This evening I met up with Sharon for a meal at Zucca in the village, an Italian restaurant. It was a lovely evening; we haven't met up for ages so we had a lot of catching up to do. I was struck by how similar our views and attitudes are in a lot of areas especially to do with family and work life. I have never been to Zucca before although I have heard good things about it, and it certainly lived up to its good reputation. I had pasta and I chose pollo pesto sauce which was absolutely delicious. It was a great way to relax with a very good friend after a busy day at work and we both vowed to meet up more often!
When I got home David was embroiled in his Persuasive Essay which is about wind farms. James and I sat down with him to help him organise it a bit; David has well thought out and strong opinions but setting them out in writing can be a problem. James is very knowledgable in the energy field and was throwing out lots of facts interspersed with his own often controversial views and David and I were trying to keep up. Finally David was satisfied with his first draft and was a tired but relieved boy.
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
American President
America has voted Barack Obama in for another four years. I find myself rather embarrassingly unable to comment further on this, because apart from seeming like a really nice guy, I know very little about Obama or how good a president he is. He has only been voted in by just over half of the voters so that means that nearly half of voting Americans didn't want him.
The reason for my ignorance about politics can be traced back to the 1970s. Many of my contemporaries were starting to take an active interest in how our country was run by their early teens, but I found it all very boring and almost wilfully ignored political newspaper articles and programmes. I am not proud of this. I read in one of Stephen Fry's autobiographies that he does not sympathise with people who say that they have missed out on education, because knowledge is everywhere, like streets paved with gold, and can be easily accessed. I agree with him and am always intending to remedy my earlier lack of interest by reading up properly on politics, both domestic and world. The trouble is, life is busy and I never quite get round to it. So I honestly don't know where my own politics lie. That's not to say that I don't have any opinions; I just haven't worked out where these opinions place me in the spectrum of political opinion. It doesn't help that my opinions can bend in the wind a lot, depending on what knowledgable person I am talking too. I remind myself of a character I remember in the comedy programme "The Fast Show" who became increasingly uncomfortable during arguments in pubs because he found himself agreeing with the points both sides were making and then both sides would be angry with him! I have always said that I am cursed by seeing both sides of an argument. An example of this was a few years when I was very admiring of someone who really made a stand about something. But when I told James about it he pointed out that the way they had gone about it prevented someone else's free speech. And of course I agree with free speech too so I was thrown into confusion!
The reason for my ignorance about politics can be traced back to the 1970s. Many of my contemporaries were starting to take an active interest in how our country was run by their early teens, but I found it all very boring and almost wilfully ignored political newspaper articles and programmes. I am not proud of this. I read in one of Stephen Fry's autobiographies that he does not sympathise with people who say that they have missed out on education, because knowledge is everywhere, like streets paved with gold, and can be easily accessed. I agree with him and am always intending to remedy my earlier lack of interest by reading up properly on politics, both domestic and world. The trouble is, life is busy and I never quite get round to it. So I honestly don't know where my own politics lie. That's not to say that I don't have any opinions; I just haven't worked out where these opinions place me in the spectrum of political opinion. It doesn't help that my opinions can bend in the wind a lot, depending on what knowledgable person I am talking too. I remind myself of a character I remember in the comedy programme "The Fast Show" who became increasingly uncomfortable during arguments in pubs because he found himself agreeing with the points both sides were making and then both sides would be angry with him! I have always said that I am cursed by seeing both sides of an argument. An example of this was a few years when I was very admiring of someone who really made a stand about something. But when I told James about it he pointed out that the way they had gone about it prevented someone else's free speech. And of course I agree with free speech too so I was thrown into confusion!
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
A much better day
Well I pulled myself together and had an excellent day today! James is still in London and he texted me first thing to remind me to put the bins out. I was very relaxed about this until two minutes later when I heard the familiar sound of the bin lorry arriving! My hero David hurried outside to put the bin on the pavement just in time. And after this good start the day just kept getting better; I was back to my usual self again! When I got home from work Ally, Davie and I ordered in a curry (which is now sitting rather uneasily in my tummy and making ominous noises) and then we watched a film "28 Weeks Later" which started well but turned into a rather boring bloodbath. Meanwhile the results are coming in for today's American election - it is apparently a close run between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. The winner will be known in the next few hours, but I won't be waiting up to find out because bath and bed awaits me.
