Joan's New Musings

Live Writer is Back

2011-03-11T15:37:00.001Z

We woke this morning to more snow, this winter seems to be endless but what do we have to complain about after what is happening in Japan and the Pacific Basin my thoughts are very much with the people of that regions and may their God be with them.

The continuing saga of my roof goes on we have been dried out for the second time and the painter arrived on Thursday morning to complete the decoration. He then discovered the inside of our bedroom roof was wet again that is after all the repairs have been done so he did not start the job was ordered not to. Stuart and I are at a loss to know what to do now. One positive thing that happened is the plumber came back and reconnected the radiator which has been leaning against the wall disconnected for the last month. It has been very cold in our room being the middle of winter, we were heating the room before we went up to bed but admit to forgetting some evenings and have regretted it. Last night was the first night with it working again and what a difference it made. Now awaiting another phone call to see what is going to happen now. I say we are waiting for a call that is because we cannot get them to answer their phone we always have to leave a message. So you will see from my tale of woe we are not in the best of spirits I cannot complain too much to Stuart as he is not good when he gets upset as he does have a heart condition.

I am writing this on Live Writer what a difference it is so easy if you want to use it all you have to do Google ‘Live Writer’ then download it put the address of your blog in when asked and Bob’s your uncle as they say. Photographs go in where you want them straight from your pc and you just drag the corner to enlarge it’s all very simple. When you are finished you just press publish and it will bring up you blog automatically and your done. If you need a help just ask me I will only be to happy to help.

Just to prove it I will add a picture under here fingers crossed.

Goldfinches feeding in the garden on Niger seeds.

That’s about it for today hope to return with better news.

Love,

Joan.

The Pictures for the last posting.

2011-03-04T16:35:00.009Z

These are the pictures that go with the entry below so sorry to do it this way so just read down to the next entry and it will make sense. Love Joan.

The Saga of the roof.

2011-03-04T16:08:00.003Z

Thought I should update you on the roof. We are still in the middle of things, this job seems to be taking forever. The outside work is finished thank goodness but they took so long and we had had so much rain we had to be dried off again with a dehumidifier. So now we are dry the room is half papered the radiator is still off the wall and we now are waiting on the painter to come. As you can well imagine we are both really fed up with it all there just does not seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Last Monday we decided as nobody was expected that day we would go on a wee run in the car. It was a wonderful day a cloudless blue sky and not too cold for this time of year. We too off for Creiff for coffee and scones then a run up to the bottom of the Sma Glen but the road we wanted to take was closed, been trying to find out why it is now six months which is a long time for a main road to be closed, maybe next time. We about turned and drove back out one thing about doing that in Scotland it all looks so different when you are going the other way there is so much to see. We stopped at a place known a the Buchanty Spout and we took some photographs. It is a very dangerous spot just now as the ground is still wet and very slippery so we were very careful not to fall or it would have been the end and you know what I'm like for falling down. Now as you know photos go in at the top and they won't drag for me so I will do another entry with the photographs. This is the one thing that annoys me the difficulty we have with pictures going in, have tried all ways it really ruins my enjoyment of putting pictures in altogether. To return to our day away it was lovely at the falls they are not huge but they are lovely and the light was great that day as you can see from the pictures. The sun shone all day and we really enjoyed our day away. Till next time when I hope to say the work is done at last. Love and take care. Joan.

roof Update

2011-02-11T18:46:00.002Z

Just a little update about the roof. If you read my entry earlier this week you may remember that we have a leaking roof due to the dreadful weather we had earlier this year. Well the good news is the builder and the painters are arriving on Monday. A little prayer it is not blowing a gale or snowing on Monday morning. Take care Love Joan

It's Been A While.

2011-02-09T14:21:00.003Z

It's been a long time since my last entry a lot has been happening up here. The dreadful winter weather we had during the last part of November all of December and part of January has left me with a leaking rook. According to the first inspection the ice that formed during our big freeze lifted the tiles on the roof and one of the gutterscame away making the water pour down from the corner of the house. A dehumidifier was delivered and a painter came in a scrapped all the paper off the bedroom walls. Another inspection declared the room dry so we now had to wait till a roofer was available. Then February came and you know what they say about February it brings the rain and it did torrents of it and yes you have guessed the roof leaked again so the inside roof and wall are wet again. Another inspection yesterday and at last someone went up onto the roof to take a look. He now says the pointing has been burst on the corner of the house moving the guttering. He will now send in another report. You may remember we just had our bedroom decorated in September and a new carpet etc so it is really annoying as now it is like living in a squat with no paper on the walls a leaking roof no furniture in the room with the exception of the beds. This has all happened since the start of the year. I just wish someone would come and get started. Stuart has been saying all along to the insurance company that we should fix the outside first before we dry off the inside and repaper the room. Enough of that now will keep you posted.
We were not been out and about very much in January our pavements were so bad we had to use the car as the road was better than where we were supposed to walk. Now the weather has eased a bit although as I write we have new snow on the ground, it fell on Monday and shows no signs of shifting from the countryside around.
We are now counting the days till the 1st of March that's when we like to say Spring has Sprung. Oh to get out in the garden which is in a dreadful state everything looks so dead. When I was out this morning tending the bird feeders there was a Blackbird singing so there is hope.
I was so sad last week to hear of the passing of Angie (Can You Hear Me at the Back) it was so sudden, I, like many will miss her a lot you always got a laugh at her entries she was always cheerful.
That's about it for today. Take care till next time.

Love Joan

Reminiscing.

2011-01-02T16:18:00.004Z

First of all may I wish you all a Very Happy New Year. You will be wondering why I have decided to put my picture at the top instead of something witty or topical well the reason is I have lost everything on my PC and this is the only one I have left. I switched off as normal a couple of days and the next morning it said I was logged on as a temporary user and nothing get saved so I had to take a new identity out on the pc. Don't know what happened if anybody has any ideas I would love to hear them.

I was thinking this morning about New Year in Scotland when I was a young. It was such a big occasion full of traditions, all the cleaning of old years dirt, you don't dare empty you rubbish

bins on the 1st it's very bad luck, you never enter a house without a small gift, you never leave by a different door than the one you came in, you had to be dark haired to be a first foot and you sorted that out before the person answered the door. Even if you we going home you would always knock at the door (that is if somebody was home). It seems such a pity that all those traditions are going to be lost now with the advent of big street parties in Edinburgh etc firework displays and so on. We had such fun going from house to house this persons mum and dad someone's auntie and uncle, friends and neighbours the list was endless and took a few days to complete, and in to the bargain we walked most to the time with a planned route taking the bus to the furthest away one and working your way back home very exhausting but great fun.

When I was a child I used to listen to all the people coming from Dundee city square after bringing in the New Year there where they used to fire off ONE rocket to mark the time. I would hear everyone calling Happy New Year as they passed one another in the street. One great gift in Dundee for a first foot was a Kipper dressed up with a dress and hat on if you don't know what a Kipper is give it a google as it is to hard to explain. This year I have not seen a soul or had a phone call and its now tea time on the 2nd how times have changed.

Will have to get out with my camera and sort out the no pictures scenario, fortunately I do have some on a memory stick so all is not lost.

I think that's about it for today so till next time take care. Love Joan.

Christmas Cheer.

2010-12-25T07:02:00.001Z

Kinross December 2010.

Lots of Love Joan.

My 2010 ‘Books Read’ List.

2010-12-19T13:01:00.001Z

Last week I talked about the books I have read this year and how I was working on a list our of my personal journal so now I have finished it for those of you that are interested here it is.

2010 Book List.

1 The Brass Verdict. By Michael Connelly
2 The Associate. By John Grisham.
3 The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
4 Doors Open. By Ian Rankin
5 Whispers of the Dead. By Simon Beckett.
6 Shafted by Mandassue Heller (did not finish)
7 Fever of the Bone by Simon Beckett
8 Last Rights by Harlem Coben.
9 Double Eagle. By James Twining.
10 Long Lost by Harlem Coben.
11 Forbidden Places.by Penny Vincenzi
12 In Silence by Erica Spindlar
13 The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
14 Absolute Scandal byPenny Vincenzi
15 The Common Lawyer by Mark Himenez
16 Hold Tight by Harlan Coben.
17 Another Woman by Penny Vincenzi.
18 A Darker Domain. By Val McDermid.
19 Theodore Bone by John Grisham
20 Deliver us From Evil by David Baldacci
21 Caught by Harlan Coben
22 Accused by Mark Gimenez
23 The Chosen One by Sam Bourne.
24 The Best of Times by Penny Vincenzi

**************************

I enjoyed all of those book with the exception of the one I did not finish. Dan Brown’s latest offering (The Lost Symbol) I found very disappointing. If asked which one I enjoyed most I would say it was ‘Forbidden Places’ by Penny Vincenzi. It was a wartime tale about girls living and working during the last war it was a great story and all 800 pages were full of great story telling. All Penny’s books are nearly 800 pages but they are all so good.

Hope you are having a pleasant Sunday before Christmas its snowing heavy here again so we are tucked up here in the cosy house. That’s it for today till next time take care on these bad pavements and roads. Love Joan.

Only 9 More Sleeps.

2010-12-16T14:53:00.001Z

It seems ages since I updated here well there really has not been a lot happening, we are still up to our ears in snow and still freezing. I so wish the news/weatherman would stop calling this weather a cold snap or spell it has been been like this since the middle of November hardly a snap, we have had lying snow for three weeks it is so bad we now have a tractor going round the streets taking the snow away it is piled so high all along the roadside where people have been clearing their driveways etc..

Every night this year I have sat in bed and written my journal it is not a diary it is a spiral bound notebook. One thing I have done at the top of a page where I have started a new book I have written the title and the author. At the moment I am copying all the titles on to a sheet to paper so I can save it on my PC I have been amazed just how many books I have read by a large variety of authors not got the final total yet but sure it will be interesting to me to find out.

Like everybody we have been trying to get ahead for Christmas, the cards are posted the tree is up and most to the food shopping and pressies bought just got to go out and find something for Stuart. We did buy the Wii as our Christmas but will have to get something for Christmas morning for him to open.

You may remember a few years back we bought single beds as I am such a bad sleeper, well we had single quilts too earlier this week I had had enough of bits of me hanging out from beneath the quilt freeezing you know the bits I mean so on Monday we went out and bought two new double quilts, wow, what a difference its like sleeping in a cloud only thing is it makes it hard to get up in the morning I am so cosy. Only this is we are not matching cover wise at the moment but I have so many double quilt covers and single ones come to that I will wait for a bit,

Thinks that’s about it for now if I don’t get back before Christmas I hope you all have a Very Peaceful and Happy Christmas.

Love

Joan.

Snowed in……

2010-11-30T12:12:00.002Z

Good morning I thought I should put pen to paper so to speak and let you know what is happening up here the frozen north. We have almost 2 feet of snow and there is not a lot of movement other than neighbours digging themselves out. Everybody round here is off work nobody can get out of the street. I think one or two hardy soles tried earlier I just hope they can get back. Living in a small rural town nobody actually works here they all travel to work. There are papers today which has pleased Stuart no end, he had withdrawal symptoms yesterday when there were none, there has been no bread either. yesterday or today. People seem to panic dreadfully. We have enough to last a day or two yet. I tried to do my usual online shop this morning but cannot get one till Sunday, won’t let that happen again. Every time the snow goes off we say that must be the end but it comes on again, just when you have got the paths clear. Our neighbours have been fabulous clearing our driveway our car and putting down salt and sand. It does seem strange people doing things like that for you but we are the old ones here. Stuart will be 71 in January and I will be 68 on Thursday but feeling very fit, but if we go to help we get sent inside again. Wonderful neighbours are such a blessing. A few weeks ago we bought one of those Wii game machines and are doing the fitness program on there every day, we are on week three and what a difference it has made to us suddenly our legs are working full speed again I can run upstairs no bother at all, what a super invention it is exercising in the warmth of you lounge is the bees knees. The snow is still falling, never known it to stay so long with no sign of it going and when it does it will take a long time to melt there is so much of it. Thank goodness we have a little shop within walking distance it is so handy. Take care and keep warm,

Love Joan.

Monday morning.

Busy busy and another Grand Day Out.

2010-11-14T16:26:00.001Z

Hello, it has been a while but we have been very busy with one thing or another. We have had the decorator in to do the lounge and as my stairs are open plan that means going all the way up with the decorating the top hallway included, so you can see it is a big job. Stuart is not able now to do these things like he used to so we have to get someone in to do it for us, it does make things very expensive but since we both don’t smoke now we don’t need to have it done as often as we used to.

By Wednesday last week it was such a lovely day and the house was back to normal we thought we would have one of our ‘Grand Days Out’. It was a beautiful November day blue sky and sunshine all the way. We first went over to Gleneagles and the views from the top were spectacular with the snow on the mountains in the distance.

Looking down Gleneagles.

This is the famous Gleneagles Hotel and golf course home of the Ryder Cup in 2014.

After our run down the lovely glen we had morning coffee in Crieff. Onward and forward after our refreshment we travelled up The Sma Glen where snow was lying at the side of the road we thought this was very early this year.

Schiehallion from Loch na Craig

Scheihallion [right] Ben Lawers

Loved the way the sun was lighting up the Larch trees.

Someone left this little guy behind he looked a bit lonely.

As you can see we had a great day weather wise and the scenery was great too. It was great to get away from the smell of paint especially as I have a bad cold just now. Till next time take care. Love

Joan.

Yesterday.

2010-10-26T19:48:00.001+01:00

Hello, sorry it has been such a long time been caught up in other things at the moment but thought you would like to see what we saw yesterday just round the corner from where we live. There has been a very early and very large influx of Waxwings this Autumn all over Great Britain. Usually they don’t come in till nearer Christmas. These little birds have flown over all the way over the North Sea from Scandinavia and beyond. Here are some of the pictures I managed to get.

The count yesterday was 67 but we have heard of larger flocks around the country. Waxwings feed on mainly rowan berries as you can see, we have plenty of those up here at the moment but at the rate they are eating them they won’t last long. If you are out and about in your village or town and you see flocks of birds in the berry trees about the size of our Starlings take another look you may be a lucky as we were yesterday and see some of these beautiful birds complete with lovely crest. Till next time. Love

Joan.

Trials and Tribulations.

2010-10-01T11:47:00.001+01:00

Good Morning, it has been a long time since I updated you on what’s what. The main problem has been Live Writer mine disappeared for some unknown reason to me. I tried and tried and in the end messed up my pc completely. I had my PC engineer in yesterday and she had to take my laptop back to factory condition so I have lost an awful lot of photographs graphics etc, the good thing is that I have also lost all the junk that had collected over the past three years. So hopefully it will be ok now.Since I got back online I discovered that Live Writer launched a new edition of their writer so maybe the old one does not work now.

