The Aberdeen Wife: This Weekend

This weekend was both relaxed and jam packed at the same time. The weekend started with an Italian Themed movie night, complete with homemade spaghetti, Tuscan wine, and the featured film: Under The Tuscan Sun.

Raise your hand if you're officially pumped about our upcoming Italy trip. You can't see me but my hand is raised and waving like a 2nd grade teacher's pet.

We had a few days in a row of clear skies and sunshine which made the chilly temperatures actually enjoyable. Taking advantage of the blue sky, we were pretty active all weekend long. We got the pups out several times, so many times in fact that Bailey herself has been unusually mellow and sleepy-eyed all day.

The only problem with tiring Bailey out is that it usually comes at the cost of tiring myself out. Which meant I got two, count ‘em, TWO afternoon naps this weekend. That’s more naps than I have taken in the past 6 months combined. I’m thinking of making it a 3 pm tradition.

Not only did we walk the dogs, but we got some walking in just the two of us. Our house is super close to Jon’s office, but a bit further from the city center. If the weather permits, we still try to walk to dinner/drinks and then hail a cab home.

Saturday night we had plans with the AWA to check out Tropiero, A Brazilian restaurant downtown. We decided to walk and I’m so glad we did. Not only did it give me a perfect excuse to wear my new Burberry trench, but it also helped us to feel less guilty about the all-you-can-eat Meat Fest that we were about to take part in.

For those of you who haven’t been to a Brazilian steakhouse, it basically consists of servers coming around with spits of meat and you pick and choose what you want. Before dinner, some of the more experienced guys were explaining the strategy behind getting your money’s worth.

1: Skip the salad bar. You’re here for the meat.

2: Don’t jump at the first meats they bring out. The best cuts are usually brought out about 5th or 6^th in the lineup. If you wait too late to gorge, say until the 8^th meat, you’ll be stuck with chicken hearts. Yep, chicken hearts. Trust me, fill up on the rump steak.

After dinner, we went out as group to grab a drink at a nearby night club. Even Jonathan forwent his usual beer order and went for a fancy whisky cocktail while I opted for my favorite, a French 75. Once we finished our drink, we walked the 2 miles back home, capping the night off with a well-deserved pop tart.

Not only did we walk 4 miles round trip on Saturday, but earlier in the day we had taken Bailey for a run and walked Samson. Since Bailey did amazing on her Saturday morning run, we decided to further reward her by taking her for an off leash romp through the Fall foliage at Crathes Castle estate.

We had been there twice with Sam, but Bailey had never seen the grounds. Big mistake. As soon as we got there, she was back to her old antics of manically following every scent she could, ignoring the pleas of her parents to please stay on the trail and please come back when we call the first time and please don’t jump on or bark at every other dog walker you spot.

"Wait... you didn't want me to run through that giant mud puddle?

Within the first two miles we knew that this just wasn’t going to be Bailey’s shining moment of obedience and decided to cut our walk short. I was so disappointed. I mean, wasn’t I just bragging about how good she has been behaving and how it was the high of my week? What changed? What was I doing wrong?

I think I just need reminding every once in a while that Bailey is who she is. She’s hyper and curious and intelligent and jubilant. She’s was bred to be a champion hunter and yet she’s been molded into a pretty darn good house pet. She’s never ever going to be one of those exquisitely calm dogs that I see trotting in perfect step with their elderly owners. The most I can expect is for her to be a great version of what she is: a wild, but eager to please, rascal. I only ask that she comes back when she’s called. That she stays in my sights. That she not jump off bridges or leap over stone fences onto fancy golf courses. Am I asking too much?

Jillian and Ryan wanted to get the pups together on Sunday afternoon, but after her Crathes performance, I was hesitant to try again, especially on new turf. But not wanting to miss out on quality time with the Mahan's, I decided to give my baby girl another shot.

We headed to Kirkhill Forest, a hidden gem just north of the Aberdeen Airport. The fall colors continued to show off, as did the brilliant Scottish Sky, and a certain orange and white spaniel.

Gone was the feral dog from the day before and she had been replaced with my energetic, yet properly controlled Bailey-girl. It was great to end the weekend on a good note, with restored confidence in my dog whisperin’ skills.

Plus, the views from the top of Tyrebagger hill were simply stunning. Beautiful. Heavenly. Magical. Gorgeous. And several other redundant adjectives I use to describe this spectacular country.

As the temperatures get colder and we experience more and more morning frost, we know that the vivid Fall colors won't be around much longer. I'm trying to soak in as much of it as I can, and Kirkhill forest was a great place to do just that: