an announcement...

to my dear and lovely readers.

i don't know how many of you have followed the 'once upon a time's' that have graced these pages over the past few months (if you haven't you should. just saying), but i consider myself to be the luckiest girl in the world. i also consider potatoes to be one of the greatest foods of all time, but that's another story (or post, if you're really lucky). in the space of a year i have travelled the world a few times, met so many lovely new people and been challenged my my obvious lack of any kind of Scottish accent. seriously. it's awful. BUT! best and most wonderfully of all, i fell in love with the man i will spend the rest of my life with...and am still overwhelmed with the goodness of it all.

before you die from mushiness (tis a rather dangerous disease, beware), there is something you should know. he lives in scotland. one of the most beautiful places on earth, and if you believe braveheart*, one where perhaps they should wash more often. i jest. obviously we're in more modern times now, and washing is more frequent. it's a land i have always loved, which is quite lucky. i like black pudding and haggis as much as the next girl!**. and how does a marriage work long distance?! and oh yes! the pin begins to drop, or fall, or whatever say you! YOU live here...HE lives there!!! whatever is going to happen???

well. i'm moving to scotland!



it's thrilling and exciting and terrifying and wonderful and very far away and not very far away at all and might mean i have to eat haggis (NEVER!) and means i will be cold forever but also means i will be with my husband (not yet, once we're there...obviously) which will be better than the grandest heart bursting thing in all of the world.

it also means i'm doing this a lot at home. nrroooooommmmm!!!

I'M kidding. i don't have long socks. and so i hear all three of my readers gasping, 'but what will happen to this blog, and your business!?', and to that I will say this. this lovely little blog of mine shall continue (woo!), and over the next however long i'll still be rambling on about whatsoever i feel like rambling on about (most likely weddings...8 weeks and 2 days!)! but the delightful flowery nature of rubyandjoy will come to an end. but wait! there is hope! the delightful flowery nature of rubyandjoy will live on (what?)! just in a less flowery manner (ah ha!). i shall keep you all updated, but keep your ears to the ground or your eyes peeled (yuk) or however you feel like keeping in touch, and you'll be the first to know what rubyandjoy embarks upon next from the snowy moors of scotland! it will be exciting, i've no doubt.

but i have been bursting to tell you all (hi mum!) since the boy (now my fiance) and 1 booked our tickets, and so here it is! who know's what is yet to come! i have a sneaking suspicion it will be the best.

xx

* have watched. is quite gruesome really.

** this is a lie

once upon a time...part four

It started a little while ago, in the blustery cold of a Scottish winter, when the boy and the girl met. I think it's safe to say it was quite a surprise for both of them, but most definitely a pleasant surprise. The boy followed the girl around the country, and then to her home town for some meeting, greeting and haggis trash talk. The girl was just a little bit smitten, and so followed the boy back to the land of heather and tinned pies in the height of the Scottish summer - a balmy 14 degrees - followed by some vegemite trash talk and an accidental haggis tasting which was quite horrific. The boy then decided to come out to the girls little home town again, despite the bagging of his national food, and spend some time in the sun. We are not too impressed with the sun.

But one night, only a few nights ago, this boy and this girl went out to dinner, and then took a walk down to the girls favourite spot in the bush, which overlooks the valley. And as the sun set, the boy got down on one knee and asked the girl to be his forever. And she said yes!

And so our once upon a time is ending (and starting!) happily ever after! Cake and champagne for all!! If you have it nearby...because I don't have any. And with the first important question been asked (inciting much high pitched confirmation of the fact that we're getting married), the second must now be voiced. What kind of flowers do I choose??? I think I just might have them all...

