The Life and Times

Relief

2009-05-13T09:40:00.002Z

I finally managed to force myself into the garden this morning, after I'd left the children at school. Didn't achieve much. Was attacked by a couple of spiders and as my spider catchers were all absent, (not that they catch outdoor spiders admittedly, but I find their presence reassuring. Someone to hear my yelp.) I just couldn't bear it and had to give up. Pathetic, I know, but it's the thought that one could somehow get inside my glove or crawl up my sleeve, euuw, no can't think about it.

Anyway, saw my first pair of swifts this year, to join the handful of swallows and house martins. Hopefully, these are the ones that travelled first class, the others will be here soon.

"Spring is here,
The grass is ris,
I wonder where the birdies is.
The bird is on the wing,
But that's absurd,
The wing is on the bird!"

Being brave

2009-03-15T16:38:00.002Z

We really are so lucky. The children asked if they could go for a walk today, by themselves and I was able to say yes! They took a picnic and walked along the cycle path to the next village, about two and a half miles away. There's a playpark there, so they ate their picnic and played a while before they came home. They were away for nearly three hours altogether. And they were precisely that, all together! It's quite unusual for them to want to be together by choice, so that made a nice change.

I did have the security of knowing Rhiannon had a mobile phone with her, David's old one, but they also have friends in the village, so there was somewhere safe to go to if needed, which is reassuring.

But we really are so lucky to be able to allow our children the kind of freedom we had as children. A rare thing indeed.

Stalking

2009-02-27T15:16:00.003Z

I get really fed up with cats and rooks in my garden. I had to give up on the vegetable and herb patches because the cats kept using it as their toilet and the rooks kept digging it up! I still regularly shoo them away when I spot them.

Yesterday I saw a black cat or a rook through the etched glass in the back porch door, (which was why I was unsure as to which it was exactly) so I quietly fetched the key to the door and placed it as quietly as I could in the lock.

"I'm going to have to be quick, unlocking then opening the door," I thought to myself, so I took a deep breath, turned the key and as soon as it clicked, snatched open the door to find...

...a black bin liner on the path.

Well disguised.

'Tis cold

2009-02-10T15:23:00.002Z

I thought it would be nice, well, the done thing really, to wash and dry the ski suit Ciara borrowed for her recent ski trip.

So I did. I washed it today with the technical stuff I have (had, finished it) to do my outdoor kit and popped it on the line outside to drip off the worst of the wet before hanging it indoors to dry.

Just chipped off the icicles when I brought it back inside. Doh!

Doing my bit

2009-02-02T11:36:00.003Z

I'm going to do my bit and take part in a sponsored walk with a few friends along the Dava Way to raise funds for Ciara's old Brownie pack. Ciara is a Guide now, but she still goes to Brownies as a Pack Leader. (Sounds grand, she's a great help with a difficult Brownie I gather!)

David and I walked the Dava Way about eighteen months ago as the second day of a two day backpacking trip, so I know I can complete the walk and in fact it should be easier because I will not be carrying a 24lb pack!

I considered it would good training for the Big Walk.

We did a training walk on Saturday, "Just 12 miles!" said Angela (Fluffy Owl) enthusiastically, "Varied landscape, it'll be fun!"

It was actually good fun, but nearer 14 miles and the first six and a half were up hill... We lost Brown Owl enroute, but she hadn't been well for a couple of weeks, so we forgave her that. Her husband picked her up from Angela's house where we enjoyed our lunch and especially the hot soup, tea and flapjack she provided as a treat.

It was good and I'm really looking forward to our next walk. It'll probably take more to recover from the Scrabble night we're having here on Friday!

Killing time

2009-01-19T11:10:00.005Z

So, the rash (and it's twin on his back) is looking increasingly suspicious, so I've been a responsible parent and kept Aedan off school so that I can take him to the Doctor for comfirmation. (I don't want to be responsible for triggering an outbreak of chicken pox at school, might not be popular with some...)

Unfortunately, there wasn't an appointment until 3.30pm, which brings all sorts of other issues, like I don't want to take all four children for Aedan's appointment and David is at work! Not to mention that I'm rubbish at waiting. I want to know now, is he contagious, or in plain English, can he go back to school!

So Conall's coming with us and the girl's are sorted and I've been killing time. What's the best way for me to occupy myself? Why, baking of course!

I have three loaves of wholemeal bread rising, the batter for individual mini hot christmas cake (sort of) puddings for tonight chilling in the fridge, fruit soaking in tea for a fruit loaf and cookie dough made into sausage shapes wrapped and in the freezer freezing. Talk about industrious!

I feel good, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.

Well, for a short while anyway. Here's hoping I'm wrong about the rash.

UPDATE

Yep, it's shingles. Painkillers if desired, (he's not in a lot of pain) anti-virals to take off the edge of the attack and at least a week off school, until the blisters are scabbed and dried.

Deepest joy.

Oh, great

2009-01-17T18:14:00.002Z

Hmmm. Well.

Aedan has been complaining of a sore back this week, to the side of it really. Didn't think anything of it, they've been back at school a couple of weeks and the PE speciallist is off, so the supply is doing weird and wonderful excercises with them, I'd assumed it was that.

Now, I'm not so sure.

Now, he has a rash, in a very localised area on the side of his chest.

The same side as the sore back.

The sore back that it now turns out was sore to touch rather than "On the inside."

Sounds and looks a bit like something I had as a child.

Shingles.

I feel an appointment at the doctors coming on on Monday, that'll be the fifth time in two months, unheard of! Can't believe it took me three days to realise, muppet. Always said he was more like me, I like unusual illness.

Here's hoping I'm over-reacting and by Monday it's gone.

What we did at Christmas

2009-01-08T15:48:00.006Z

Went on a couple of short walks and saw these:

Mum, Ciara and the boys, from behind.

A frozen seed head.

Some common seals.

A female red-breasted Merganser.

We also had these in the garden:

Long-tailed tits.

Please excuse the layout, someone around here's having problems. Again. Ahem...

So, anyway, the wildlife side of things was quite good.

Ciara takes a turn

2008-12-07T08:10:00.005Z

Through school, Ciara has been attending Forest School, run by a local charity Wild Things, on a Friday morning. On Thursday, she told me;
"Last week at Forest School, we were talking about condensation."
Pause.
"No, conservation."

David and I were showing a little affection yesterday. Ciara said;
"Are you two rubbing noses? That's what emus do."
"I think you mean eskimos, Ciara."
("Innuits." from the stroppy teen in the corner.)

Ciara was drawing in the lounge.

Ciara: "I can't draw holly."

Rhiannon: "Who's Holly?"

Ciara: "A holly leaf."

I think Ciara is set to follow in my footsteps and make people smile. Usually without meaning to.

I actually got round to visiting the doctor on Friday. Ciara's skin has always had a tendency to be dry, but it has recently galloped out of control and become quite inflamed in places. She's inherited another one of my things. Eczema. Of course, now we have a car, visiting the doctor is much easier.

(Oh, didn't I mention that?)

Anyway, saw a lovely lady doctor who prescribed lots of creams, a small tube for the really, really inflamed bits, a larger tube for the more general, but less inflamed bits and a huge dispenser of the weirdest gel like stuff I've ever seen! So, morning and night, Ciara is a slippery little critter and I can't turn the tap on afterwards.... There is already a huge improvement, which is pleasing and I dare say a huge relief to poor Ciara, my only concern is that her skin doesn't become reliant upon the creams and forget how to be normal again, or maybe this is just in my head.

Oh, you want to know about the car?

It was David's fault. He happened to mention we could get a seven-seater in our price range now. My response?

"I want that one."

So after a few phone calls, a few days waiting, a little toing and froing, we have had a car now for twelve days.

And I haven't told my mum yet so it'll be a nice surprise at Christmas when we all turn up at the airport in our own car to collect her.

And I haven't told my sister so she doesn't have to keep my secret too, (here's hoping she doesn't visit the blog too often these days...)

And to say I was excited last week would be a little understatement! We went to the solicitors with stuff to be witnessed, we went to the dump, we went shopping, we went for a walk to practice my compass reading skills.

We know how to live!

I was able to take Rhiannon to the orthodontist more easily too and fit in more shopping. I hate shopping, but it is nice not to be restricted by the bus timetable. Anyway, the teeth are doing really well, Mr Buchanan is ready to write to our dentist to take out a couple of teeth ready for the next appliance. Oh goody. Still, it's moving on much quicker than expected, so should be all over soon. Well, within the next year or two.

Is everybody ready for Christmas? Ours is low key as usual, we don't go in for an overly commercial Christmas. With Ciara's birthday on the 17th, we don't tend to put our tree and decorations up until the next day, so her birthday doesn't get swamped and when we do, Christmas is inside the house, with a nativity scene and subtle decorations, so the meaning isn't lost. Shame about the rest of the street.

It's like Blackpool illuminations meets Las Vegas.

From the 30th November.

Lovely.

Maybe I'm getting grumpy in my old age.

The shame

2008-11-18T16:34:00.003Z

I think I forgot to mention, my little baby was 13 years old on Friday, 14th November, 2008.

It was a shock, that tiny little, premature scrap, that we were told would be sickly and prone to chest problems is nothing like and nearly as tall as me!

I nearly cried.

I don't feel old enough to have a teenager.

(I know, I must be, I was forty in May!)

Because Anne asked us to.

2008-11-08T09:12:00.002Z

Anne asked us to do this, so I am.

Grab the nearest book.
Open the book to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.

Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.

“This giant, unlike the rest of it's family, eats very little other than insects.”

From The Life of Mammals, by David Attenborough (doesn't have the 'Sir' bit, I checked.)

How I giggled that my toe was touching this book, otherwise it would have been something by Barbara Erskine. Gives an entirely different view of me!

It's been a while

2008-11-02T07:38:00.002Z

I've been up to bits and pieces, just little things.

Walking isn't going well. I've barely done any! Or atleast, that's what it feels like. I'm going out tomorrow with Fluffy Owl from Ciara's Brownies, aka Angela, so I'm looking forward to that. Hopefully, it may become a regular thing, which would be nice.

The children have been back at school for a week after their two week "Tatty holidays". (Traditionally, the local children would go into the fields for two weeks to harvest potatoes.) We actually did something this holiday, instead of festering back at the ranch. Mum was directing "On Golden Pond" at Louth Playgoers, so we went down to watch. All of us. We flew down. I hate flying. Hate, hate, hate. Don't ask me why, I have no idea, I've never had a bad experience, I just don't like it.

So why did we have to be on the flight diverted into Edinburgh for an ill passenger? Why? We left Edinburgh half an hour after we should have arrived at Luton, so the plan of being less tired and taking no longer than driving all the way was scuppered. I think tiredness, not eating properly, driving through the dark, (so she couldn't see the bends coming) and general excitement lead to Ciara redecorating Grandma's newly decorated hallway on arrival. Excellent. Knows how to make an entrance that one!

Saw the play, very good, children loved the whole experience, which was the general idea. Spent a couple of days down there, then made our way back to Luton with mum aswell. We all flew back up, (no delays this time) and managed to catch all the buses back home with no problems, except it was a bit chilly.

Didn't get out much while mum was here, the weather wasn't really 'user friendly', which was a shame, but the children really enjoyed having her undivided attention! So, to Tuesday. I'd hired a car from Monday teatime to Tuesday teatime, so I could take mum to the airport and be home in time for Conall coming out of school. What takes two hours by bus, four for a return trip, takes a little over an hour by car. So long as you don't have to do it twice in one day.

Like I did.

