Jack gives us a fright

Jack went missing overnight and had still not appeared by the morning. This is very unusual behaviour for him, because he likes his home comforts. I confess that I started to think the worst - after all he is an elderly cat (15 years old) and I pictured him lying under a hedge, injured or worse. This morning David and I got up at six and spent ages searching for him in the garden and the neighbouring gardens, calling his name, but there was no response. James was texting worriedly from Warwick. Unusually I wasn't going straight to school because I was going to assess a primary pupil, so I was still at home at 9.15 when the cat flap opened and Jack came strolling in! I was delighted! He rushed to his bowl and I immediately threw out the old chunks and filled it with fresh new chunks - my version of killing the fatted calf! He was very hungry and ate the whole bowlful at once so I reckon that he has been accidentally shut into a garden hut or a cellar overnight. He was probably freed when someone opened their shed this morning to get some gardening tools; his reappearance coincided with the sounds of lawn mowers starting up in various neighbouring gardens. His fur was dusty and he smelt of grass clippings, but he was quite blasé about the experience, although very affectionate. I was just so glad that my furry boy is safe. 

Ally and Cat set off on their travels

So this evening I drove Ally to the airport to set off on his South East Asia holiday. James and David had said goodbye to him earlier at home because they were going to see Rush in concert tonight. We met up with Cat and her parents at the terminal and Ally and Cat quickly checked in their baggage for their flight to Dubai. Soon it was time to say our goodbyes, which was difficult even though I am pleased and excited for Ally and Cat. I gave Cat a hug goodbye and gave Ally a very big hug and he hugged me back and gave me a wee kiss too. Christine and I both had tears in our eyes, and I thought it was very moving when heard Gerry say to Ally, "Please take exceptional care of this young lady and bring her back in one piece." I had a little cry when I was back in the car, but only a little one, because this is a great adventure for Ally and my job is to support him and encourage him.
I went round to Jackie's for tea and she made a really delicious dish of pasta with Camembert and herbs and we had a good chat. Her boys are so sweet. I'm home now having a cup of tea with James and Davie, who enjoyed their concert very much - David is wearing a new Rush t-shirt and is very happy. And my boy Ally is in the air somewhere over Europe, heading south east on his dream holiday. 

Tense Ally

On Sunday when Ally came home from working at Hampden he was wearing a smart blazer instead of his usual fluorescent jacket. He looked great! It turns out that he has had a promotion - he is now in the hospitality team instead of pitch side or on the gates. He now gets to mingle with football managers and SFA officials. However there's no pay rise - only the blazer!
Ally and I went to Tesco this evening to buy him a cover for his new Kindle. Jamie bought him the Kindle as a late birthday present and for his holiday and Ally has downloaded all of Jamie's and my books which gives him plenty to choose from. On our journey I noticed that I could feel tension emanating from every pore of Alasdair's body; he was unusually subdued and solemn. This surprised me. After all, he has been planning this trip to South East Asia for about five years and he usually seems so confident. I questioned him and he said that he does feel nervous because he is going away for such a long time and so far away. I found this to be rather endearing and when pressed he even said that he will miss me. Oh Ally, I will miss you too! 

Working Holiday and Babies

Today was a holiday but I was in school to make sure that all went smoothly for our pupils during their Physics exams. I found it all very peaceful without the rest of the pupils and my colleagues, and did some useful organising and emailing. It was no hardship to be at work because the weather was very rainy; I felt that I had already enjoyed the best of the weather over the last few days. At lunch time I popped round to see Susan and Greig and their baby Ruaraidh. I was so glad to meet him; he is the smiliest, cutest baby in the world. His big sisters dote on him and he adores them, watching everything they do. They are a lovely young family. This baby talk reminds me that we are having an "Anderson Family Royal Baby Name" competition to celebrate the impending birth of the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who will one day be our King or Queen. These are our nominations:
Grandma - Victoria or William
James - Susan or George
Susan - Georgina or David
Aisling - Eleanor or Andrew
Alasdair - Catherine or Henry
Catriona - Elizabeth or Philip
David - Margaret or Robert
Jamie- Aoife or James
Hmmm, I wonder if any of us have chosen correctly?
Back at school, David had his Physics Higher in the afternoon and I went to the gym for a while. I had it all to myself so I was singing lustily along to my music while I was on the treadmill. When David came out of his exam he was happy and smiling (unlike his emotions after his Maths and Biology exams!) He thinks that it went very well so I was delighted for him.
We had a great curry from Shimla Pinks for tea and now the sun has come out so the garden is flooded with evening light. The leaves on the trees are the beautiful bright green of new growth. And so ends a very pleasant holiday weekend. 