Am I allowed to put a smiley face at the end of this post?? I think I just might :) We're getting married!!!! :D xx

once upon a time...part 3...

once upon a time a young lass escaped to the land of william wallace and seagulls the size of small sheep. hounded by exhaustion and stress balls the last thing she expected to stumble across was a love story one could only imagine happened in fairy tales. but stumble across love she did, and it has been an adventure that will go down in the history books somewhere under the headings 'simply lovely' and 'better than anything the girl could have ever imagined'. if such headings existed.
this boy that stole her heart had not only followed the girl to the royal mile and big ben, but he'd sat in a tin bird (rather uncomfortably) and eaten strange white fruit with black seeds in it just to see her in the land of giant red rocks and dusty desert plains.
now it was the girls turn to head back to the land of wild moors and loch ness monsters, and spend some time highland dancing. kidding. not that she can't flail her limbs about with the best of them. but that's a story for another time.
the boy looked after the girl smashingly. they went on adventures you might only hear about in books of olde, travelling to buckie to get a fishing net from stormy pete, early morning international deliveries accompanied by the most beautiful sunrises, and exciting treks to such exotic places such as tesco and topshop. the boy even surprised the girl with a holiday to the land of green and clover. although no leprechauns were spotted, the girl bestowed upon the lucky boy some tin whistle tunes at the magnificent giants causeway, which was a special moment for them both. they travelled to the land of cricket and corgi's and had a splendid time meeting friends, making friends, and eating tea and toast on quite the regular basis. even though the girl was encouraged to spit out the window when crossing the border, it was quite clear the boy had had a smashingly good time too.
but once again, this adventure had to end. the magnificent craggy green hills dotted with fluffy white sheep, antique centres, cheaper than chips sweeties, the bright night skies and the delicious lemon marmalade will keep. the haggis pastries may not, but the girl will get by.
there was another soggy farewell at the place where they check suitcases and then lose them (indeed). the girl needs to remember not to wear mascara on such occasions. or make sure it's waterproof. my gosh. and so the girl will begin a new countdown which will end when the boy arrives on these sandy shores once more. and although not wishing time away, will wish with all her heart, fingers and toes, that he gets here soon.
very soon.

xx

once upon a time...part two...

once upon a time a boy met a girl. a girl met a boy. the boy chased the girl around the country side. the girl was a bit thick and didn't realise the boy quite liked her. but after she realised he had missed the football for her, without the teensiest of complaints, it became pretty clear. they spent some time in the land of red buses and paddington bear, travelling back to the land of haggis and tartan. the days flew by and the girl came home to the land of sun (apparently) and sand, with the promise of a visitor in the coming months. skype became her friend. 'out of area' phone calls were the best kind of phone calls. her blackberry lived in her hand. you might even say she became 'tech savvy'. oh yes! savvy. then good news came from the boy in the land of black pudding and bagpipes! flights had been booked! a countdown began! the girls house became suspiciously clean.

iceland. volcano. cancelled flights.
we don't like volcanoes.

so after a slight delay and much consumption of chocolate the boy walked through the gate in a flurry of excitement and nerves and running without tripping. the girl was very happy. the girl tried hard not to crash the car. the girl was random drug tested on the big shiny bridge across the harbour. 'can they even do random drug tests', thought the girl? apparently so! the boy and the girl spent 2 weeks skipping around town. the boy refused to eat vegemite toast. the girl made the boy pavlova. the boy decided he might prefer melbourne. the girl made him eat vegemite toast. dinners, sunsets, friends, movies, music. the girl wasn't sure if this adventure with the boy could top the adventure in the land of black cabs and big ben, but it seemed it could only get better.

all too soon the boy had to head back to the land of heather filled moors, leaving the girl behind. so the boy and the girl said goodbye at the place where the big shiny birds launch themselves into the sky. the girl doesn't like goodbyes. but the girl also knows she'll be seeing the boy again soon. the boy is even more lovely than before. the girl will spend this week drinking tea and eating obscene amounts of chocolate. but this girl knows the happy butterflies still outweigh the sad butterflies, and that one day soon (hopefully very soon), she'll be running without tripping through another airport straight into the arms of the boy.

and it will be better than anything.

xx

once upon a time...

once upon a time...

