Sunday!

Today we had a lie in! then all over to see Layla and Bella. Layla having her hair done so we were going to take the wee one to Tyninghame beach however when we arrived at the house she decided that we would stay put. So we did some drawing and then played 'Tell Me' before donning warm coats to take the Wonder Dog for his constitutional! Didn't stay out long as it was cold and Bella was tired. Layla home hair very chic, we left for home.
After dinner caught up with Inspector Montalbano the Italian dectective-- love it even if it is only seeing the warm blue Mediterrenean--no I really like it!
Saturday up and about early, Layla and Bella were coming for breakfast after taking Joe to the airport as he is flying to San Francisco on business for a week! Whilst there bless him he celebrates his 40 Birthday on the 29th February! Had a lovely 'fry up' though Graham like his tattie scones fried and I grilled them !!
They stayed for a while, then they left as Bella had a party in the afternoon. I took Ruaridh a walk then later we went over to see Layla and Bella as we were looking after Bella i the evening as her mum was going withe her friends to see Gav's (friend) gig. Had a lovely meal, then we watched the film 'Tea for Two' with Doris Day and Gordon Macrae poor Bella fell asleep before the end--great supporting cast!! Layla home she had a good time, then we left for home. To bed.
Monday quiet day Ruaridh and moi to the beach, cold. Took all the bottles to the recycling, cleaned the bathroom.
Shrove Tuesday (pancake day) - Brisk walk along the canal today, weather quite warm. Surprised to see an abundance of daffodils on the canal bank swaying gently in the breeze, a golden sight.
Great afternoon with Miss B she wanted to see my wedding dress, then thought I should wear it and Grandpa and moi get married again!!
Family here for dinner -- pancakes for dessert:)
Thursday we changed tact today and headed down to the shore and beach this afternoon.
This morning I made an appoinment to have a Hot Stone Massage! which was very relaxing, in fact I could have fallen asleep. This was from a gift voucher given to me last April by friends/colleagues when I left work, as it had only just over a month to run I thought I had better do something quickly so a Hot Stone one it was.
Still had money left so a file and polish of the nails next week!
Friday over to see Layla and Bella as we were supposed to be going to the allotment we were to late--so a walk on the cycle path with the Wonder Dog, then time on the playpark for Bella. Lunch then I left and went to Asda to get the messages. Home, made scones. Went to meet Graham in Stockbridge (walking). Enjoying watching the memorial concert to the late Great Gerry Rafferty! Baker Street just playing --a tear to the eye:)

Visit to the Vet!

Ruaridh the Wonder Dog was due his annual review and booster drugs--Bella said as he is her dog she would like to take him to the vets. This was duly arranged for today. The girls came for lunch then we did some reading and stickers, then after a game of school Bella and moi donned our coats and took the boy to the vets! He was very excited as per usual--the vet offered to let Bella listen to Ruaridh's heartbeat through the stethoscope she declined this time--the vet told her Ruaridh's heart rate was twice as fast as hers and a hamsters one faster than that phew!
Bank account now much lighter, this service in the city is double what we pay in the N/W.
Morning constitutional about the same as always, making risotto for dinner realised I had no bouillon so went to Sainsbury's bought other things as well--timed myself walk there and back, shop about 25/30 minutes quite good!
Butternut squash risotto with tomato/basil/avocado salad lovely.
A very pleasant day!

Lazy day after the Wedding yesterday.