 

Agricultural Update

Another beautiful day and I am in my hammock in the garden, reading my current book (about North Korea - Jamie recommended it) and relaxing. Ally is working at Hampden today at the Cup Final, Davie is studying in the back room for his Physics exam which is tomorrow, and James is digging in the garden. He has planted onions, beetroot, peas and cabbage which hopefully we will enjoy at the end of the summer, along with the red currants, blueberries and raspberries that he has already planted. Our asparagus plants haven't arrived yet but they won"t crop until at least next summer anyway. James is the green fingered member of the family and he is also growing some horseradish and garlic for me, as well as lots of herbs in the herb barrels - sage, dill, marjoram, thyme, rosemary and mint. And indoors he has saved my infested lime tree by persistently treating it and removing the beasties; it is now glossy-leaved and looks like a brand new plant. My lemon tree is doing well too; it has several large new lemons growing on it. I have no talent for gardening but I do enjoy the results, both aesthetically and for culinary purposes. And even Jack has his own special plant in the garden; a basket planted with cat mint that is growing vigorously. Jack can often be seen nibbling delicately at its leaves! 

Day out with my four boys

Today was an absolutely fantastic day! I had stupidly left my purse at the Lodge in Guay last Tuesday, and Jo very kindly contacted me about it before I even realised that it was missing. So I decided to collect it today, and James said that he would come with me and we could go for a walk in the area. I was delighted about this idea because I have been to the beautiful hills and lochs behind Guay many times over the years and I have always wanted to take James and the boys there and share it with them. So I invited Ally and Davie, who were both interested in coming along, and I invited Jamie, who cancelled an arrangement in order to join us. Jamie especially wanted to spend some time with Ally, who will be going off to South East Asia on Thursday. I was really pleased that he came. Add to all this the perfect, beautiful, sunny weather, and we had the makings of a great day.
We met up with Jamie just before 11, and after retrieving my purse we set off on our walk. It was such fun. The boys are all fast walkers so I think it's the quickest I have ever walked up to Loch Ordie! Usually the pupils go quite slowly, which is understandable since they are carrying huge back packs, and the teachers meet them at check points so it's all a bit stop and start. But today we flew up the hill and round to the Loch. It looked gorgeous with the blue sky and tiny clouds reflected in it. It was just the way I wanted the boys to see it. We had our picnic on the shores of the loch and the boys took photos of the little finches and robins that were hopping about near us. They also climbed up the trees - there is something about my boys that makes them want to climb everything they see - I think that they get this from James. Unfortunately as David jumped out of a tree he landed awkwardly on a root and twisted his ankle. Luckily "nearly a doctor" Jamie was on hand to examine the ankle and declare it to be ligament damage and not a broken bone. David gamely soldiered on for a while but he was clearly in quite a lot of pain, so when we got to Raor Lodge he took a convenient shortcut back to the car and happily relaxed there while we finished our circuit. The rest of us paddled at picturesque Rotmell Loch, although I quickly took my feet back out of the water when the boys spotted that there were lots of leeches in there! The weather continued to be beautiful and we really enjoyed our walk and the lovely views. I had spliced two of the routes that I use for Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expeditions together and in total we walked 14.4 km. The terrain was not particularly challenging for my fit boys because it didn't involve any big hills (although it was plenty challenging enough for me!) but they all said that they had really enjoyed it. I was so glad that I had brought them there to show them a place that means so much to me and has so many great memories. Today has now been added to those memories. 

Anniversary Friday

I woke up feeling very happy because I had a day off. It is also our 28th wedding anniversary; our wedding took place on a Friday too. At James' suggestion I went for a nice swim in the morning. There are some horrible sights down at the swimming pool and what is worse, I realised that these are the people who actually try to keep fit - what must the other residents of my area look like? When I got home David and I practised some interview questions for his Commonwealth Games interview this afternoon. It took place at an address in Albion Street and we gave Alasdair a lift into town. Once we had escorted David to his interview Alasdair insisted that I accompany him all the way to his bank in Hope Street in case he got mugged, because he was carrying quite a large sum of money to deposit for his holiday. I didn't see why he needed a minder because how would anyone know that he was carrying money unless he started waving it about? And I don't think I would be much help in a mugging anyway! However I went with him and it was a pleasant stroll through town on a sunny and slightly windy day. I then made my way back to meet David, whose interview seems to have gone quite well. He said that he was hesitant at first but but answered all the questions. He told me some of his answers and I thought they sounded quite impressive.
This evening we celebrated our anniversary by making a nice dinner and then watching Life of Pi, which we missed at the cinema. It can't have been an easy film to make with all the CGI and other special effects, but I thought that Ang Lee had made a good job of it and had done justice to the novel. A relaxing evening. 