Last Friday I had an accident at home I picked up a pot with a metal handle that had been over a naked flame. I saw the nurse and doctor and was referred to the burns unit in Dundee. They took the to roof of the biggest blister and then removed my very tight wedding ring with the aid of gut wound round my finger and a lot of force and pain. My knuckles were skinned in the process but all is well now.

We are off for a short break up to Grantown on Spey next week so I will have to take a lot of pictures. I do have some of my older ones on a memory stick so all is not lost but don’t want to put them all back on my nice clean computer.

We have also had the decorator on doing our bedroom so that is looking nice now lounge is next when we get back.

That’s about all for now am supposed to have wifi where we are going so maybe will write to you then. Till next time take care.

It's Been a Funny Old Week.

2010-08-14T12:50:00.001+01:00

It has been a while in fact nearly a month since I had anything to say have been racking my brains so have been making some notes the last few days so I might have something to say.

It has been a funny old week weather wise sunny one moment and then a cloud burst, as we used to call them that was before we got 'Severe weather warnings' all the time they seem to happening everyday just now, it is the way August is, sunshine then heavy rain you just don't go out without your umbrella.

On Thursday we took a trip to St Andrews it is a long time since we have visited there, what with our holidays and The Open Golf it would have been far too busy for us even just now it was very busy on Thursday. We had two very heavy showers when we were there and it was hard to get into a shop to shelter as many people did not have coats on etc. On our way home we had some lovely skies so I thought I would share them with you today.

Would believe we did not have a spot of rain from these clouds we seemed to go around them. It was super watching the mini storm going over our heads waiting for the clouds to burst.

Later that evening everything calmed down and I took the next two from a bedroom window.

There is no filter or any colour added to these this is just the way it was 'Wonderful' I stood in awe.

Thats about it for today hope you have a great weekend till next time, Take Care, Love,

Joan's Musings is Five Today.

2010-07-25T10:34:00.002+01:00

Hello, it is five years to the day I wrote my first entry in Joan's Musings over on AOL. I thought it would just be a passing fancy but here we are all those years later and I am still trying to amuse you with my tales of this that and the other. I try to take good photograghs for you to see my lovely country throughout the year hoping it will make you want to visit someday. Being retired and living a very quiet life sometimes it is difficult to find something interesting to say but I do try and if I think of something that may interest you I jot it down for my next entry I find it helps me a great deal. I have checked back and this is my 660th entry counting the 497 I did on AOL that's a lot of writing and I have enjoyed every moment of it except when things go wrong and I lose my entry into cyberspace, that can really get to me but I have found that using Windows Live Writer life is a lot simpler you get to put your pictures in where you want them and you don't have to write backwards so to speak.

I hope there is enough cake for everyone just help yourself to a slice and wish Joan's Musings Happy Birthday and here's to the next year. Until next time take care. Love,

Then and Now.

2010-07-21T10:57:00.001+01:00

Good Morning, you may remember in the entry entitled 'Squelchy Saturday' I was telling you about the gravel pits that have been made into a nature reserve. I said I wished I could find the old pictures I took back in the '80 when the paths and the planting were first done. We were looking at some pictures the other day when I found this one so I have scanned it for you to see......

1987 do you see the tree in the front of the pictures well watch for it in this next one...................

July, 2010.Now you can see how the reserve has grown it has been a joy to watch it develop, when we first saw it we never thought it would turn out so well, and the tree, look how big it is now.

That's it for today but 'Joan's Musings' will be 5 years old at the weekend so I will return then with the birthday cake. Till then take care and get the champers on ice. Take care Love Joan.

Its Golf This Weekend

2010-07-15T12:25:00.001+01:00

Good Afternoon, here we are again its Thursday, the 15th of July the first day of the British Open at St Andrews and we have the best seat in the house in front of the TV. Its not a nice day there at all, misty and wet but no wind so the course is being murdered at the moment we need some wind maybe once the tide turns. July is such a busy month sports wise between The Tour de France, Grand Prix, Golf, the tennis at the end of the June, Stuart is having a ball, and I watch over the top of my laptop.

Have not been out and about this week we have only had one and a half nice days, Monday we went to Perth and Tuesday morning we sat out in the garden with coffee and scones (home made).

Does anyone have a good muffin recipe I have never tried them but would love to. Think I will make a Tea Loaf today one of my favourites and I have not made one for ages but we have been trying to watch our weight but it would be nice to have a tasty bit for all this TV watching we will be doing the next few day. That's about it for today hoping for a home win but we will see. Till next time Love Joan.

Squelching Saturday.

2010-07-10T12:27:00.001+01:00

So here we are on the Saturday of T in the Park and its been raining all morning heavily at times. It also rained yesterday until late afternoon and then we had a sunny evening and one of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen here, the sky was blood red, so I don't know what happened to the saying 'red sky at night being shepherds delight'. It must be so miserable standing in a field with the rain pouring down, but I suppose something that is ok if you are young does not appeal to someone of my age lol.

On Thursday we had a lovely day and we went back to Birnie and Gaddon and I managed to finish the photo walk I started with you last Saturday. This time the camera was well charged up to here is the rest of the walk.

There is a meadow up on this point of the walk all sorts of wild flowers are in full bloom and there were many many butterflies too.

I took this picture to show you how near we live to this part of Scotland you see the hill in the background well I live at the bottom of that so it not far at all. We are so lucky to live in this beautiful part of the world even if it does rain when it shouldn't. Speaking of the rain this is the first substantial rain we have had in 2 months.

This is a photograph of Birnie the other loch, this is the original loch, Gaddon was made later so this one is more mature although Gaddon had caught up now the trees and shrubs are all very thick just now you have to wait till you get to a viewpoint that has been cut out of the vegetation to see the water.

The Mute Swans after much arguing with their neighbours have raised three cygnets. We say a very funny thing happening as we walked on Thursday there was a coot and a Great Crested Grebe nesting on floating platforms and the grebe was stealing sticks from the coots nest I was waiting for a big fight but the coot just sat there minding her own business we did have a good laugh at that.

Just about back to the car park here after about one and a half miles. It is one of our favourite walk at any time of the year and we usually do it on the 1st of January weather permitting.

That about it for now off to watch a mountain stage in The Tour de France. Take care. Love,

Its T time again.

2010-07-06T13:09:00.001+01:00

Can you believe it's T in the Park time again. I scanned this photo from a leaflet we received this week to let you see the size the festival is. It has grown and grown. we are expecting over 1000,000 festival goers. All our roads around Balado will be closed from Thursday till Monday afternoon, it does make getting about a bit difficult. It is strange all this money coming into our little town and yet there is no money for plants for our flowerbeds in the centre town a few dozen plants are not all that expensive. During the winter the council has been round a dug up all the shrubberies to save on maintenance and just left them empty and bare it all looks very sad and this is just the start of our cutbacks. There has been a big furore as a fully mature beech hedge was chopped down by mistake. It will be replanted in the Autumn but how long will it take to replace what we had.

I seem to have deviated from the subject of the festival Stuart and I may try to go out on the back roads to get some pictures to show you but it is very difficult the last time we went near we were stopped by the police and that was not very nice you would have thought we were trying to get in free God forbid.

In my last entry about my latest walk I was asked if it was wheelchair friendly yes it is a wee bit of an incline but no steps and there is a shorter walk taking in just one loch. Hope this clears up this for you.

Think that's about it for today so till next time take care and I hope the weather stays dry for everybody coming for the festival.

Love,

Come Walk With Me Again.

2010-07-03T20:41:00.000+01:00

Good Evening we were out in the car today and had a lovely walk around Birnie Loch and Gaddon Loch. I have mentioned this place before it is a disused gravel pit that was turned over to the council in 1991when it was all planted up with trees and shrubs it looked very strange at first but now it is all matured it is a wonderful nature reserve a great wintering home for birds and waterfowl. the site was gifted to the people of the county by the owners there is still work going on close by so hopefully the reserve will be extended when the gravel runs out.

I just wish I had a picture of it as it was in 1991 but did not have the wonders of a digital camera then.

So come walk with me around the loch on the lovely July day.

This the view from the car park a lovely spot to have your coffee that is if you have remembered to bring some. We did not intend to be here so I was not prepared.

Not many ducks about today as they are in moult now and hiding in the reeds getting ready for the winter ahead.

This is the start of the path around the Gaddon Loch the trees have grown so much here you cannot see the loch until further up the path.

This is where a little viewpoint has been cut out, when we stopped here a Mute Swan sailed in with here 3 cygnets, it was as if she was showing them to us, that is one of the babies as they sailed away.

A Damsel Fly newly hatched was among the insects and butterflies that were flying around the grassy slopes.

A little bridge that links Gaddon to Birnie. Gaddon is on higher ground and is more wild and windy.

Some of the wild flowers that were growing along the path. At this point you would have heard a bit of a scream as the batteries on my Fuji camera packed it in so we will have to finish our walk another day. Have had a lovely time writing this and showing you one of our favourite local places so till next time take care,

Love

June Bursted Out And Is Now Nearly Gone

2010-06-25T12:43:00.003+01:00

Good afternoon, have you ever noticed hope quickly June flies in. I look forward to June I think it is my favourite month and here we are on the 25th already and next week it will be July. Up here our summer is very short and good weather is always in short supply. This year has been much better we have had little or no rain this month and it was quiet a dry spring. Already councils are talking about water shortages and hosepipe bans. After the winter we had how can this be. Stuart read a piece out of the Scotsman on Monday saying that the island of Mull is practically out of water and are having to bring it in by tanker. Hotels have had to close down and one lady that owns 8 cottages and has to cancel all here bookings. This will effect jobs where there are not many normally. Surely they do not have enough storage as I am sure they get plenty of rain being on the west coast.

It has been a lovely week up here lots of sunshine earlier on in the week a bit cloudy now but still warm enough to sit out with your book or paper. I have been reading a lot of late, have made a big change away from my thrillers to Penny Vincinzi books pure fizz but very addictive reading and each so different from the last and all about 800/900 pages so you really get into them. I have just finished one that took place during the last war about three girls and what they did during that time it was great very informative another one was about Lloyd's names and all the troubles for them in the '90 so you see what I mean all very different but great stories.

Well I think that's about it for today time to make some lunch just back from Sainsbury's with a nice crusty loaf. Till next time take care, Love Joan.

Another Big Twitch.

2010-06-19T13:46:00.005+01:00

Tormaukin Inn Glan Devon.

On Thursday evening Stuart was checking Bird Alert and saw there was a rarity very close to us, but Friday can be a bit difficult for us as you know Stu has his art class in the morning and we were sure the said bird would be gone by the time we could get there. Now this little bird should be in Siberia. We arrived about 2-30 the sun was shining and it was warm. The bird a Common Rosefinch had taken up residence behind a little hotel in Glen Devon a really sheltered spot. We meet another couple from Edinburgh and stood chatting to them watching all the time for our little visitor. We all went to the inn for a coffee and sat outside on the patio for a rest after standing for a while, it was very hot. Then just after 4 o'clock we heard him calling a very loud distinct call for such a little bird. When you look at a picture in a bird book usually when you see the bird it is never as brightly coloured as the book but this little guy I say guy because this is the male was so bright he was so red, if it had been a female she is very drab and brown. We all had great views and this was a life bird for us so that is another one to add to our life list. I would like to thank Jack for sending me the picture he took of the Rosefinch and allowed me to put it in in my blog. So here is the little chap.

The Common Rosefinch.

Holiday Photographs.

2010-06-03T20:15:00.013+01:00

Good Afternoon I have put in some of our holiday pictures to let you see what we were up to it is so difficult to do this type of entry working back words so I hope it reads ok. Raining here this afternoon after a glorious week pity it had to end even if the garden will enjoy the drink. So here you go..........................
This a lovely little plant was growing in the wall at the Abbey we visited I brought home a cutting to see if I can get it to grow in between some flagstones thought it would better than the weeds.

A busy day's birding at Titchwell look at the colour of the sky, magnificent

Steam Engine at Well Next the Sea getting ready to go to Holt.

North Creek Abbey. A wonderful tranquil place to sit and contemplate.

Lifeboat Station Wells

Beach huts at Wells

More beach huts at Wells.

Titchwell. RSPB

Hope you have enjoyed seeing or holiday shots as much as I enjoyed taking them. Till next time Love Joan

Good Afternoon.

2010-05-29T13:05:00.005+01:00

Hello, have just noticed that it is over a month since I wrote anything in my Journal. There are two reasons for this the first one being I have been away for the last two weeks and the second is that I am having great difficulty with my journal. In the postings page the format keeps changing I just cannot get pictures in the new one. The strange thing is that today it have reverted back to the original format so all is well fingers crossed so I will make hay as they say.

We had a lovely holiday, weather was cold and sunny for the first five days and then it got hotter and hotter leading up to last weekend when it was really tropical.

The birdwatching was really very good as the light was excellent and that makes a big difference, makes our lives easier. The picture at the top was take at a place called Sculthorpe it is a lovely wooded area in the centre and marshland on the outside. We had a great day there wandering around on the boardwalks the birds singing and the sun shining it was glorious. I am very happy with the picture at the top of this entry it depicts the day so well and like a friend I now have this as my desktop for the time being. [Am always changing my desktop as the mood takes me]

We have had a busy week in the garden trying to catch up with the weeds they grow so fast when you are away and it takes so long to get them all out again. A very kind neighbour cut our grass just before we got back home which made such a difference, it made things look not too bad. The garden is the only reason I hate going away at this time of year. Still have a good bit to do as the weather has not been very warm this week cold winds and showers but not enough to water the garden. We have two pyramids for sweet peas this year we had not planned for them and had no where to put them but when someone offers you free plants you cannot say no hence the came pyramids.

Will do a picture entry later when I download the rest of my photographs. Till then take care.

Love Joan.

Yet Another Day Out.

2010-04-25T19:43:00.003+01:00

Earlier this week we had a lovely day out. We eventually arrived at a place called The Hermitage it has the most beautiful waterfalls. I have been visiting these falls since I was a little girl it is stall a favourite of mine.

These pictures do not do them justice but it is the best I can do tonight as I am having great problems with my blog. Hope I can fix it but not tonight I have had enough of this for one day this entry has taken me hours so till next time take care. Love
Joan

Spring at Last.