It never snows when the national weather forecasts it. Never.

It never snows in October. Never.

Unless mum's catching a flight that is, obviously.

It snowed. Thick white stuff. The stuff that settles.

The airport closed, briefly. So briefly you wouldn't have noticed they'd stopped flying. Except for one jet. The one that diverted from Birmingham to Edinburgh and didn't come on to Inverness. The one that should've been going back to Birmingham and taking mum with it.

So, after I'd got back home, just put on the kettle, I get a phone call, "Can you come and fetch me?".

Then we find out it's another two days before there's another flight! So that adds an extra bit of excitement to rebooking a hire car, extra food to find and so it went on...

Ah well. She got to Birmingham Thursday, so all's well etc.

Has your half term been quite so exciting?

Just checking

2008-10-09T12:38:00.003Z

Just been re-reading last year's posts at this time, to check how organised I am. Apparently I'm two weeks ahead, which is good.

Didn't remember I'd had the same problem last year as this with breadcrumbs, had obviously forgotten by the time we came to eat the puds, (not surprising I guess) so at least I know that noone will notice they're wholemeal!

The only technical hitch I had this time was, making the full amount of mixture, I didn't have a bowl big enough. So, what did I do? I thought laterally, that's what I did. I used a large, plastic cake box instead! Genius.

Wasn't the puds I had the near disaster with this year. I found the chopped nuts just after I'd put the cake in the oven, so I whipped it out again and stirred them in! No harm done.

Must be nearly Christmas

2008-10-09T12:18:00.002Z

...Because I've made my Christmas Cake! Baked, annointed, neatly wrapped and hidden in a cool, dark cupboard, waiting for it's weekly annointment until the week before Christmas. I'm ahead of the game, I know.

Would it be a good time to mention I've got Christmas Puddings on the go too? I usually half the amount of mixture and then split it between four pudding basins to make four small puddings, however, I've discovered I was following a mistake in the recipe, half the mixture makes two normal puddings, (don't ask) so this year I've made the full amount and after resting for 24 hours, (the mixture, not me. Although...) I shall divide into the basins for four normal puddings!

I still have at least one jar of last years mincemeat stored in the cool, dark cupboard, so I don't have to faff with that, just make the pies.

Oh, it feels good to be organised. At least at the moment.

Another Conall moment

2008-09-15T18:34:00.003Z

Conall appeared at about 10pm last night in the lounge, came round to the settee, sat down between us and made himself comfy.

"What's up Conall?"

"I can't find Aedan's t-shirt."

"Why does Aedan need his t-shirt?" (really stupid question mum, it's 10 o'clock at night!)

"I can't find it and he needs it."

"I don't think he needs it now, find it in the morning."

"But he needs it and I've got to find it and I can't."

The penny drops.

Conall is asleep, with his eyes open, sleepwalking.

Rhiannon used to sleep with her eyes open, which other people found quite disturbing. She also used to sleepwalk, which was a pain. She let the side down and couldn't multi-task, doing both at the same time!

He had no recollection of it all this morning and Aedan wasn't looking for a t-shirt.

Doh!

2008-09-08T11:40:00.003Z

Some friends of mine run a farm and coffee shop and were recently left in the lurch by an employee. As I spend copious amounts of time in my own kitchen, washing up, cooking etc, I offered my services for a few days to help out.

They accepted.

I chopped salad, made up coleslaw, egg mayonnaise, tuna mayonnaise, made malteser slice and mars bars crispies, filled a Victoria sponge, iced sprinkle cakes, made top hats, and baked carrot cake, as well as washing stacks of dishes.

Another task was making the buttericing to fill and top a lemon sponge.

"Two of marg, four and a half of icing sugar," said Moira, "You'll need a tea towel to cover the mixer so you don't get covered."

I carefully measured the ingrediants, popped into the Kenwood, covered and switched on. Waited a while and removed the cloth. Peered into the mixer.

"Can't see why that would make a mess," me thinks.

Moira comes to stand next to me and peer into the mixer.

We look at each other.

I say to Moira,

"Pounds, not ounces."

Moira collapses in a corner, tears streaming down her face.

I add more. Carefully.

Made her day.

And another

2008-08-28T19:56:00.002Z

Ok, so I've started yet another blog, this time for a Challenge I've set myself. And David, he's coming too! Anyway, it's there, from the beginning of the planning onwards. Me, David, walking the hills and valleys of Scotland carrying a backpack each. If you're interested, pop along. If not, pop by here and I promise I won't mention it again!

Ow!

2008-08-20T17:40:00.002Z

I'm really, really, really stupid at times. No, honestly, this wasn't a blonde moment, or a senile moment or any other kind of moment. Just a stupid one.

I chopped chillies before I realised it was time I took my contact lenses out.

Ow.

Ow, ow, ow, ow....

Stupid, stupid girl!

Not like I haven't been wearing contact lenses and cooking for long enough.

Pssst.

Talking of stupid, don't tell anyone, but I've found the battery charger...

Lost. Gone!

2008-08-05T10:48:00.002Z

You may remember I got a new digital SLR camera for my recent 40th birthday, (yes, I'm still going on about it) hoping your memory is better than mine, that is.

Well, I was lucky to be able to download those photographs from our holiday. Because I appear to have lost the battery charger.

That's a bit pants! (And somewhat dim...)

I'm sure I vaguely remember putting it somewhere safe. Somewhere. I'm hoping it'll turn up. David thinks it may have accidentally fallen in the bin. Accidentally! You know, just hopped in whilst nobody was looking.

Anyway, it's lost. Gone.

So the little love has looked online and bought me a new one. It arrived very promptly and I was able to recharge, download and print off to my little heart's desire.

(I've given the new battery charger to hubby to put in a safe place. Well away from me!)

Holiday 2008

2008-07-29T16:58:00.007Z

While we were staying at Ullapool, we went to the Geology Park. From what I can gather, this is an area of outstanding geological interest,

rather than full of "fun rides", (which I did know before we went!) and there are various walks with facts set into the footpaths using different signs and some interactive areas for the children.

While we were in Gairloch, we went on a boat trip with Gairloch Marine Life Cruise, which we do every year. This year, along with the usual guillemot, gannet, kittiwake, fulmar, arctic skua, razorbill, shag, cormorant, grey seal, red-throated diver and harbour porpoise, (which we've seen once before)
we were priveledged enough to see minke whale and puffin.

Could say, we had a whale of a time!

Sorry.

A taster of my new camera

2008-07-21T09:45:00.002Z

A pair of roe deer, spotted on the way to the hairdresser.
A longhorn beetle (of some variety...)

Artistic pic of shelduck feathers!

You can't see me

2008-07-21T09:26:00.003Z

I am an optical illusion. I always thought that would be a neat trick!

We are on holiday, in Gairloch, as usual.

Yes we are.

We are!

If I say it often enough I'll convince myself...

It has to be said, when one chooses to camp in a tent, one accepts the fact that one is somewhat at the mercy of the weather. We normally cope with whatever is thrown at us quite easily and are rewarded with the occasional warm, dry, still day.

Not this year! The plan was five nights in Ullapool, followed by seven in Gairloch. We had three nights in Ullapool before we decided surviving was no fun, it would be better to strike camp, (hark at me, 'strike' camp!) in a controlled manner at a time of our choosing, unlike the Dutch family that made a hurried retreat to their car at 1am. So we did. Until a huge gust broke two tent poles, just as we took the tent pegs out.

Pants.

Oh well, we'd decided to go home for a couple of days till it blew through, so en-route stopped off at a little place we know to get the poles fixed. While we were at home, popped to the Boat of Garten RSPB centre to see the osprey chicks just before they fledged. Lovely.

Thursday we set off for Gairloch, as planned. As David finished off pitching the tent, I popped down to the Gairloch Marine Wildlife Centre that we visit annually to book a boat trip. Had spaces in 45 mins or 1pm the next day, when we knew it was forecast calm but wet. We opted for the earlier trip. Bit of a rush, but we all made it and had a real treat, harbour porpoise, minke whale and puffin, along with gannets, guillemots, razorbill, shags, cormorants, kittiwakes, fulmar, skua, seals, the list goes on. Fabulous. If you go up that way, well worth the visit!

We knew the winds were due to get up again on Saturday with some really high gusts, so we had already decided to cut our trip short and go home again while the going was good. So, we are at home with two hire cars to potter around and entertain ourselves! We'd done the things we'd wanted to do, the important trips, so I'm not too disappointed and it's actually quite nice to have cars at home and be able to do things around here for a change. We're going to the cinema!

I have photographs. I will download them. Soon.

Wishful Thinking

2008-06-30T14:48:00.003Z

I had a telephone call from the school today, at around 10am. As I picked up the handset I was thinking "Not already Aedan, it's only Monday!"

It went something like this:-

Hello, Mrs Evans?

Yes.

It's the school here, Conall's at school today.

Yes. (Wondering, where on earth are we going with this one?)

Is he going to be at school all week?

Yes...

It's just that he told his teacher he was going away on holiday today, so he would miss the last week of school. She gave him all his workbooks on Friday to take home, so if he's going to be here, he needs them in school so he can do some work. They're in a purple folder.

Well, they might have been on Friday, but they certainly weren't by Monday! I had to scrabble around to find any half-finished workbooks with recent dates in them and take them to school. Little imp!

Apart from a grown teacher taking the word of a seven year old as gospel, (I never do, and he's my seven year old!) I would have had to fill in a form, asking permission to take my child out of school, (which would automatically be denied for a holiday, and rightly so) and I would have spoken to the teacher myself, to be polite. Not to mention the absence of an end of year present and the fact that, having already taught two other of my children, she might have noticed I never take my children out of school!

Still, maybe it's all just wishful thinking and shows he's just looking forward to our camping holiday, in a fortnights time!

Ah bless.

Helping

2008-06-24T10:03:00.001Z

Ciara suggested we "purify" Rhiannon's food, to make it easier for her to eat with her braces in...

Everytime

2008-06-21T16:37:00.002Z

I can't help myself. It's happened ever since I was a child. Whenever I hear "Two Little Boys" by Rolf Harris, I cry. Every time.

In the kitchen this morning, getting the childrens' breakfast before they went to Gardening Club, (sounds so wholesome for a Saturday morning, before 9 am too!) and it came on the radio. Next thing I know, I'm crying my eyes out!

Every time.

Children were laughing at me, I might add. Little treasures.

Guilty!

2008-06-20T14:06:00.004Z

Okay, so as there were no trousers, with or without pockets and the only long sleeved top was mine, I guess I was the culprit for the tissue in the wash. It's a very pretty shade of pink now, because it was a pink/red wash.

I cannot, however, claim to have had a small piece of polystyrene up my sleeve with the tissue, so I have no idea how that got into the washing machine!

The previous wash was coats, adult coats only, and I checked the pockets of those. (You just never know, there maybe something more interesting than a pine cone in an adult's coat pocket, like a five pound note or a lost winning lottery ticket...)

Hey ho, "It'th a mythtery, Oh it'th a mythtery..."

It's today!!

2008-05-26T11:26:00.002Z

Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday dear me,
Happy birthday to me!

I was born 40 years ago today, which makes me 40 years old today!

(I love birthdays, can you tell?)

I got the falconry and weekend away, as you already know. David also had our wedding video transferred to DVD, which made me shed a tear, and I got a new digital SLR camera, with memory card and a proper camera bag!

He'd already made a note of the OU photography course for me too, for which I can get a grant towards, yey!

You should see the Sacher Torte he's made me, and you will, if I work out how to use the camera anytime soon.

