Long journey to Disneyland Paris

It was a long journey down to Dover and I only got a couple of hours sleep on the bus. We were all shattered by the time we got on the ferry but most of us got a couple more hours of sleep on the way to Paris. The last two days have been eventful (to put it discreetly), and we have had a great time but none of the teachers have fully caught up on our sleep. When we arrived at the hotel yesterday - which is even nicer than I remembered - we checked in and got the shuttle bus to Disneyland Paris at about 6 p.m.; approximately 24 hours after our journey had begun! We were then at the park for a mind-blowing six hours because we stayed for the Disney Dreams (I think it was called) son et lumiere, and fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom's castle. It was absolutely spectacular; lots of Disney characters were projected onto the castle and the special effects were great. Then we had to queue for ages until we could get a shuttle bus back to the hotel; by the time we had settled the pupils I stumbled into bed at 2 a.m. this morning! Then we all got up at 7 a.m. for another day at Disney. I felt surprising good and we had a great time, punctuated by minor pupil emergencies. Numbed by tiredness I found myself to be much more brave than usual and went on both the "Tower of Terror" (sudden stomach lurching drops) and "Aerosmith" (loud music and looping the loop several times). And now are back at the hotel where some pupils are swimming, others are playing snooker or having tea, and the staff are patrolling and chatting.

Bonne Année les Profs!

And so it is the last day of term - the teachers' New Year! It has certainly been an eventful school year. I am writing my blog as I head south in a double decker bus towards Dover on a school trip to Paris. Yes another school trip! This may sound completely mad given my current state of exhaustion but there is a logic behind it - I was asked to go on this Paris trip first because I am sort of on the team after going twice before. But then I was asked to support a particular pupil on the music trip to Belgium and Paris. I was keen to do this and merrily signed up, paying no attention to the fact that the two trips are less than a week apart and of course having absolutely no idea that Jackie would be leaving and that I would be applying for her job! Oh well I'm sure it will be fun once I have had some more sleep! The pupils are watching a DVD of Spiderman but have my pillow all ready for a nap right now. 

Interview and Robbie

The last couple of days have passed in a whirlwind. Jackie is leaving to be a Head Teacher at Hollybrook School in Glasgow; I will miss her so much, she has given me so many opportunities and we have been a great team! On Monday I made the decision to express interest in the vacant full time DHT post (until now I have been part time DHT, job-sharing with Jackie) and I was informed that my interview would be on Tuesday. The post is only temporary until the end of September but the interview is just as rigorous. A miserable evening of swotting followed and then I got up at 6 a.m. on Tuesday to rehearse my interview questions while pacing up and down in the back room. Alison had arranged a mock interview for me in the morning - her very last mock interview before retiring. Alison, Jackie and two other colleagues spent an hour interviewing me and giving me feedback on such a busy day right at the end of term - I will never forget their kindness. And then came the real interview at last - I actually felt myself relaxing once it started! It went well but of course you never feel sure ... at 4 p.m. George came to tell me that I got the job. I was pleased and strangely tired! The excitement of the day was not yet over - in the evening James and I went to see Robbie Williams at Hampden. I have never seen so many drunk middle aged women in my life! And not just a wee bit drunk - they must have started celebrating at lunch time! There was a great atmosphere and it was a fine, warm evening. Olly Murs was the excellent support act and Robbie put on a brilliant show from the moment that he zip wired down to the stage past a giant sculpture of his own face! He sang all the favourites and the audience loved it. A wonderful evening after an intense and exhausting but ultimately successful day. 

Bicycle Race and Birthdays

Today the National Road Race Championships were taking place in Glasgow for the first time, using a 14 km circuit starting and finishing at Glasgow Green. Most of the city centre was pleasantly traffic free because of this. The women were racing for 112 km and the men for 182 km. I was in good time for my haircut so I paused to watch one of the women's races; it was amazing to see the cyclists racing up Buchanan Street and turning fast to go along St Vincent Street, it was a great setting. The crowd all clapped and cheered as they went past.
After my haircut, James, David and I went to Neil and Lucy's birthday celebration and we had a convivial afternoon with drinks and cake, it was lovely to see everyone. I have finished the Jeanette Winterson book and it was tremendous, she is a very inspiring person. 