2010-04-11T17:42:00.002+01:00

Today is a day that you dream about all winter long a Spring morning warm and a cloudless blue sky. As we walked around for the Sunday paper as we do every Sunday weather permitting that is what we said to each other. It was a glorious morning everything looked so good the Daffodils were all smiling as we passed by like all the rest of the Spring flowers that are hurrying up to catch the best of the weather were smiling too. It has been a winter to remember for all the wrong reasons I am dreading the heating bill coming in it will be astronomical but you have to stay warm.
We have made a start on the garden and it is beginning to look a bit better. We don't seem to have lost too many of our hardy plants but our Lupin has died and one of our Buddleia plants is looking a bit iffffy. We will leave it to see there in one shoot so maybe it well come away. I had a lovely Phlox that I grew from a cutting and it has gone, am sad about this as it was very special.
It was warm enough to sit out today and read your paper/book which was lovely it does you so much good sit and feel the warmth of the sun.
I think that's about all for today I hope you too have had this lovely weather today I think we all deserve it. till next time take care. Love

Hello.

2010-04-08T22:18:00.001+01:00

Hello, I thought I should bring you all up to date with what I have been up to since I disappeared at the end of February. Nothing much is the answer to that, I have been having a lot of problems with my laptop and and had to have a the PC doctor in to fix it, she recommended that I add some extra memory to it and that seems to have settled it down along with a good clean out of all the rubbish that comes into your PC on the back of things so hopefully things will be better now.

Spring is a long time coming this year we still have snow on the hills around us as I write. We have been promised warmer weather over the weekend so fingers crossed. We did have our first first Swallow this week so things are happening. We have not been away very much of late staying very local with the price of petrol these days you have to think before you do hundred of miles. We will need all our pennies for our holidays in just over four weeks time, we are going south to Norfolk in England to our usual cottage for our two weeks of glorious bird watching we hope if the weather is kind and the wind blows from the right direction its all very scientific you know, to bring the migrating birds to the spots we are waiting for them so keep you fingers crossed for us.

We did not have a holiday last year and that in itself was a record as we have had a holiday every year all our life together so it seemed very strange not to go away but circumstances just did not allow for us to be away. So this year we seem to be clear so far.

I think that about it for now hope you are all keeping well and enjoying the Springtime. Till next time Love,

Yes it was two again.

2010-02-25T14:19:00.001Z

At last I have something to tell you about it has been four weeks since anything of any interest has been happening here. It has been snowing continually since about Tuesday evening it is the very wet kind of snow so hopefully it will not take so long this time to go but at the moment is is about 8" of slush.

Fortunately on Monday with a cloudless sky we decided on a run in the car, so armed with binoculars camera and a picnic we set of for the Sma Glen a favourite of ours I have written about it before. I have been visiting this glen all my life but I have never seen the river frozen. Every thing looked so cold.

The River Almond near Crieff. It is blue with the reflection of the sky.

Loch NaCraig totally frozen and sparkling.

Ben Lawers. above and below

And of course Schiehallion.

So two of what I hear you ask well here they are two little Dippers bit smaller than the size of a Blackbird but they swim in rivers and streams. These two, a pair I reckon at this time of year, were diving in off the ice at the side of the river and swimming across on the surface something we have never seen before they usually dive under maybe the water was too cold. They made me cold just watching them. We had a great day out and glad we did it with the lovely weather we had at the start of the week. I am wondering what it will look like today after all this snow. Just heard on the Scottish news that all of the north of Scotland is cut off, all roads north of Stirling are blocked, never heard of things being so bad .

Here is a picture of our two intrepid swimmers standing on the ice.

That's about it for now will try to visit you all over the net couple of days. Take care and stay cosy.

Love,

Wow Two Again.

2010-01-25T19:30:00.001Z

We a bad weekend by way of Stuart being laid very low for 24 hours after his Swine Flu jab I think he had every symptom on the information sheet he was supplied with. Today with Stuart being recovered again we did not want to stray far from home just in case Stuart took another bad turn. We decided we would pay a visit to Vane Farm our local nature reserve. We did try on the 6th of January but we could not get in the car park with all the snow that had not been cleared away. It is a great observatory for winter birding as it is heated and you are inside in the dry and warmth we love it as we admit we are getting soft in our old age. It was a dull day cold with light rain on and off. The loch is still partially frozen and there is still a lot of snow around on the hills and it looked like some fresh falls on the highest of them.

While we were sitting at the telescopes I was fortunate enough to pick up a Sea Eagle sitting on a branch of a fallen tree at the wide of the loch. This bird along with some other chicks that hatched last spring were released about fifteen miles away last summer and some of them have been hanging around Loch Leven. ( If you want to Google it on Google earth it is Loch Leven Tayside Scotland.)

As we were watching the sitting eagle another one flew right over the building we were in so we had a beautiful view of one in flight take my word for it they are enormous.

I did not take this picture it was one I googled, I did not take my camera today as it was so dull and anyway I could not have got one as good as this.

We had as very enjoyable morning out, it bucked Stuart up no end and to see 2 lovely Sea Eagles on our doorstep practically was such a bonus. There were ducks and some waders trying to find some open water not in the usual numbers as yet. We are hoping more will return once the loch thaws a bit more. The ice did not seem to be very thick today not like the 12 " we had two weeks ago.

I think that's about it for today so until the next time take care. Love,

19th January 2010 It's Green.

2010-01-19T19:16:00.001Z

If I am not mistaken the graphic above is green yes that's the colour the grass is just in case you have forgotten. At last half of our garden is clear of snow but in a dreadful state. There is bits of apple, seeds husks etc all over the ground will have to go out and clean it up. We have had a new bird in the garden these last few day they are the tiny Siskins a lovely little green and yellow bird. There is a small party of them three males and one female. The niger seed feeder just holds three of them at a time so the little female just sits and waits her turn. I know its winter but everything looks so dead you feel that it will never recover from four weeks in the deep freeze.

On Sunday past we managed at last to get a walk to the supermarket for a paper and rolls it was the first time we have been able to walk anywhere in our village since the snow came on the 16th of December. There were still some dicey patches and we had to walk on the road some of the way but we got there.

Yesterday we went up to Perth it was sunny and mild what a change the mercury got up to 9c that's about 48f great, it was so good, in the winter it's amazing what a little sunshine does to the spirits.

There is not a lot happening just now doing cosy things like crosswords reading and on the pc but have been enjoying it just fine most of the time.

Stuart is off on Saturday for his Swine flu injection hope he will be ok with that. Well I think that's about it for tonight really don't have mush to say today so till next time. Love

Thursday 7th January 2010. Not One But Two

2010-01-07T20:13:00.002Z

Today we had to head up to Perth as our car was booked into the garage for its first MOT. We have been thinking of cancelling it all week but we had not had snow overnight so we thought we would chance it. All was well and we made it no bother. As we approach Perth we come from high up and descend into the town, beyond the town away to the north the mountains were looking spectacular today with all the snow, it was a complete white world.

After dropping the car off and getting a lift from the garage into town a coffee was called for. After a warming cuppa we wondered if the River was going to be frozen and set off to have a look. There was a bit of ice floating about as you will see from the photo but to our great joy two otters were swimming just below the view point by the time I got the camera out they had swam a bit into the middle of the river but I did manage to get this shot before they disappeared under the water.

It is not an awful clear picture but you can just see the two heads sticking out of the water I have had to crop it to bring them a bit closer you can also see some of the ice floating around too. The River Tay at Perth is still tidal so therefore is still salty which is harder to freeze. This is the first time we have seen otters close up they were just a few feet away to begin with but swam away quickly when they saw us, we were very excited about it.

Here at Loch Leven our loch it totally frozen over, nearby on The Lake of Monteith (the only Lake in Scotland) they are planing on having a Bon Spiel (a Grand Match in curling) tomorrow as the ice is now 8 inches thick it will go ahead if they can get Health and Safety to agree. We wait to see the outcome. A few years ago we were hoping to have a Grand Match here but the ice thawed to quickly. I am sure it is thick enough just now but it has too much snow on it at the moment and it would have to be cleared away before they could curl on it. Where we live curling is very popular and work is about to begin in the village for the National Curling Centre, it is going to be very grand and a big draw to our village.

It was nice to get back today as you know how cold it is,but what a bonus we had seeing the lovely otters in the Tay. Hope you are all keeping warm and safe till next time. Love Joan.

Monday 4th January 2010.

2010-01-04T15:39:00.004Z

Good Afternoon, having a quiet day after all the festivities yesterday. Stuart had a lovely birthday and really enjoyed himself. We went out with the family for lunch, the first hotel we went to had a telly on with football so we had to leave as it was spoiling our day. We were fine in the Green Hotel. It must have been strange for Richard and Lisa as they both used to work there Richard as a porter in the conference suite and Lisa as a cocktail waitress in fact that is where they met. Changed days, Richard now with HM revenue and Lisa runs her Dad Engineering business it makes town centre fitting eg benches bollards planters etc. Richard just takes our pennies.

We are still snowbound up here as you have maybe seen on the news, in fact Fife our neighbouring county has ran out of salt and folk there are being advised not to travel. Stuart and I were going to try Perth today but we thought better of it and anyway we have to go on Thursday as the car goes in for its first MOT oh joy. We then thought we would walk to the supermarket we managed about 200 yards walking on the road on the hard packed snow but when we got to the main road walking on that would have been too dangerous and the pavement was still deep snow like walking in sand on the beach so we about turned walked back and got in the car.

Took the camera out today and here is the results......

The last picture is one of our bedroom windows which is north facing can you see the icicles hanging. I have not seen this since I was a child living in Dundee when they used to hang down for three or four feet from the high buildings. Bet all the kids are having great fun in Dundee it is the perfect place for sledging as it is all up hill from the river, the whole city is almost built on a hill. I remember it well we used to have a great place to sledge in the middle of the road down a steep hill, it was safe as there was not any traffic in those days when it snowed. According to the weather forecast there is no end in sight for us, to what they call a cold snap we are now on day 19 hardly a snap in my book. Thank goodness we put in our new heating system in September. I have seen gas engineers out a few times around here these last few days. Hope the poor folk have not had too long to wait for a repair with the temperature being so far below zero at nights and only getting to 0c during the day if we are lucky.

I think that's about it for today so till next time take care. Love

2nd January 2010.

2010-01-02T19:58:00.002Z

So here we are the 2nd day of the new year already. We had a beautiful full moon on New Years eve and we were lucky enough to have a lovely clear sky to see it. They called it a blue moon, I had heard the saying but did not know why we say 'once in a blue moon' but now I know and I was quite intrigued by the reason behind it. In case you do not know (maybe it was just me that did not know) it is because we had two full moons in one month this is really rare in fact we only have 41 of these 'Blue Moons in 100 years. It was so bright on the 31st of December reflected on the snow I literally could have been able to read my book. Stuart and I stood at the back door quite in awe at it were glad we noticed it from the window.

Tomorrow in my dear hubbies 70th birthday. Don't think he is very pleased about it 69 is one thing but 70! We are being taken out to lunch by our son so we are looking forward to that, hope we don't get too much snow overnight and has us unable to get out the drive although Richard has a 4 wheel drive so we should be ok. It seems no time at all since we were both teenagers out first footing on his birthdays as at that time the New Year celebrations went of for a good few days.Happy Birthday Stuart have a lovely day. I just hope I can find one of the two birthday cards I bought for him I lost the first one I bought in October as it is always hard to get a nice card once all the Christmas stuff comes in, so I bought another one, I am sure there is someone in this house that hides things from me I am always losing things.

I have bought him a new Dab Radio as a gift for his birthday he has been looking at them for a long time but we are in a bad reception area and were not hopeful of getting any stations. We used the radio on the television which is good but I felt it was a awful waste of electricity. We had a little radio in the bathroom that we have had for over 30 years and last week it finally gave up the ghost it was sad it was such an old friend. They don't make things like that any more. Unfortunately Stuart feels his new one is too good to go in the bathroom so we are going to buy a new small radio for the bathroom so Stuart can sing along in the shower.

It has been snowing here on and off all day really heavy at times. I have never know snow to lay so long that's been well over two weeks now, usually it's gone in a couple of days. I don't know how we are going to get the pavements clear the heaps of snow are about three feet deep and more where people have cleared the snow away from there driveways and I know the little snow plough that does out pavements will not be able to cope with that amount of snow. We cannot get out for a walk just now the best we can do is to go the supermarket to have a walk round there which is not that great, oh to get my legs stretched.

This has turned into a bit of a book tonight hope you enjoyed all my news so till next time take care and keep cosy. Love

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Farewell to the Noughties

2009-12-31T17:35:00.001Z

Good evening for the last time this year. I do not have a lot to tell we are still under a foot of snow and barely able to get to the supermarket and back in the car, as far as walking anywhere the pavements (sidewalks] are like sheets of glass and we don't want to break anything, I think the hospital will be busy enough. We did manage to stock up a bit today, was not needing very much still have plenty in from Christmas. We are not expecting anyone tonight, not like the old days when we had a houseful on Hogmany. It used to be the best of nights with all the first footing. Times change. So that is the end of the noughties the decade that changed the world and not for the best I am afraid to say, we can only hope for more peaceful times in the Teens. Will close this years Musings by wishing you all my online friends A Very Happy New Year and will drink to your health and wealth for 2010 at midnight if I am still up or in the morning. Bye for now take care and keep warm. Love

Snowed In.

2009-12-27T18:18:00.002Z

Hello, so here we are Christmas is over and we are still snowed in, we managed out on Christmas day then yesterday and overnight we have had another heavy fall so I would say we have a good foot of snow here in Tayside at least some parts of it. It seem some parts of Scotland are clear and others are bad I am in the bad bit . This is day 11 of this spell of weather and it is becoming a bit boring. I thought we were going to have a bit of a thaw earlier today but it soon stopped.

Our birds are starving just now as there is no ground showing, I am trying to help as much as I can with food and water and I know you will all be helping too. Thought the graphic at the top was very appropriate. If the blackbirds would only eat instead of fighting all the time I think they would do better. We had a bit of a rarity in the garden today we a Brambling. This breed comes in from Scandinavia if the weather there gets too hard for them. Its long time since I have seen one with the weather getting warmer.

As you can see the bird looks a bit like a Chaffinch but is much brighter and has a white tummy and more white on the wings. Here is another one for you ...........

I hope this lovely little bird comes in again tomorrow.We would love to see him again. This is not my photo we could not get out to take photos the snow is just too deep today. No newspapers here today either poor Stuart.

That's about it for today hope you are all keeping warm and safe as I know some of our friends over the ocean have a lot more snow that I have so till next time . Love

Christmas Eve 2009.

2009-12-24T15:53:00.001Z

Good afternoon, So here we are Christmas Eve and we should be ready for the big day by now. Things have not been easy here the last few days we are on day eight of the snow and it is one layer on top of the last. We now have about 8 inches of lovely white snow crunchy and firm giving us a beautiful white Christmas for the first time in a good few years. Temperature wise it has not been above freezing for days now so it it very cold dipping down to about 20f during the night and about 28f during the day so no sign of a thaw yet. We did manage to get out today for some bread and rolls and some fresh meat for our Christmas Eve dinner. Just Stuart and me but the sirloin steak looks lovely.