My Adventurous Life So Far

In my first 50 years, I have:-
1. Fallen in love
2. Had three beautiful babies
3. Been blessed with good friends
4. Become best friends with my sister
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Been head-butted by a pupil
7. Walked up a volcano
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a snake
10. Been loved by three cats - and a long time ago by three dogs
11. Sailed a boat
12. Visited a haunted beach
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Finished an embroidery
15. Walked among the stones at Stonehenge
16. Had food poisoning
17. Looked out from the crown of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own herbs
19. Seen the Mona Lisa
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Stood at the top of the Twin Towers in New York
23. Walked a long distance route
24. Built a snowman
25. Fed a koala
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Watched my children trying to catch fireflies in Central Park
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Swum in the Caribbean
30. Watched a sunset
31. Seen lots of Puffins (Sumburgh Head, Shetland)
32. Visited a war grave in France (Great Uncle Hugh)
33. Sailed up to Niagara Falls and got very wet
34. Walked around Skara Brae in the dark
35. Been to the Kennedy Space Centre
36. Walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge
37. Been on a roller coaster
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa
39. Gone rock climbing (indoors)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Swum under a waterfall
43. Seen black bears in the wild
44. Been to a concert at the Sydney Opera House
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported to hospital in an ambulance
47. Sat on the eye of the White Horse of Uffington
48. Gone whale watching
49. Admired the roof of the Sistine Chapel
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef
52. Kissed in the sea
53. Built a sand castle
54. Gone to a concert in a meadow
55. Watched Shakespeare in a park
56. Taken my children to Disney World and watched their delight when they met Mickey
57. Held someone's hand as they died
58. Taken a cookery class
59. Skied on a glacier
60. Had stitches (14 in total)
61. Been given a Valentine's card by a stranger
62. Visited Pompeii
63. Been given flowers by my husband
64. Donated blood
65. Eaten dinner at the top of the CN Tower
66. Swam in a Roman Baths
67. Swam in Hot springs in Canada
68. Eaten a fondue in France
69. Been born in a castle
70. Been in the outdoor hot tub at Gleneagles in the rain
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Walked the Boston Freedom Trail
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Seen a crocodile in the wild
75. Found a job that I love
76. Had tea in Buckingham Palace
77. Broken my leg
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen a kangaroo in the wild
80. Walked the West Westray Walk
81. Visited the Colosseum
82. Island hopped in the Outer Hebrides
83. Recovered from a breakdown
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Windsurfed in Greece
86. Cycled on Barra
87. Gone gorge walking
88. Loved and lost both of my parents
89. Abseiled off a bridge
90. Drunk chianti in Tuscany with great friends
91. Met (and spoken to) someone famous (George Best, Lord Mountbatten)
92. Joined a book club
93. Flown on the shortest scheduled flight in the world
94. Slept in a tent
95. Drank Cognac in Cognac
96. Paddled in the Pacific Ocean
97. Seen horses in a swimming pool
98. Got myself a degree and two diplomas
99. Been stung by a wasp
100. Been to an air show 

Distracted

I am very distracted tonight so just a quick post. In the last twenty-four hours I have heard very worrying news from one friend and wonderful news from another friend so my emotions are very stirred up.
David had his Maths Higher yesterday and he was really disappointed and quite upset about it. He says that he always has more than enough time to complete Paper 1 but he is always tight for time in Paper 2. Yesterday when he was on question 5 (out of 9) on Paper 2 he realised he only had 15 mins left so he went straight to an optimisation question which he knew how to do, and that was that. I get the impression that he will have passed but not with the A grade that he was so hoping for. He was really frustrated because Maths is currently his best subject.
This evening I went to a schools film night which showcased a series of short films made by schools and youth groups in the area. It was both impressive and hilarious and the very partisan audience of participants and their Mums and Dads loved it! There was a good turnout from my school and although we didn't win (we was robbed!) we all had a great time. 

Beautiful Perthshire

Another day of good weather for the second day of our Bronze expedition. It was still warm but fresher than yesterday with a slight breeze; ideal walking weather. I set off first and waited at the top of the road to make sure that the pupils didn't take a wrong turning, and while I was waiting a large hare came hopping close by me, it had big powerful legs. A pleasant older couple drove up in an Austin Healy and chatted to me before going for their walk. Once all the pupils had passed I walked with Shona and Carolyn and we had a great day. Perthshire is so beautiful and from the hills we had beautiful views down the Tay valley towards Pitlochry - it was as picturesque as The Shire in The Hobbit! When we sat down to have a snack, Shona noticed that we were sitting on a carpet of fragrant thyme; it smelt wonderful. We saw a wee robin in a tree and tadpoles in the streams. We walked through forests and along hillsides for 11 km and I enjoyed every step of it. The pupils all got on well with their navigating and by 3 o'clock we were on the bus heading south.
Traffic was heavy and we had to unload the bus at school so James got home from Warwick before me! He had set the hammock up for me in the garden so I had twenty minutes of relaxation while looking at apple blossom and blue sky before tea. 