Home sweet home

Our last day of the trip yesterday consisted of the journey from Hull to home, with a couple of stops at service stations. All went smoothly with the staff and pupils all pretty tired. I am very proud of Davie who helped to make the trip a huge success for the pupil from my Base. I had a good couple of hours sleep on the bus and I also read my current book. I have been reading "Why be happy when you could be normal" by Jeanette Winterson and it's really good. She had a very difficult relationship with her adoptive mother. One of her suggestions which struck me was about two different types of time. "Linear time, that is also cyclical because history repeats itself, even as it seems to progress, and real time, which is not subject to the clock or the calendar, and is where the soul used to live. This real time is reversible and redeemable."
I wish I could believe that, but to me past time is finished for good or for bad, unreachable and unredeemable.
It was lovely to see James again. I think we must quite like each other (as well as love) because we were chatting away nineteen to the dozen about all our adventures this past week. We had a curry (oh my poor tummy) and I felt very happy to be home. My furry boy Jack was very affectionate towards me and was rubbing his head against me as James, Davie and I sat in the garden having a cup of tea. 

Back to Belgium

I felt quite sad to leave our little hotel on Friday morning which was strange because I wasn't that keen on it when we arrived. I often dislike a new place, especially if it's a bit basic, and then I become quite fond of it! Back to Belgium we travelled on our buses, this time to the town of Ypres. I have been there before with James and the boys, and I feel that the town and all of the countryside around it are steeped in such sad history - I would hate to live there even though it's a pretty town. We went to the excellent Flanders Fields Museum which was a sobering reminder of the war. One thing that particularly stood out for me was a cross section of a tree trunk - the tree had not died until 1994 and you could see clearly marks of bullets in the rings that had formed in the 1st World War. 
And then we set off back to Zeebrugge and the ferry back to good old blighty. Soon a lively game of football was taking place up and down the corridor beside the cabins - but it was the staff rather than the pupils! The staff have all got on really well on this trip and have worked together as a team to support the pupils - which has been vital. At dinner on the ferry our group seemed to be viewed with completely needless suspicion by a grumpy head waiter but we ignored him and enjoyed our meal. Then we went up to the bar and played cards, played bingo and generally had a festive and convivial evening. Later on another game of (staff) football ensued in the hallway outside our cabins, which was put a stop to by a ship's officer (we must have been spotted on CCTV) which I thought was very funny. More card playing, chatting, laughing and coin throwing continued into the wee small hours. We had the coolest wake up call ever - Chris came up the corridor playing an American bugle call on his euphonium! 

Eurodisney Day

A rainy morning quickly turned into a glorious day and we all set off to Disneyland Paris. There was great excitement from the pupils as we approached the gates. It was very pleasant to wander around in the sunshine. While the staff were having a coffee sitting outside a café on Main Street I was surprised to see a group of staff and pupils from my old school walking past! What a coincidence. I ran over and said a big hello! Lunch was in the Hakuna Matata restaurant then after check pointing the pupils we went on a couple of rides. Gradually I got hotter and sweatier so was quite glad at the end of the day to get back on the air-conditioned bus to cool off. Guess where dinner took place? Yet another Flunch of course - a different Flunch but the same menu! I have to say that the dish of day (meatballs) was delicious and a pleasant meal was eaten in high spirits by all. My rendition of "Little old wine drinker me" in the pub singing competition outfoxed all of the pupils and even the music teachers! Then we all whistled the tune from The Great Escape and a sing song ensued - music trips are so cool! Even cooler was the amazing quiz night and prize giving that we had later back at the hotel. 

