This morning it was pretty beautiful here at home in the Borders, but once I got about 15 miles nearer to Edinburgh I had to put my fog lights on and the haar stayed all the way to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital where my meeting was. The sun came out later on in the morning, which was perfectly timed for lunchtime. I decided to join the smokers who were all sat outside on the carefully placed picnic tables on the lawn at The Royal Ed and enjoyed the sunshine while eating my sarnie.
After the meeting I headed home to blue sky, warm sunshine, a glass of white wine and joy of joys, a book to review. This is one of those books that goes extremely well with blue sky, sun and a glass of white wine... you know the kind... literary doesn't come into it, but it zips along at quite a rate and is pure escapism. Just the thing for a gorgeous Friday evening in the Scottish Borders.
It also softened the blow that my man is away up a hill or down a dale in Yorkshire for the weekend and then he comes back and we have a couple of hours together and then I head off up to Inverness for two days of teaching. We eventually touch base on Wednesday evening after I get home from my poetry afternoon.
I've got an easy weekend, with finishing up my notes from today, then a bit of bowling tomorrow and then it's just enjoying the sunshine (which I'm apparently guaranteed is going to happen) with my dog and getting as brown as I can. Now that's what I call a goal that I'm sure I can achieve!
Friday, 25 May 2012
Thursday, 24 May 2012
A lovely summer day
A six mile bike ride to start the day, two hours out bowling with my friend this afternoon, followed by a walk with my man later in the afternoon. In between, time in the garden doing garden type things as well as sitting around reading a book. Yes, that was a very lovely day.
Tomorrow is work. Up early, head for Edinburgh to spend all day indoors (nooo...) chairing a meeting.
Oh dear. Still, best not to think about that til I wake up tomorrow.
Tomorrow is work. Up early, head for Edinburgh to spend all day indoors (nooo...) chairing a meeting.
Oh dear. Still, best not to think about that til I wake up tomorrow.
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
New purchases
Because the weather was so gorgeous today and I also had a meeting with some representatives of Raleigh International to meet I decided to wear a dress.
Now wearing a dress isn't something I do very often, but today was the day. In some ways, because the dress I have is half-sleeved, this was a good move because at least it hid the stripe on my arm where I was sitting in the sun yesterday and got my front brown, but sadly the back of my arms is white. All was hidden well.
I started off by going to try and buy some cycling sun glasses and went to the Tri-Centre in Edinburgh, which is where I bought Mountain Man's 60th birthday bike, and where he's such a frequent visitor they're on first name terms.
I managed to find a pair, which, although rather pricey, fit and are extremely comfortable. I hardly took them off the whole day, which is a whole lot better than my last cheapy ones, which were so uncomfortable I didn't like wearing them.
I also wanted some padded shorts, but the ones they had were well beyond what I need and decided not to bother. Then MM, who had to be in Edinburgh for an appointment, came into the shop just as I was leaving. He was on the lookout for a new pair of running shoes and had heard that Newton shoes were just the ticket, which they just happen to sell in the Tri-Centre. And, call me shallow, but they looked so good and after MM had given me the blurb on why they were good for running, I decided I'd try a pair on for walking. They gave us 15% off for buying his and hers shoes, but I'm sure you'll agree they look rather good.
From there I had a bit of garden tidying to do (yes, in a dress) and then off to my poetry class. I even got whistled and shouted at by some workmen, something that definitely doesn't happen every day, and quite frankly I'm pleased it doesn't. My dark glasses came into their own as I studiously ignored them. Some purchases are worth their weight!
I eventually got home after my meeting and took my dress off, donned my new shoes and MM and I went out for a very comfortable walk.
Oh yes, new purchases that actually work... hooray!
Now wearing a dress isn't something I do very often, but today was the day. In some ways, because the dress I have is half-sleeved, this was a good move because at least it hid the stripe on my arm where I was sitting in the sun yesterday and got my front brown, but sadly the back of my arms is white. All was hidden well.
I started off by going to try and buy some cycling sun glasses and went to the Tri-Centre in Edinburgh, which is where I bought Mountain Man's 60th birthday bike, and where he's such a frequent visitor they're on first name terms.
I managed to find a pair, which, although rather pricey, fit and are extremely comfortable. I hardly took them off the whole day, which is a whole lot better than my last cheapy ones, which were so uncomfortable I didn't like wearing them.
I also wanted some padded shorts, but the ones they had were well beyond what I need and decided not to bother. Then MM, who had to be in Edinburgh for an appointment, came into the shop just as I was leaving. He was on the lookout for a new pair of running shoes and had heard that Newton shoes were just the ticket, which they just happen to sell in the Tri-Centre. And, call me shallow, but they looked so good and after MM had given me the blurb on why they were good for running, I decided I'd try a pair on for walking. They gave us 15% off for buying his and hers shoes, but I'm sure you'll agree they look rather good.