Yesterday Stuart took a couple of pictures of me in the garden feeding the birds and trying to clear a bit of ground for them to feed on. You feel so sorry for the ground feeding birds they cannot get to there natural food at all. There is plenty of food in the feeders but of course they cannot get to that.

I think you can see the depth of the snow we have its a long time since we had this much.

Think that's about it for now other than to wish you all wherever you may be a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas and I hope you can get to where you want to be. Till next time keep warm and safe.

So from me to you have a great Christmas.

Time is Running Away

2009-12-15T09:23:00.001Z

Good Morning, I thought I would try to update my journal today as it seem quiet some time since I wrote a word again. I did do an entry last week but had a lot of problems and in the end I gave up and to be honest I could not be bothered trying again.

It is five years now since we retired and it has gone in so quickly it is alarming wish it would slow done a bit feel my life is running away like the sand in a timer.

Last week we took our usual trip to St Andrews on Monday and I had my camera at the ready for the Interior Design shop that does lovely windows. I did not think they were a nice as last year but still lovely. Here they are it is a small frontage but they do a great job.

On Tuesday we took ourselves off to Edinburgh I thought these windows were nice but you should have seen Harvey Nicks they were spectactular but no pictures I thought I would get arrested if I got my camera out. Yesterday we were in Perth trying to finish the Christmas shopping nearly there now but still not happy about what I have for Stuart.

Using the phone is a big problem for me being so deaf it is not easy for me to hear what people are saying but today I hope all this is going to change. I am waiting for a delivery of a new updated phone for people with hearing difficulties I so much hope it works. Also waiting for a new set of pots they looked really nice.

We have our small tree up now and the cards are arriving daily so the house is beginning to look quiet festive.

Will have Ellen from lunchtime tomorrow as her school breaks up for Christmas earlier than most.Have a few things up my sleeve to entertain here but I suppose the PC will be the main attraction. Sure we will have a great afternoon as long as I can keep Scooby off the telly as then you don't get a chat at all with her.

Think that's about it for today off to read some blogs after I get dressed. Take care,

Love Joan.

Saturday Scene.

2009-12-05T14:19:00.002Z

Good Afternoon, thought it was about time I took pen to paper so to speak as I have not updated here for some time. Things are very quiet here not a lot happening I have a bit of the cold this week and have been nursing myself with the usual cold cures or non cures as it is still here, this is day 6 and its still here.
Last Monday we went out to lunch to our favourite restaurant in Perth and were really disappointed that it is now only open on Saturdays for lunch. It took us aback and we had to rethink where to go. In the end we headed to Perth Theatre which has a nice restaurant, we had not eaten here before just had the odd coffee but any meals we had seen passing us always looked good. It turned out we were right we had a lovely lunch thoroughly enjoyed by both of us. The occasion was my birthday on Wednesday we were a day or two early but Monday suited better.
Wednesday we collected Ellen as usual and the homework was a real hoot. Instead of the usual sentences she has along with spelling and reading all we had was a run through of what will be happening at her Christmas concert. She sang danced said her words for about 15 minutes then collapsed in a heap exhausted on the floor. She soon recovered enough to have her tea and play on my laptop.
Stuart has been busy getting ready for his Art Group Christmas Exhibition which is on this weekend. I went along yesterday so see all the artwork. Along with the painting (all small ones this year) there is handmade silver jewellery, photography, hand painted dishes some prints and hand painted cards. It was lovely as we have a new small conference centre attached to our Episcopal Church it is small and just perfect for a cosy atmosphere there are plenty of decorations too just ot set things festive.. Think I will pop back in tomorrow for another look around.
Will have to get our Christmas cards written this week we had two in the post today so will have to get on. Christmas shopping wise doing not too bad still have to figure out something for Stuart and daughter in law my two problems.
Well I think that about it for this time hope you are keeping well and free from colds and flu so till next time take care and keep cosy. Love

Joan.

Thank you

2009-11-17T16:09:00.003Z

Good evening, just popped in to say thank you for all your good wishes on Friday we had a lovely day a great meal the steak melted in your mouth and the movie was just fine so all in all a good day.
It is very cold here today windy and it is now dark although it is only just after four. We were a St Andrews yesterday for a wander got a great bargain of Patricia Cornwell's very latest book The Scarpetta Factor in hardback from a charity book shop for £2 50, it only came out last month so that made my day, oh I do like a hardback book, better not fall asleep with it in my hands it would make an awful thump on the floor.
That's all I have for today so till next time take care. Love

Joan.

50 Years Together.

2009-11-13T11:46:00.003Z

Friday 13th November 1959.

Good Morning, today is a very special day for Stuart and me. It is not our wedding anniversary, but it is 50 years to the day that we first met up again. We were at a cycling club end of season supper dance in Dundee where we both lived and worked. I have told the story before of how I met Stuart, my first of work when I was 15 and we were introduced at a bus stop, all very proper in these days and I knew he was the one, he did not and it took nearly 2 years for him to find that out. We always look on Friday the 13th as a lucky day for us and it has cropped up many times in our lives.

I had a lovely card today from Stuart with a poem he wrote himself and it was really beautiful but he would kill me if I wrote it down in my journal but take my word it was lovely.

It have put a photograph of us that was take last year at a wedding. I don't like having my picture taken at all and very seldom show one on here but thought today I should. Some of these days I will take time and scan a picture of what we looked like all those years ago.

Planning a grand meal tonight and maybe treat ourselves to a movie, Box Office on Sky are showing the latest Dan Brown movie Angels and Demons and we fancy that. So maybe a little drink, we both like Whisky Macs, and some nibbles and we will be all set.

Am off for my flue jab tomorrow just the normal one for me Stuart is waiting to be called for his Swine Flu jab but as yet no word. Till next time have a great weekend and take care. Love

Autumn in Scotland.

2009-11-12T08:38:00.001Z

Good Morning, I thought I had better post these photographs now before winter really gets settled in.It has been cold and frosty this week and we have had some rain too but it is very cold or is it just me feeling it more this year.

Some of the pictures I am posting are from Dundee Botanic gardens really enjoyed this visit it the first time we have been at this time of year so it made a grand change unfortunately the rain came soon after we arrived so the light was not great but the pictures are not too bad.

the next group were taken around Loch Earn and Loch Lubnaig about a month ago the day we I say my dragon.

Think that's about it for just now and I hope you enjoyed seeing them. Take care Love,

Joan.

To Old To Know Right From Wrong.

2009-11-03T12:18:00.005Z

For many years I have had the strange notion that I would love to sit on a jury, its probably because of watching and reading too many thrillers but it is something I have always fancied doing. Yesterday at long last the letter came from the Sheriff's Office saying I had been selected to serve on a upcoming jury. Along with the letter was a little form to fill in. That was then I discovered that officialdom has waited too long to ask me to serve, as you have to be under 65 years old, so unfortunately I have missed my chance and am not happy about it at all. I know in the USA people of my age are used a jurists, think of all the money that would be saved if some of the good and true we made up of retirees we would not have to claim for lack of earnings just travel expenses. I suppose that would be too sensible for the country. I am really annoyed at this, not only because it was something I have wanted to do but I feel it is age discrimination and that is supposed to be against the law. End of rant for today. Take care. Till next time.

Love Joan.

Thinking of Days Gone By

2009-10-23T10:10:00.002+01:00

Last Friday Stuart did not have an art class and as the sun was shining from a cloudless October sky we thought we would have one of our grand days out. We set of for Crieff and coffee and scones at the visitors centre where we had a quick read of the papers sitting at a sunny window with our drinks. We then headed to Loch Earn and this is what got me thinking of day gone by. When I was a little girl my parents had a motor bike and sidecar and we toured a great deal in it. One of the runs we used to take was to this loch in fact it was where I had my very first holiday when my Dad got home from the war in so it must have been 1946 by my reckoning. On our runs and holidays there we always stopped to see 'The St Fillians Dragon'. It is a hand painted very large rock that has been painted to look like a dragon. As a child I was terrified of the dragon from the roadside and one day I was taken over the field and the railway line to see it up close to show me there was nothing to be afraid of. Even up close I was not convinced it was not real. We could not get a picture of it on Friday as there is no parking all along the road. I do have a picture of myself and my Mum and Dad standing under it but I cannot put my hand on it just now. I have however found one or two on Wikepedia to let you see what I am talking about. Unfortunately I cannot get the pictures to download on here so if you click the link you will see my dragon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Fillans_Dragon

I don't know what it is just now but I am in a remembering mood, Stuart must be sick listening to me. I have been gifted with the great memory and can recall the slightest detail about things, sometimes it's a good thing other times you don't want to remember.

This entry has been done over a couple of days this week, since I started it I have been to the optician had a dreadful appointment that took 2 hours, waiting 25 minutes to be seen had the test choose my frames saw the 'Optical Assistant' to get all the measurements done which took ages then he went and got another 'Optical Assistant' and she did it all over again to check his work, by the time we got out of there I was 'up to high doh and past it. What a dreadful morning we had. Reading this you will now know I am not the most patient person in the world.

I think that's about it for now will let you know how the new specs are when I pick them up on Monday, fingers crossed I will be able to see out of them after all this carry on. Take care till next time. Love

Good Morning.

2009-10-14T09:28:00.001+01:00

Good Morning, one thing I love about this time of year is looking at the way everybody uses graphics for the season and for Halloween they are all super. Halloween seems to be a bigger occasion on the US side of the pond than it is here although it is getting bigger every year.

There has not been a lot happening here since my last entry now let me think .....

I broke my spectacles last week so they are stuck together with sticky tape. Made a good job of that and you don't see it too much. Have an appointment next week with the optician as it was time for a new pair fortunately.

Stuart has been beavering away with his artwork, we were out on Monday and collected a few bits and pieces from the hedgerows, berries and the like to give him something to paint over the next few weeks.

I have been learning to play Canasta on line and am getting there thanks to Jeannette but still have a way to go. I am sure some of the people online have been playing for years and years. Still it is something to pass the time now the nights are creeping in and the TV is so bad most nights.

The county side is starting to put on its Autumn coat of many colours, it still has a way to go as we have not had a bad frost to help it along.

The Greylag and Pink footed Geese are back with us after the breeding season in the Arctic the skies are just full of them just now it is special to see them. Some of them will continue South but a few thousand will stay all winter unless the our loch freezes over as that is where they spend the night brrrrrrrrrrr.

Think that about all the happenings from my neck of the woods for now so till next time. Take Care Love Joan

Good Morning.

2009-09-26T08:13:00.001+01:00

Good Morning, I noticed I have not written a word in my journal for too long and thought I should say something even though there is not that much to say. There are so many journals and blogs disappearing just now I don't want to be another one.

At last I can report new cooker installed looking good and working great. We also had to have a new boiler for our heating system installed as our old one was condemned by the heating engineers, we knew it was coming but you do put these big jobs off don't you. Now we need to decorate the kitchen and plaster up the holes in the wall. Not too big a job! We hope to start next week all going well.

At last we are having some dry weather after a very wet July and August it is a lot cooler but at least it is dry and we can get laundry dry on the line and get the grass cut.

Our granddaughter was on a school trip last week and she was telling us that they were pretending to be evacuees . The went to a farm about 70 miles away complete with labels on there coats and were told all about the children during WW2. She seemed to really have a good time although they were not allowed to touch the animals because of this Salmonella outbreak these type of places are having just now.

Stuart is doing well and able to walk me off my feet so his operation seems to have been a great success. I am very please to see him coming in after a walk and not in great pain.

I think that's about it for now will try not to be so long away next time. Take care. Love

Pre Breakfast Preamble.

2009-09-05T08:03:00.001+01:00

Good Morning, it has not been the best of weeks here between the weather the cooker and the central heating oh yes we are back to that subject again not having the best of times.

First the weather we have just had 36 hours of terrencial rain with lots of bad flooding a bit further north than here, bridges washed away rivers bursting there banks people having to be evacuated from there homes, we were lucky here as we don't stay near a river just the loch and that was ok

Next the cooker, it is now four week today since the fire and I am still waiting. Ten days ago the insurance company said ok you need a new cooker instructed us what cooker we could have and where to go for it. We are limited for width so the choice is limited and there was only two models that fitted. The one I liked was out of stock and would take a few days to get and then they only fit in my area on Mondays and Friday I was told I was too late for yesterday so Monday is the big day. I have been really fed up cooking in the microwave one thing at a time trying to keep things hot till the next thing was ready or going next door to use my neighbours oven as she is away just now but I don't want to use her hob just in case of accidents so I am looking forward to Monday in hope it all goes well.

Lastly the heating, we had the engineer in on Thursday to service it and he condemned the boiler. We could get a spare part for it but the thought of another winter with it breaking down and spending in excess of £169 to get it fixed just now we have decided to have a new boiler put in. The one we have is over 20 years old and I think it is time to stop throwing good money away and calling it a day. The man from the Gas Board is coming on Tuesday to tell us all about it so if it is within our means we will have a new system for the winter.

Going back to the cooker, insurance nowadays it has cost us £100 excess plus £85 delivery and fitting and £8 to take away the old cooker and we will loose our no claim bonus as well does this seem a good deal to you as it does not to me.

Sorry to rant this morning but this is just the way it is hope things will be looking better in my next entry. Hope you are all keeping well so till next time take care.

love

A Day Away

2009-08-25T14:59:00.001+01:00

Hi have not been on journals much of late other things needing attention. Yesterday we had our weekly day away. We had a lovely walk round Dunkeld and a good coffee one that you could call coffee and a homemade scone. We then went to Lady Charlotte's a series of forest walks we have visited many times. We had a spot of lunch then headed off for a walk with the camera and binoculars. It is a uphill start to the walk and after about half a mile I had to call a halt as my hip was so very sore and I had lost my breath too. This is a walk Stuart and I has dove many many times over the years but yesterday was not one of them. It is such a great place and a lovely walk up to two little lochs. I have never felt so old and helpless as I did yesterday I don't think I will ever attempt it again it is making me feel so low. We did however have a lovely run in the car and took some great pictures according to Stuart I have not downloaded them on my PC yet will get to them when I feel better. That's about it for today, sunny and breezy here did a bit of pruning today as it was not too warm to work outdoors. Till next time. Love

Sunday's Weather

2009-08-16T10:33:00.001+01:00

Good Morning, not that it is here we have lashing rain here again this is the third day running my laundry basket is full to overflowing and I will have see to it today regardless of the weather.