My inlaws managed to restrain themselves from jewellery and have given me (when my cards arrive) a gift voucher from Graham Tiso, an outdoors store, so I can get myself a fab pair of leather walking boots, something I've wanted for a long time. Excellent!

Oh yes, 40 is good.

Early days

2008-05-23T10:39:00.009Z

My Big Birthday started early!

It all came about because of Tesco. (Why is everything in my life Tesco?!)

We usually use our Clubcard vouchers for a really good deal in the summer to hire cars for our camping trip, but I read between some lines in the Deal brochure and concluded this deal would no longer be available come July, so decided to use some up for a week in mid May, just because the children had a couple inset days, so we did!

This gave David the opportunity to book my birthday treat, a days Falconry course, then two nights DBB at our favourite hotel at Nethy Bridge (with children), a walk up what was my first corbertt about five years ago, now the children's first corbertt too, visit Loch Garten to see the osprey and then forest theme park, Landmark, (to make up to the children for making them climb a big hill!).

Yup, it was a busy few days and I only remembered to take photographs when someone offered to at the falconry centre! I was too busy sulking at the top of Meall a Bhuachaille, my red juice drink had leaked all over my cream, fleece inside David's badly packed rucsack, (and he's the more experienced one, you'd think he'd know how to pack a rucsack!), but we had a fabulous time and noone got sunburnt or heat exhaustion, yey for us!

So, now for the science bit, trying to download the photographs!...

...and yes, I thought I looked rather like my mother with a few birds of prey posing on my arm! Scarey.

I did the Introduction to Falconry in the morning with a family of three, then I was the only one to go for a Walk with the Hawks in the afternoon. I went on a hunt with Dave the Falconer, I looked after Alice the Harris Hawk, while Dave was in charge of Edna the ferret! (Aren't the names fab?!) What an extraordinary experience, strolling carefully across a rough field, in the middle of nowhere, cars driving by as I have Alice the Harris Hawk perched on my arm. Amazing! Yes, we caught a couple of bunnies, but they will not have been wasted. They'll have made a tasty snack for some of the hawks later.

Roll on Monday!

How many ways to make a cup of tea

2008-03-02T14:02:00.004Z

Badly. I think I've just about got it covered.

I've poured hot water into a mug with no tea bag. (The tea bag has to go in first.)

I've poured water from a kettle that hasn't been switched on into a mug with a tea bag.

I've discovered on removing the tea bag I'd put two in the mug.

I've left it to brew for so long and forgotten about it it's stone cold. (Didn't waste it though, made a fruit tea loaf.)

Brewed it, put milk in, put it on the coffee table, fell asleep...

Yup, making a cup of tea badly is my forte.

Or, perhaps it's because I'm nearly forty! (Did you see that?)

PS. Oh, and another.

This morning I had a little ironing left to do, so I topped up the steam iron from the near-empty kettle. Imagine my horror when, a few minutes later, I hear the kettle (I iron in the lounge) coming to the boil. Arrgh! It's empty! It'll trip the electric! I charge into the kitchen, just as the kettle comes to the boil and find my mug, ready with tea bag, next to it.

Talk about short term memory loss, it only took ten seconds and it was whoosh, gone!

Hey ho. Roll on 26th May, then I'll have a good excuse!

The New Year

2008-01-06T09:04:00.000Z

We had a slightly surreal Christmas for me, although the children had a wonderful time, they were certainly happy with their presents, even though, to most children, they would not have been spectacular, (nothing remotely technical or electrical, the boys shared a seven in one games table, table football etc., and were delighted) and were entertained all day Christmas and Boxing Days.

Gave me time to pack.

We then made the rather hurriedly planned trip to my in-law's the day after Boxing Day and the following day I left for Lincolnshire, on a train, on my own...

Even that wasn't straight forward, we arrived late at Doncaster, missing the connection and I had a crises on the platform, unable to find any 'little men' or even a ticket office. Poor David at the end of a phone, me running low on batteries. My life never changes. Much.

When I arrived at my penultimate destination, I didn't have a chance to find a much needed convenience, found the bus station by acccident thinking I'd missed my bus, only to find it still there, just drawing off, so I jumped in front of it! Poor driver, but he kindly uplifted me, (against regulations!) and I duely made it to my final destination. And a toilet.

David and the children couldn't join me until New Year's Day, so I missed 'the bells' with my family, which upset me more than I'd thought it would.

We're home again now.

I haven't been able to make any sense of my emotions yet, there are huge complications and I fear this is going to dominate my thoughts and my life for some time to come.

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and that the New Year brings you and your families health and happiness.

As requested

2007-12-06T15:56:00.000Z

Bread Sauce

1 large onion, quartered
3 bay leaves
12 cloves
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
10 black peppercorns
900/11/2 pints milk
175g/6oz fresh white breadcrumbs
175/6oz butter, cubed
6 tbsp double cream
freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the onion, bay leaves, spices, peppercorns and milk in a pan. Bring slowly to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.

2. Put the breadcrumbs into another pan, bring the milk back to the boil, then strain on to the breadcrumbs. Add butter and cream; heat gently for 5 minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens.

4. Cover the bread sauce with buttered greaseproof paper until required. Reheat and serve sprinkled with black pepper.

I usually halve the quantities which is quite easy. Sometimes I make it Christmas Eve to make life easy, sometimes I make it a little while in advance as it freezes well. Then, I just have to remember to get it out of the freezer! If I choose that option, I make the full quantity and freeze in smaller portions, so I can just take out what I need and if Roast Chicken needs cheering up, I have bread sauce to hand!

You will never know the relief I felt when I found the recipe. I had, of course, put it in a safe place. Just a different one from the one I've kept it in for the past twelve years. That was silly!

Christmas is coming, watch out for that bloater goose!

Crises!

2007-11-29T15:43:00.000Z

All be it a small one.

I've lost my recipe for Bread Sauce.

And I don't have long to find it.

...!

2007-11-26T16:18:00.000Z

Mum asked dad,
"What date is your appointment?"
"Eight o'clock."

Ciara asked me,
"When are you taking Conall to the crystallizing?"
"The Christingle is on Monday." After I'd finished giggling, that is.

New project required

2007-11-26T15:53:00.000Z

Well, I started my Mobius Wrap in Patons Inca at lunchtime on Wednesday, 14th November and finished in the afternoon on Thursday, 15th November. I've barely stopped wearing it since and yes, I will post a photograph. Eventually.

So, anyway, as I finished, hubby said to me,
"So, what are you going to do now?"
"Oooo, find another project, I suppose."
"You don't fancy doing any cleaning then?"

What an odd question I thought and ignored it completely. I flicked the duster in the general direction of the television, (have to do that occasionally or can't see the picture...) and I do rather like my new vacuum cleaner, so I have thrown that around once or twice. I may have given the bathroom a once over too, but nothing serious. I didn't want him getting any ideas!

Today, I'd had enough. I've been having awful trouble with the kitchen floor. Even after washing, it still looked filthy and was really beginning to get to me. The oven was in desperate need too. I got really carried away though. I put the oven shelves in the bath in a biological solution to soak, painted the inside of the oven with potent stuff and scrubbed the floor on my hands an knees with viscous, scrubby pad thing. Then I put a kind of polish on, hoovered the downstairs while it dried and then put the shelves into the dishwasher. After collecting Conall this afternoon, I rubbed all the dried on but now flakey stuff off the shelves and wiped off the gunk from inside the oven. I'm down to the bottom layer of burnt on stuff now! (I think it was once leaking blackberry juices. Really sticky stuff.)

Now, you can see shiny shelves through the glass door. You can see through the glass door! The light is really blindingly bright aswell, now the lense has been cleaned. It was all going swimmingly until I closed the kitchen door, whilst still in the kitchen.

Pants. I missed a bit. A long, thin bit. Shaped a bit like the end of the door...

Still, my study material for 'Studying Mammals' has arrived. My new project!

Naughty secret stuff!

2007-11-05T11:14:00.000Z

Not as exciting as it might sound, shhh, but don't tell the hubby...

I've ordered some yarn (and needles, I need just about the only size I didn't already have in my bag of tricks, humph!) from Angel Yarns. I already have a free pattern for a chunky shrug/wrap thingy. Now I'm excited! I hope my parcel comes quickly, so I can get on with the knitting!

The only downside being, me knitting will encourage the children to get back to theirs. A good thing, but I will then have loads of interruptions and be stopped from getting on with mine!

(The hubby will be hacked off because this will mean time spent knitting when it should be time spent studying, but as I still haven't applied for the course, this isn't really a problem, is it? Yet...)

It pays to pay attention...

2007-10-28T16:27:00.000Z

...especially when you are boiling Christmas Puddings.

Or you might boil dry and melt the bottom of the pudding bowl to the bottom of your Circulon pan.

Pants.

(Melted plastic does scrape off when dry heat is further applied I found out, half an hour later. Lucky.)

Get a grip!

2007-10-25T15:43:00.000Z

For the first time in years, I'm making my own Christmas cake and puds, (having found out that my husband's disliking for dark fruit cake was actually the candied peel, "Well, I can leave that out!")

However, my brain is a little older and more tired.

I only ever make half the mix, it's plenty. I managed to halve all the dry ingredients, overcame the lack of white breadcrumbs, (who'll know they're wholemeal if I don't tell them?) and got the wet ingredients ready.

That's when I lost my concentration slightly. I had twice the amount of milk with the right amount of eggs and twice the amount of brandy with the right amount of lemon juice.

Pants.

I feel brandy sours and omlette coming on!

A giggle

2007-10-25T14:53:00.000Z

Conall wrote invitations to his friends yesterday to invite them to his birthday party. (His birthday isn't until April and he's not having a party, but that's not important.)

Dear Graeme
Wied you lake to come to my panty.
Love
Conall

It made me smile.

Eco warriors

2007-10-24T11:08:00.000Z

David and the boys had hours of fun, digging to Australia to install our new green cone. As you can see, Conall put it into action before the job was completely finished, but at least he waited for the cone to be in the ground before he popped in the kitchen waste!

(Aedan appears to be shovelling with thin air, but if you look at the 'bigger picture', you can see he had gloves on, which disguise the spade beautifully!)

We now recycle as much as possible, bearing in mind we have no car, so we have to use the kerbside facilities provided by our local council. These, we find more than adequate. In fact, while taking part in an online survey for the local paper last year, (the question being, "Is fortnightly bin collection enough?") I inadvertantly had my comments published in the local rag. Whoops!

I basically said that, as a family of six, we had no problems with the bin collection or recycling. The people complaining appeared to be couples, with no children.

One ordinary bin is big enough for us, it is never full, let alone overflowing even with a fortnightly collection. The glass and cardboard/paper collection is weekly and is plenty, although, had we a car, we would probably supplement this with visits to the recycling centre at various times of the year, Christmas and birthdays, for example. We occasionally get around to gardening, so again, the fortnightly garden waste collection is plenty.

I said that I felt people who had problems with the system maybe didn't take too much care over the kind of products they bought, whether they were cooking from fresh or using processed foods, so the types of packaging they had could be a problem. We crush any plastic bottles, like large milk cartons or the like, before putting them in the bin, they then take up less space. Of course, other, non-food or grocery items, can also have a lot of packaging.

Either that, or they were just lazy and wanted someone else to take the responsibility for their way of life.

Anyway, nobody replied, which was lucky. I hadn't meant to go public, it's only my opinion after all, not fact!

Since purchasing and now installing our composter and green cone, we've found they have a variety of uses. Entertaining the children being just one.

Resting large G & Ts on being another!

