate.

• We've had our first, second, and third cook-outs.

• We played wiffle ball on the grounds of a beautiful art museum.

• We enjoyed an evening with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

• The UK had their national elections, which I found absolutely fascinating.

• We attended a (really fun) birthday party at a 14th century Scottish pub.

• We enjoyed the sunset atop Arthur's Seat.

• I somehow managed to read a 600 page book for book club in May (though I have no idea what book is for June or when we are even meeting).
  

• I attended a conference, for work, that featured a guided whiskey tasting as the evening's entertainment.

• We had our very first grocery delivery (pure bliss).

.....So, it's been a busy month. Hopefully that explains the blog absence, the bare cupboards, and the 14 loads of laundry covering my hallway!

As busy as it was, May was a really great month--I think I hit the highlights, though there were many, many more things that we did and enjoyed. What made May so special though was that we got to do and enjoy many of those things with family who were visiting. Thanks mom, dad, and Alex for making the trip all the way out here.

Please keep checking back. I am working on getting updated (if just for the sake of posterity) with expanded posts on all of the above events--and whatever else comes our way--in the next few days (well, maybe weeks).