It is not the best time for us just now I set the cooker on fire last Saturday browning off macaroni cheese. The grill caught fire and since then we have not a cooker. We are waiting for a insurance assessor to come and say what is happening if it can be repaired or can be replaced it has been one phone call after another. We did not get our day away last week as we stayed in for phone calls we were not wanting to miss any news. Man is coming on Tuesday to sort things out so its cold meat and salads for us again tonight although I made great stovies in the microwave the other night.

Summer here is passing us by and there is definately a touch of Autumn about the winds we had yesterday were gale force and I would not be surprised to hear of fallen trees the leaves were passing the windows and our Swift have packed there bags for warmer climes.

During the time we have had to stay home I have been playing games on Pogo there is such a great choice and I love doing all the challenges they set us. Had a lovely chat to Jeannette (Outside Looking In) yesterday afternoon it was great to chat to another lady that likes games and to chat to a lady who likes a natter is really enjoyable.

Stuart is doing very well and can walk about one and a half miles without pain so he is really pleased at this outcome. He walks so fast I can't keep up with him but he always has done so nothing new there.

Think that about all for today hope you all have a lovely day and the rain stays away.

Love

Tuesday's Spiel

2009-08-04T14:02:00.003+01:00

Good afternoon, it seems a long time since I said a word in my journal been so busy playing games on Pogo I have not had any time at all to spare.

Hospital appointment last week for Stuart nurse appointment for me will it never end.

Yesterday we took the chance of no appointment to take a bus ride to Stirling (Braveheart Territory) for a much needed shopping expedition. It was sooooo busy full of children misbehaving and noise. We did get all we went for so that was good, Perth is fine but not a lot of big stores. When we turned into our little cul-de-sac when we got home there was not a sound and not a person in sight it was lovely after such a busy day. We like to use the bus with our faithful free bus pass when we go to Stirling as the bus station is right at the shopping centre which is great just up in the escalator from said bus station and your there. By the time we got home out feet were killing us and today we are suffering with a few aches and pains think its the slow strolling that does that. On the way home after a sunny day the usual the rain came on, will we have any more completely dry days this summer. Today is dull and looks like it might rain any moment.

That's about all I have for you today other than to wish you all well. Car goes into the hospital tomorrow for a service if you can't beat us join us, so it Perth for us, then up to feed the rabbits as the family are still away. Would you like to click into my new widget top right would be nice to see you there. Till next time Love

Yet another Rainy Day

2009-07-26T09:38:00.001+01:00

Good Morning, What happened to our Barbaque Summer we were promised I can assure you we are not having one here these last couple of weeks. Yesterday was a lovely day today it is raining what will tomorrow bring.

I would like to thank all of you that left lovely comments on my fourth journal birthday it was great to hear you all love reading my bits and pieces and seeing my photograghs it gives you a lot of encouragement to carry on.

We had two days out this week both of them total wash outs. We did over 100 miles in the car on Monday got caught up in a mini rain storm that lasted most of the way and ruined a nice run. On Friday we spent the day in St Andrews and again we were caught up in the rain with no umbrella. On our way there we had stopped at a nature reserve and I had left said umbrella there so we got wet in St Andrews. We went back into the hide on the way home to do some more bird watching as the tide was coming in and that makes for more birds. While we were there we had another big mini storm over the estuary where we were sitting, glad we were inside the rain was torrencial for about ten minutes and then cleared away as quickly as it came. Remembered to collect umbrella on the way out think we may just need it again this summer.

Family are away for a few day holiday visiting DIL's Grandparents in Wales hope they have good weather and enjoy there visits. They have not seen Ellen now 8 since she was just over a year old, boy are they in for a surprise. She was telling us about visiting her relatives when she was here on Wednesday we had to laugh it was really funny.

Not sure what we will be doing today I have a big basket of ironing from yesterday so I will get on with that and maybe I will make some scones. Bought some new cutters and have not tried them out yet so will try to do that. Think that's about it for today so till next time hope you have a peaceful Sunday. Love and

Happy Fourth Birthday

2009-07-21T08:10:00.001+01:00

Good Morning, four years ago today I sat down and started to write for the first time in my journal, came up with the title Joan's Musings and the rest is history. I was trying to think how I got into this I had never written anything other than school compositions and had never had any notion to write. I had retired in December 2004 and had more time on my hands, had stopped smoking in November 2003 so with one thing and another I needed something to do with my hands and you can only play so many games.

I did need help to get started I just could not get a picture to go in at the top of entries but with the help of Jeannette and Sara (Smiles) I got there in the end after many emails. With AOL we did have our problems that were not of our making too some days your entry just vanished into thin air and you had to start again and you never get it back the same again. I then worked out if I did my entry in Word and saved it I could try again without having to write it again. I now use Windows Live Writer as I like the way you can do your pictures as I just can't get the size right in Photobucket and the html get me every time and I end up with all text. The transition to Blogger after our eviction was not to bad for me my journal came across no problem but I know for others it was a marathon operation and some gave up. In the last months we have lost so many J-land friend and this is sad as it is just as easy to write now as it was with AOL you just need a few tries at it. I have a trial journal where I tried things out to begin with and found that a great help.

I have tried to be of interest but being retired there is not an awful lot going on in our lives just a day out here and there endless doctors and hospital appointment that must bore everybody to death. I take photographs of my wonderful country and show them to you so one day you may visit this wonderful place.

One of the thing I love about our little community is if you are needing some support it is there for you in abundance. Stuart has had heart problems while I have been writing over the years and I had a bad Spring this year and there is always prayers being sent and word of encouragement from you all. I thank you for this from the bottom of my heart.

I love all the company I get from reading all your journals as I do not have much contact with female company so I treat this like a coffee morning when I read all your entries. I have had visits from all over the UK and the US and recently made a new friend in Holland, hope it keeps going round the world. Sorry Stuart R you are the only male that reads my blog other than my hubby but he never comments.

So here's to the next year and what it will bring, what mistakes I will make but I will keep trying to be of interest and get some new pictures for you. Thank you all for visiting me here in Scotland and taking the time to comment it makes my day to read them. Till next time.

Love,

Where Were You When Apollo 11 Landed On the Moon

2009-07-20T17:38:00.001+01:00

Good afternoon, Where were you the night when Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon? Maybe you were not born or too young to remember. Me I was sitting feeding a two and a half month baby in the middle of the night. I remember it so well Stuart was sitting with me and Richard our one and only woke up for his night feed. We had set our alarm for the occassion there was no way we were going to miss it. It was fabulous to see even though the picture was very grainy but we were rooted to the screen of the black and white telly. So here we are 40 years on Richard is 40 and we are a lot older and wiser I think. It is such a pity the the exploration of space 'The Final Frontier 'did not continue after the Moon landings it could have been so great. To all the astonauts on Apollo 11 congratulations on a job well done. Till next time. Love

Its Thursday Again.

2009-07-16T17:17:00.003+01:00

Good Afternoon, it has been a strange week, everything out of our usual routine. We are very set in our ways we should not be now that we are retired its just the way we like it. Stuart was in hospital on Tuesday all very briefly for his op on his leg we went in at 8-15am and were out again by 11-55am. This was a big surprise to us as we were told to prepare for an overnight stay so we took all the usual bits and pieces with us but did not need anything don't think Stuart had even time to read his morning paper. So here we are Thursday and he is on the mend he has a lot of pain where his Angioplasty was put in and was a bit tired after it. We had a day away on Monday so the day would go in a bit quicker for Stuart and keep his mind occupied. Here are some of the pictures.

The Swallows were nesting in the garden centre on the security light so I imagine they paid extra for the central heating.

It was a lovely evening on the way home and we stopped by Lindores Loch just in case the Ospreys were fishing but no luck but the loch was looking fabulous.

Looking the other way from the fisherman's car park. Stuart was caught on camera in the corner.

The Thistles are just starting to come out here. Just caught the bee on top after a few tries.

And the last one for today.

We have been busy too this week watching the Tour De France which is in its second week. We have been doing well with one of our cyclist winning four stages but not the yellow jersey. He wears the green jersey as points leader. Today starts The British Open Golf from Turnberry on the west coast of Scotland south of Glasgow, so it is going to be a busy viewing time for us. I like to watch it over my laptop while I do this or play a game or ten. Stuart is glued to it but as he cannot go our for a few days yet it keeps him out of trouble. Well I think that all for today till next time take care.

Love

Thusday Catch up and it's

2009-07-09T17:47:00.004+01:00

Good Evening, thought I should show my face here as it is over a week since I last wrote a word. Have been mucking about on Facebook a great place to play games and Twittering to friends great fun and it only takes a moment to do so.
Have been enjoying all the good weather we had last week and it still ok not counting Monday when we had two big thunder storms back to back that caused roads to be closed it even flooded the garden but no damage done that could not be sorted. With all the sunshine and warm weather my tomatoes are ready for picking they are so early this year, so I will be sampling them this week.
On Tuesday we were in Perth and there was a big Military parade with The Royal Scott Dragoons a pipe band the Lord Provost of Perth and the lady Provost and two mounted guards too. We were sitting having coffee and coulds see it all Stuart went out to get some pictures for my journal but.......you know what's coming the batteries in the camera were flat and so were the spares I was so annoyed as it was such a colourful parade. Its always the same you either don't have a camera with you or the batteries are flat. When we are having our days away I carry three cameras but on Tuesday we were just on a shopping trip so I just had my small Nikon with me in my bag.
Today Thursday we have been tidying the garden Stuart did most of it I did a bit of weeding to help. Changed our beds this morning and have just finished ironing all the linen from them that's the worst of single beds all the bedding to be ironed. I am roasting here at the moment got my fan blowing to help me cool down it is very hot in the kitchen tonight as the oven was on for supper.
You will all be surprised to hear it T in the Park time again it seems to come round so quickly so I suppose we are in for a noisy weeked. It now runs from Thursday till Sunday midnight. For anyone that has not heard of this event it the biggest music festival in Scotland and takes place about a mile from where I live there are many big bands appearing like Elbow, Snow Patrol, Pete Docherty, Blur Dove etc. there 100,000 people expected at the festival so you can emagine what it will be like the village will be so busy. Parking will be a nightmare as it is bad at any time and just now with our supermarket being closed too it will be much worse. Best thing to do is stay in and watch Lance Armstrong in the tour De France.
Before I close Stuart goes into hospital on Tuesday to get an Angioplasty in both legs so put in a good word for in if you would be so kind, that everything goes will. Having to travel to Dundee for this as our local hospital is not equipted for this proceedure.
Think that's about it for today so till next time Love Joan

My Garden Flowers in June

2009-06-30T20:40:00.001+01:00

Good Evening, it is a lovely evening here the sun is shining at last after four rather misty days. It is not so hot as it is further south just a very pleasant 22 at 7 30pm. The knee is much better and I even managed to clean the inside of the car out today with the big hoover a big accomplishment indeed for me as it is so heavy.I am cheating a bit with the title tonight as it has been Stuart that has been keeping our garden this summer between my Phumonia in the Spring and the knee for the last six weeks I have been useless in the garden.

We have been taking pictures of the flowers this month and I thought I would how you haw they have been doing this month. Hope you enjoy this little visit.

All gone now but they were beautiful for a few days.

I think this is Achillea. That is still looking good.

This little plant will flower all summer long not spectactular but dependable its called Astrantia

This is the first of my self seed Oriental Poppies they grow all over and I just let them as they all flower at different times of the summer depending on where they are in the garden.

Some of my foxgloves that choose this spot to self seed one on them is now over six feet (two metres) high and as straight as a poker.

This is our bird table that I don't use during the summer as I like the birds to eat a natural diet during the summer if possible so we hang some baskets on it.

These are this years tomatoes doing fine trying mini ones this year for a change they are fruiting well as you can see. A friend in Holland wanted to see my mine greenhouse so these are for you Herrad. Hope we get enough sun to turn them red. Last years effort was a disaster so am hoping for better things this year. We have also been growing salad leaves in trays and they have been great, just nip out and cut when you want them.

We have no proper supermarket just now our Summerfield's closed down in the middle of May and will reopen in mid July as Sainsbury's so it has been a bit tricky having everything we need on hand and ordering enough for the week when I get my online shop. The salad leaves have been very handy. Looking forward to having a proper supermarket again as the little shops are a bit short of varitity. I think that's about it for tonight not watching the tennis tonight have not recovered from Andy Murray last night yet. Hope he has. Love,

Last Weeks Very Hot Day Out.

2009-06-28T14:04:00.001+01:00

Good Afternoon, thought it was about time I told you about last weeks day out. On Monday morning the weather was very dull but mild when we decided to go to Morton Lochs a small nature reserve on the coast of Fife. We used to be regular visitors here in years gone by when we lived a bit nearer and the road in was not in such bad repair. A few weeks ago our old friend Malc told us the road had been repaired and was now much better the holes in the track used to be through to Australia. Ha Ha.

The reserve is a lovely tranquil place and well worth a visit at different times of the year. Just now it is very dense, the wild flowers are all looking great. During the high summer when the birds are harder to find and they are having their rest and a moult we turn our attention to wild flowers and butterflies if there are any about.

This is North Loch not many ducks around at the moment but it is busy in the winter.

The path back to the car park just beyond the old railway bridge which was build beautifully in 1847.

Seven cygnets a swimming. The photograph below is the view looking out from the hide it was stunning.

One thing I have not mentioned was as the day passed it got hotter and hotter and so still as the reserve is backed by a forest on the sea side so it is very sheltered. I was not dress for such a hot day and was really suffering but it was worth it.

Wild Spotted Orchid. These were growing all over the pathway. Below is Campion and some Cow Parsley not sure which one as there is so many different varieties of this plant.

Hope you enjoyed our day out we did and the weather was so nice if just a tad hot for someone wearing tights and a full elastic stocking for my knee but other than it was a good day. Till next time. Love,

Just a little PS I usually show you all the picturesque places we visit so I thought I would show you one of the not so nice places that are good for birding...........

Thursday's Catchup.

2009-06-25T20:07:00.001+01:00

Good evening we are having some lovely weather here this week really summery for a change.

Was at the physio today and have a big list of exercises to do for the knee so hopefully this will sort it out. It is much better this week sorting itself out I think, the only thing is all the pills I have had to take these last few week have upset my tummy, thankfully I don't need many now thank goodness.

There will be no ironing for me for me for the next few days as my trusty board fell to bits today so until I get to the shops that's there will be no more ironing for me ho ho. In this hot weather that's great news for me. I don't mind normally but it is hot just now.

We had out day away on Monday but have not downloaded the camera yet so will make another entry later in the week.