Amazing day in Paris

What a day! Audrey and I woke to a huge clap of thunder outside our window! In my half awake state I thought for a moment that we were still on the ferry and that it had crashed into the dock! It was lashing with rain and there was lightning too, and the air felt quite a lot fresher which was good because yesterday evening was stiflingly hot. By the time we set off into Paris the rain had stopped and it turned into another sunny, hot day. I love Paris! Our first stop was the Eiffel Tower. We had the choice of walking up to the 1st or 2nd floor. I was absolutely roasting, or more accurately melting, by the time I got up to the 2nd floor but will count it as my day's exercise! I was chatting to the toilet attendant up there and he told me that the whole tower was evacuated yesterday because some poor soul attempted suicide. As Jane pointed out, it would be difficult to do that because everything is safely enclosed by metal grilles. Maybe this is why he didn't succeed (I'm glad to say). The views were hazy today but it was so nice to be back there! Next stop was the Parc Montsouris for our final concert. Lovely park, pleasant and appreciative crowd, but no key for the bandstand chairs! Richie and I swung into action and found a very friendly parkie who jogged up with us and the key. This jogging in the extreme heat nearly finished me off and I had to recover in the shade for a while! All of the bands were absolutely brilliant again - I am loving this musical trip! Even on the bus they all keep breaking into song! Jane said that everyone should join in the last tune so I grabbed some maracas and joined in with Highland Cathedral, which was just wonderful! What a great finish! The audience loved it and gave us a big round of applause.
An old man called Raymond Verner was talking to Audrey and later to me. He is an artist and showed me photographs of his paintings which were in his wallet - they were very good - paintings of Parc Montsouris and paintings of scenes from operas. He also showed me photos if himself as a young man (handsome) in the Air Force in 1961, and photos of his mum and a Russian princess and the wife of General L'Arminat who he said led the French army in Italy. When we said goodbye he said that we might meet again because "Le monde est petit"!
Back in the bus Derek taught me how to say "totes amazeballs" to embarrass David. We made our way through busy and bonkers traffic to our drop off point and then walked to Notre Dame. It was so hot (and ominously thundery!) that I sat outside on tiered wooden seating opposite the cathedral and looked at the amazing façade with its two towers and three huge arches, all intricately carved with many saints. It was great just taking it all in; the atmosphere was literally electric as flashes of lightning went off overhead and the crowd collectively gasped. The sky suddenly turned dark and the inevitable downpour followed and we all got drenched on our way to "Flunch" beside the Pompidou Centre. Chris aka "Nacho" did a great job of navigating our way there as quickly as possible and soon we were tucking into a welcome hearty dinner, although being rather damp the air conditioning made us quite cold. I never would have believed that I could go from being so hot to being so cold in such a short time. The eventful day was not yet over because next we went on the Bateaux Mouches. The rain had stopped and it turned into a beautiful evening; the sunlight lit up all the buildings along the river. And as we finally climbed into the buses at about 10 p.m. (later to be entertained by the amazing pub singing of Ian aka M.C.Lean) we saw that the Eiffel Tower was all lit up glittering with fairy lights - it looked amazing! 

Hot in Bruges

We had a tasty dinner last night and a convivial evening on the ferry including a lively game of bingo. The pupils were well behaved and pleasant. It was exciting to go to sleep in our little cabin feeling the gentle motion of the sea as we sailed south towards Zeebrugge. I slept really well and felt refreshed after a surprisingly good shower in our tiny ensuite toilet. Our first stop was at Bruges where we had a lovely morning. I love Bruges! We wandered around the streets looking at the medieval buildings and all the chocolate shops and ended up having drinks in the gorgeous market square which is overlooked by the cathedral. It was extremely warm and sitting outside in such a beautiful setting was idyllic. I would definitely like to go back and explore the town more. We headed off to our next destination which was Ostend for our next concert. I thought it would just be a big port but in fact it has nice shopping streets and lots of street cafés. Our concert was in a large square on a rather magnificent bandstand. We needed a converter plug for the keyboard and we had left all our convertors on the bus so I nipped off to a hardware shop to get one and helped find the right socket with Richie. I felt pleased to be useful because the music teachers are all making me feel very welcome. After another brilliant concert and coffee in a great wee Belgian bar (very traditional with polished dark wood) we set off on our travels again, this time to Paris. I read my current book for a while but soon followed my colleagues into the Land of Nod. Dinner was on the way at a "Flunch" (a cafeteria-style restaurant) in Compiègnes, delayed by our inability to locate said eatery among the plethora of retail parks in the area. When we eventually arrived the ordering system was initially a bit confusing to us Scottish people but we got the hang of it, luckily because I believe that we will be dining in more "Flunches" before the week is out! Anyway we have now arrived at our hotel so I will go and unpack with Audrey my lovely "roomie." 

On the way to Hull

As I blog, the two school music trip buses are travelling from Hartlepool to Hull, where we will be catching an overnight ferry to Zeebrugge. It has been quite a pleasant day; firstly an early start to be at school at 7.30 a.m. (James kindly gave Davie and me a lift) and then the bus journey, during which I have done a bit of schoolwork and relaxed. We arrived at Hartlepool in beautiful weather, and after lunch we had a tour of the 19th century frigate HMS Trincomalee which is moored there. Then it was time for our first concert on the quay, a very picturesque setting. I was impressed with how quickly the pupils and the music department teachers set up all the instruments and music stands. I carried a few things from the bus to the bandstand but I did not have the smooth expertise of my musical colleagues. The pleasant pupil that I am responsible for in particular (and whom Davie is helping me to support) is getting on very well I'm glad to say. The concert was great with a variety of line ups and music; my favourite was "I dreamed a dream" from Les Mis, played by the Chamber Collective. It was really beautiful and I looked up through the ship's rigging to the blue sky while the music played. And now we are back on the bus and "Skyfall" is playing on the DVD player as we head for Hull. 