So cute!

2007-10-18T09:07:00.000Z

We've reached a stage where the children are old and capable enough to help each other get breakfast, or even lunch, if I'm in the mood to let them. (Obviously, I'm always on hand, just shutting my eyes and blocking my ears in another room!)

This was just too cute though, this morning.

I went through to the kitchen to cut bread for toast for them, but only the girls were in the dining room. As I walked into the kitchen, I asked, "Where are the boys, I thought you were all getting breakfast?", only to find Aedan standing by the kitchen worktop. I was followed into the kitchen by Rhiannon, carrying a piece of paper, which she tucked into the cupboard, saying, "I'm the waitress taking the order and Aedan's the chef making the food."

Ah, sweet!

(And Conall's part? He was under the table. I didn't ask why...)

Book week

2007-10-11T17:33:00.000Z

An Angler - Sea Fishing Properly Explained by Ian Ball

Veruca Salt - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

A Vampire Bat - Bizarre Beasts by Anita Ganeri

Yes folks, it's that time of year again, Book Week, when the children have to go in fancy dress as their favourite character. Not as straight forward as it sounds.

Aedan prefers reference books to fiction and as long as he reads, I really don't mind! Combined with one of his favourite pastimes, we came up with an angler.

Ciara is doing an author study at school, Roald Dahl, and claims she has to go as a character from one of his books, hence Veruca. Couldn't quite stretch to the mink jacket, so a cardy with a fluffy collar will have to suffice.

Conall was really taken with his library book this week, which happened to be a reference book this time. I'm kind of relieved he went for the bat and not the duck-billed platypus.

What fun was had by all. (Like I had the time, in between cooking, baking, cleaning, washing, ironing and having my haircut in time for my parents to visit this weekend!)

Just a trifle

2007-10-08T11:17:00.000Z

It is a family trifle recipe, my mother's to be precise, (although I dare say she pinched it from somewhere), and it is so incredibly easy and involves no real cooking. A bit of slicing, boiling water, boiling milk, whipping cream and mixing a few bits, but the tradition is at the point of serving.

This trifle is not a success unless it slurps.

Yes, you read that right. The trifle must slurp as the first spoonful is served.

Imagine the children's delight and ensuing hilarity as I produced six individual trifles yesterday, just for a bit of fun. We had to listen to each one intently as the first spoonful was taken, one or two even slurped more than once!

Oh yes, a great success indeed, the slurping trifles.

Wedding trip

2007-10-02T09:56:00.000Z

Well, we had a lovely time, very peaceful without the children and lovely to catch up with an old friend at his wedding.

Shame that David managed to come home with food poisoning, but hey, if he will insist on eating seafood at a finger buffet, (which I never do!) what does one expect?! Still, it didn't spoil the wedding, just the journey home. Bless him, it wasn't until three o'clock on Monday morning when I realised he didn't have the (well deserved) hangover from hell, but food poisoning.

Conall was sick Monday morning too, but as he hadn't been with us, it wasn't connected. He'd been with his aunt's dog all weekend and with his pet allergy, he seems to collect the gunk on his chest and then deposit it, at least he makes it to the toilet these days. He has, however been suffering a sore throat and headache, (like me, but I've to soldier on, as one parent is already out of action!) so he's been off school. I hate keeping my children off school, it's unheard of, but best I think as he didn't wake up until ten o'clock this morning. Maybe he can go back in after lunch. Hey ho!

Er, confession time...

2007-08-26T17:05:00.001Z

Bird of prey display

Golden Eagle

Aedan and Conall's certificate of sponsorship

Rhiannon's first day at Academy

...no baby photos.

You see, it was raining when we arrived at sil's and when we got inside, I realised I'd left the camera in the car. By raining, I mean stair-rods, so neither of us felt compelled to run back up the hill, (the only remaining parking space) to retrieve it. Still, what can I say? It was a baby. They're all pretty much of a muchness, aren't they? Sil, (not the mother of the baby, older sil) was horrified when I didn't want a 'shot' of the baby, how to make myself (even more) unpopular in one fell swoop.

I always hated my babies being taken away from me and being handed down, I found it very distressing, so I just don't do it. Plus the fact, I hate babies being passed around like a parcel, it's a baby, poor thing! There were at least two dozen people there and they all had a shot, except me. Oh, and the father, which was more strange than me not doing! However, we're getting the opportunity for a private viewing at the end of September, because we've been invited to a wedding and youngest sil is going to have the children for the weekend. I'll get a 'shot' then maybe, in peace with no audience, so nobody will see me make this baby scream. It's just a knack I have!

Anyway, I do have a couple of photos from the Safari park, one of the certificate for the boys' sponsorship, but none of their sponsored owl, because it was rehomed two weeks before we went. Pants.

And Rhiannon, on her first day at Academy. I was so relieved when they reintroduced school uniform there a couple of years ago. It looks so much better, gives the children a sense of identity, pride and respect. Makes it a lot easier for clothes too! It's classic black bottoms and jumper and a white top, but that's nice and easy.

More of the wedding later. I'm excited, I don't get out much and haven't been to a wedding for about three years!

More of the same

2007-08-15T12:26:00.000Z

Off camping again, but just for a quick overnighter. David's youngest sister had her first baby in May, so we thought it was about time we popped down to see them! Although, to be fair, this is our first reasonable chance. The boys were given an Eagle Owl sponsorship for their Christmas presents at a safari park nearby and they have a free ticket each, so we thought we could go there at the same time, kill two birds with one stone, as it were...

At least, it was supposed to be that simple. We're using a campsite we've been to before, near Stirling. It's closer to the park than the baby, but we planned to see the baby the day we arrive and have a quick get away from the campsite to do the park on the way home. Unfortunately, as I was afraid, the eldest sister got wind of this, she lives closer to the campsite, so now we're going there and seeing all the family instead. We're still being allowed to camp though, that's a relief!

Anyway, I'll take the camera.

Just a thought

2007-07-29T07:50:00.001Z

Am I a walking advert for camping holidays in Scotland? Better stop that, or there'll be no room left!

Family camping!

2007-07-27T12:20:00.001Z

Lovely, new, palatial tent. (Whoops, managed to chop the ends off in the photograph!)

We went on the marine wildlife cruise, again. In fact, the boys and I went twice, the others decided they didn't want to, although they did enjoy it.

We went to Inverewe Gardens at Poolewe, which we all enjoyed.

The children went pony trekking in the rain, which was a bit of a damp for them, but they soon recovered after a hot shower and a hot dinner at the pub.

We only did one walk with the children this year, I think David and I both felt we'd done enough for a while! We had fabulous cliff views before the haar came in, but I still managed to spot a common seal pup on the rocks just before we got back to the cars.

We'd taken the boys fishing rods this year, so they did a bit of fishing off the rocks and they'd both got crabbing lines aswell, so they did a bit of that too. I think the crabbing was more successful, as they actually caught some of those, but put them all back of course.

We popped along the coast to see the lighthouse, which we didn't reach last year and we also went to the Gairloch museum, which the children loved! They got to mill some flour using two different and ancient methods and were allowed to keep the product of their efforts, which delighted them. I got to have a go at spinning on a wheel, which I thoroughly enjoyed but was totally bamboozled by. I have the yarn that I made, but I couldn't do it again without a nice little old lady to hand to keep me straight.

The weather was great, warm and bright. It rained a couple of times, but mainly at night, (apart from the pony trekking day) and it didn't get in the way of us doing anything. We saw half a dozen eagles, four of which may have been White Tailed Eagles, but whilst I could tell they were eagles, they were too distant for an amateur to distinguish with confidence. They were definitely eagles! We only had midge problems the last evening, when some bright spark suggested a walk along the beach to say goodbye after our fish and chip supper. We got a little nibbled on the way through the dunes, but the breeze from the sea was just enough to get rid of them when we got there and spotting another common seal just off the beach made it worth while.

Oh yes, the Evans family holiday to Gairloch was, yet again, a total success. The children are already making plans for our return next year. Guess what? So am I!!

40 miles home from the Cairngorms

2007-07-21T07:11:00.000Z

We stayed here, at Rothiemurchus campsite, overnight and our walk started after a bus trip a few miles down the road to Glenmore. Here, we had to walk half a mile uphill to the official start, with me moaning all the way, "I'm never going to do this, my pack's making my back sore, if I can't do today, I'll never do tomorrow!" Poor David. Luckily, he ignored me and after re-packing my pack, things settled down. Within half an hour of starting, we'd seen a Golden Eagle!

Please note, flip-flops are not my footwear of choice, neither are they a fashion statement, (they are zebra print, courtesy of David on a lone shopping spree...) but I find them to be invaluble when camping. Shared showers barefoot? I don't think so! At the time of taking this photograph, I had a humdinger of a mid-cycle hormonal headache. I managed to survive till 9pm, but then just had to go to bed. Luckily, it had gone in the morning.

Through the Ryvoan Pass, along Strathnethy to Rynettin, into Abernethy Forest Reserve, to Dell Lodge and onto Nethy Bridge for lunch.

Hill wise, this was the hilliest part of the walk, mostly uphill at that. I was expecting this to be the roughest track as well, but we discovered later, it was relatively easy going.

At Nethy Bridge, we picked up part of the Speyside Way, a popular walk mainly using disused railway. A gentle walk onto Grantown-on-Spey, a typical (Scottish) Victorian spa town.

David was a little blistered and sore at this stage, I felt remarkbly fine considering we'd just walked about 15 miles, but we'd done it at a really steady pace. The fish and chips were incredibly welcome that night!

The next day saw us set off on the Dava Way, a lesser known footpath, again using disused railway. The path started well, but as we got further along it, there were large stretches of huge stone chippings which were really uncomfortable to walk on and there were no ways round it, but we continued on. There were softer patches between which gave respite.

The photograph of me just before we crossed this viaduct was the last we took on this trip. It's at a place called Dunphail, which is in the last 8 mile section of the walk. Just before this was taken, we had been walking up a leafy track through forestry and come across a car parked on the track. I so wish it had been streamed up, it should have been. It was tea time, not even dark!

Anyway, a little further on, the blister on the sole of my foot at the top near my toes, that hadn't given me any grief, suddenly 'burst', (or at least, it felt like it!) It was exruciating and I was devastated to think I'd got so close and failed. Luckily, I am married to 'a man who can', in most situations and he dared to go close enough to my naked foot to strap it up. We could continue!

We made it into the town, just three miles from home, at around 8pm and I was so pleased. Not ecstactic at this point, just sooooo pleased to be close to my hot bath, champagne, curry and bed. It wasn't quite as straight forward as I'd wanted to go the last three miles home, I had proved myself and had no intention of walking any further, but my friend who'd promised a lift was in a restaurant, (!!) and the next bus was just too long a wait, so David treated me to a taxi. Bless!

So, next day, onto Gairloch...

Home again, home again

2007-07-21T07:07:00.000Z

Jiggerty jig!

This will be a post of two parts, or maybe three posts, as we went away all together, then David and I came back, then we went away, then we came back all together!

So, here goes.

UPDATE

Okay, so this is taking a little longer than expected, I continue to have problems uploading photographs, apparently. I will persevere.

Sadness

2007-06-24T16:47:00.000Z

Another sad day.

When we moved into our first married home, we had a wonderful neighbour called Jonnie. He was such a wonderful person, friendly, genou=rous, kind, thoughtful. He rescued me from spiders and looked after Rhiannon as a three year old toddler and Megan, (the German Shephard) when I had to take Aedan, just less than two, into hospital, (with Ciara as a four-month-old breast feeding baby). David was on his way home from America and got stuck in fog at Lynham. He was such a star, always there for a chat, a local born and bred, but well travelled and full of wildlife knowledge, I loved him dearly.