Monday, 5 November 2012
Not such a good day
I have just had a really "off" day. I know how it started - something very trivial - but I'm surprised at how much it overshadowed the rest of my day. My eyes actually felt hot and heavy all day as if I was about to burst into tears, even though I wasn't. I felt tired, out of sorts, and fed up. This is really not the normal me! However I ploughed on and got a quite a lot done, and this helped a bit because it's always nice to feel that I've achieved something.
Ally had a good weekend at Disabled Scouts which turned out to be in a different location than he expected so he got a surprise when he got off the bus! And Jamie enjoyed his visit to Aberdeen; he texted me that the flowers and chocolates had gone down well with his girlfriend's parents. And James and David enjoyed their walk on Saturday in the Trossachs - where there is snow already! James is now in London for a couple of days so he flew down early this morning. So I am about to get into my bath and read my new book which is called "The Man who forgot his Wife" by John O'Farrell. I am enjoying it - it is a contrast to Proust, being a pleasantly easy read! I hope that tomorrow goes better, perhaps I was just feeling a bit sensitive today. After all, as Scarlett O'Hara said, tomorrow is another day!
Ally had a good weekend at Disabled Scouts which turned out to be in a different location than he expected so he got a surprise when he got off the bus! And Jamie enjoyed his visit to Aberdeen; he texted me that the flowers and chocolates had gone down well with his girlfriend's parents. And James and David enjoyed their walk on Saturday in the Trossachs - where there is snow already! James is now in London for a couple of days so he flew down early this morning. So I am about to get into my bath and read my new book which is called "The Man who forgot his Wife" by John O'Farrell. I am enjoying it - it is a contrast to Proust, being a pleasantly easy read! I hope that tomorrow goes better, perhaps I was just feeling a bit sensitive today. After all, as Scarlett O'Hara said, tomorrow is another day!
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Luton Airport
I am standing in the queue to board my Easyjet flight back to Glasgow after a really lovely weekend with Jennifer. Last night we arrived at the Ardencote Manor Hotel at about 5 and checked into our room prior to dinner. We arrived in the dark so it was hard to get a feel for the place, which consisted of several buildings. However the receptionists were very welcoming and soon we were in our very nice ground floor twin room overlooking the golf course (which we didn't find out until the morning when I opened the curtains to see two golfers right outside - lucky that I was wearing my jammies!) Anyway we had a drink before dinner which was across the courtyard in the restaurant called "The Lodge". We were both very impressed by the service, quality and presentation of the delicious dinner, and we had a fantastic time eating and chatting. We then had a fairly early night because we were both tired - I read for a bit and finished Proust vol. 3 (The Guermantes Way). I have enjoyed it but the descriptions are so lengthy! Definitely no more Proust until 2013!
We woke refreshed and had a tasty breakfast in The Lodge before going for a little walk to see the grounds if the hotel. It was raining but we went down to the little lake and we could see the layout of the hotel more clearly than last night - there is an old part with a modern wing including the leisure centre, a modern building which includes a conference centre, and The Lodge restaurant, all set in beautiful grounds. The modern parts are attractively built in the same red brick style as the older building.
Next stop was the leisure centre where we had great fun for the rest of the day. Being hardy Scottish girls we asked for the outdoors pool to be uncovered - I love swimming outdoors and so does Jennifer - and the staff obliged straight away. The pool was quite warm and clouds of steam were rising from its surface which provided a surreal dream-like setting for our swim. Then we went to the hot outdoor jacuzzi where two pleasant girls tipped us off about the adjacent coffee longe so Jennifer nipped along there and brought back coffees for us to quaff in the jacuzzi! How luxurious it felt! We had lunch in the leisure centre bar while wearing our spa robes and slippers, then back to the spa for the afternoon. It was so relaxing. We set off at 5 for the drive to Luton airport which should have taken an hour and a half but in fact took two hours because the roads were so busy. It was really kind of Jennifer to drive me about like this and I have so enjoyed seeing her, and Russell, Joshua and Ben too of course! Now I am seated on the plane so I will finish here, but one funny story first. As all the passengers were standing waiting to go on the flight there was a last call for passengers over the tannoy system saying "Can all remaining passengers for Glasgow please go to gate 14 where your flight is already fully boarded!" so of course we were all laughing!