You do get lazy in this weather don;t you so till next time Love,

2009-06-18T15:03:00.003+01:00

Good Afternoon, Sitting watching Royal Ascot and the rain outside my lounge window nothing new there then. I had the result of my knee x-ray yesterday and was told there is a lack of space in my knee but they won't do anything about it. I have now managed to get an appointment with the physiotherapist for next Thursday so hopefully that will help. It does seem to getting a bit better by itself have been wearing a elastic stocking and taking anti-inflammatory tablets and the pain relief too, so all in all I am now able to walk up and down the stairs again like a grownup. With our bathroom and toilet being upstairs it has been a nightmare. Just picked the winner in one of the horse races at Royal Ascot pity I did not have a bet on it. Stuart has picked two winners today pity he did not have money on they either. The hats and dresses are looking fabulous as usual. That's about it for today so till next time . Love
Joan.

Nearly Not a Grand Day Out.

2009-06-16T17:15:00.001+01:00

Good evening, it has been a lovely afternoon here sunny and warm. Stuart managed to get all his gardening chores done so if it does rain later tomorrow it won't be so bad.

Yesterday we set off for our day out, I wanted to go to St Andrews to have a look round the shops so after taking some of my pain killers for me knee we set off. We got to within about five miles of our destination when the heavens opened and the rain came on. Fortunately we had a couple of brollies in the car so we managed to get to our coffee shop without getting too wet. By the time we finished the rain had eased a bit. St Andrews is no too big to walk round and flat so it was not too hard going for me. It was nice to get out for a while. Did not buy anything very much just a new book by Peter Robinson to add to my collection which is growing just now as I have become a great fan of his books.

By the time we started home the rain had stopped so we decided to made a couple of little detours on the way home to see if there were any nice birds about. At Letham Pools we sat and watched a Redshank probing the mud and then I spotted a female Mallard Duck with ten tiny chicks coming out of the undergrowth on the opposite side of the road to the pools of water. I said to Stuart and we both sat in the car petrified as she lead them across the road. Thankfully she made it safe and sound with her brood intact. It is not a busy road but it is straight and the cars are travelling at speed along it.

As we drove along again I said to Stuart would he like to go to a local loch to see if the Ospreys were about. We have tried several times to see the pair that are in the vicinity but we have always been out of luck. Yesterday we were in luck we had just arrived and were still driving to the parking area when one appeared and started fishing. What a thrill it was, it is many years since we have had such a good view. Sorry I can't share it with you, I did take about ten pictures but they all turned out to be empty sky. I was most annoyed at this as there was definetely a bird in the viewfinder when I clicked.Oh well we learn from our mistakes. So after a rainy start it turned out to be a grand day out after all. Sorry no pictures this time. Till next time. Love

..This Weeks Grand Day Out

2009-06-12T15:56:00.001+01:00

Good Afternoon, its a lovely afternoon here sunny and very little cloud. I have a very big washing blowing on the line including the our bedding and it will all be dry by the time I finish this entry about our day out this week.

Living where we do we do not always decide where we are going before we leave home. This week we headed towards Crieff as I wanted to buy a birthday gift for my daughter in law in the visitors centre as I am still unable to walk far with this knee of mine. That done with a stop in the coffee shop there for coffee and home made scones we then decided to have a run to the Sma Glen, Glen Quaich and Loch Tay. One thing about a run in the car you don't need to walk very far. This is a favourite run of ours we do this one most years usually earlier than this but with all my ill health this year we are running a bit late. The Sma Glen has been part of my life since I was a little girl we went there for picnics on my dad's motor bike and sidecar. Great days they were and Stuart and I did a lot of our courting there too, so it is a very special place to me.

This a picture of Loch Tay where the River Tay rises and flow all the way to the North Sea at Dundee.

This the River Tay at Dundee and the Tay Rail Bridge.

This is a picture of a Crannog which is a replica of a medieval dwelling which is built on stilts in the middle of water to make it easy to guard in bygone days

This is the head of a Thistle (very Scottish) that is just coming into bloom.

We really enjoyed our day out other than the camera running out of power, the camera we were using has a lithium battery and has to be charged at home and we don't have a spare yet will have to buy one as this is a bit of a nuisance.

Wonder where we will be next week, that is the question......... Love Joan.

My Week So Far.

2009-06-10T12:08:00.002+01:00

Good Morning, just a short catchup entry as I promised to try to write more often so here goes. Over the weekend we planted out (well I say we it was Stuart doing the planting because of my knee) the rest of our annuals as we hope there will not be any more frost. I still have one more tray to put out but they have been a bit slow and need a bit more time yet. On Monday we had another of our days out and I will write about that when I get time to download the photographs we took.
Yesterday was our one and only grand-daughter's 8th the birthday so we visited last evening for coffee and birthday cake. She had received a lot of Lego and we made a hay barn and a tractor and had a great time it ages since I played with Lego. She had a complete farmyard and a horsebox etc. She just loves her Lego think she takes after her Dad I still have his big tin of pieces here not as fancy as they are now but still in good working order after all those years.
Today is shopping delivery day and we also collect Ellen from school for tea and then Richard collects her later on so Stuart does the homework with her and I just know he loves doing that. Think that's about it for now so there you have my week so far all exciting stuff. ha ha. Love Joan

Last Weeks Grand Day Out and My Knee.......

2009-06-05T13:50:00.001+01:00

Hello, I am getting very bad at writing in my journal I like to write every day or so but lately have not been doing so well,will have to try to get back to more entries.

The weather has been fabulous this week very hot for here and wall to wall sunshine. It has cooled down now but still sunny that's the main thing.

Three weeks ago I bent down to pull a little weed out of the garden and my knee clicked and since then I have been suffering terrible pain. Visited the doctor last week was given the usual pain relief and told to come back in 10 days if it was not any better. I got to yesterday (Thursday) and could stand it no longer so went to see him again. This time I was given anti-inflammatory tablets to take along with the pain killers and sent to the hospital for and x-ray. Today things seem to be a bit better not so sore so hope the new pills do something for me. Have not been out and about much due to the pain but last week we did manage our late spring visit Dundee Botanic Gardens.We had a lovely day the weather was sunny and warm and I managed to limp around for a while. The Rhododendrons and Magnolias are past, but the trees in the Arboretum were fantastic all dressed in there Spring green all fresh, they were at their very best. I had my trusty camera with me and here are some of the photo's we took, I say we as Stuart took some of them as I was a bit awkward with the knee.

There was a little seat here and I sat and enjoyed the view.

Some lovely Himalayan Poppies.

This is in the Scottish seaside garden, lovely Thrift.

I loved this tree with the black cones. It is called a Sikkim Spruce

Monkey Puzzle Trees.

and up close and personal.

The long and winding path.

It was so peaceful in the gardens we hardly saw anybody all afternoon plenty of lovely seats to sit and admire the plants and trees we really had a grand day as we always do when we go back to our roots.

Till next time Love,

Water Water Everywhere

2009-05-24T16:26:00.002+01:00

Good afternoon, I hope you are all having a very peaceful Sunday. Dry blinky sun here and windy. This morning When Stuart came down he discovered a puddle at the bottom of the stairs, we thought he had spilled coffee last night but he dried it up, but when it was back this morning we thought the worst. Thinking it was the big tank in the loft Stu went up to investigate, after crawling about the loft for ages he could not find anything wrong. We tried to trace where the drips were coming from and at last traced it to the hot water tank which is in our bedroom.Why oh why does this sort of thing always happen on holiday weekends. We phoned the plumber and he said tomorrow (Monday) afternoon is the soonest he can get here. Fortunately we have found the drip and have a big jug under it so hopefully it will be all right till then. It seem to be some sort of valve that is leaking, oh dear the things we have had wrong with our plumbing since we moved here is unbelievable you name it and we have had it it has cost us an arm and a leg. It is not an old house it was built in 1986 and we have been here since 1990.

I would like to take this opportunity today to thank you for all the very positive comments you made after my bird watching entry. I have a separate journal where I normally write my 'adventures' but as you all seemed to like reading about my outing I will try writing them on Joan's Musings and see what happens. I do find it hard to find something to write about, I do love writing in my journal but it can be difficult some days finding something that I think will be of interest. I know my plumbing is of great interest to you all as I write about it enough ha ha.

Hope you are all having a good holiday weekend and are finding lots to do or just sitting with your feet up in the sunshine. Till next time, Love

And Yet Another Grand Day Out

2009-05-21T19:41:00.002+01:00

Good Evening, been a lovely day here today not hot but very pleasant. We had another of days out this week as my long suffering readers will know we love a good days bird watching especially if the there is a rare bird about and on Tuesday that was the case. With all the easterly winds we have had lately a few rarities have been blown in. Up here in Scotland we were fortunate enough to have our share. The one nearest us was a Collared Flycatcher. So back to the start of the day we left home about 9-45 am to go to a place where the fields are kept flooded by a very kind farmer so all the migrant bird can stop and have a rest, food and water. There was not any rare birds but there was a few Sky Larks singing in the Spring sunshine high in the sky. After a few more stops on the way we arrived where we had heard the rarity was. It was in a wooded area with a stream running through it.

The trees are very old and very tall too so it is a day for neck strain. There were a few other bird watchers there but the bird was not showing at all. We stood looking up into the woodland canopy for about 30 minutes but no luck. The woodland was alive with birdsong and it was delightful standing listening. I said to Stuart that I was going to walk up the path a bit to get higher up. Shortly after I got there I spotted the illusive bird. It was a brief view but the bird is quite unmistakable.

Collared Flycatcher below.

(This is not not my picture as our bird was very shy and stayed up at the top of the Sycamore Trees so I had to get this image from the net)

I waved to the rest of the group and they all hurried up the path towards me but unfortunately the bird was not on view for them I had been so lucky. As we were standing waiting for him to put in another appearance I managed to slip and fall on my bottom in the mud and had to be helped up don't know why I keep doing this as this is the second time this year I have fallen but at least the mud was softer than the stairs were earlier in the year and I don't have a bruise this time. It did not spoil my joy though I was so pleased to have picked up the bird all by myself and not needed to have it pointed out to me. Later in the afternoon it was seen again and Stuart managed to see it then, a job too as there would have been no living with him if he had not seen it. To let you understand how rare this bird is he is the only one in Great Britain at the moment. Here are some more of the pictures I took on the day. Hope you enjoyed reading about our trip I don't usually write about our trips birding in this journal but it did give me a subject for an entry today,as you may know it can be hard to think up things to say when you are retired and there is not a lot going on. Till next time,

Love Joan.

Trying Again.

2009-05-16T13:22:00.003+01:00

Good afternoon after yesterdays fiasco with the pictures I thought I would try again with Live Writer to see if it would make a better job as it took me two hours to get as far as I did. I lost my temper in the end so that is why the entry ended so abruptly.

The River Turrett.

When we arrived at the dame we had a quick lunch in the car just a sandwich and a coffee then set of for a stroll up the side of the loch. The sun shone and the wind that has plagued us all week did not seem so bad on Monday.

The colours of the mosses here have not come up as nice as they were was a bit disappointed with this one.

Again this picture does not do the lichen and the mosses justice the water was twinkling in the sun as it flowed over.

This is a common Sandpiper a lovely little wading bird that nests on moorland where there is water. Not a bad picture as we were a bit away from it.

The way back to the car with Stuart sorting his camera out look at that sky all blue what a treat.

That worked out a lot easier today after yesterday marathon. Speaking of Marathons its our local marathon today when the runners run round Loch Leven its a bit overcast but perfect for running hope it rain stay away for everybody as there are lots of things going on in the village today. Till next time

Love,

Friday

2009-05-15T13:00:00.011+01:00

Good Afternoon, quite a change in the weather today rainy windy and cold what a change for the rest of the week. We have had cloudless skies for four days with a keen easterly wind a bit cool because of it, but good enough to sit out in the garden or a day away for a picnic just what we did the other day.
On Monday we decided to take the benefit of a lovely day and take ourselves for a much needed break away. We headed up to Crieff had morning coffee and a wander round the visitors centre and plant centre bought a nice new handbag (purse) in a beautiful tapestry with lots of different colours so will go with most things. From there we headed to Loch Turrett home of the famous Grouse Distillery. Just parked up here foo a bit and took a few photographs.

This is a picture of a big grouse the symbol of the Whisky it take pride of place in the car park. Grouse Whisky is one of the most popular whiskies in Scotland an lovely it is too, with a bit of dry ginger.
From there we headed to Loch Turrett by way of of the glen this is where the water comes from to make the whisky. I have never been here before but Stuart has he came here fishing with my Dad the day my Mum and I went for my wedding dress so it must have been forty seven years ago. There has been a big dame built there since then and at the moment they are building a big water treatment plant hope they don't spoil the water for the distillery.We had a super day really refreshed us and to think we were only about thirty miles from home. I have had great problems uploading pictures today all sorts of problems and have run out of time will have to think up another way to do this till next time Bye for now Love Joan.

Wednesday Words.

2009-05-06T11:22:00.005+01:00

Good Morning, another week has gone by without a any words of wisdom from me. Glad to say my shoulder and back are a lot better been taking things easy, not that the weather has been good enough to let us get out to do much in the garden. Stuart managed to get the grass cut and the hoeing done on Sunday other than that it has been raining all week on and off. Have managed to clear the kitchen windowsill of all the seedlings, managed to get them out into the mini greenhouse where they seem to be thriving so hopefully will be able to plant them out soon and get my hanging baskets done once we can say no more frost till Autumn.
Not been out much this week Stuart was away birding on Monday with an old friend, I did not go this time as they were going 150 miles away then birding for about 6 hours and the long drive home again and just do not feel up to that kind of trip at the moment. Stuart and I are hoping to get away somewhere tomorrow weather permitting.
Going out for tea today to our sons, so that will make an nice change wonder whats cooking. Will pick up Ellen from school before we go we were supposed to babysitting tonight for parents night at school but Richard got the night wrong will get the full story tonight, looking forward to going out for a change.
We have both been feeling a bit down this week as this is the time we should be in Norfolk for our two weeks holiday but we did not book it this year as we thought Stuart would have had his leg fixed and we were not sure if we would be able to get away hopeful thinking, he is still waiting for more test this is since October.Wish they would hurry up we are now waiting on a forth appointment for more tests as they can't find what the problem is. Just one more thing have a new post in my Bookcase Journal just click here
Think that's about it for now so till next time, Love

Oh My Aching Back

2009-04-28T19:36:00.003+01:00

Hi, I can hardly believe that it is almost two weeks since I wrote a word in here did update 'My Bookcase' but that's been it. Not much been going on here other than I have done something to my neck and back so I am going to have to take a break from the PC till it gets a bit less painful.

Weather wise up here it is still cold some days a bit better the next, we have had a cold easterly wind and a harr of the North Sea today even though I live a bit inland and some rain too. We have managed to get caught up in the garden at last and everything is looking great. Will try to post some pictures when we get a bit of sun as our Rhododendrons are just about to flower.