Botanics in the sunshine

The beautiful weather is back and I enjoyed sitting outside on the patio to have my leisurely breakfast in the morning sunshine. I did some packing ready for the music trip then Jamie arrived home on a flying visit and, with David, we took Grandma out for lunch. We went to Charlie Rocks on Byres Road, partly because we like the food and atmosphere and partly because of its proximity to the Botanic Gardens. We had a lovely lunch and chat, the staff are very friendly and helpful. Then we walked along to the Botanic Gardens, which were full of like minded families enjoying the sunshine; walking, playing football or sitting on the grass. We strolled around happily; the trees are now in full leaf and it it a very attractive setting. The big Victorian glasshouses made me reflect that many generations of Glaswegians must have walked around here on warm days like this.
When we got home James had just arrived back from his walking weekend and we all had a cup of tea and skyped Alasdair and Cat, who are now in a place called Malacca in Malaysia. Grandma was impressed that we could speak to them and see them and enjoyed asking them questions. It felt very cosy as if we were all in the room together! 

Superman and Size 12

I went into town today to have lunch with Maggie, Helen and Wendy; Libby couldn't make it for the very nice reason that she is at a 50th birthday party in France. It was great to see the girls and we had our usual exchange of news and chatted and laughed. Life has not always been easy for us but we always support each other. After lunch I went shopping for a very important item. I had decided that if I managed to lose some weight I would treat myself to a new pair of size 12 jeans. Well the day has come that I was pretty sure that size 12 would fit me, so I went into Marks and Spencer's, chose a pair that took my fancy, and guess what - they did fit! Hooray!
In the evening David and I went to see Superman: Man of Steel at Hamilton Vue cinema. It was in 3D so we were issued with special glasses. I have seen so many 3D films now that I don't even notice the difference. David and I both found the film to be rather mediocre. It retold the story of Superman's birth and and early years leading up to him starting his job at The Daily Planet. But it changed lots of things about the story and needed some very lengthy explanations from the ghost of Superman's father to shore up the plot. The action sequences went on and on - I mean there are only so many ways that one character can slam another character into a building as they both fly through the air. I wished that we had gone to see Hangover 3 instead but David said that it wouldn't be appropriate for him to see it with me! 

Scottish Raspberries and Skyping

I had a very busy day today making sure that everything was up to date because it was my last day in school until Monday 24th - next week David and I will be on the school music trip to Paris. When I popped into Sainsburys on my way home from work I was very excited to find that the raspberries for sale were from Angus instead of from Morocco or Spain. I couldn't wait to eat them after my tea and they were very tasty. The other highlight of the day was skyping Ally and Cat who are in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. It was so weird just being able to dial up and speak to them so far away - I have only skyped once or twice before, to Jamie in Dundee. It was lovely to see their faces as they chatted and laughed - they were telling us all about their experiences in Dubai and Thailand. They seem to have had a lot of close encounters with monkeys!
I was out visiting a friend this evening and as I returned home it started to rain - just a few drops at first but soon it was raining quite heavily. Jack looked affronted as he looked out at the garden - he has been loving the summer weather. I hope the weather will be ok for James, who is hill-walking in the Borders this weekend. 

Portofino sounds great

David and I watched a film "Silver Linings Playbook" this evening. I had read very good reviews of it so I was quite interested to see it. I found it to be a bit strange and rather shouty, with the characters all talking over each other all the time. The characters were also very downbeat and troubled people, and I wasn't really getting it, until I noticed how much David was enjoying it. It's funny how people see things differently and David's appreciation of the film made me like it better. In the end I did enjoy it but David absolutely loved it.
I had a phone chat with Jamie this evening, who is making the final arrangements for his trip to Peru. He is working incredibly hard just now and he can't wait for his exams to be over and his travels to begin.
I have been thoroughly enjoying reading Ewan's blog about his and Heather's holiday in Italy. The countryside and villages around Portofino sound really beautiful and his descriptions of the scenery and their travels are poetic, evocative and humorous. James and I were laughing as we read his description of a scenic but steep walk they took where they needed to use via ferrata, because they had reflected during their journey that James would have loved it and I would not! How very true! They are clearly having a great time and I can't wait to see their photos. 