Since we moved, I visited him whenever we were in the area, although this was obviously impossible in the last year. I think we last saw him at the end of last May.

We had a telephone call earlier with the sad news that he died today and I am distraught. It's a private service, which I obviously respect, but I'm determined to find out where he's laid to rest so that I can pay my respects. The sad thing is, I had already made plans for our next visit after our holiday.

I have had a dram and lit a virtual candle in his remembrance.

It's a small reminder to me that those closest to me will soon be gone.

xx

Shame

2007-06-20T15:14:00.000Z

It was a terrible shame, the boys tried their very best and did enjoy themselves, but they didn't win a place to London. I can't say I'm terribly surprised, although I was very hopeful, but I feel the school have let them down badly. (If a bad workman blames his tools, does a bad mother blame the school?)

They have lots of goodies each and a K'Nex set for the school, but as Daniel pointed out, the school didn't do anything, so the boys should share it between them! Obviously, I can't condone that, but I do agree in private.

The school entered them into this competition, but haven't even sent a representative with them to Glasgow The University had to hire David a car so that he could take them, otherwise they wouldn't have gone. On top of that, they have not been allowed to do any preparation together at the school, they haven't been shown how to do the planning that was required, nothing. We've tried to get the boys together, but it hasn't been much help, I'm neither a teacher, nor an engineer.

At the moment, I'm swinging between disappointed, angry and upset.

Lambs to the slaughter, I think it was a terrible shame.

It's nearly time for a big adventure

2007-06-19T16:21:00.000Z

(Apart from the fact it's only two weeks and five days till we drop the children at Gairloch with my sister and brother-in-law, not that I'm counting...) it's tomorrow that the boys go to Glasgow to take part in the next round of the K'Nex Challenge. I know Aedan's excited, not because he's said so, but because we_haven't_been_able_to_get_him_to_sleep at a decent time of night for at least three days. That wouldn't be so bad, (he'll wear himself out eventually!) but he and Conall (Conall and he, him and Conall? Whatever!) share a room, so Conall's unbearable too!

Anyway, I'll update you tomorrow when they return.

Good luck Aedan and Daniel!

Ruggish!

2007-06-17T08:44:00.000Z

I am proving to be decidedly ruggish at this. I don't have a brilliant excuse, but I am trying to rest my arm whenever possible to aid recovery, so perhaps I can blame it on that. It's getting much better much more quickly than I was expecting, so I'm really pleased! I'd forgotten what it was like to live with (virtually) no pain, but that was my own silly fault for not going to the quack sooner. Hey ho!

Anyway, it's Father's Day and whilst I think it's an American idea brought over here for commercial reasons, the children like to give Daddy a day off like Mummy has one earlier in the year and Daddy thinks it's only fair. (Mine was cheaper, a pair of slippers and a mug. His is a bottle of amber nectar! Don't need to tell him it was reduced, shhh...)

Must be time for breakfast.

I'm here!

2007-06-07T10:02:00.000Z

Waving, not drowning.

I'm still here, just having a quiet time I guess. I hadn't actually realised it was quite so long, but I suppose nearly two weeks is a while. I can't even blame it on half term, we don't have those up here, just the Thursday and Friday before my birthday, but that suits me fine. In fact, it's not long until we break up for the summer, four weeks today, to be precise.

So, have been up to anything? Errrr, no.

Not much.

Didn't run last week, which made me a little anxious, (becoming obsessed, me?!) but we had a trial walk with a loaded rucksac, 12 miles and 20 lbs, to be accurate. It went fine, we did it in four hours, which I was quite happy with. It means that, on the actual walk, I can manage the rucksac at a reasonable speed with scope to slow down for a more enjoyable stroll!

I couldn't run on the Wednesday because the rain was doing a good impression of stair rods, so I did some weights and another six mile walk on the Thursday instead.

Monday was written off because I can't say no to a bottle of wine.

I don't mean I was ill, (more worryingly, I wasn't...) just that I don't like to do hard excercise after consuming alcohol as I'm not sure the stress is good for the organs.

Tuesday, now, that proved to be interesting. I had intended to run that day instead, but I had a fabulous telephone call on the Monday lunch time, offering me a cancellation physiotherapy appointment on Tuesday for my shoulder. I took it! What a lovely lady she was to.

I don't have tendonitis, which is good. I have weak Rotator Cuff Muscles, which cause my shoulder joint to be unstable. She rubbed it a bit, ("This will be sore to start, but it'll go numb eventually." Never a truer word said!) then a few minutes of ultrasound, (no pretty pictures of babies to look at, that was strange...) and a couple of exercises with an elastic band everyday. I go back weekly for a while, then maybe monthly for a while after that. It's going to be a long haul apparently, because it has become chronic.

Should have gone to the quack last summer...

Did go to the gym yesterday, now David has renewed my membership. Ran for 25 minutes on the treadmill, which was about two and a quarter miles, but running on the treadmill is so much easier than on the road. It's cushioned and does part of the work for you, but better than nothing.

Apart from that? Nothing much.

I'll be back again soon.

I promise!

Yesterday...

2007-05-27T19:36:00.000Z

...was my 39th birthday!

We had a lovely day, nice pressies and a trip to the cinema to see Pirates III and loved it.

I'm counting down the days till my next birthday, not saying I'm a tad excited. I love birthdays.

Happy birthday me!

My boy!

2007-05-17T20:08:00.000Z

My boy's going to be an engineer.

He's just won a commended place in the Regional Final at Aberdeen with his partner, Daniel, in the school K'Nex Challenge, Junior Engineer competition. They were in the top 10 teams out of 160 in North East Scotland.

As my mother would say, "Proud? I should coco!"

Never understood that one myself, but fits the bill. Chuffed to bits!

They've to go to Glasgow for the Final on the 20th June.

I'm not sure who's more excited...

Progress

2007-05-15T18:39:00.000Z

Oh, I've managed to restrain myself for over 24 hours, but I've got to tell you. I ran 3.66 miles yesterday, without walking. In 40 minutes and 52 seconds. I am just a tad chuffed with myself. Doesn't make my legs sore, but my word, makes my arm hurt! I have found some natural anti-inflammatories, so I'm hoping that will help, along with paracetamol if necessary.

3.66 miles! In 40 minutes and 52 seconds!!

Have to see if I can do it again sometime...

Mixed moments

2007-05-08T18:55:00.000Z

So, yesterday I was thinking, "Yey, I have no car to breakdown and if the dishwasher or washing machine breakdown, I can live without them for a couple of days 'til David gets home, no worries!"

Then, I woke up this morning. To my total and utter horror, there was an enormous spider, on the ceiling, above my bed.

And it kept moving.

Took me ages to get dressed, put my make-up on and do my hair, I kept having to check over my shoulder to see what it as up to. It couldn't have picked a worse place to jangle my nerves!

All day, I kept popping upstairs to check up on him and by the time the children came home from school, I couldn't stand it any longer. Aedan took the vacuum cleaner upstairs, stood on a chair and sucked it up the extension tube. He even placated me in the same bored tone as David does, "Yes, it's gone. Yes, it's dead."

So, that's dealt with.

This morning, I finally got around to starting my light weight training, (for my backpacking trip). I did about half an hour with 1.5 kg weights and just two sets of 12 repetitions. Oddly enough, this evening I have found that when I put my dressing gown on, when I normally have pain in my upper arm, (the tendonitis) I have none! Neat! Maybe, if I keep up with it, by the time my appointment with the physiotherapist comes through, I won't need it. Now, that would be great.

We'll see.

Another birthday

2007-05-07T06:21:00.000Z

Our eldest boy was 10 years old yesterday, I can't believe that. Always seems to have more impact when our second child hits a milestone, rather than the eldest, quite daft really! Anyway, I digress. He received mainly fishing 'stuff', so Daddy duely took him off to the beach to fish. Well, try to fish. Aedan remembers everything he's been taught by a friend who's taken him a few times, but the weather let him down. It was a lovely day, but a tad breezy for casting.

No fish for supper! (That didn't come out of the freezer, along with the chips...)

I made him a Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting for his birthday cake, at his request. It was lush and saddly, two of the children didn't like it. All the more for the rest of us, I say!

David has just gone for a little trip to the Med today. Hope it rains.

My Aunty Nora wrote me a lovely letter after she recieved my sympathy card. She has passed my contact details onto to two of my four cousins and I'm looking forward to finding out more about them. It's so sad that we've had to wait for this opportunity to get to know one another, but I'm quite curious.

Oh, whoops

2007-05-02T08:57:00.000Z

Er, I seem to have missed my own birthday.

No, not my birthday, the birthday of my blog. Whoops. Oh well, happy belated birthday, blog!

Other news, I went out for a run this morning. Two minutes past six, to be precise. Before David went to work. Bit keen you might think, but I don't like running in the heat and, whilst today is looking a bit misty and damp, you never can tell, so I bit the bullet and went out when I woke up.

I'm so glad I did! I ran, yes, ran all the way, two and a half miles. In twenty seven minutes! I'm sooooo chuffed and incredibly smug.

I have been gradually building up the distance, so I'm quite pleased. Hopefully, by the time we do our thirty five mile backpacking in two days challenge in nine weeks and five days, I'll be reasonably fit and maybe half a stone lighter. Wey hey!

Oh, and Rhiannon is on her school trip at the moment, five days in Glasgow. I'm not thinking about it. At all. Nope.

Ironing beckons, I'm on a roll for 'getting stuff done', so "I'll be back" (in a thick, Austrian accent,) later.

I always keep a promise

2007-04-22T07:33:00.000Z

Here are the photographs of my flourishing flowers.

(Sorry, it sounded so good in my head!)

My Peace Lily, then Aedan's bean, then my Orchid that refuses to flower.

I'll feed it into submission!

There are also my Blackberries in the background behind the bean, given to me by some treasured family friends when David and I got married because I'd always loved their blackberries as a child. My plants still grow fantastically well and produce a really good harvest come Autumn.

Quiet

2007-04-20T10:00:00.000Z

Nothing much to report from the children's first week back at school. Unless you count finding Aedan kneeling on top of Rhiannon, punching her. Ah, well. Siblings. Suitably reprimanded, I hasten to add, but there is a limited amount you can do when they deliberately wind each other up sooooo much! They'll get better. In time. I hope!

I forgot to take Conall to Beavers for his first session on Wednesday, blonde or grey day, I'm not quite sure.

I had to go to the doctor yesterday, I've had a sore arm for months and finally decided I'd had enough. (I hate going to the doctor, I always feel such a fraud, it's never something I'm ill with, just a niggle.) So, anyway, the arm. They don't have to amputate, which is good. Tendonitis was the conclusion, for which you have two treatments, except of course, Awkward Annie here can't. Because I'm asthmatic, I can't use anti-inflammatories, so I've to continue suffering the pain while I wait for an appointment with the physio. Apparently, it's a really long waiting list. Deep joy.

David went back onto shift this week, his course having finished. So, the first night shift for six months. Peace and quiet for me, that's what I say!

Oh, did I mention our run on Monday?

It was apparently a year since JogScotland started in Forres this week, so to celebrate they had two 'races', (no competition they said, but we were all timed!) a 5K and a mile. I did the mile, not wanting to overface myself and Lyn, my new jogging buddy and I brought up the rear beautifully. Eleven minutes and twenty two seconds and I ran all the way! So chuffed.