Unexpectedly warm

I set off to Guay yesterday for a two day Bronze D of E expedition. I certainly didn't expect the weather to be so hot! It was sunny and warm but also very muggy. As soon as we started walking I totally overheated even though I was drinking lots of water. Everyone else felt roasting too. At one point I took my boots and socks off and cooled my feet in a stream which was lovely. When we got to Loch Ordie we had lunch and lay down on the grass near the wee bridge; it was an idyllic setting. Going back down to the campsite was much more pleasant because not only was it all downhill, a pleasant breeze had sprung up. The pupils did well but let's just say that some of them need to work on their navigation! We saw some newts in a puddle and Shona picked one up - it was so cute! We heard a cuckoo too and there were lots of bluebells beside the path through the woods. By the time we got back to the campsite it had completely clouded over. A curry (for staff only!) and a convivial evening followed. 

Lovely walk and Gosford Park.

Today David and I went through to Dundee to see Jamie. When he went to University there I bought a book of "Dundee Walks" which has remained unused for the last six years! However I dug it out yesterday and chose a 6km circular walk at Tentsmuir Sands near Tayport. By coincidence, when I mentioned the idea of going for a walk to Jamie he immediately suggested Tentsmuir Sands because it is one of his favourite beaches. We collected Jamie from his flat, and gave him his mail and an electric toothbrush charger that he had requested. When we arrived at our destination, which is near Tayport, we set off along a forestry track which was a pleasant and easy walk. Then we walked down to the beach and returned to the car park that way. By the way, the car park costs a rather pricey £2 - I was surprised that it costs anything at all considering that the Pentlands car parks, which are much busier, don't cost anything. The beach was used as a training area during World War 2; we saw a railway wagon which had been used in those days as a moving target on a track for the airforce gunners from Leuchars to practise their shots. It was a wide and sandy beach and Jamie assured me that it usually has a gorgeous view. However we couldn't see the view at all today because the whole area was shrouded in fog but it was still a very pleasant walk, and the moist smirr of rain was refreshing like a facial spritzer. We promised Jamie that we will go back there for a picnic with him on a sunny day.
After a nice lunch and chat at the Bridge View Café, Davie and I headed back to Glasgow. A quick change into a dress and jacket later, I set off with the car full of my reading group chums to a rather excellent event at the Southside Film Festival. It was a showing of the film Gosford Park (released in 2001 but I have never seen it) in the grand setting of Pollok House. The location was very appropriate for the country house setting of the film, and I loved it. There were so many characters in the film that I found it quite hard to follow at first, but I got there in the end! We were then escorted downstairs to what was once the kitchen area to have a two course dinner in the restaurant. We discussed the film and had a lovely meal. It was a great evening. 

Eurovision evening

My haircut went well and I enquired about having my hair dip-dyed next time. Fiona's initial reaction was to say "Are you having a mid life crisis?" but she has agreed to dip dye the ends of my hair gold in June. She ruled out pink or blue because they are not age appropriate! After my hair cut I decided to walk towards home and see how far I got. I figured that if I ran out of steam I would get on a bus or a train. I set off from Queen Street station and walked all the way home in 1 hour and 50 minutes - about 9 and a half km. I'm not sure that I went the quickest way because I just followed one of the routes that I drive - away along Duke Street, down past Parkhead and through Dalmarnock. I really enjoyed it and would have enjoyed it even more if it hadn't been so very rainy! By the time I got home I was wet through despite wearing a waterproof and my hair was trashed! However I did feel very virtuous.
The main business of the day was of course our Eurovision party evening. This year James has managed to avoid it by going hill-walking for the weekend, and David has boycotted it because Albania got into the top 5 last year, although he did appear downstairs for the results.
Undeterred the party went ahead and we had great fun discussing the entries. Cat and I also dressed up as Agnetha and Frieda from Abba. Jack cat kept staring at both of us - he didn't like us looking so different! I love Eurovision and this year was full of great Eurovision moments. Finland sang a jolly song "Marry Me" which culminated in a ground-breaking Eurovision lesbian kiss. I loved the wee doctor singer from Malta - his song was catchy and I didn't know whether I should run away with him or adopt him. Malta was my own favourite. Cesar of Romania was totally amazing with his high vibrato voice and and homo erotic male dancers. Graham Norton commented amusingly "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should." Bonnie Tyler did Britain proud with a good song and performance. Denmark, Belarus, and Ukraine were very good and I liked Greece because it was like a traditional Greek song on speed! I thought that the standard was quite high.
After much discussion we jointly chose 1. Denmark 2. Belarus 3. Sweden as our top three and waited excitedly for the results. Heather and I had been texting each other during the contest and their top three were 1. Russia 2. Denmark 3. Greece and they also liked Norway and Belgium. All of these got on well.
It was a relief that Bonnie Tyler got a respectable if unspectacular vingt-trois points. Denmark were the deserving winners and my Malta boy did quite well and was about half way up the board. It has been a very enjoyable evening. 

