What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: October 2025

As I mentioned in my last post, I was out of cell and internet service for most of October because I was walking the Scottish highlands, and when I wasn't out of service, I was either looking at the weather or my next route on a trail, or I was spending time with friends. My friend has two kids and we spent hours talking about the different ways to say something in Scottish vs. American English. It was loads of fun. Mostly it was them making fun of me, but in a very loving way. For example, they thought it was hilarious that I say trash instead of rubbish, candy instead of sweets, store instead of shops, or gah-rahge instead of gare-idge (garage). 

We had a long talk about the difference between squash (concentrated fruit "juice" that you add water to before drinking), soda (and how people in the US also call it pop or coke), and fizzy drink, which is what they call soda. Also, their favorite, and something I learned from their Mom (or Mum as they say) about 20 years ago, our pants are their trousers, and their pants are our underwear. So if you tell someone you are not wearing pants, you may get a "wee giggle" from them! 

Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Scotland and England

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that? 

January: Baguettes and Many Steps

February: In Like Minnesota; Out Like Hawaii

March: Wet and Wild

April: My Life is in Ruins, and Beaches Too

May: Al Fresco 

June: Tales as Old as Time: The Christianity and Wine Versions

July: Quick and Dirty: the Baltics and the Balkans Adventure

August: The Dark Tourist

September: Recharging The Batteries

October: Blown Away

2. What did you learn last month? 

I had a marvelous time at the (free) Highland Museum in Fort William, which had a nice display about the Jacobite Rising and Bonnie Prince Charlie. It is still a bit confusing figuring out the royals (like James, who was Catholic and ended up being King of both Scotland and England, but in Scotland he was James VI and in England he was James I, because they were still ruled separately at the time). Anyway, Bonnie Prince Charlie was grandson of James VII (who was grandson to James VI, are you still following this?) who was the last Catholic ruler in Scotland, but had been banished to France when the protestants took over the throne. Bonnie Prince Charlie fought to win the throne back, but lost. Hence no Catholic leader. While hiking, I also got to go past some areas where battles were fought, which tied it all in nicely. Plus despite being a lot of sex and kilts, Outlander does talk a bit about some of this history (side note: I have not seen the show, but I did see some of the places it was filmed apparently).

Blackburn Castle (apparently in Outlander)

3. What was the weather like where you are? 

It came in like a lion and out like a bobcat. The month started off with Hurricane Amy and gale force winds and rain. I think in some of the western islands, the winds were supposed to be 60-90 mph! However, I was in the highlands for that, and I would guess they were in the 30-50 mph range where I was. I did have a few wet and windy days, but after that blew away, I had a couple of basically nice fall weeks! I was pleasantly surprised as I had steeled myself for rain every day. I would say in the 31 days, it probably rained all day maybe 5 of them, rained a bit maybe 10 of them, but the rest were pretty nice (about 2-12 degrees C most days / ~ 35 - 55 F)! I call that a win. 

4. What event last month was your favorite?

Spending time with the kids was fun. We played games, talked about fruits vs. vegetables, learned about mammals, did quizzes and just had fun hanging out. Of course it was great to see my friends too, who I haven't seen since 2009. 16 years is too long between visits!   

And also this! I got to see the "Harry Potter bridge" where they fly the car under it. 

Glenfinnan Viaduct

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month?  

Book: The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. This book is a little disturbing as it starts off with a tragedy. However, I couldn't help but relate to all of the characters, even when they were not necessarily aligned. If you read it, tell me, what do you think about Corby, the main character? Do you want him to be forgiven? 

Movie/Show: I had a lot of fun watching the show Traitors with my friends. It is kind of silly, but it is like the game Murderer that maybe you played when you were a kid. There is one or more Traitors and the other people are Faithful and they all have to try to figure out who the traitors are before they get killed. I only watched one episode, but it was entertaining. 

Podcast: Do you like true crime podcasts? You might like Paradise! It's about an English couple who turn up dead in the water off the shore of Guatemala. Who killed them? Listen to find out?

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

I don't know if this is funny, or just fun. As I was walking over a creek on a bridge, I saw a blue heron down below so I stopped to film him and all of a sudden he flew and then landed in the water and was flapping around. I thought he had gone mental until I saw he had a fish in his beak. The fish must have been about a foot long and they thrashed about a bit before he let the fish go in a small pool of water then sat pecking at it a bit. I think he was waiting for me to go to eat it, so I left. But I got it all on film! It was the coolest thing, and I was telling the kids that I feel a bit like David Attenborough! 

Sorry about the quality - screenshot from video

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

I am looking forward to a few things! Time to catch up after being out of touch all month, visits with friends, maybe a bike ride (?) if the weather holds up, and also, I will start to slowly make my way back home at the end of the month! More on that later! 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

OCTOBER:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that? 

2. What did you learn last month? 

3. What was the weather like where you are? 

4. What event last month was your favorite?

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month?  

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

NOVEMBER: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! Have you ever seen a bird catch a fish? Or any other strange David Attenborough moments?