Like I said, it's been a quiet week.

Funny day

2007-04-12T10:12:00.000Z

It was Conall's sixth birthday on Saturday and we had a party at the local Farmshop Coffee shop. Might sound a bit odd, but being carless, the fact that it is close by had a lot to do with my choice and it is run by friends, which was good too. Aswell as running riot in an enclosed space with a trampoline and climbing frames, they got to feed cows and chickens too. Yee ha! He loved it.

Mummy forgot the camera. Ooops.

Today is my mum's birthday, I rang so that the children could sing Happy Birthday, (out of tune and flat, but hey, they hadn't practiced. Apart from Saturday...) but it turned into an odd conversation.

Mum and dad had received a phonecall very early in the morning. Dad's (a bit) deaf and was obviously struggling to understand the conversation, although he knew he was talking to a 'Nora', (struggles to recognise me!) so mum took over. She was also a little puzzled, but dealt with the call without letting on she didn't know what was going on. Afterwards she checked the number, but didn't recognise it and couldn't reconcile it with any in her phonebook, so she did a little investigation with the code and the telephone directory. It turned out they weren't talking to Nora they know in Suffolk, which was why being told about 'David' having died didn't make any sense. We don't have one in Suffolk. It was Nora dad's sister-in-law. His brother David died last night.

Dad isn't bothered. He disowned him during a family argument over thirty years ago. He won't go to the funeral.

I'm sad. I've never met my Uncle David, Aunty Nora or my four cousins. (They have names, I'm just not sure I'll get them right.) I'm sad that I never will now and that I had no choice. I don't want the same for my children, except they have an Uncle and Aunt they don't know, that's not my fault, but I'm going to have to find a way to do something about it before it's too late.

It's turning into an odd day.

Mad dogs...

2007-04-09T12:00:00.000Z

Noel Coward, wasn't it? Hmm, well, in Scotland we have an entirely different breed of them. Yes, we are (actually, they are, I am not...) sitting outside in the midday 'sun'. Except, it's not that hot, so not much danger of heatstroke. We're having the first barbeque of the year, today, the 9th April. Bit earlier than usual. The children were in the paddling pool. For less time than it took to fill it, but would they be told? Sometimes they have to find out for themselves.

It is a nice day, no doubt about it, a fabulous drying day, but ofcourse, I can't actually put any washing on the line, because of said barbeque.

David thinks it's funny, bless him, that I love the great outdoors and yet, I am sitting inside on such a beautiful day. I despise sitting in the garden. I do not enjoy the barbeque bit. Foods okay, nice for a change I guess, but what a faff. Shouldn't bother me really, because he cooks it all, which I suppose is the fun bit maybe. I think the 'breeze' is a tad chilly for sitting and in a few months time, it's going to be too hot! Ah well, soon I'll be climbing big hills in paradise. Roll on July!

(Don't mean to be a kill joy, I'm laughing with them, they're having fun, I just think I'm more comfy in here!)

UPDATE
Photographs of the flourishing flowers to follow.

Green fingers

2007-04-04T09:30:00.000Z

I mentioned my Camellia, I believe? Which is bursting into bloom all over now. Well, my Peace Lily is at it aswell! This came as part of one of those little pots you buy, along with a tiny Yukka looking thing and a pink spotted thingy too. (As you can see, I am hopeless with plants!)

The Peace Lily was tiny, but flowering at the time. After the flowers went, it continued to grow. And grow and grow, but never flowered again, until now. I have a flower! It's a little small in comparison to the rest of the plant, but I am chuffed.

Aedan planted two Broad Beans in a yoghurt pot at school a few weeks ago. He brought home a dinky pair of seedlings to 'grow on'. Hmm, me thought, not good at this. I have been known to snap a sunflower seedling before even getting out of the playground! The beans' chances were obviously improved by the fact I don't collect Aedan...

So, potted on and sat sitting on the window sill in the kitchen, I thought I'd have a little time to plan, choose the correct position in the garden, you know the sort of thing, but the seedlings had other ideas and got carried away. All of a sudden, they needed a bigger pot, NOW! (Because of the cat situation, they have to go in a pot, so they a less likely to be wee'd on and we can then eat the odd bean we may get.) A large pot was found and filled with compost. My next problem was the fact that David had potted them into a ceramic pot, not a plastic pot. Not easy to remove, but I managed and now they are romping on somewhat in an enormous pot with some bamboo supports.

I seem to be killing far fewer things these days, in the plant world. Just need to get my orchid to flower now. A bit ambitious, do you think?

Can you see what it is yet?

2007-04-01T16:13:00.000Z

Give three children a dust cover, Twister mat, child's broom, a stick, a piece of string and a safety pin, what do you get?

This!

Imagination, creativity and teamwork produce a tent on a glorious Palm Sunday in Scotland. Fantastic! (And from the three least likely to work together without fighting...)

Wiggle dance!

2007-03-28T08:35:00.000Z

My camellia is flowering! I hoped it would after all these years and it is, a very pretty red. ...and yes, I was so excited it's out of focus. Hey ho!
...and just for good measure, my boys in a loving moment.

We do get them, but Rhiannon is never there, unless I am!

Happy now, btw. Explained, very calmly, why I was so upset, received an apology and forgave. Haven't heard from her since though. Hmm...

Unhappy

2007-03-22T17:36:00.000Z

I've had a day I can't talk about, because it would betray a confidence which I can't do. The upshot of it is I'm angry. I'm annoyed with myself for being angry and annoyed with my friend for making me feel like this and annoyed with her for abusing/betraying my friendship.

We'll sort it out, I'll explain calmly and rationally why it's upset me, it would be silly to ruin a good friendship over it.

But right now, I'm angry.

I'll come back when I'm happy.

Subtle (not)

2007-03-18T14:45:00.000Z

Conall pulled up daddy's t-shirt and murmered a disappointed "Oh." and moved away again, then picked up a cushion to look behind it. "Has anyone seen Zacky Doo? I thought daddy was hiding him."

Zacky Doo is Conall's favourite cuddly toy...

Dear Conall

2007-03-17T20:40:00.000Z

Apparently, tonight we have been watching 'Dr Moose' in 'Kavanagh QC'...

Horrors

2007-03-14T11:50:00.000Z

I was going to tell you something funny, but for the moment I've forgotten what. I've been rather distracted and reminded of something completely different.

After I'd been out for my walk to the farmshop, I went to hang my coat up in the cupboard, only to spot an EMORMOUS black, hairy spider, on the wall, above the coat pegs.

I screamed and shut the door.

I had to sit down because I'd had a nasty fright.

I have since realised, my husband may not be home for lunch, by which time, said intruder will have disappeared.

Not a happy bunny.

It reminded me of a visit to the hairdressers, years ago, in Inverness.

Having been 'done', I was offered my jacket, which I put on, flicked the collar to make it comfortable, then left the salon and walked about half a mile back into the town (it wasn't a city then...) to Boots. As I was stood standing, trying to choose a photograph frame, I became aware of movement on my shoulder.

I wiped 'it' off and watched with horror as 'it' landed on the floor and scuttled under the shelves.

I restrained myself from ripping my clothes of there and then, but departed quick smart to the car park, where I ripped off my jacket and sat in the car with palpatations.

It was an horrific experience.

The hb will now have to take all my coats, scarves, hats etc out of the cupboard, give them a good shake, stamp on them and ensure there are no intruders hiding in them. My heart isn't as young as it used to be, I don't think I could stand the fright again.

Nice time

2007-03-11T11:56:00.000Z

I didn't mention it because I was keeping it a secret, but my sister and brother-in-law have come for a visit, which is lovely. It's only a flying visit, just so they can take part in the Inverness 10k, (or whatever it is...) but it's been lovely seeing them and they leave tomorrow.

I always enjoy their company, but I don't know why I always have to overindulge. I feel quite rough today, which is not much good as I have to jog tomorrow, supposedly for ten minutes, but I can't see that happening!

We've been making plans for the summer holidays, (I feel a list coming on!) so I'm going to get excited now.

Anyway, we've had a nice time.

Nothing of note

2007-03-06T17:44:00.000Z

I went jogging again last night and jogged the first section, which was five whole minutes! The five minute walk section was easy too... but then the last jog was another five minutes and I put a little walk in the middle. Still incredibly impressed with myself and surprisingly not sore this morning, which is a bit odd. I went for a two mile, gentle walk to try to keep it that way.

Next week is supposed to be a ten minute jog. I will probably walk a little...

Told you it was nothing of note. I need to get out more!

Did you see it?

2007-03-04T08:18:00.000Z

We had a lovely view of the lunar eclipse last night from our back doorstep and when it got too chilly, (was a tad nippy last night!) we craned our necks to see round the corner from the dining room patio doors. For something that sounds quite ordinary, it was actually quite extraordinary. The shadowing and the slight orange hue gave the moon a really 3-D effect, which obviously sounds a bit odd, but the moon does tend to look like a white circle hanging in the sky rather than a solid object. Last night it looked beautiful and a little surreal.

Couldn't take photograph, David said our camera wouldn't and I believed him rather than trying. He has a nasty habit of being right on technical issues, but then, that's his job.

Next Friday is Conall's first school assembly and he has quite an appropriate line. "In spring birds build nests and lay their eggs in them." I don't think daddy will be able to make it, I can probably count on one hand the amount of times he has, (but there always seems to be plenty other 'men in blue' at these things...) so I shall report back about my budding star.

And that is as exciting as it gets round here.

I shall go and get breakfast.

Another little stamp

2007-02-28T15:23:00.000Z

This is perhaps going to be a bit of a controversial post, but I had a little rant at David at lunch time and realised he wasn't listening, so thought I'd try elsewhere.

You see, there are prisoners up here, (well, Glasgow actually) complaining about not having theirown pants, having to wear any old pants given to them, (presumably clean) now, I was under the misapprehension that people in prisons are being punished. They are paying their debt to society for whatever crime they have committed, whether it be murder, theft, rape, fraud, a crime whatever it may be. I personally think that prison should be a punishment and yet I think many of these convicts actually get a better life in prison. They may have to share a bedroom, but they are warm and dry, have three square meals a day, gym facilities, satellite television, pool tables, computor access, libraries, education, a daily thirty minute telephone call. (As far as I'm aware, our soldiers, serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, get a twenty minute telephone card. Weekly...)

Where is the punishment, the deterrent? Is it really beyond the imagination of these people to reoffend, simply to be reincarcerated and to continue living in the manner to which they have become accustomed? Yes, I'm sure there are dreadful things that go on in prisons too, drugs being a small part of the problem, but I do believe these people should be being punished and shouldn't have so many 'rights', otherwise, what is the point?

I maybe shouldn't mention that I would be all for the return of capital punishment in serious cases that are proven without doubt, or that I would love to bring back National Service, because I believe this would instill respect and discipline. Not to mention corporal punishment in schools. No, I'm not outraged that my children might be beaten, because they wouldn't be. When I was a child, our headmaster had 'the slipper' in his office, but I was not once aware of anyone ever actually receiving the punishment, the threat of it's presence was enough. Now, there is nothing to be scared of or respect, the teachers no longer have the upper hand, the pupils and parents do.

And another thing, bring back the 'beat bobby'. I remember being berated by our local bobby when I was about six years old for riding my (sister's) bike on the pavement. I was terrified and have never committed a crime since. It worked for me!

This post is a bit of a mess, trying to squeeze alot of moans into one, but it all boils down to discipline and respect, or rather, the lack of.

I'll stop stamping now.

(And the pants thing was merely to illustrate a point. They should be grateful to have pants at all!)