We had some bad news last week remember the wedding we were at in last September well sadly the groom died last week it as so sad as they had such a little time together. They have been living in the south of England since the wedding but now my friend will be returning home. Don't know what she is going to do will have to wait till she comes home again.

I think that's about it for just now will try to keep up back and neck permitting but I do spent too much time on here and will have to cut down drastically. Till next time.

Love

Joan.

Wednesday's Words.

2009-04-15T19:04:00.005+01:00

Good Evening, don't take the lovely graphic (Thank you Sugar) too seriously although the south of the country was warm and sunny we had gloom and cold winds, what we call in Scotland haar. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow and it will be a little warmerg.
Could not get out today as I had a doctor's appointment for a itch won't say where but the cream she gave me is working already. We were also waiting for yes you've guessed it the plumber, we have another leek at the new radiator and lastly Tesco's with with this weeks shopping so a busy day for us.
This afternoon I went into the kitchen to make a coffee and I saw one of our tiniest of summer visitors there were three Willow Warblers up the Rowan Tree at the bottom of our garden. This is very early for us to see these little smashers it is usually May before they reach us here. Made our day.
Last night I updated my bird watching diary if you are interested the link is in the sidebar. Till next time Love Joan.

Good Morning.

2009-04-08T11:35:00.003+01:00

Thank you Missie for this lovely tag.

Good Morning it's me again still here and still trying to get well. Things are a lot better now the pains I have had in my chest are abating at long last and the cough has gone. I have been trying to get out and about a bit this week sometimes in the car other times trying to walk a bit, that has been hard as it has been cold and windy this week and it has been difficult to get a breath at times. This morning it was raining too when I walked round for a paper.Enough of of the medical report.
Stuart went out to give the grass its first cut at the weekend, after he had lugged the mower out of the shed got all the wires sorted and plugged in it started up and then bang it blew up. Think the damp of the winter must have got into the wiring or something it was only about four years old so we were not very happy about that. We have been up to the DIY store and bought a new one so that should be us for a while, nothing seems to last these days it's like toasters and kettles they used to last for years, now you are lucky to get a year out of them.
We are way behind in the garden what with me being out of commission and the weather this week we have barely started so we are hoping it will get a bit milder and dryer so we can make a start. Have some seeds to get planted so maybe I will get that done, that should not be too hard for me and just maybe Stu will allow me to do that. I had a surprise this morning I had a Begonia last year and I had popped it into a pot at the end of last summer as it still had a lot of flowers to come, later in the year I put it in the vestibule to rest then a few weeks ago I placed it on the kitchen window and low and behold this morning a lovely little shoot has appeared so hopefully it will go out again in the garden this summer and flower it's wee heart out.
I have been reading journals while I have been ill although not commenting much but have noticed so many seem to have disappeared which is so sad I seem to have lost so many friends, hopefully they will come back it awful to have lost so many from J-land.
Seems to be drying up a bit outside now hope that's the end of the rain for today so till next time. Love,

Joan.

Where Did March Go.

2009-04-01T09:03:00.002+01:00

Good Morning, At last I am feeling a bit more like my old self. I managed out for a run in the car yesterday for the first time. What a difference three weeks makes at this time of the year the Daffodils, Forsythia the Blackthorn have all got the Spring dresses on and the grass is green again and the trees are budding, it all looked so wonderful yesterday and even the sun was shining. It was so good to get out for a couple of hours. I would like to thank you all again for the good wishes and prayers. It has been just one thing after another a lot of was side effects from the very strong Antibiotics I was given. I have a bad allergy to penicillin so in makes prescribing antibiotics difficult for the doctors, the ones I ended up on were supposedly like Domestos (strong bleach) so no wonder I am suffering, still I am so much better. I think what was so alarming was the speed it knocked me down. I was fine on the Wednesday just a bit of a cough Thursday lunchtime I phoned for an doctors appointment and managed to get one at 5pm and by that time I was really unwell and went straight to bed when I got back and that was the beginning of my dreadful three weeks. Hopefully it is all behind me now, poor Stuart is absolutely exhausted trying to keep up with everything including the ironing but I think he has learned a lot and his cooking is coming on great too.Richard too has been trying to help cooking up a storm one evening and filling the freezer with homemade soups and pasta sauces, full of goodness he said.
Today we are waiting for the plumber yet again as the wash hand basin in our nice new bathroom is still leaking, it has never been right but with everything else that has been going on we had not noticed it again, and Tesco's shopping will be here this afternoon its just like Christmas love shopping online. Only made one mistake last week ordered a Quiche and it turned out it was an individual one we had ordered so there was not enough for us both so Stu bought another one locally.
Have been doing a lot of reading and thought it was very funny that the book I was reading in hospital was very aptly named 'The Book Of the Dead' by Patricia Cornwell on of the nurses thought it was very funny. Got through a few more books mostly rubbishy things but that all I could concentrate on. Well I think that's about it for now not a lot happens when you are not out and about but things will get better I hope. Till next time,
Love Joan.

A Wee Update.

2009-03-25T13:56:00.006Z

Hi, thought I would pop up or a moment and let you know how I have been doing the last week or so. First of all I would like to say a great big thank you for all the kind thoughts prayers and good wishes. Since I last wrote in this journal I have been in hospital and out again, was having a lot of bother breathing so I had to get this fixed. Am still a long way from being ok and have been warned this is going to take a bit of time for me to be back up and running again. Have been reading journals when I can but my concentration is not great with all the pain killers I am taking at the moment. Stuart is doing a great job looking after me nothing is too much trouble for him, I am so lucky. Today we are waiting for our first online shop from Tesco, am really looking forward to that, Stuart could have managed to go but it meant he would have been away for about 2 hours and he did not want to leave me for this length of time at the moment. We have been meaning to try this method of shopping before this but the occasion did not arrive till now. Think thats about it for just now hope you are all well and thank you again for the support. Love
Joan.

2009-03-14T19:03:00.002Z

Hi just a short entry to say I will not be around much for the next week or two for some reason unbeknown to me I have managed to get Pneumonia. I had a bit of a cough from early on in the week but by Thursday it had become out of control. So I managed to get an appointment with the locum and she said chest infection and gave me antibiotics. During Thursday night I got steadily worse so we had to call out NHS 24 We had a Paramedic here and an ambulance within minutes did all the test for a heart attack all was well with that dept. I then had a call from the on call doctor she said all was well other than a temperate and to take, guessed it Paracetamol the tablet or every occasion. Friday I was getting worse all day the antibiotics were upsetting my stomach and I ached from to to bottom. Last night we had to call out NHS 24 again diffeart doc he said Pneumonia and he would try to keep me out of hospital so more antibiotics and steroids to help me along. So here I sit in bed poor Stuart is being nurse housekeeper etc but the stairs take it out of you. Today I have been a wee bit better and hopefully all the pills I am taking will soon have me back up and about. People around have been so kind phone calls visits not to me but Stuart spoke to them I have even had flowers for the neighbour across the road. Will have to go now am very tired after writing this put in a good word for me upstairs please.
Love

Sunday Supplement.

2009-03-08T16:38:00.009Z

Its been a dreadful day here today, it has been blowing a blizzard for most of the day, the snow has not stayed any time on the road but it is lying in the garden. So all in all a horrible cold day. We have been busy or at least Stuart has with the decorating of the bathroom and phoning the plumber for bits and pieces that needed fixing, don't want to start ranting about that again after last week. My bruising is doing away well and has started to turn yellow so it makes a change.
Yesterday we decided to have a trip up to Loch Garten, the home of the Ospreys that I talk about in the summer, no Ospreys just now they are packing their suitcases to get ready to migrate from their winter holidays in The Gambia and should be with us at the end of this month. All was quiet at the reserve yesterday but we did have a walk up to the feeders and saw all the usual birds you expect Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and don't forget the Robin. The were ever so many Squirrels and I managed to catch the photograph below of the one and am very pleased with the result as they don't sit still very long.
As you can see from the photograph below it was a driech day over the mountains and it was very cold. We had heard of a special bird that was wintering up that way but there was no signs of it and we just about froze to death looking for it maybe another day when it is not so windy.
This next picture is not upside down it is a reflection in a little pond with the raindrops.
I just loved all the different colours of Lichen and grasses in this next photo it was so pretty on the moorland and brightened it up with its lovely colours.
It was a long day and we were tired when we got back, we were away over 12 hours, on such a cold day it does make you tired, we had all sorts of weather wind very heavy rain and the sun did try, all be it unsuccessfully but we did enjoy seeing the highlands with her winter coat on. Think thats about it for today hope you enjoyed the photographs so till next time. Love,

Humpty Dumpty,

2009-03-01T13:24:00.004Z

Good afternoon quite a nice day up here sunny with one or two showers. This does not seem to be my week at all, the saga of the bathroom continues with a leak in the new radiator not a big leak but a drip drip. The water pressure seems to be getting worse so will have to phone the plumber tomorrow to see what can be done.
As I was saying in my last entry there has been an awful mess with the bathroom going in and I had to wash the varnished stairs on Thursday after the plumber had left. I said to Stuart later I thought the steps had become very slippery and could not understand why as it was just water on the mop. Yesterday afternoon I was coming downstairs when my feet went from under me and I fell very heavily on my hip and back. Poor Stuart must have got the fright of his life as I was screaming with the pain I have never felt pain like it in my life it was horrific. Stu ran to help and calmed me down and managed to get me upright on the step I just sat there till the pain eased. I really thought I had broken something but all seemed well after the worst of the pain eased off a bit. Today I have the most gorgeous bruise about the size of a dinner plate but it is not nearly as bad as it could have been. Managed a short walk this morning but the rain came on and made us turn back, pity, as I was enjoying it. Not much else to say today today and hope nothing else happens for the moment enough is enough. Maybe the new month will change the run of things. Stu always thinks the 1st of March is the beginning of Spring, certainly hope so. till next time Love,
Joan.

100th entry since AOL

2009-02-26T16:26:00.005Z

Good afternoon, after three and a half days of banging, sawing and a big mess the bathroom is in . I thought that we would never be free of workmen again. A few things went wrong (think that's a bit of a understatement) and that did not help. First of all the plumber arrived bright and early Monday morning. After much hammering and banging the bath came out, then he came down and asked us where the new bathroom suite was, we told him it was ordered by his firm so after a phone call to his boss he was told it would be delivered that day. Great, all's well we thought, and yes everything was delivered on Monday morning and left in the front garden, as the plumber was away somewhere for something. Stuart nipped up to Perth to collect Ellen that went OK. When they arrived back the plumber knocked his afternoon cup of tea over, from the top banister where it had been sitting and it poured downstairs, now to make this clear to you dear readers, my staircase is open and off the back of my lounge so it poured all over the dining room table onto Stuart's laptop and over everything else that was sitting there at that time, and all down stairs as they are not carpeted just varnished. Later I noticed it was all over the wall too, plumber said the bath panel had fallen over all by itself and knocked the cup down. So that was Monday.,Tuesday the joiner arrived about nine o'clock just after the plumber, to put up the wet wall board, the plumber departed and said he would return at about 4 o'clock to connect the loo up for overnight use. The bath was in place, someone used a saw and lent on the bath as a support and sawed a grove in the new bath, so a new one had to be ordered, so glad I noticed it in time. By night I had a bath not plumbed in, that had to come out again, no wash hand basin, but an overnight a loo that worked (thank goodness) and that was Tuesday.
Wednesday dawned bright and sunny, and we thought yes he will be finished today. Said plumber worked away for a while removing the damaged bath, the new one was delivered, and he swapped them over took the apricot bath to the tip, stood chatting for about 15 minutes to a work man that was in the street to do some work for someone, came back,worked for a little while longer then off he went to take the damaged bath somewhere and hour and a half later he returned. By this time I was getting really upset, we had not had a working bathroom since Monday morning and I still did not have anything working at all, only an overnight loo which did not cut out by itself when up to the mark we had to use a screwdriver to stop the flow of water. Still at least we could use it. When he arrived back after his break to wherever, Stuart had a few stern words with him and that seemed to make a big difference. He seemed to get on with things yesterday afternoon, but then as I walked past the new radiator that was going in to replace the tired old one I saw the size and said to Stuart I think this is wrong the size, it's the wrong way round, it was longer than it was tall and it should have been taller than long, if fitted the door into the bathroom would not have opened. Stuart told the plumber and he said he would have to get another radiator ordered the right size. About four fifteen he appeared downstairs and said he would be back today to fit the new radiator and the front bath panel. So here we are day four and at last I have a new bathroom fitted, don't know what has happened to the water pressure but will find out later when the boss calls. So you can imagine what a week we have had. With the lay out of the house all the workmen have to traipse in and out through the lounge, they always leave all the doors open, wear big boots, with commado soles which bring in the red chips into the lounge where we were trying to be normal ha ha. The whole thing has been a complete nightmare. The one good thing was my neighbour (the one who got married in September) is away just now and we had the use of her loo or it would have been unbearable.
I think this entry is worthy of being my 100th since being evicted from AOL journals, can't quite believe I have written 100 entries already, what do I get to say, my life is not as eventful as it has been this week. So off to lay down in a darkened room to recuperate, till next time, Love, Joan.

More Sunday Snippits and Snowdrops.

2009-02-22T16:18:00.013Z

Sunday again where does the time go. This week has been really Spring like sunny and fairly mild I even managed to get my washing dry outside today.
Earlier this week Stuart and I had a day out to Cambo House in Fife to see a national collection of Snowdrops. The sun shone all day and in a sheltered spot you could even sit out in the sunshine.
This is a quilt that is on display at an art collection they are showing in the big house it was magnificent. Someone must have spent ages on this masterpiece.

This is a collection of grasses in the walled garden. Not a lot to see at this time of year but sure it will be worth visiting later in the year.
Some of the snowdrops in the woodland there are lots of different varieties but very difficult to take a picture of as they hold their heads down as you know.

Cambo House built in 1870 and very nice too.
Loved this little clump of Iris Reticulata so delicate to be out in the winter.

There are some lovely sculptures around the estate these girls are on the wall of the walled garden.
This last picture is a great way to use your old bath the tiny daffodils were so beautiful. We both had a lovely day the snowdrops we fantastic there were also many Hellebore and Aconites the latter mixed in with the snowdrops. To think of the week before it was all under snow.
I think that's about it for today another busy week in prospect new bathroom starting tomorrow. Bye bye apricot suite won't be sorry to see it go as they say in the property programs 'very seventies'. So till next time, take care, Love,

Joan.

Sunday Snippets.

2009-02-15T19:32:00.001Z

Good Evening first I must apologise for not commenting this last week but we have been very busy getting more things done to the kitchen. We have now had the floating floor laid so we are slowly getting there.