Fashion

I'm back at the Rainbow Room this morning and I notice that the trendy young male hairdressers are no longer wearing hats and skip caps. Instead they are favouring short (but still beautifully styled) haircuts and their brightly coloured trainers have given way to converses in pastel shades. This salon is like a barometer of fashion!
I took the train into town and am intending to walk part of the way home as my daily exercise. I must say that I am enjoying all this walking and I wonder why I used to go to so much effort to avoid it! Oh no I am becoming an exercise junkie! Just kidding, that will never happen - but I am certainly feeling "bien dans ma peau" thanks to my recent (three weeks) healthier lifestyle. 

Remembering the Dam Busters

Today was the 70th anniversary of the "Dambuster" World War II raid on German dams. It was marked by a Commemoration ceremony (not a celebration, out of respect for those who died on both sides of the conflict.) A Lancaster bomber flew over Derwent reservoir which was one of the practice sites that they used before the mission.
I have seen the tremendous The Dam Busters film many times with its unforgettable Dam Busters March music. My Dad was a great admirer of Barnes Wallace, who developed the bouncing bomb and often spoke of his genius. I remember how sad I felt watching the film as a child when Wing Commander Guy Gibson's dog was run over the evening before the raid - this really happened. The dog was called N***** (a common name for black dogs in those days which of course is now culturally unacceptable.) Guy Gibson himself survived the raids but died on another mission a couple of years later aged only twenty six.
I was listening to Chris Evans talking about it on Radio 2 this morning when I was on my way to work and he mentioned that the pilots had to fly very low, only 60 feet above the ground - and more than a third of these brave young men never returned from the raids.

Ripped off again

I have just arrived home and I'm sitting in the back room; the colours of the back garden are amazing, all lit up by the setting sun and with long shadows stretching across the lawn. The red rhododendron flowers at the back of the garden are so bright that they look as if they are on fire.
It has been a variable sort of day. I had a training course all morning and it felt strange to be in school but not seeing the pupils. However by lunch time I was soon back in the thick of things. I then had another dreadful experience of being ripped off by a garage - a different garage this time - they must see me coming. I put my car in for an MOT this morning and the cost was horrendous; four figures horrendous. I desperately tried to get hold of James but he was in a meeting (in London) so I finally told them to go ahead. I was really annoyed but they justified all the costs to me. This put me in a bad mood which was made much worse by the fact that they delivered the car back to me more that half an hour late. I knew that it was ready because they had told me so, they just didn't bother getting it back to me on time after I had paid them all that money. I felt that they were making a fool out of me and when the car finally did arrive there was a grumpy exchange between me and the mechanic in the car park. They tried to phone me later but I will not be returning their call.
However I'm glad to say that the day improved after this. Jamie and Aisling were going to a concert in Glasgow thus evening, Lana del Ray, with Aisling's Mum and sisters. They invited us to join them in town for dinner beforehand so Ally and I went in to meet them at Zizzi's at six o'clock. We had a lovely time! Aisling's Mum is pleasant and her sisters are gorgeous girls. We all had a good chat. The meal was delicious and I was careful to order my dishes from the low calorie section of the menu. 
David could not join us because he had his Maths tuition thus evening, the second last one before his Higher next Wednesday. To make up to him for missing the meal at Zizzi's I gave him money to get himself a Munchie box, so he was quite pleased with that. His Highers started yesterday with Biology. David is very good at Biology but he finds the essays difficult and he was not very confident about how the exam went. I hope he gets on well because he has worked very hard. 

Detour

I decided to go for a walk this evening and set off in the direction of Rutherglen with a view to taking the train back home. It was a lovely Spring evening with not a cloud in the sky and I was in an excellent mood as I walked briskly along the streets, admiring the blossom on the trees. It only took forty minutes to walk to Rutherglen station, so I thought I would walk on to Dalmarnock station. I didn't realise that there was a fatal flaw in this plan; I had forgotten that Dalmarnock station has been closed for renovations for nearly a year!
I found out my mistake when I asked a wee old lady where the station was and she asked me in surprise if it had re-opened! So I set off back towards Rutherglen but to vary my route I circled through some back streets where there were quite a few caravans and wooden houses of travellers. It was all very tidy; there was a strange drumming sound coming from somewhere and the streets were deserted apart from a scary looking lady driving up and down on a three wheeler motorbike. I found my way back to the main road and had the brain wave of phoning James, who kindly came to collect me by car. He met me at Tesco in Rutherglen and we nipped into the store and got a few groceries before heading home to have a cup of tea. I looked up on the internet when Dalmarnock Station will reopen and it is scheduled for the 19th May - so I was only four days early!