there was a young girl, let's call her nic. good name that. she had worked very hard for a very long time, and had started to lose some sparkle in her eyes and bounce in her step. her eyes were all purpley and baggy, and when she looked in the mirror she would see how her sleepy eyes would gaze back, dreaming of how lovely it would be to escape for a little while. to feel the fresh wind on her face, sleep till midday, meet new friendly faces and laugh till her tummy hurt. so one day, on quite a whim, she speedily packed her bags and made a dash for the airport, waving goodbye to her family as she dashed through the gate to a big silver bird that was to whisk her away to adventures untold.

she slept soundly on her journey, armed with ear plugs and a very pretty eyemask. upon landing in the land of black cabs, big red buses and marks and spencer, she was greeted by her long lost brother and spent several days exploring the town. parks covered with bright white snow, markets overflowing with antiques, food and beautiful bits and pieces, pubs filled with noise, new friends and fairy lights. she dashed from place to place, soaking in every moment.

from here she skipped to a few other towns, visiting friends in new places, chatting over tea and cake, and being spoilt rotten. she enjoyed being spoilt rotten. heading to the land of thistles and kilts, she felt her blood stirring, heard the bagpipes and heroically tried to avoid haggis. she grew gravely ill, but after combining every kind of flu drug known to man was able to enjoy every moment of her holiday. phew! she drank tea in copious amounts, discovered the wonders of cough syryp, and was shown beauty on this earth she never thought possible.

she trekked back to the land of big red buses for just one night, and headed off to beautiful europe the next morning. she was feeling rather blue, because as you're about to find out, this story is about to get romantical. and gosh, is it good. you see, while in the land of thistles, she had met a boy. a boy she knew from a little while ago. this boy had already crossed country once to the land of the military tattoo to spend a day with her, and while she wasn't sure if this boy fancied her, she knew she rather fancied him. and she had to say goodbye.

she arrived in the land of the red flags and bulls, and spent 3 days stuffing her face with tapas, feasting her eyes on the galleries and palace and reminding herself what blue skies looked like. she also very much enjoyed hearing from the boy. she then jetted of to the land of the eiffel tower and chocolate croissants to be by herself for 3 days of shopping and pastry goodness. she got lost in st germaine, ransacked every chocolate store she could find, huddled outside on a freezing night cruise, wandered through markets filled with beautiful christmas decorations, and ate french onion soup. she also had happy butterflies in her tummy. the boy was going to meet her in the land of big red buses for adventures.

after farewelling the city of love and buying ridiculous amounts of chocolate, she choofed back to meet the boy. she was nervous. she didn't know what was going to happen. but she was excited.

after getting rid of the feather light (ridiculously heavy) luggage, they went walking. and talking. talking and walking. and talking. they had dinner. they had drinks. the boy asked a few questions. the girl said she liked him. the boy asked her to be his girlfriend. the girl said yes. she was happy. very very happy. there was more walking. and talking. the boy held her hand. the boy may not have known the girl had never held hands with a boy before. she tried very hard not to trip over from excitement.

they spent the next day wandering through galleries, eating at markets, walking and talking. there was a lot of walking. the boy discovered a park, a very pretty little park, right smack bang in the middle of the busy streets. the boy and girl sat here for a while. the girl got her first kiss. there was more walking and talking. and walking. the boy flew back to the land of thistles in the very early hours of the next morning, and the girl followed the boy the morning after. they spent 3 days on grand adventures, making new friends, climbing icy white snowy mountains and being spoilt with the prettiest sunsets known to man.

after the 3 days, the young girl's adventure had to finish, and she had to figure out a way to get her excess baggage back to the land of the beaches and bbq's. she also had to say goodbye to the boy. she did not enjoy this. but, and this is the best bit, she did know that she would see him again soon. and while she would be spending her first valentines day with the boy without the boy, she knew that the sad butterflies in her tummy were outweighed by the happy butterflies, and that her boy would be holding her hand again soon. hopefully very soon.

and so, the adventure that turned into a grand adventure had to finish. she is back. with a sparkle in her eyes and a bounce in her step, and is very excited about the new adventure that is just beginning. and all the pretty things she brought home. but mostly the new adventure.

the end!

or is it the beginning...