I'm a good girl I am

2007-02-27T10:47:00.000Z

I just faced one of my pet hates. Telephone calls. I really, really hate making certain types of telephone calls, like ringing the bank or a mail order company, you know the sort of thing. I hate it. I come out in a cold sweat. My mouth stops working and I talk jibberish, (what's new there then?) so I'm quite chuffed with myself.

It was a certain high street retail company that had charged me for something I had never received. Now, it's out of stock. Pants. At least I made the call.

Yes, I jogged, yes I enjoyed (!!??) it and yes, I shall go again.

I'm quite impressed actually. I'm not the slightest bit sore. Must be fitter than I thought!

Ho hum

2007-02-26T17:24:00.000Z

I have been coereced by my dear friend Bev to go to a Jogging Uk club tonight. I'm all dressed ready.

Don't know about jogging tonight, won't be able to walk tomorrow.

Is it really worth all the pain just to get fit? I'll let you know.

A little excited

2007-02-24T17:01:00.000Z

Nearly seven years ago, I planted a young Camellia in my garden. It's in a nice spot, but I must confess to never having fed it. I leave it to it's own thing really.

I've just noticed that the buds that had appeared, that I had assumed were the usual new leaf buds, look like they could actually be flower buds!

I'm a little excited about this. I am not reknowned for my green fingers.

I shall post pictures if I was right.

If I'm wrong, I shall keep very quiet...

The escapee

2007-02-21T15:06:00.000Z

I made soup for lunch today, like I often do. Today was another new one, Irish Potato Soup. So, while my finely chopped onions sweated in a little butter, I peeled and diced some potatoes. Now, because I buy my local potatoes from the local farm shop, they come with local mud on, so I usually give them a good wash and peel them in the sink, often popping them onto the drainer till they're all done. I popped the diced potatoes into the pan to sweat with the onions and then decided to do a little washing up (occasionally I'm a tidy cook, not always) and to that, I had to empty the drainer first of the previous washing up, (tidy up until a point...). There it was. Behind the clean grill pan. An escapee. A peeled potato!

It was diced and sweating quicker than two shakes of a lamb's tail.

There is no escape in my kitchen...

And that is how exciting my life is. The Great Vegetable Escape.

Should have been yesterday really. Made Pea Soup yesterday...

Pancakes!

2007-02-20T19:41:00.000Z

Should have taken piccies really, however, it is Shrove Tuesday and I made pancakes for the children. Horrors, they had jam on them, not lemon and sugar.

The shame of it is I didn't make enough for me. Pants.

I don't ask the children to give anything up in particular, because they will chose things like tidying, bathing, homework, so it kind of defeats the object, but we do talk about it and how it all came about, Lent, Easter and all that. I am not going to give up anything this year either, but I am going to cut back on chocolate and wine, question myself each time why I want some, whether I need it and could I do without it. Thinking about it rather than eating or drinking without question is a step forward for me.

I have given something up in the past and usually successfully and without cheating, but the desire just grows to huge proportions, so come Easter, I'm likely to gorge. Not a pretty sight. This way, I'm hoping for more control and calm.

We'll see.

Chortle

2007-02-20T15:57:00.000Z

I've just been reading some of my older posts and came across (another) pinch, forty questions about me, basically. One question was "Do you have a secret nobody knows?" the answer to which was, "Yes, that's why it's a secret." Good answer.

Now, tell me, what was my secret?

It's like those things you put in a safe place, but then forget where the safe place is. Speaks volumes about my memory...

Causing a bit of a stir

2007-02-20T15:41:00.000Z

I'm a bit of a saddo at times and just out of complete curiosity, I've installed a Stats Counter. It's interesting stuff, but I'm not entirely sure what I can get out of it, so I'll probably drop it sometime when I get bored. However, I've noticed alot of interest in one particular post recently, "I've been getting messages" and I suspect for all the wrong reasons.

Especially as this activity seems to come from the Houses of Parliament.

(There you go, I'll have done it again now, saying all the wrong things.)

Just for the record, I have never had, nor do I ever want to have an MP of any kind in my bath. Unless David has a change of career, but I can't see that happening somehow.

Nor do I want a cup of tea in my bath. It's got to be wine!

Makes you wonder though...

Oh, ok

2007-02-20T10:14:00.000Z

You scored as Albus Dumbledore. You are very wise, observant,

and analyctical. You have a very "well-organized" mind, which

makes you function in a calm and fair manner. Though you get

angered easily, its rare of you to ever act our of temper. You are

constantly seeing the good in people and are naturally forgiving

because of it. You're easy to please and a great person to learn from.

Albus Dumbledore

66%

Neville Longbottom

63%

Bellatrix Lestrange

63%

Remus Lupin

63%

Ron Weasley

63%

Luna Lovegood

59%

Oliver Wood

53%

Sirius Black

53%

Hermione Granger

53%

Harry Potter

50%

Severus Snape

50%

Draco Malfoy

34%

Percy Weasley

28%

Lord Voldemort

25%

Harry Potter Character Combatibility Test
created with QuizFarm.com

Admittedly, another pinch...

I've been getting messages

2007-02-19T10:51:00.000Z

Not in my dreams or anything like that.

BT kindly sent me some fridge magnets, quite a while ago now. They were just a collection of random words in a sheet that could be taken apart and therefore sentences made.

Whilst our eldest daughter is restrained and reserved like her father, her saving grace is obviously her sense of humour. It's like mine.

"To mum love you from the family and socks the cat"

We don't have a cat...

"Out with 2 friends and chatting to home using a mobile"

?

"1 cup of tea in the bath with Angus Robertson MP"

This one I think was the most disturbing, AR is our local MP, he visited the school a while ago and signed autographs (I should imagine he spoke to the children and answered questions too...) and it was this autograph that had been tagged onto the end of 'the message'. Disturbing because? He doesn't even preach the right politics let alone frequent my bath.

(Tea? More likely a glass of perfectly chilled Chardonnay!)

UPDATE

Could someone please post a comment, (anonymously will do, but not you Ruth, that won't help...!) and tell me why so many 'strangers' are interested in this post? It's about sentences made up out of random words. Random, get it? I'm just curious.

Gnash

2007-02-16T21:19:00.000Z

Grrrrr!

Growing up

2007-02-16T15:43:00.000Z

My youngest daughter, Ciara, is a Brownie. My eldest daughter, Rhiannon, used to be a Brownie, but left at nine and a half and didn't want to be a Guide, so she isn't. Ciara, on the other hand, is an extremely sociable child and loves the interaction, so she won't leave before she's ten and will probably want to be a Guide.

I was a Brownie, (they didn't have Rainbows when I was a child, but these to were both Rainbows) and I was a Guide until I was about fifteen I suppose, but I can also boast Girls Brigade, Sea Cadets and the local Youth Orchestra (the windband and the recorder orchestra sections). In my day, Brownies was about being a little girl and learning useful things, like polishing shoes, making fairy cakes, plaiting newspapers to make a packaway seat, all sorts of stuff.

We had a Brownie parent meeting the other evening, to decide on the future of the pack, how to support the current leaders and collect ideas for activities. One mother suggested a pamper evening. For the Brownies. You know, make-up, nail varnish that sort of thing. There sat the other mothers nodding approval and "Ooo"s and "Ahhh"s from all corners.

Me, I'm silently screaming "NOOOOOO!".

Call me old fashioned or a prude, but I don't want to encourage my daughter to wear make-up, short skirts and cropped tops, to make herself appear older than her tender eight years and available. To make her vulnerable.

At first I thought I will just make Ciara 'busy' that night, so that I don't have to confess my austerity in public. Then I decided I will have a private word with Brown Owl and explain why I am unhappy for my daughter to take part in this activity. If other parents don't have a problem it's entirely up to them obviously, I don't want to make an issue of it, but it's just not for me and my daughter.

Although Ciara probably won't agree. She would probably love it.

Tough.

Post champers

2007-02-15T11:43:00.000Z

I've been reading the links from Anne's Blog about Valentine's Day and I enjoyed them all. The first in particular made me smile, because I agree wholeheartedly and I appreciate how lucky I am, (we are!) to have the relationship that we do. It is honest, supportive, reliable, loyal, fun, everything I am (and he is) as a person is our relationship. I feel lucky that we don't have to work at our relationship, it works itself because it is us.

That is not perhaps the most eloquent piece of writing, I'm sure someone somewhere could have made it far more beautiful to read, but it does just what it says on the tin, and so does my marriage!

So anyway, last night we cooked ourselves a beautiful meal, because we can produce something fabulous for a fraction of the cost of a babysitter, two taxis and the disappointing meal at a restaurant.

Goats Cheese Souffle

Baked Halibut (well, they didn't have any, so it was Talapia, or something, from Jamaica...) with Cabbage and Bacon, a Tarragon Cream Sauce and Potato Rosti

Baked Chocolate Torte with Raspberry Sauce

Lush. Not to mention the perfectly chilled Tattinger (I may have mentioned that before?) and some Chardonnay Columbard.

The children aren't at school today. Or tomorrow. Or Monday.

Happy days!

Look at my Weather Pixie!

2007-02-14T17:58:00.000Z

How cute is that? I love it!

PS I've been writing again, if you haven't visited the other blog recently. Or maybe you have and it's just too rubbish to comment.

PPS Was that a subtle enough hint? Sorry, halfway through a bottle of champagne for Valentine's Day. Can't guarantee my Cheese Souflees are going to turn out. Especially as I can't spell them...

UPDATE 15th February, 2007

It's gone now...

Nothing much

2007-02-13T17:39:00.000Z

As I was in the bathroom this morning, I was listening to Sarah Kennedy on Radio Two. "The Sky at Night is the longest running programme to still have it's original presenter, Sir Patrick Moore." Go Patrick!

A little later, I was vegetating in front of GMTV whilst eating my breakfast. I find thinking and concentrating at this time of day too hard. Some chap, (a complete madman in my book) was filming himself skydiving when it all went horribly wrong. We watched as the ground spun towards us at break neck speed, then the screen went blank as he hit the deck. Could be messy. His friend, who was also videoing whilst skydiving, lands safely and runs towards his friend, who has landed in six foot of brambles.

"Mate, speak to me. Are you ok?"

"No."

Talk about a silly question with a totally deadpan reply, this had me rolling around with tears streaming down my face.

(He escaped with a punctured lung and a smashed ankle.)

Nothing much has happened round here today.

Having a bit of a splurge

2007-02-05T15:46:00.000Z

I popped into my local Millets last week, (doesn't everyone?) and spied a rather nice, PINK, ladies fit, 60-65lt rucksack. I didn't buy it, but I went home and told hubby all about it. Ofcourse, his reply was, "You should have bought it." Typical! I was trying to be frugal. So, I cagged a lift back the very next day and bought it. Along with a green, 65lt male version. So that all goes rather nicely with our new tent.

Reason being? Well, our trek into the wilderness, (well, close to the Cairngorms actually) is almost becoming a reality. I'm still not convinced that we'll get to do the Eastern Cairngorm Challenge, but as my sister and brother-in-law have decided to take the children to Gairloch for a few days without us in the summer, I thought we could make good use of the time. So, we are catching a bus to Aviemore, then onto Glenmore and camping overnight. Then we'll walk through the Ryvoan Pass to Nethy Bridge and onto Grantown on Spey, roughly 15 miles, (although I need to check that one) camp there, then walk along the Dava Way to Forres and home, roughly 21 miles. (Ouch.) I decided the Ryvoan Pass was a little more scenic than the Speyway from Aviemore to Grantown and we've done part of it before. Last time we saw a Red Deer stag, (a little too close for comfort as it was during the rutt...) and a pair of Roe deer, not to mention one or two other little delights.