Today we had a lazy day up with the Wonder Dog around 0630h then crashed out until about 0800h when he needed to be fed. Made the early morning cuppa then back to bed--read, dozed then around 1000h Graham arrived up with a delicious breakfast of Huevos Rancheros with a mug of his delicious coffee--fantastic.
Took the dog to the woods, then over to the supermarket for crisps to accompany the G&T's, back home made a soda bread, changed the bed linen. Going to have a snooze, G and the dog already dreaming!
Saturday up early as we are going to a wedding this afternoon, breakfast, shower then took the wee fellow to the woods before back home donning the glad rags!
Drove over to the Kingdom of Fife to Balbirnie House Hotel. What a lovely time we had at the Wedding of Ryan and Jillian at this venue today.
Ryan is a student and works as an Intern at blipfoto, it was great to meet Jillian for the first time. Amazing Hotel I was fascinated by the paintings and photographs adorning the walls they even had one recording a pheasant shoot that took place in 1902!
Good company, good food, a truly great day.
Love and Peace be theirs for the years ahead.
We may be back with Ruaridh for a weekend break:)
Monday saw us leaving the Glen after a lovely weekend we worked hard but enjoyed ourselves. Good journey down, lovely dinner with the family--Chinese cooked by Joe yummy. Good to see them again.
Tuesday a kind of do nothing day. Oh listened to two episodes of the afternoon play 'The Interogation' Mondays on iPlayer and Tuesdays live very interesting.
Thursday had my mammography appt. in the mobile unit parked at Morrison's supermarket. Then got the car washed and waxed before going home and taking Ruaridh for his constitutional. He had accompanied me in the car by the way, although I wasn't sure if he was going to at one point. He laid on the bed covered by the duvet, I shouted to him was he coming, no response, the minute he heard the zip on my boot being pulled he appeared at the top of the stairs shaking his head as though to say 'Why are you leaving me'--dogs bah:)
Early evening coffee with Susan [aka Crystaltips on blipfoto.com] (at Avoca) which due to a bit of magic turned into a G&T. Great two hours spent catching up on one anothers gossip news.
Caught the last 'The Interogation' on iPlayer excellent.
Friday another early start hairdresser's at 1020h poor Ruaridh wonders what is happening. Great haircut and eyebrows plucked, must look good for the wedding on Saturday. Shop at Asda and M&S then home. Busy week phew.

Allotment Day

Today Wednesday Layla, Bella, Ruaridh and moi headed off to the allotment in warm, sunny weather. Wednesday has always been our 'allotment day' long may it continue. Did a lot of clearing and Bella cleared part of a raised bed with her new fork, she also borrowed my camera and took some lovely photo's.
We were going to go to The Haven Cafe for lunch however due to the lovely weather decided to have a picnic back at their house--sods law! when we arrived there it became cloudy. Never daunted we had our lunch in the house before the girls set to and highlighted my hair. Thanks to both it looks so good. Graham had a meeting in town and was going straight home, so I left the girls and as it was so lovely took the Wonder Dog to the shore and beach for his evening walk. The light was amazing really enjoyed the meander. Popped into supermarket on the way home.
Graham arrived home had a cuppa, butternut squash and pea risotto with avaocado and tomato salad lovely!
Had to undo my knitting as the jumper would not go over Bella's head!!
Cocoa with brandy and toast then to bed. Goodnight.
Photo courtesy of Bella:)

Novel--The Blackhouse!

Today,lazy day breakfast in bed courtesy of Graham brushetta with tomatoes and mushrooms and a lovely cup of coffee.
Read most of the novel 'The Blackhouse' a who dunnit set on The Isle of Lewis, very good.
Up about 1300h shower and hair wash then into the car and off to the Broch as G wanted to take so me photographs. Very dark in Glen Beag, G took photo's, Ruaridh and moi had a meander along the river. To dark for photography, so we went to the beach had a lovely walk with the dog managed some stone throwing.
Back home made bread, then phoned Sue just as I was trying to organise re meeting her when she is over from Canada, G shouted that our neighbour Christine had arrived--good to see her had a coffee and a good chat.
Lovely dinner of pasta and mushroom sauce.
Back to the city tomorrow, had a lovely weekend!