We woke refreshed and had a tasty breakfast in The Lodge before going for a little walk to see the grounds if the hotel. It was raining but we went down to the little lake and we could see the layout of the hotel more clearly than last night - there is an old part with a modern wing including the leisure centre, a modern building which includes a conference centre, and The Lodge restaurant, all set in beautiful grounds. The modern parts are attractively built in the same red brick style as the older building.
Next stop was the leisure centre where we had great fun for the rest of the day. Being hardy Scottish girls we asked for the outdoors pool to be uncovered - I love swimming outdoors and so does Jennifer - and the staff obliged straight away. The pool was quite warm and clouds of steam were rising from its surface which provided a surreal dream-like setting for our swim. Then we went to the hot outdoor jacuzzi where two pleasant girls tipped us off about the adjacent coffee longe so Jennifer nipped along there and brought back coffees for us to quaff in the jacuzzi! How luxurious it felt! We had lunch in the leisure centre bar while wearing our spa robes and slippers, then back to the spa for the afternoon. It was so relaxing. We set off at 5 for the drive to Luton airport which should have taken an hour and a half but in fact took two hours because the roads were so busy. It was really kind of Jennifer to drive me about like this and I have so enjoyed seeing her, and Russell, Joshua and Ben too of course! Now I am seated on the plane so I will finish here, but one funny story first. As all the passengers were standing waiting to go on the flight there was a last call for passengers over the tannoy system saying "Can all remaining passengers for Glasgow please go to gate 14 where your flight is already fully boarded!" so of course we were all laughing!
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Ridgeway Walk
I am in Princes Risborough at Jennifer's new house. It is really gorgeous, it's huge with a beautiful kitchen looking onto the large garden. The garden stretches way back to a games hut which is great for the boys. The location is great too; as short walk from the pretty centre of Princes Risborough and near a park, leisure centre and supermarket. They are right on the edge of the countryside too; from the house it is just a few minutes to a path leading to the Ridgeway Walk. This is an 87 mile national trail through southern central England, which has been used by travellers, herdsmen and soldiers since prehistoric times because the high dry ground made travel easy and let travellers see any potential attackers.
We had lunch at the Plough at Cadston (mildly well known for being the pub near Chequers where the Camerons famously and accidentally left their daughter behind after a family lunch.) After a delicious lunch in lovely surroundings - it was originally an old staging post on a road to London - we walked up to the ridge of the Ridgeway. The views from the top were magnificent on this fine autumn afternoon. Right in front of us was Princes Risborough and beyond that countryside stretching into the distance. We are now setting off for our hotel near Warwick.
We had lunch at the Plough at Cadston (mildly well known for being the pub near Chequers where the Camerons famously and accidentally left their daughter behind after a family lunch.) After a delicious lunch in lovely surroundings - it was originally an old staging post on a road to London - we walked up to the ridge of the Ridgeway. The views from the top were magnificent on this fine autumn afternoon. Right in front of us was Princes Risborough and beyond that countryside stretching into the distance. We are now setting off for our hotel near Warwick.
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Fun weekend ahead
I am cosy in my bath having a quick blog before bed as the rain batters down outside. I'm very excited about heading to England after work tomorrow to visit Jenn, Russ and the boys in their new house before Jenn and I go for dinner, bed and breakfast and girly spa day in a nice hotel. I'm really looking forward to it. The rest of the family will be having a fun weekend too. James and David will be walking in the Trossachs with the club on Saturday, and Alasdair will be at a Disabled Scouts Residential weekend. This will count towards the residential section of his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. And Jamie is going to a charity ball in Aberdeen this weekend with his new girlfriend and her parents. He has been texting us about what wine he should take for her Dad - he has organised flowers for her Mum. However before all the fun begins I have a very busy day at work tomorrow, so I had better get myself to bed.
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