From there I had a bit of garden tidying to do (yes, in a dress) and then off to my poetry class. I even got whistled and shouted at by some workmen, something that definitely doesn't happen every day, and quite frankly I'm pleased it doesn't. My dark glasses came into their own as I studiously ignored them. Some purchases are worth their weight!
I eventually got home after my meeting and took my dress off, donned my new shoes and MM and I went out for a very comfortable walk.
Oh yes, new purchases that actually work... hooray!
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Filling my time
What an amazing day! And made even better by being retired from two of my previous jobs, which meant that I could spend the day actually enjoying the sunshine.
After a pleasant potter in the garden and sitting on a garden chair under the cherry blossom doing a bit of reading, Mountain Man and I became the Cycling Couple. We set out on our bikes for a lovely 11 miles along the road to Earlston and then cut off to Mellerstain and then back home for lunch. Next time I'll think about taking a picnic.
After lunch we sat out a bit more and then I had to get ready to go to Edinburgh as I was meeting up with a friend who I hadn't seen in quite a while. Edinburgh was quite dull in comparison to the Borders and I was relieved I'd spent most of the day out of the dullness.
I had a delicious meal with my psychiatrist friend, Teresa, at David Bann's and then home for an early night. I have a bit of reading to do and then I'm for bed.
I also had a bit of an honour today... at least I think it's an honour! I've been asked to be on the Board of an Edinburgh charity called Places For People. Well I have to fill my time now I'm not working the same as I was, don't I?
After a pleasant potter in the garden and sitting on a garden chair under the cherry blossom doing a bit of reading, Mountain Man and I became the Cycling Couple. We set out on our bikes for a lovely 11 miles along the road to Earlston and then cut off to Mellerstain and then back home for lunch. Next time I'll think about taking a picnic.
After lunch we sat out a bit more and then I had to get ready to go to Edinburgh as I was meeting up with a friend who I hadn't seen in quite a while. Edinburgh was quite dull in comparison to the Borders and I was relieved I'd spent most of the day out of the dullness.
I had a delicious meal with my psychiatrist friend, Teresa, at David Bann's and then home for an early night. I have a bit of reading to do and then I'm for bed.
I also had a bit of an honour today... at least I think it's an honour! I've been asked to be on the Board of an Edinburgh charity called Places For People. Well I have to fill my time now I'm not working the same as I was, don't I?
Sunday, 20 May 2012
All in a day's work
I had become so sick and tired of all the dandelions that had decided to take up residence in the lawn, especially after all the effort I went to last year to manually dig them up, and so another gadget arrived chez nous this afternoon in the shape of a weed puller.
A jolly almost hour was spent removing two and three quarters buckets full of weeds with really very little effort on my part, which is all very good news. What's not such good news is that the puller only goes so far down in the earth and so the roots are very firmly left, which means that Mountain Man has a job to do to put organic weed killer into all the holes I made in the lawn. And then of course all those holes will need to be filled in, because at the moment the lawn looks like it's been under attack by some weird, mutant, teeny tiny moles.
It was absolutely fab to be able to spend some time outside today. The temperature rose into double figures, and just in case the sun decided not to ever come back again, I donned shorts and a vest top and spent as much of the day in the great outdoors. I did gardening, bike riding, dog walking and then back to the garden again. Windows have been opened, washing has been done and left outside to dry. And what is even better is the resident blackbird has become almost tame and hopped about begging me to get some decent food for him (which I did) only about a foot from where I was standing. I'm now going to see if I can get him to feed from my hand. That would certainly be something.
Whilst I was down at the garden centre in Kelso to buy the weed grabber I spotted that there's a special offer on sheds of all sorts. We have a lovely big shed, but it's also bit of a waste as it's an absolute sun trap and the verandah bit of it deserves to have a bit of glass so we can sit there on sunny but cold days and at least get some rays when we need to have thermal, Arctic gear on to be in the garden. But a sun lounge cum shed... ah yes now you're talking!
MM was a bit reticent until I told him he wouldn't have to put it up or do anything as all the work would be done by those lovely garden centre people, and so now he's been persuaded that it's quite a good idea. After all he's got quite enough work to do in the aftermath of the new gadget, I think.
