Homework, takes me back, and nice.

1) M arrived home from school and settled down straight away to do her homework, without even being asked!

2) Lemon bon bons. A taste of childhood, bought at the Traditional Sweet Shop at the Crich Tramway Village when we visited at the weekend. I’d forgotten how yummy they are (and how much better they are than the scarily blue raspberry ones – yuk)!

3) Nice comments on my blog earlier encouraged me, when I was feeling a little despondent. Thank you to those who commented – I love to hear from you!

Shopping, meeting up, and disappeared.

1) I spent a couple of hours browsing the shops this morning, and successfully got most things on my list. Everyone seemed very cheerful this morning – certainly all the shop assistants who helped me were. I wondering if it’s the approaching summer holidays?

2) The kids and I were invited round to visit some friends this afternoon. We haven’t seen them in nearly two months, and it was so nice to see them again,

3) I made fajitas for dinner (with some turkey that needed used up). Judging by the speed with which they disappeared, they were much enjoyed by all (despite the fire!).

Getting older, not-so muddy walk, and leftovers.

1) As the three of us work together to get lunch on the table, I reflect that my little ones are no longer quite so little. Sometimes I miss the days when they were small, but other times, like when we make lunch together, or we jump in the car and we all put our own seatbelts on, I realise I quite enjoy the fact that they are growing up!

2) “They won’t do you any good…” she said, as I put on my walking boots in preparation for a walk at Muiravonside Country Park, ” the mud will be up to your knees the whole way round!”.

We six set off anyway (with some trepidation; my friend and I comforting ourselves that washing machines really are rather useful).  We walked the longer route, and still never managed to find a patch of knee-deep mud 🙂 .

3) Sometimes the best dinners are the thrown-together ones.  We thawed some burgers left over from summer barbeques, smothered them in a creamy stilton sauce (made from a block of leftover stilton), and served them with a selection of roasted veg from the veggie drawers. Delicious 🙂 .

Too cute, sandwich, and walk.

1)  It was a wet playtime yesterday at school, and M had occupied her time writing a story called Megan and the Bunny.  K and I woke this morning to hear the kids quietly working on the computer next door. A was helping M to type up her story*.

2) The day starts and ends with torrential rain. Sandwiched in between is a beautiful sunshiney day, perfect for a walk along the beach.

3) K has the day off work, and we take the opportunity to go out for brunch, then head to the north shore of the Forth, and walk along the coastal path.  We walk from one village to the next, find a little cafe serving large mugs of tea, then walk back again. We drive the long way home along the north side of the river, and arrive back in perfect time to pick the kids up from school.

* For those who are interested, once it is done, we’ll put it up on their blog.

Physio, umbrella, and staying in.

1) To finally start physio to resolve my neck and shoulder problem, and while I’m in more pain than usual tonight, I’m very grateful to have access to physio, and I feel that I’m finally on the road to healing 🙂 .

2) A was at Rotakids, so M and I walked home from school alone this afternoon. The expected grumbles about walking home in the rain, were much alleviated by a bright and beautiful rainbow, and the appearance of her Hello Kitty umbrella!

3) K sent a text, and then said he’d sent in his apologies. I had a warm shower, took some pain killers, and curled up on the sofa, while K went out to pick A up from Cubs. Thanks my love xxx

Weekend away, morning drive, and winning.

From the weekend:

1) We spent a lovely weekend staying with friends in the Lake District. There were walks, and talks, craft, and baking, a visit to the Pencil Museum (well worth a visit if you are in Keswick), afternoon tea and a play in Whinlatter Forest and time to relax and chat after the kids were in bed.

2) A beautiful drive through morning sunshine home across the Southern Uplands – the autumn colours were stunning, especially the hillsides covered in bright rust coloured trees.

3) A was participating in a Boy’s Brigade Bible Knowledge competition on Sunday afternoon.  He arrived home happy and triumphant – his team (of three) had won!

Tears of joy.

“I don’t know what this day will bring.  Will it be disappointing, or filled with longed-for things?” From: Your Faithfulness by Brian Doerksen.

When I woke yesterday morning, I would never have predicted how the day would turn out. As it was, it was the latter 🙂 .  The news is not mine, so I can’t share it on here, but it was one of the most special moments of my life.

On time, packing, and Finished Object Friday.

1) To get the kids to school on time, despite a somewhat hectic morning.

2) The air of excitement as we all get organised and pack. We’re going away for the weekend!

3) I’ve completed all three of the summer projects I chose from The Knitter’s Year (by Debbie Bliss), and it’s only the first of June. That means I’ve got a month to work on other projects before I begin on the Autumn projects.

Summer Project #3 Stripey Lacy Scarf

Knitted in Debbie Bliss Ecobaby in stone and white. This really was a fun and quick knit (and for those who are interested, there are 121 stripes – sixty in each half, and one to join the two halves together).

For more of today’s Finished Objects, check out Tami’s blog…  and if you’d like to read more of today’s Three Beautiful Things, head on over to Claire’s

Climbing in the hills…

1) A glorious day spent climbing in the Ochils – we climbed Dumyat, a craggy 418m hill, situated at the western end of the Ochils, behind the Wallace Monument, Stirling.

 2) I started the day layered up against the predicted low temperatures. By the end I was down to two of my original six – the weather was just ideal :-).

3) We ended our hike with afternoon tea at the Coffee Bothy in Blairlogie, complete with delicious cakes. The whole day made pretty near perfect by the fact that we spent it with friends 🙂 .

Aidan, on the way up. 

Views across to the east, down the Forth Valley towards Edinburgh;

and to the north west, with the Highlands beckoning in the background. 
At the summit! 
Please click on any of the pics to see them in full size…