Great Day all Round

Weather today was amazing and mine and the Wonder Dogs walk along the shore and beach caught it at its best! So still and quiet, the colours were amazing, and lovely to see the mist rolling down to the Forth estuary.
Over to Sainsbury's to get messages as we are heading up to the cottage on Thursday as I have hired a skip for the weekend to put all the debris in from the old bathroom!
Drove over to get Bella she was being a shopkeeper and in good form. She watched SEVEN Charlie and Lola and was as good as gold. Graham and Joe home early (Layla in London for the day to see Grayson Parry exhibition and shop). Veggie toad in the hole, tatties and peas-- dessert pear crumble with ice cream or custard for dinner. Lovely.
Wednesday down to Waitrose before going over to Layla's. We took the Wonder Dog a walk then over to the studio as we were going to meet Bella--Joe and Layla had an appointment and Bella was coming with me. Joe joined us and we had a lovely lunch, then Bella and moi jumped on the bus and went to the newly renovated Portrait Gallery where we had an amazing time doing a couple of trails that they have organised especially for the bairns. We did 'The Catwalk' and 'The Fur Coat and nae Knickers' ones, fascinating. We then picked Ruaridh up before going home.
Monday had a lovely walk through a frosty woodland, surprise visit from John H today he was on his way South. Did some cleaning.
Thursday up early as we are heading up to the cottage, shower and hair wash then breakfast. Finished packing everything in the car including us and Ruaridh then off. Good journey and arrived safe and sound at the cottage around 1530h. Got the two stoves roaring, had a snack, hotties in the bed. Graham made a lovely dinner of veggie risotto then I remembered we had left a chunk of Christmas cake when we left at New Year--tasted yummy!
Friday and Saturday we were up early both days as we had quite a lot of work to do. Logs split and stacked, on Friday Ruaridh and moi went to get our wheelbarrow back from Christine's. Put most of the debris into the skip we had hired.
Saturday Graham sawed the fallen Rowan tree into usable pieces and I cleared a lot of the garden rubbish. Put all the small logs into the greenhouse so that they would dry and we could use them for kindling. More debris into the skip.
Borgan has finished on BBC4 back next Autumn/Winter, this Saturday evening a new Italian detective starts on BBC4 watch this space.

Theatre

Graham and I had a lovely evening out yesterday, we left Ruaridh with the Family and then set off for town. First a visit to SeaDogs Restaurant where we enjoyed Fish and Chips--I had a beer and Graham had wine. Then on to the theatre to see Infamous Brothers Davenport--based on the lives of two real 19th-century illusionists. A brilliant take on what could be viewed as a controversial subject. Back to pick up Ruaridh then home in the freezing cold--brrr.
Monday was an uneventful day walked in the woods and meadowland still 'plates' of ice on the pond! Listened to the first in a trilogy of plays "Lost Property" 'The Wrong Label' excellent. Did some cleaning, went to meet Graham off the bus!
Tuesday down to the shore and beach very cold quite exhilarating, made aduki bean pie for dinner delicious with mashed tatties and peas and cream tomato sauce! Listened to the second play in the trilogy "Lost Property" 'The Year my Mother went Missing' another excellent performance. Will have to get the third play on iPlayer allotment day Wednesday! Did piles of ironing!!
Thursday very cold and icy, lovely. Went through the meadowland lots of frost on the trees and leaves. Went over to the retail park for a wee bit of therapy saw there was a new discount food store opening--HUGE!! Made soda bread. G home late after meetings in Glasgow.Listened to the third play in the trilogy "Lost Property" 'A Telegram from The Queen' excellent!
Friday shower and hairwash then to the woods and park for the morning constitutional! Heard and saw a woodpecker pecking away in the woods.
Lunch then over to Asda to get messages before popping in to see the the girls, read to Bella then we all went to an Asian supermarket and Graham met us there. Then we left for home with twelve jars of marmalade!
Lazy Saturday breakfast in bed toast with mushrooms, tomatoes and basil, not forgetting the delicious coffee all made by Graham, a walk to the shore and beach cold and windy torrential rain on the way back to the car!
Graham made lovely pasties for dinner, then we settled to watch the last two episodes of Borgen in this series, super -- roll on the next!
Sunday up with the Wonder Dog back to bed to sleep, up at 1000h breakfast, wash then I took Ruaridh for his walk as we are going to town this afternoon to see the premier of "Scotland the World Over" at Festival Square.
Great gig the film was amazing on the big screen and the band Clandonia whose music features in it, gave a live rousing performance in the Square!