At last the weather has broken and the temperature managed a very nice 10 c that's 50 f or so it was pleasant. We had another walk on the lochside earlier this week and you can see from the ice it was still very cold then, but the scenery was looking awesome.

Do you remember a few weeks ago I mentioned to you the television station Zone Romantica and that they were showing North and South. I have now discovered that this weekend they started showing "The Thorn Birds the Richard Chamberlain Australian saga by Coleen McCullough. We watched the first part this evening and it was lovely to see it again and to hear the lovely theme music.

Busy week ahead with dentist and hospital appointments so it has been nice to have some time to ourselves today.

That's about it for today hope to have more to say next time but am a bit down just now.

Love,

A Winters Day Walk and a Frozen Loch.

2009-02-08T17:11:00.002Z

At last the first day we have been able to get out for a walk. We have been out twice today although the temperature has been below freezing all day, it was bright. This morning we walked to the bank for some pennies and a paper from the newsagents then this afternoon I wanted to go to the loch side to see what it looked like today, when it was so cold, and to see if it had frozen over.

As you can see it has, it's not all that thick, not bearing but about 2 inches. It is quite a few years since we have seen this. There are still some parts of the loch that have some open water which is great for the ducks and swan population.

It looks as cold as it felt today even being all wrapped up.

Another one of the seats along the trail this one says..

Buchan warned of windy weather

When isobars are close together.

A freshwater mussel I wonder if there was a pearl in it?

I think this must be a path the fisherman use in the better weather. This is another one of the lovely carved stones on the trail what a wonderful job he has made must try to find out who did all the work on them. Will ask the warden first time I see her.

Kitchen wise all is well and all the units are in ,so next it is the floor just been choosing what to have. Beginning to look very nice.

So that's about it for today really enjoyed being out and about, as my back has been very sore, I think it is with sitting about so much, this last week or so ,but the weather one way or another has not been conducive to let us out very much. Till next time. Love

The Snowdrop.

2009-02-05T17:02:00.003Z

I wanted to share this with you today.......

When Adam and Eve were turned out of the garden of Eden the climate took a turn for the worse, becoming shockingly cold. Seeing Eve weeping in her misery as the snow fell and angel took pity on her, breathing on the falling flakes so each turned to a snowdrop on reaching the ground there to be a symbol of returning warmth and hope for the world.

I thought these were very fitting words during this very cold and awful spell of weather we are having this week. Till next time. Love Joan.

All's Well.

2009-02-02T16:27:00.003Z

Hi just popped in to say thank you for all the good wishes for our trip today. When we looked out this morning at 7am we had about 2 inches of snow it was lying thick in the street but thanks to my laptop I logged on to a wonderful website Traffic Scotland which has cameras on main trunk roads. After looking at the route we had to take we could see the roads were clear, our thanks to the road gritters for making such a wonderful job today. We left here at 8-50am in plenty of time for Stuart's 10-30 am appointment we had a good journey through just a few flurries of snow on route. We even manage to get parked which is a miracle in itself. We had time for a coffee before it was time to find the department we had to go to. Stu was taken five minutes before his time and we were back out by 10-50am. We just headed straight back home as the snow showers were getting more frequent and very heavy. It snowed most of the way home but the roads were still good. We were back home all safe and sound at 12 o'clock and happy it was all over. We did not want to have to cancel this appointment as it would have had to be rescheduled and it would have been about a six week wait and then another wait to see the results of the scan to Stuart legs. So at least now we are on the way to getting somewhere. We have been told that Stuart will either need a bypass on his legs or stints we will have to wait and see, hopefully it will by the latter as more surgery would not be good. Since we got home it has been snowing heavy from time to time with more forecast for tonight don't think we have it as bad as the south of the country but at least we are still moving at the moment. That's it for today so keep warm and don't play out in the snow too long.

Love

February at Last.

2009-02-01T15:55:00.003Z

Good Afternoon, hope you are having a peaceful Sunday. Well that's January done and dusted for another year. I always thought when we were younger that January was an exceptionally long month we were paid monthly at the time and were paid early in December so it made it even longer as funds were running short by the end of the month. Now we have our state pension weekly and our private pensions monthly and it works out great but January is still a long long month.

We have a weather warning out for snow tonight and for the start of the week hope we can get to Dundee tomorrow for Stuart's appointment at Ninewells Hospital it is an 80 mile round trip we will just have to wait and see and decide tomorrow. We usually just have to go to Perth but Stuart need special equipment for his tests tomorrow that is not available there.

We have been busy all weekend getting the kitchen ready for the refit tomorrow it is the first time we have done anything big in the kitchen since we moved in her in 1990 so it is really needing done as these are the original units that are there. We have saved hard to have this done and I am really looking forward to the change even though we are not changing the design. Roll on Tuesday.

If we get away tomorrow I am hoping to get some photographs taken so I hope it is nice and bright . It is very cold here today an east wind and just 37f but it feels much colder with the windchill factor.

That's about it for today till next time Love

Friday Update.

2009-01-30T12:12:00.001Z

Good Morning, it seem ages since I wrote anything bit have been a bit busy as I am having a new kitchen put in next week so have a bit of preparations to make but looking forward to seeing it all done.

Ellen had a great day skiing on Tuesday but there was a mishap. Ellen's best friend we will call her N does not travel well and was very sick all over Ellen on the way to the Ski slopes it was not to bad as they were outside all day and she said she had a great time. Back on the bus they all had a change of clothing with them but unfortunately N was sick again on the way home while Ellen was sitting beside her. Ellen just about made it but eventually the smell got to her and she was sick too. I was told all this my my dil Ellen did not mention the sick bit to us she just told us about the snow being not too icy and the run she was on was great so obviously the incident did not bother her too much so dil was left with a utility room full of very smelly ski clothing etc including trainers, glad it was not me.

Weather wise we are having a bit of a lull before some nasty weather comes to us late Saturday/Sunday. We hope it is not too bad as we have to go to Dundee for a hospital appointment for Stuart on Monday it is on a main motorway and dual carriageway so hopefully it will be ok it just being retired now we usually don't go out on bad roads now if we don't need to.

I think that's about it for today so I wish you a happy weekend till next time. Love

Sunny Monday.2

2009-01-27T12:58:00.003Z

Good Morning, I know it will be after twelve by the time you read this but it is morning for me. I did this entry last night and made a mess of things and did not have time to do it again.

We had a lovely walk yesterday in the sunshine it was a super day and we took the chance to have another walk down by the loch. It is wonderful to have access to it after all the years we have been restricted to a few hundred yards.I read in our local newsletter that the new trail is being well used by the residents and I am sure come the better weather it will be busy at times. Hope we well still be able to get a quiet walk during the week.

The photographs today were taken with my trusty old Nikon we did try to get some pictures with our new camera and scope but we need a lot of practice, not bad with views but with the wildlife its a different story.Yesterday every time I got set up the duck either dived or flew away it was very difficult but with a lot of patients we will get there. Stuart had some good results last week from the kitchen window but he was inside and not freezing to death like we have been outside. The picture above was taken by me from outside the bird hide the water is frozen and just liked the effect I got.

This next picture is of Bishop Hill and Loch Leven the water being calm enough to give a nice reflection. There is just a dusting of snow on the top.

I feel so fortunate to live in such a lovely area of Scotland it is not a rugged as it is further north it is more rolling here but it has its own beauty. I just wish I was going to be fit enough to walk all the way round the loch (just over 10 miles) when the trail is finished later this year.

That's if for today so till next time. Love,

Sorry if you think you have read this before I tried to delete the entry from last night but it is still there. You seem to be able to see thepictures but I can't thats why I wanted to delete it. Love Joan.

250 Years Ago.

2009-01-25T14:50:00.002Z

Today is the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. Our National Bard was born in Alloway in Ayrshire Scotland all those years ago. It is a special day in Scotland and many families will have a traditional meal tonight. A Burns Supper as it is called can be a big occasion here, many Burns Societies in Scotland have big Suppers in Hotels and Halls where they will pipe in the Haggis and have readings of Burns works and songs. In homes all over Scotland we will have our own Burns Supper Stuart and I included. The menu will be traditional.....

Haggis

Mashed Neep (Swede/Turnip)

Mashed Tatties. (Potatoes)

And of course a wee dram of Whisky

as a toast,

To the Haggis (The chieftan of the pudding race)

It is a lovely meal not to every bodies taste but it is good.

Stuart and I tried to go for a walk this morning but only managed to get to the news agent for a paper as the pavements we very slippy we had had a slight covering of snow then rain the whole lot had frozen over and left it all very icy. Stuart does not do slippy roads so we just had to come home. It's sunny now but think we are off the notion of a walk, you get settled down and then just can't be bothered. I think that's about it for today so till next time will leave you with some of the Bards words.......................

To A Mouse. By Robert Burns.

Wee, sleekit, cowran, tim'rous beastie,

O, what panic's in thy breastie!

Thou need na start awa sae hasty,

Wi' bickering brattle!

I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,

Wi' murd'ring pattle!

The Heat Is On.

2009-01-22T11:19:00.005Z

Good Morning, Yes I am still here and glad to say the heat is on (at the moment). What a week Monday morning just out of bed at 8am when the plumber arrived so, it was all go as the the position of the pump and tank are in a cupboard in our bedroom and the beds have to be moved to get in. That done the plumber got started then discovered that he needed another part so off he went to Perth to get it thats about 38 miles there and back. Just after her arrived back the snow came on very heavy and continued for a couple of hours. It did lie but not very deep just a inch or so. By lunchtime the heating was up and running it has been a bit noisy and we still have to have another valve fitted to let the air escape so we have been told. I am absolutely fed up to the back teeth with this heating system this winter, it is getting old now but has cost us a fortune this winter. It has been strange in our married life every time we treat ourselves to something that is not absolutely necessary something essential will break down, last week we bought our new camera etc and then the heating goes wrong again its aways been the same it used to be the car always broke down now its the heating oh well mump over.

Yesterday we had a little run round in the car before doing the shopping and collecting Ellen from school. She is looking forward to going on a school trip next week sking in Glen Shee. She is a lucky girl. She has been having lessons since she was three on the dry ski slope at school so I am sure she will enjoy the real thing once more it is a while since she was on snow so it will be great fun with her classmates.

We have been trying to get out all week to try out the new camera and scope but the weather has been so cold and miserable it has been impossible. Stuart has had a bit of a practice from the kitchen window to the bird table and was pleased with the results. I have been amusing myself with my old playstation been playing Tomb Raider once again am finding it hard to get back to the level of expertise I was at a year ago it takes time to get the control back but I will get there in the end. I find I am not nearly as patient as I used to be and cannot stay on the playstation for nearly as long as I used to but I still enjoy it very much. Well I think thats about it for now waiting for the plumber coming to fit the valve and watching Andy Murray over the top of my laptop hope he does well. Till nixt time,Love

Oh No Not Again

2009-01-16T19:06:00.003Z

For Outside Read Inside.

Do you remember our central heating broke down just before Christmas well its done it again. Last night it just refused to ignite (Its Gas). Plumber was here first thing but unfortunately he will not get the spare parts until Monday so we re in for a cold weekend. We have a gas fire which is very good but my lounge is open plan with a staircase at the back that leads upstairs so we lose a lot of heat that way. In our bedroom we have a fan heater so it's not too bad but when you go to the kitchen or he bathroom you need to put your coat on just about.

Not been much happening here this week other than we have bought a new telescope that has a camera attachment and the camera, so we can't wait for sunny day to go out and try it out it is just what we have been wanting for ages and this Nikon set is just perfect, will show you the results when I get some pictures taken. It will take a bit of practice but sure we will get the hang of it no problem.

I did a picture search and came up with this its not quite the same ours is all black but its near enough. Roll on a sunny day.

I have updated my Book Journal if you want a look to see what I have just read. Here is he link
http://joansbookcase2.blogspot.com/

Think that's about it for today so will be off now till next time.Love
Joan.

Second entry today ........

2009-01-10T20:52:00.003Z

No entry all week then two in one day. I popped back to tell you there is a new channel on Sky maybe it's been on a while and I have just found it, it's called Zone Romantica on Sky 149 its also on freesat 139. Today it started showing North and South, the American civil war story with Patrick Swayze and an all star cast and I mean all star. We watched the first two parts tonight and really enjoyed it. They just don't make great programs like this nowadays it was actually refreshing to watch this great drama. Am looking forward tomorrow will record more. Till later. Love Joan.

January Gales.

2009-01-10T15:46:00.003Z

Good Afternoon, after all the lovely sunny, very cold weather we have had we now have a January gale and heavy rain with it, so it's the old favourite graphic at the top thanks to D'sDesigns once again. Its been a funny old week all out of sink with Stuart being unwell at the start of it and recovering nicely later in the week. We managed out trip to Perth on Thursday instead of Wednesday so that make me think it was Wednesday when it was Thursday all very confusing. Yesterday we went to our local nature reserve most of the man made lagoons and ponds are still frozen solid but the loch itself was ice free which was good for the ducks and geese that were trying to feed. So that was our week in a nutshell so to speak.

I am having terrible bother with pop ups for some unknown reason suddenly, any suggestions how I can be rid, they are so annoying I have McAfee security but it does not seem to help with this problem. My pop up blocker is on says my toolbar.

Stuart and I both started our diet on Monday past so hope we will get some of the Christmas lbs off plus some other lbs we have accumulated over the past months. I am sure it will do us both the world of good to lose a good few lbs and with me a couple of stones (chance would be a fine thing) before Spring. Will go now its Biathlon time on the telly and Andy Murray too in the final of the tennis in Doha I wish him well. Till next time, Love

Sara made the siggi for me.

2009-01-05T13:45:00.004Z

Good Afternoon, first of all Happy New Year I know it's the 5th already but thing have been a bit hectic here. New Years day was quiet and peaceful just the two of us, on the second we had a great bird watching trip with a friend, take a look its on my journal here then that night Stuart came down with some sort of tummy bug. Saturday was out postponed Christmas Dinner with the family and Richard's in -laws so Stuart put on a brave face and we went, he was miserable but we got through it but by the time we got home just about 5 he was shivering and had no heat in him at all. Got him upstairs and into bed with two hot water bottles and he was soon warmed through. He was not sick at all just felt sick and a bad stomach pains. He stayed in bed for most of yesterday and by evening was much better. Have had my nurses hat on and with all the running up and downstairs I am glad he is up and about today.
We awoke this morning to a covering of snow and had another heavy shower during the morning its now very nice all sunny and white, but it is very cold. I have been trying to read all your entries but am a bit behind, some I have read but not commented on but normal service will be resumed as soon as.
Will have to go duty calls. Till next time Love Joan.