Don't forget to bring your Bucket to the beach

Looky Looky

"There are few activities which cannot be made more enjoyable by the use of binoculars".
So says the instructions for the lovely set I got for my birthday. Personally though, I can think of a few activities where they might just get in the way.

My New Best Friend

It used to take me an hour and a half, from leaving the flat, to getting back in again to do the weekly grocery shopping. This involved insisting that my helpers wear shoes and coats, that they don't drop their shoes and coats on the floor as we are wheeling around the store, that they don't stand up in the moving trolley and that they don't snatch the list from my hand, chew on it or rip it or drop it in the dairy aisle. It would also involve pushing the heavy trolley all around the megastore, trying not to grunt and groan and grimace, especially when I realised I'd forgotten something in aisle 2 and am now in aisle 687. Then there was loading into and out of the car, and the tricky issue of getting a toddler and the bags from the car to the flat, which is a distance of about 150 metres, and up a flight of stairs. Normally this would take 4-5 separate trips.

Well, the Tesco delivery van man is my new best friend. I make a cup of tea and sit down at my computer for about 45 minutes clicking on pictures of food. The next evening, as if by magic, he brings all my groceries in the door and sets them down on my kitchen table!! And he keeps his shoes on the whole time.

No Need to Buy Fairy Liquid

(For the Canadians: Fairy Liquid is the most popular British dish detergent).

If it had been me (and not John) doing the dishes, I'd have done them with a cranky crying kid at my ankles, and I'd have gotten more annoyed with every passing minute.

I'll talk to you, but only until my Dad comes home

Loch Brandy+Glen Clova

Well my 40th celebration lasted about 12 days - and there is an excess of alcohol still to be consumed. We had agreat weekend in Glen Clova (Angus Glen) for a SCAT traditional music session and walks. It was blue skies all weekend and temperature >20 degrees C.
With the help of the Foxes and Robbie and Karen we coaxed Ailsa and Heather up to Loch Brandy (?400 m climb). It did require a significant snack-stop halfway. I was made this amazing cake helped by Mae (sorry no pics) with chocolate-dipped strawberry cake. The folk session was good fun and reinvigorated my desire to improve on the low whistle - I'm working on the jig of slurs, much to Sharon's regret.

JR