Krakatoa

James, Ally, Davie and I walked round the Heritage Park this evening in glorious sunshine, following another day of heavy showers. The sky was a beautiful light blue, as if it had been washed by all the rain, and there were big cotton wool clouds. It was nice to stretch my legs after a very busy day at school and we walked round the loch five times (which is exactly 6 km). We were talking about holidays, past and future; Ally was telling us about some of the adventures that he has planned in South East Asia. Among many adventures he is planning a boat trip to Krakatoa where he and Cat will climb one of its hills and then snorkel from the beach. This really captured my imagination; I have been interested in Krakatoa ever since I first read about it as a child. I was fascinated by the sheer magnitude of the 1883 eruption and also by the effect it had on the whole world; red sunsets for years caused by the ash cloud, high tides recorded as far away as the English channel ports. I would love to go there myself one day.
Back home we watched Game of Thrones and Davie revised for his Higher Biology which is tomorrow. 

OMD, winter returns and Hebrides

I really enjoyed the OMD concert last night and so did James. We went for a pre-theatre meal at La Bonne Auberge first which was excellent, then on the the Royal Concert Hall. The band played a mix of old and new. Naturally the old favourites were the most popular with the audience but the new album is very good so the music fitted in well. My biggest regret was that they didn't play my favourite of their songs, "Pandora's Box" which was inspired by the incredibly beautiful Louise Brooks. However they did play plenty of other tracks that I like so it was a good evening.
On the way home we saw a strange sight. As we queued to leave the car park, the man in the car in front of us was having difficulty inserting his parking ticket in the machine at the exit. He opened his door and leaned out, but then somehow managed to drive forward, hitting the barrier which had not yet fully lifted. He kept on driving, with the barrier scraping over the roof of his car and one leg hanging out of his car door! He recovered, closed the door and drove away; James and I could hardly believe our eyes.
This morning wintry conditions returned! My optimism in the change of season has been misplaced and it was even snowing a bit first thing in the morning although it quickly turned to freezing rain. The weather alternated from sunshine to lashing rain all day, sometimes both at the same time; it was very strange. As I arrived home there was a beautiful rainbow arching over the sky to the east.
This evening James and I watched the first two episodes of "Hebrides", a three part nature series about, well, the Hebrides of course! I was looking forward to it very much since we have had several great holidays in the Hebrides but found it disappointing. The photography was beautiful but the filming jumped around with no real cohesion and Ewan McGregor's voice was too soft and droning. I do like Ewan McGregor as an actor but he is not a good narrator. The alternately mournful and perky Scottish music was stereotypical and gave the atmosphere of a Scottish Tourist Board information film of the type to be found in Highland visitor centres. No harm in it I suppose but I had expected so much more.
I should be in bed instead of blogging; I'm very tired. Perhaps this is because I went to an exercise class in school called "Legs, Bums and Tums", which turned out to be rather strenuous! 

Sofas

It has been a happy and productive weekend. I went for a good swim on Saturday and James very kindly came with me even though he is not as keen on swimming as I am. In the evening we went with David to see the new Star Trek film and as an old "trekker" I thoroughly enjoyed it. Benedict Cumberbatch was a welcome addition to the cast as Khan and the plot proceeded at a lively pace - although there were no real surprises, it was classic Star Trek fare.
The main business of the weekend however was sofas.
I have been looking for suitable sofas (or couches, as my Mum called them) for the back room for about eighteen months now. It is typical of both James and me to take so long to make a fairly simple decision. We have made some half-hearted visits to furniture showrooms, with no success. There is some difficulty about the shape of the space where we want the sofas to go but our main problem is indecision.
So yesterday after my swim I sat down and spent several hours researching sofas on the Internet. After a great deal of consideration I decided that the optimum solution has to be three two-seater sofas in order to give us flexibility of layout. I have always fancied a corner sofa but they are too restrictive, and I also like curved sofas but the really nice ones are way too expensive. This task was very boring and I actually fell asleep while looking at the Debenhams website!
Once I had finally made the decision the rest was easy.
After a brisk walk round Strathclyde Park this morning I persuaded a very reluctant James to come with me to a showroom. We marched purposefully around and quite quickly found a lovely two seater sofa with light wood legs which (I think and hope) will be perfect. We ordered three, in an attractive sandy colour which is called "Roman Blush" but which James calls "putty!" James was in shock at the speed of the transaction and because we spent a wee bit over budget (double!) and he went into a very bad mood. However he mellowed over lunch so maybe he was just hungry. As my Mum used to say, "A hungry man is an angry man" and this does apply to Anderson males.
Meanwhile Ally and Cat had been cycling in the morning, along the Clyde walk way up past Newton and Uddingston, past Bothwell Castle to Blantyre. It was quite rainy so we met them there after our own walk and brought them and their bikes home by car. They said that it was a good cycle but some bits were very hilly and the path surface was very rough in places.
We are now on our way to see OMD at the Royal Concert Hall. 