It was absolutely fab to be able to spend some time outside today. The temperature rose into double figures, and just in case the sun decided not to ever come back again, I donned shorts and a vest top and spent as much of the day in the great outdoors. I did gardening, bike riding, dog walking and then back to the garden again. Windows have been opened, washing has been done and left outside to dry. And what is even better is the resident blackbird has become almost tame and hopped about begging me to get some decent food for him (which I did) only about a foot from where I was standing. I'm now going to see if I can get him to feed from my hand. That would certainly be something.
Whilst I was down at the garden centre in Kelso to buy the weed grabber I spotted that there's a special offer on sheds of all sorts. We have a lovely big shed, but it's also bit of a waste as it's an absolute sun trap and the verandah bit of it deserves to have a bit of glass so we can sit there on sunny but cold days and at least get some rays when we need to have thermal, Arctic gear on to be in the garden. But a sun lounge cum shed... ah yes now you're talking!
MM was a bit reticent until I told him he wouldn't have to put it up or do anything as all the work would be done by those lovely garden centre people, and so now he's been persuaded that it's quite a good idea. After all he's got quite enough work to do in the aftermath of the new gadget, I think.
Saturday, 19 May 2012
No place like home
Parts of my London experience were wonderful and others were 'room for improvement' kind of situations.
I had a fab meet-up with my OU pals. All of us knew each other apart from one, who's the partner of one of our number. I thought he was amazing to get together with a whole lot of people going on about their EMA's, TMA's, cafe's and all that kind of thing, and yet still join in, was very lovely and a jolly good egg, if you know what I mean. And thank goodness that one of the crowd was going to the same tube station as me at the end of the evening, even tho he was going in the opposite direction. I was gently, but firmly pushed towards my tube. I eventually got in well past midnight and sank into bed. Can't wait for the next meet-up!
The other experiences that could have been better were actually down to my mother, who was on a bit of a roll. If I tell you that I was accused of breaking a coffee cup many years ago, I think that'll probably give you a flavour of some of the difficulties. She's 89 and was very tired so I can let a lot of this wash over me but that's probably nuff said!
I am very pleased to be home and relaxing with my man and my dog. Yes, very pleased.
I had a fab meet-up with my OU pals. All of us knew each other apart from one, who's the partner of one of our number. I thought he was amazing to get together with a whole lot of people going on about their EMA's, TMA's, cafe's and all that kind of thing, and yet still join in, was very lovely and a jolly good egg, if you know what I mean. And thank goodness that one of the crowd was going to the same tube station as me at the end of the evening, even tho he was going in the opposite direction. I was gently, but firmly pushed towards my tube. I eventually got in well past midnight and sank into bed. Can't wait for the next meet-up!
The other experiences that could have been better were actually down to my mother, who was on a bit of a roll. If I tell you that I was accused of breaking a coffee cup many years ago, I think that'll probably give you a flavour of some of the difficulties. She's 89 and was very tired so I can let a lot of this wash over me but that's probably nuff said!
I am very pleased to be home and relaxing with my man and my dog. Yes, very pleased.
Thursday, 17 May 2012
As long as it doesn't snow
I'm off to London today for a meal out with my mother tonight, a business meeting tomorrow morning and then an OU meet-up in the evening.
The last time me and the London OU crew were due to meet it snowed and they all cancelled so I'm hoping the same doesn't happen this time as I'm staying down til Saturday instead of coming back tomorrow night specially.
This time we have a rather special venue as one of the group's other halves has won some kind of drinks and eats thing for a party of ten, which sounds rather good to me. And it looks like we will be a party of ten, so that's all worked out pretty well.
As to the snow... well who knows? It's already raining with a bit of hail here and there's snow forecast in parts of the Highlands. I was talking to someone yesterday who'd been over in Germany last week and while it was blowing a gale in the UK in Germany they were all sitting out sipping their beer in the sunshine, wearing t-shirts and shorts. I don't know why I find that thought rather depressing but I do and it's not helped by the constant grey skies that seem to hang over the Scottish Borders these days.
London can't be worse... can it?
The last time me and the London OU crew were due to meet it snowed and they all cancelled so I'm hoping the same doesn't happen this time as I'm staying down til Saturday instead of coming back tomorrow night specially.
This time we have a rather special venue as one of the group's other halves has won some kind of drinks and eats thing for a party of ten, which sounds rather good to me. And it looks like we will be a party of ten, so that's all worked out pretty well.
As to the snow... well who knows? It's already raining with a bit of hail here and there's snow forecast in parts of the Highlands. I was talking to someone yesterday who'd been over in Germany last week and while it was blowing a gale in the UK in Germany they were all sitting out sipping their beer in the sunshine, wearing t-shirts and shorts. I don't know why I find that thought rather depressing but I do and it's not helped by the constant grey skies that seem to hang over the Scottish Borders these days.
London can't be worse... can it?
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