Fun in Manchester and Glasgow

I haven't told you much about my time in Manchester and Glasgow as a lot of it was spent simply hanging out, catching up, drinking tea by the fire, going on walks, watching man TV, taking baths, eating pasta, working on the little children's book I wrote (more on that later) and hanging out with a little child. Just time with people who are so close to me but live so far away. Amazing yes, but not too much to report on there. But then again, what a good time we had just being us and being silly. Going out and having fun, staying in and having fun, from evenings jumping on the bed with my niece to late nights in the Northern Corner wearing hats and being ridiculous with new friends. Oh and there was my brother channeling Elton John, Nick eating a really big fish and two year old Sadie cooking us all dinner. I do seem to have a few photos of that: 

My Shopping Addiction May Have Ruined Thanksgiving….

Well that could be a bit of an exaggeration, as sadly I am not even in the States (and I might love Thanksgiving even more than I love Halloween. Boo.), so there is not much to ruin. But still I had a little something special planned here in Manchester: I was going to make a pumpkin pie for the first time and the boy was going to taste a pumpkin pie for the first time. And knowing that I'm sad to be missing Thanksgiving and that a lone pie doesn't necessarily cut it, he made a reservation at a special restaurant for tonight at eight.

But back to the pie. Since I just got back from my second trip to Glasgow (still no baby!) last night, there was no time to grocery shop until today. My only possession was the hardest to obtain ingredient, a can of Libby's pumpkin, which I found at a little Mexican/American specialty shop in Glasgow. An amazing find, as pumpkin pie is solely an American dessert, but little did I know it would be the easiest.

So today, which was actually quite beautiful, I headed out to get the rest of what I needed. Maybe it was the blue skies that were distracting me, but more likely it was all the little shops in Manchester's Northern Quarter. There are so many cute little places around here, and I feel like every time I leave the house I notice a new one. So I wandered in and out of some and spent too much time at a certain terrible/wonderful place where I was really just looking for a pie dish, I swear. And before I new it, it was well into the afternoon. This is why stores should be closed on Thanksgiving even outside the US, right? 

But I still thought I was fine, if I was home by 3 that would give me more than enough time to bake a pie before our dinner reservation. But then I picked up the pastry dough and to my great horror it was frozen! In no way did I factor defrosting time into the equation (maybe that is what I get for not making the dough from scratch or knowing absolutely nothing about pie making?). Shit. 

So I hurried home and now as I write, I am waiting and staring at this piece of dough on the counter hoping all that ice will melt away before it is too late. But you know, at least I am the proud owner of a hot little leather (maybe fake [probably fake {definitely fake}]) dress, a beaded top and a little polka dot Alexa Chung-esque number that will never make me as happy as the taste of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Waah.

Well I have certainly learned my lesson and hopefully it will all work out in the end. Melt little guy melt! But either way, I want to wish you all a very very Happy Thanksgiving from abroad. Hopefully you are surrounded by plenty of loved ones, plenty of food and wine, and plenty of comfy couches. Oh triptafen.