Out and about

A pleasantly busy day not just at school but socially. I got lots done, feeling very aware that the precious extra time we have just now during exam leave will fly past, so I am trying to make the most of it and get ahead. Then I met up with Fiona for a coffee after work. It was so lovely to see her and we had lots to catch up on. In fact we chatted until it was nearly time for my next social engagement so instead of going home I went straight over to Clarkston. I met Sheila, Barbara and Kathryn for dinner in Clark & Sons. I have never been there before; the food was great and we had a fabby £9.95 pre-theatre meal - although the drinks and coffees did hike the price up a bit, and I chose to pay £5 supplement for scallops. They were worth it, served with cauliflower purée and and mini bhajis - delicious. My main course of leek, mushroom and chestnut tart was really good too. I'll definitely be back. It is nearly a whole year since the four of us have got together and lots has happened in our lives and our children's lives, so we chatted away. It was a very nice evening. When I checked my phone at the end of the meal I found several texts from James to say that he and David didn't know where I was - they knew that I was going out for dinner but I didn't realise that they would be worried if I didn't go home before going out again. I felt suitably guilty and apologised when I got in. And now it is the weekend, hooray! 

Change of season

The Andersons are all a bit unsettled with the change of season. Davie woke with a sore head this morning because he was too warm during the night. James and I have also been feeling warm, and we have switched off the heating; it's great not to have to keep the doors closed to keep the heat in. Jack is probably the most unsettled of all, he no longer needs to climb on top of the radiator to keep warm so he is wandering around the house napping in a variety of comfy places.
Ally's exams are over and he is loving it. He and Cat were giving the back room a fresh coat of paint today; Cat is very handy with a paintbrush! David is studying hard, he is nervous about his Biology Higher next week. Jamie is back in Dundee on an oncology placement. Aisling has told me that she is very interested in oncology as a career which would be a wonderful vocation, and one close to my heart since of course my own Dad died of pancreatic cancer.
As for me, I am still counting the calories and taking exercise as much as I can. Today I dug out a DVD that I bought a while ago and have never used, called "Now that's what I call Fitness" I jigged around for about 45 minutes while James was at his Mum's and was soon lashing with sweat. When I caught sight of my reflection in the window I looked like an elephant dancing. I will keep trying! 

A day of sunshine

It is summer! Or at least it is summer for a day! As I write this I am lying in my hammock catching the last rays of sun. The weather is absolutely beautiful with blue skies with a few hazy clouds up high and the temperature today reached 19 degrees C! Ally's last exam was today so I was thinking about him all morning, having to write four essays about Constitutional Law in three hours. He says that he hopes that he has passed, although he doesn't sound quite as confident as he was about his other two exams.
It is so relaxing and comfy here and I am about to read my current book which is about the history of architecture told through the stories of thirteen buildings. Jamie recommended it to me and I'm enjoying it. The garden is full of birdsong so our feathered friends must be enjoying the sunshine too. 

Studying and tea

It has been a day of much studying by Ally and Davie and it was a holiday Monday for me. Ally"s final exam of this session is tomorrow, and it's Constitutional Law which Ally tells me is a vast subject. He started the day a bit down but he has been working hard and has cheered up a bit. He emailed me all of his recent Law essays which I found to be absolutely fascinating, especially Family Law, which was like reading family gossip! I'm sure the novelty would wear off if it was my job to deal with these often sad cases day in and day out. I also quite like Contract Law, but Constitutional Law is very dry. I thought his essays were very good and we argued about some of his answers which was good fun.
Meanwhile Davie has been working on his Higher Biology which I know he is worried about, and has plugged away at it all day. I think that Study Camp at Easter was good for improving his study technique. I was very proud of them both for working away all day without complaint.
I went for a swim in the morning which I enjoyed although I found it quite strenuous - when I go swimming with the school I am looking after the pupils so I can't do lots of lengths, so today's swim was more tiring than I am used to! I popped into Morrison's afterwards for a few things. On the way back to my car I saw someone - presumably a shoplifter - being taken to a police car in handcuffs - it was not a nice sight. One of the things that I purchased in Morrison's was a selection of fruit teas. I was impressed by the lemon and ginger tea that I enjoyed at Heather and Ewan's on Saturday so I got some of that, and I also got some raspberry and pomegranate tea and some camomile and honey tea (for bed time). Heather and Ewan had pointed out to us that these infusions not only have almost no calories but are also caffeine free, so I am looking forward to trying them. I avoided black currant tea however, because when I drank some many years ago I vomited copiously shortly afterwards. I'm pretty sure that the black currant tea was not the culprit, but sadly I cannot dissociate it from the unpleasant experience, so it has never passed my lips since! 