Exciting early morning phone call

When the phone rang this morning at half past seven I felt my stomach sink - for so many years a phone call at that time used to mean that my Mum was ill or had fallen. Those days are gone but the feeling of fear remains. However it turned out to be Alasdair, phoning all the way from Georgetown in Malaysia! He was phoning to tell us that he has passed all of his exams! I was relieved and delighted; his first year of University has not gone smoothly with regards to his health, but he has managed to get through so I am very proud of him. After a quick chat with both James and me, Ally hurried off - something about a bus and then a ferry to Kuala Lumpur. He and Cat are having a great time.
After this excitement the rest of the day seemed destined to be an anti-climax, but in fact it was a very pleasant day; interesting, useful, enjoyable and summery, and after work I went for a good walk along towards King's Park and James picked me up on his way home. 

Feeling fitter

Yesterday I was sneezing every minute of the day, and I didn't know how to treat it because I didn't know whether it was a cold or hay fever! So I took Lemsip Max, antihistamines, a nasal spray that I found in the bathroom cupboard, an old inhaler that was also in the bathroom cupboard, and finished off with a steamy bath before bed. The result? I am cured! My holistic approach worked and today I feel brand new.
I have also had a little breakthrough on my health and fitness drive - on my most recent foray onto the scales I discovered that I am now ten stone thirteen and three-quarters pounds. Yes I have lost more than a stone and have broken through the eleven stone barrier for the first time in about five years! I will not rest on my laurels however; I still have a stone to lose. And I want to keep getting fitter too because I like the way it makes me feel; I really enjoyed the D of E walks at the weekend. 

Hay fever?

We woke up in the grandly titled but dilapidated Baronial Hall at Bonaly after a fairly good night's sleep and had rolls with bacon and sausage for breakfast. The pupils got packed up efficiently and soon we set off on our second day's walk back to Thriepmuir via Harlaw Reservoir. Beautiful weather again and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and the views. James went off to do his own walk again today from Thriepmuir to Spittal Hill and back via Cock Rigg. We had lunch in the sunshine in the garden of the visitor centre at Harlaw and said our goodbyes at Thriepmuir before heading home mid afternoon.
However as the day went on I became plagued by sneezing and coughing. It just got worse and worse! Luckily I had plenty of paper hankies but I don't know where this rampant affliction came from! Either it is a very sudden cold or perhaps hay fever (which does not normally affect me); whichever it is has made me feel as if my nose has swollen to gigantic proportions and it's completely blocked. When I got home I spent the rest of the afternoon reading in the hammock and I'm now going to see if I have some Vic's menthol crystals to put in my bath.
Despite this it has been a fantastic weekend. 

Summer Walk

An absolutely glorious day. As we set off for the Pentlands for our D of E walk we saw a van advertising "Forget thee not" memorials - what was really impressive was its registration number - R1PCU! We parked at a very busy Bonaly and then took a taxi to meet the rest of the group at Thriepmuir. Soon we were walking in the sunshine through the beautiful Pentland Hills. James went off to do his own walk and climbed lots of hills.
We walked our usual first day route from Thriepmuir to Bonaly via Loganlea and Glencorse Reservoirs and then over the saddle between Harbour Hill and Capelaw Hill and down to the campsite. It was a lovely walk but one of the groups was struggling and needed frequent rests, which held us up a bit. Edinburgh's "playground" was full of walkers and cyclists on this lovely day. There were lots of fisherman in boats on the reservoirs or standing fishing wearing waders - we saw someone catching a trout but he said that he was going to throw it back. Nature girl Shona picked up (and kissed) a frog! We had a picnic at a picnic table in blazing sunshine beside Loganlea Reservoir - where I saw Shona and Carolyn sitting having lunch in the rain five weeks ago! After a great walk we arrived at the camp site and helped the pupils get set up before nipping out to get a well-deserved chippie. And now we are toasting marshmallows at the camp-fire - brilliant fun! 

Summer at last?