Excited, me? I have made one or two lists and planning how I can travel light, seeing as I've got to carry my own rucksack with part of a tent, a sleeping bag and a roll mat. Not to mention the primus stove, a kettle, knife and fork...

Yes, I'm excited.

And I've got to wait until the second week in July.

Oh boy.

A little 'silent' poetry reading

2007-02-02T16:15:00.000Z

I've been to Annes' Blog and she's taking part in this wonderful idea of a silent poetry reading. Just leave a comment and post a poem on your blog, your favourite or even one of your own!

I found it hard to choose, my favourite Wilfred Owen, from English Lit days, one of my own, (but I already have a blog for that!) or a good one for a nice Friday, like this one...

Breavin' on the Window-pane

It's cold an' grey an' still outside,
And everything is wet with rain.
I'm standing on the cushion seat,
And breavin' on the window-pane.
An' drawin' pictures with me 'and.
The window's high against the sky-
I can't see out unless I stand.

I've drawn a house an' chimley-pot;
I've drawn a man an' child'en too,
A napple an' a toasting fork,
An' someone who is jus' like you,
And Gran'ma sittin' in the rain.
The pane's so small I've filled it all,
And 'specks I'll have to breave again.

But Jane has spoilt it now; she says
I want a whippin'-an' I don't.
She's rubbed the window clean, and says
She'll fetch a policeman-but she won't.
And now she's gone downstairs again
I'm breavin' on the window-pane.
I'll draw a nugly one of Jane.

Plans to be made

2007-01-30T15:27:00.000Z

I've been hoping to complete the Eastern Cairngorm Challenge, if there is one this year. It's around 14 miles long over slightly hilly (!!?) terrain, it starts just north of Dundee and goes North West to Braemar and I'd really like to do it. I had thought it wasn't going to happen, because I had no idea what I was going to do with the children. The logistics of not having a car was proving to be a problem, however, one of my good friends has come to the rescue. In return for having her boys for a sleepover one night in February, she will come and stay here with my children for a weekend. Sorted!

Now I can get really excited.

And look at maps.

And decide whether to camp after the walk, (there is a ceilidh, I will attend. I may not ceilidh...) or treat ourselves to a night in an (albeit cheap) hotel, so I can have a long, hot bath.

Decisions, decisions.

If there is no challenge this year, (last year was an inaugural event for the opening of the 'new' path, Jock's Road) I may still persuade Jo to look after the children, so David and I can catch a train to Aviemore, camp, walk to Grantown-on-Spey along the Speyside way, camp, walk along the Grantown to Forres disused railway, which sounds dull, but has been made into a beautiful walk, the Dava Way, through woods and over moorland with fab views and wildlife. Still not quite camping wild, but practicing till I'm really ready for it.

I'll keep my eyes peeled on the website for the dates.

They know, ya know

2007-01-29T17:24:00.000Z

Yes they do.

Do you know how I know they know?

Because over the weekend, there wasn't a huge amount of bird activity in my garden, but enough do the survey, just not representative of my usual variety.

Today? Oh yes, today. There where scores of birds. Of all varieties, including the ones that usually turn up that didn't this weekend. Nothing exciting, just sparrows, greenfinches, those sorts of things.

Typical. Humph.

Had a nice day today though. Strolled into Forres for some bits and pieces and bumped into a friend in the school playground that I haven't seen for a while, so we've decided we need to get together properly sometime. I had a text from another friend, inviting herself round for coffee tomorrow morning, but it will be lovely to spend sometime together with no children (or other interruptions!) for a change. I had to bake some bread today, so I made some oatmeal cookies at the same time.

I might share.

I might not...

Stamping feet

2007-01-28T14:57:00.000Z

Just a few things that are bugging me and I need to stamp my feet on my soap box to get it off my chest. I've probably mentioned one or two before, but never mind.

On Friday evening, another two young lives were lost in a car crash, just outside Forres on a notoriously accident prone road. Both 17 years of age, both male, with the three other occupants of the car escaping with minor injuries. All extremely tragic but frighteningly commonplace.

I don't think there is any one solution to this, but my idea would be to limit the cc of a car that a young/inexperienced driver can own or have access to, similar to the limit put on motorbike ownership. This would include not being allowed on a parent's insurance so that an inexperienced driver can't borrow daddy's BMW and then wrap it around the nearest tree.

My other main bugbear has always been education. I'm all for equal opportunities, but to me this means clever pupils from a poor financial background are still able to follow on to further education should they want to. At present, I feel it simply means that the standard of education has been lowered to allow those that do not have a good enough academic standard to go on to University. This is perhaps a rather broad generalisation, but it is the impression I get. Also, the idea that children should not be streamed so that the children in lower sets don't feel worthless. Children certainly shouldn't be made to feel worthless, but at the same time, if streamed, children at the same level can be educated at a speed and standard that suits all in the class, rather than trying to teach a mixture of levels and speeds when someone is bound to miss out.

Anyway, that's all in my humble opinion and is enough to start with. I have more, but for another time, when the ironing isn't screaming at me!

The Birds (cont.)

2007-01-28T07:34:00.000Z

07.40
It's so dark this morning, I can't see outside yet. This doesn't bode well as, if it is a dark, miserable day, the birds may well decide to stay away. In their droves. Should have done this yesterday.

As soon as it starts to get a bit lighter, I think I shall have to nip out and fill the feeder, I think it's been so blown about in the night that it has emptied it's contents on the floor. Only problem with that is, it's throwing it down out there, blowing a gale and I'm still in my pjs. Not to mention the rest of the household are still in bed, so I'm trying to be quiet. Ish.

13.30
So, I did quite a good count this morning, but I knew a few of my regulars were missing, so I decided to do another one now, and send in the results of the count most representative of the birds I regularly get in my garden.

15.00
I decided that last count had more of my regulars, so that is the one I submitted. Feel much better about it this year, a robin and two blackbirds has been a previous best and that just wasn't good enough.

Anyway, I have time for one more post on an entirely different subject before I get the ironing done and make a lovely Roast Pork dinner. Haven't had one of those in a while.

I wonder if I can squeeze in a snooze? (It's my age you know, I just can't help nodding off in the afternoon.)

The Birds

2007-01-27T08:10:00.000Z

08.11
Well actually, the complete opposite. Yet again, come RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, the birds are conspiring against me and my garden is devoid of birds. Not a single sparrow. My birdfeeders are full, there are apple cores on the bird table, there is water in the bird bath, but there are no birds in my garden. Usually I see them in the dull light just after dawn as I come down to make breakfast, just after seven. Not a dicky.

They are playing with me.

I'll be back. (Oh no, that's the wrong film...)

08.35
Ok, so now I have a few very aggressive birds in the garden, including a dunnock with serious attitude! But I've just realised, I can't do it now. Not only is my mother going to ring, as usual, around five minutes past nine, but my two youngest have been invited out for the day and are going to be picked up some time after ten, so I need to organise their breakfast and getting dressed. Where is hubby, you might be asking, can't he do that so I can concentrate?

Well, he can, but he might find it a little hard from his bed.

Humph.

17.05
It's getting a bit dark now. I haven't done my count. My family are now conspiring against me! My mother rang just after nine to say she won't speak to me today, she'll call tomorrow. Then there's the rest of the family. Or perhaps it's my own weak willpower.

You see, (beware, pathetic excuse coming) around twelve, Aedan's friend phoned to ask if he'd like to go for a sleepover, so I quickly had to get him lunch and supervise his bag packing* and at the time I was half way through a bread dough for pizza. After Aedan left, I realised it was an ideal opportunity for David and I to take our eldest daughter out for lunch. So, we donned our walking boots and jackets and off we went to Findhorn. Again. There's a nice pub there, good food, real ale, yum.

I was persuaded we should catch the bus home, (shame on hubby) but then friends stopped in their car and asked if we'd like a lift. Did we need to be asked twice?

No. So, now it's too dark and I've still got a bread dough to convert into pizza.

I'll do it tomorrow. I will! You'll see.

* I recently discovered that Aedan can take things a little literally. I told him to 'get his bag ready' to go for a sleepover at Robert's. A few minutes later, I asked if he'd got clean pyjamas and underwear. Aedan's reply?:
"Oh, you meant pack it. I thought you meant find it."

One empty bag sitting at the bottom of the stairs...

All for a good cause

2007-01-25T10:25:00.000Z

Now, did you know that this weekend is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch? All you have to do is sit for an hour sometime over the weekend, counting the birds that visit your garden. Not just hopping on the fence or flying over, but actually alight in your garden. You just count the largest number of any one type of bird at any one time, so if the largest group of chaffinches is eight, then that is the figure entered and so on. All the information can be found on the RSPB website, www.rspb.org.uk, so take a look.

I have done this for the past few years, with or without the children's 'help' and I do get satisfaction from taking part and providing useful information about my local bird population.

Or at least, I would, except for one thing.

The birds don't come to play when I need to count them.

I feed my birds, regularly, often daily, depending on the weather and they have a bird bath to boot. I put out allsorts, from commercial wild bird food, to apple cores and cheese scraps, but nothing too big, I don't want to attract rooks and seagulls. I do it all right, all year round.

But they know.

I can go for weeks with scores of chaffinches, greenfinches, blackbirds, sparrows, robin, dunnock, wrens, I even had a juvenile blackcap the other day. The siskins aren't around much because it's not cold enough, (!!?) but I have regular identifiable visitors.

They just don't like to stand up and be counted. One robin and a blackbird is not a true representation of the birds I get. So I didn't send my results that year.

This year I am determined I will have a garden full of birds, all varieties and maybe a visit from the sparrowhawk right the end of my count, so as not to upset the numbers too much.

They do know you know.

Another Conall classic

2007-01-20T18:19:00.000Z

On seeing their dinner, another first time dish, Conall exclaimed, (with just a hint of disgust):
"Chips and peanut butter!"

...it was actually Tuna Melt Potato Wedges.

I ask you, as if I would!

The verdict, btw?

"Mmm, yum!"

Going a little mad

2007-01-20T16:55:00.000Z

I've just bought a new tent.

Yup. Another one.

This one, (for those of you that know I recently bought a tent...) however, is a little smaller.

In fact, it's the complete opposite to the last one.

This is a two man tent, (or in our case, a married couple tent!) and it has a hydrostatic head of 5000mm. That's impressive, I promise. It means we'll be cosy, (for cosy, read cramped) and dry. I won't be able to stand up to get changed and having an argument and falling out is not an option!

Hopefully, we will get the occasional opportunity to go away by ourselves, do some more strenuous walks without the children and take up less space at the campsite!

I will post photographs when I have some.

And it's still not snowing up here. Not a flake. Very disappointing.

Just a stroll

2007-01-20T07:46:00.000Z

I wish!

David had the day off yesterday, so as the children were at school, we decided to go for a walk. From here to Findhorn, (again) then east along the beach past the back of the base and to Roseisle, a rather nice forestry commision bit with a beach. We sat and ate our lunch there while watching a treecreeper, then walked back to Findhorn.

If we hadn't have stopped at the pub there for pint and a plate of chips (yum. Real ale and chips) we wouldn't have had to route march the last two miles home in time to collect Conall from school. Actually four hours and ten minutes on the move to cover fifteen miles. Not bad, I thought.

Going to regret it tomorrow, I think.

Have you ever noticed how it takes two days for exercise to catch up with you?!