Bats

I went on two walks today. The first one was in the morning, to Troon. James and I walked for an hour from the golf course along the beach up to the river and then back down right along the beach into the town of Troon. It was a lovely day for a walk; the breeze was noticeably warmer than it has been for the past week and the sea was navy blue with white foamy tops to the waves. We had a pleasant chat as we walked along. We had lunch in the Velvet Apple again and it was very tasty; I had sweet potato and rosemary soup and James had grilled chicken with coleslaw. Another half hour's walk took us back along to the beach to the car.
My second walk was in the evening after Grandma went home. Alasdair, David and I went up to the Heritage Park and walked three times round in the twilight. Again it was quite warm and was pleasingly quiet, in fact we were the only people there! We saw two herons flying back and forward across the water, but the highlight was the bats! There were dozens of bats flying in and out of the trees, flitting about and flying past us very low. There were lots of midges so I think they must have been feasting on them. I have never seen bats at the Heritage Park before and I have never seen so many bats in one place, it was amazing! 

Partaaay!

I was delighted to be invited to my god-daughter Jennifer's 18th Birthday party in a hotel near where she lives. First we had a delicious meal with the Black family at Heather and Ewan's local Indian restaurant. We have been there two or three times before and it did not disappoint! I was very hungry because I had been saving up my calories all day so that I could indulge myself. I hadn't seen Gail and Ian for years so it was nice to see them again, and we met their two very pleasant and well-mannered boys, David and Craig. Andrew was there too and his wee cousins clearly look up to him and enjoy his company. It was also great to see Ewan's Dad again; he reminds me a lot of my own much-missed Dad; just a lovely man. Replete, we set off for the party venue. The party had already started but numbers were small because it was still only about 8.30 p.m. and most of the young guests would be rocking up a bit later. Jennifer looked absolutely stunning; dressed in a little black number with her long blonde hair and perhaps the longest legs that I have ever seen! Her friends looked beautiful too but I have to say that Jennifer stood out from all the others - she is gorgeous. She was very happy and gave us a big welcome. We were gratified that the music in the first part of the evening was well known to "our generation" and soon we were up bopping away to all our old favourites. I was glad that my pupils had taught me how to dance Gangnam Style when we were at Inverclyde. The party goers seemed like a very nice crowd. Ewan's Dad did a really impressive amount of dancing for a man of eighty and even invited all the ladies at our table, including me, up for a dance. We had a great evening and most importantly so did the party girl.
Later on the music changed to a more modern and much louder sound and the numbers increased dramatically as more and more young people arrived. This was the cue for us to leave! We went back to Heather and Ewan's for a coffee. A splendid evening! 

Happy Birthdays

It is my dear sister Jennifer's birthday today. Unlike me she is a young thing still in her 40s. She has similar ambitions to mine regarding getting fitter, so for her birthday Russell has bought her a lovely new bike. I asked what she would like as a present from me and she has asked for a gel saddle. A good suggestion because it will be a lot more comfy! So Russell is kindly purchasing one for me (so that it will be suitable for the bike he has bought) and I will reimburse him. It's nice to get someone a present that you know they will like and use.
My preoccupation with presents was not yet finished however, because I then went into town to buy an 18th birthday present for my beautiful god-daughter Jennifer. I had already decided to buy her jewellery and I thought that something from Swarovski would be suitably sparkly and special. Oh how I agonised, looking at everything in the shop! But when I finally found a little heart pendant, embellished with hundreds of tiny Swarovski crystals, I was delighted with it. I hope that Jennifer likes it. 

Walking a lot

I have just had an amazing two days on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the Pentlands. Great company and great walking - and very welcome exercise for me at 11 km each day. I am very fond of the Pentlands after many expeditions there; the scenery is pleasant with rolling hills and reservoirs. On the first day we had some brief but heavy showers but apart from that the weather was bright and I have come home with a sunburned face! The pupils worked hard but as it was their first ever expedition some of them struggled a bit with carrying heavy rucksacks - and it was a cold night. However they all managed the walk - with only one or two minor emergencies for me to deal with!
On my return home I was planning a quiet evening but Ally (who has his Roman Law exam tomorrow) asked me to go on a walk round the Heritage Park with him after tea to clear his head. The thought of another walk, even a short one, was rather daunting but off we went and I really enjoyed it, we walked 3.6 km and had a lovely chat. And now? A luxurious bath of course!