It was a beautiful day today, not a cloud in the sky. It was David's first proper day in 6th year (he had his induction yesterday) and it was nice to have him back with me on my journey to work. I was out and about in the morning visiting primaries, so I was able to put the roof down on the car and enjoy the sunshine as I drove about, and we all went out to the playground at lunch time to dine al fresco. I have been following Ally and Cat's very amusing travel blog "Alcatrav"; after a few days in Dubai they have visited Bangkok and are now in Phuket. They are having a marvellous time. Before tea James (returned this afternoon from Spain) and I sat out in the garden and read our books, then later I planted some asparagus in the garden. I am not a confident gardener, and it is a long time since I dug a spade into the soil. I did my best to follow the instructions on the packet but I suspect that I didn't make a very good job of it especially since I forgot to use any compost. Later still we watched two episodes of Game of Thrones including the gruesome Episode 9 - the Red Wedding - which Chris had warned me about. I was suitably shocked and entertained. I wonder how long this lovely weather will last? 

Pleasant walk

After a very busy day at work I needed to clear my head, so before tea I went for a walk. It was a beautiful evening. The blossom is nearly all gone and the trees are thick with leaves. As I walked along the streets I noticed all the scents of the warm evening; flowers in the gardens, cooking smells from the houses, and, as I passed through Burnside, the familiar smell of Indian takeaway curry which I have to say made my mouth water! I made my way through Rutherglen and called in at Tesco to buy some raspberries which are from Spain, coincidentally where James is just now. Then I continued my journey to Dalmarnock, where the station has now reopened (unlike the previous time I walked there in mid May!) I was a bit disappointed with the station - I had envisaged something rather smart befitting the upcoming Commonwealth Games, but it was very utilitarian and grubby and the platforms seem very narrow. They are lined with sort of boxed in panels which I think may be temporary so maybe it's not yet completely finished and will improve. I took a train home and felt much better and more relaxed after my summer evening's walk. 

More bluebells

On Monday I was in Perthshire yet again with another Duke of Edinburgh group. There were even more bluebells than there were two weeks ago, the forests and glades were carpeted with them. The weather was warm and dry and we had a great walk. Jackie came with us and brought Finn who loved the whole experience! He is a very fit wee boy and walked 11 km both days. The pupils all loved him and when he had a little fall they all rushed to take care of him. He played football at the campsite, took part in a water fight and had a wonderful time. Jackie, Finn and Gavin all really liked Guay and the countryside and views around Loch Ordie which pleased me greatly. The trip did of course have a few (medical) issues to deal with but the pupils all did very well and it was good fun.
James set off this morning for Madrid so I won't see him until Friday. It's just me, Davie and furry boy Jack at home this week. Davie and I went to the recently extended TGI Fridays for tea tonight and sat upstairs; it's very smartly decorated but luckily the menu is still the same so we ordered our usual favourites and had a lovely chat. 

Fun and exercise

It has been an extremely pleasant weekend and I have managed to intersperse my socialising with a bit of exercise as I continue to attempt a healthy lifestyle. So I walked to book club at Catherine's on Friday evening and it's really not that far - half an hour each way. Then on Saturday James and I went to Dundee because I have broken my phone so I needed to borrow Jamie's old phone until my replacement phone arrives. We took him and Aisling for lunch to the Empire State cafe, and we all had a nice chat while Jamie transferred all of my information from my phone to his. After lunch the studious duo headed back to the library and James and I went for a walk on Tentsmuir Sands - the same beach where I walked with Jamie and David a couple of weeks ago. This time there was no fog; instead we had beautiful blue skies and could see sailing boats on the sea and Broughty Ferry across the estuary. This walk meant that I could enjoy my delicious dinner at Heather and Ewan's later with a clear conscience!
And then this morning with James and Davie away hill-walking I decided to go for a swim and check out the refurbished Tollcross Baths. I was very impressed. They now have two fifty metre pools (all ready for the Commonwealth Games next summer) which are each divided into two twenty-five metre pools. This meant that there was lots of room for everyone and even though there were lots of people there the pools were nice and quiet. One of the pools was divided into ten lanes so I did my swim there and it was great - there were only three people using lanes! The distant hubbub from the family pool sounded quite pleasant as I swam up and down undisturbed. I will definitely go back to Tollcross - it's only ten minutes drive from home.
I have spent most of the afternoon in my hammock in the garden reading my current book about refugees in Glasgow (interesting so far). There are now lots of flowers beginning to bloom and their lovely scents are wafting past me. the washing is swaying gently on the line and it's going to have that fresh, outdoors smell. It's lovely to be outside in this beautiful weather.