Hello, is there anybody there?

It’s a while since I’ve been here, but I thought I’d pop along and see if there is anybody out there?

I may well pop along and post the odd item that is probably not related to walking, just to keep things ticking along and separate and to help clear my mind. It does get very messy in there from time to time and I should sort through it from time to time.

At this time, we are nearing the end of the second week of the summer school holidays and my mother has just left to return home after her stay with us. I’m sorry, but I’m glad to have my home back. We can relax and be ourselves, be normal, fight, laugh, love and cry, just as we like. The relief. The peace!

After the disaster of the car breaking down on the way back from our recent trip to Edinburgh and David having to waste so much leave over the last week, it doesn’t look like we’ll be going away this year. I’m gutted. Our eldest, Rhiannon, won’t join us anymore any way, but I still really look forward to our family camping trip and it’s not fair that we’ll have to give it a miss this year. Unless we win the lottery or have some other unexpected windfall, we’ll just have to wait.

Having said that, David and I will still be getting out in a tent. We are supervising another Duke of Edinburgh Expedition next week, the Rangers attached to the Guide unit I help at are doing their Silver Qualifier. Unfortunately, it’s around the Rothiemurchus area and we will be midgied to death. I_can’t_wait.

Oh well, laters!!

Relief

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

...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

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!

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

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!

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!

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!)