Summer's a time of change...

Hello, Hello, I’ve been a bit dormant for a while in blog-land, but up to an awful lot in real life. Firstly, how awesome is it that the sun is actually shining?! It is brilliant to have the ability to hang out washing when I leave in the morning and come back when the working day is through and not curse myself all day long through rain clouds.

The sunshine has pushed me outside, but I have also been trying to stay very busy as TH is away with work again, and I can be kept sane by making myself go out for walks or do a thorough clean. It’s great that I can leave the windows wide open again, not something I’ve been able to do in this house.

I’ve also been trying to keep fit as we have finally got our appointment at the fertility clinic. Although I’ve lost weight I’m still just over the healthy bracket, so I want to get those last few lbs. shifted so that we can get on with things and hopefully get as much help from them as we can.

It is also very exciting that we may have a move ahead of us. TH had been asked to attend an interview for a job in Singapore, which of course he jumped at the chance to do. Last week he got told that he had the job if he wanted it, and because it is through his own work he has been able to fully explore what would be involved in the package that would get us over there. We’re still able to say no at any point and we should be getting a trip this year if we go so far into this.

Obviously we won’t just say anything to get it, but we really need to figure out who pays for what and any costs incurred by us. I’m trying not to get too excited until we know for sure, but me being me means that I have already been looking at apartments over there, and bulk storage facilities over here. I want a place that can offer one all-inclusive price that is secure. I looked for a while at some places where you rent from different people, but I just don’t feel like I could do that with so many things as I don’t want to take lots abroad. I also want somewhere that I can drop a whole bunch of things and they wheel them in to a big warehouse. No heavy lifting or lugging for me please! We also know that they accept deliveries for you if need be and we would also be able to get more space if need be. This might be something that needs to happen when we’re thinking of coming home again.

We are so far away from anything that is certain, but it will be an amazing opportunity to visit a new country and to save as we are pretty sure they’d be paying for quite a lot out there. However, I guess you can’t be 100% until it’s in writing.

So maybe, just for now at least, I will be excited about the progress with the clinic, and mostly about the fact the sun is shining!

Come on Summer

There have been a couple of days where it’s just been so sunny and warm I can’t help but get excited for summer. Winter was so long and dark and cold that I am aching for a warm(ish), dry(ish) British summer. I’ve a couple of ideas for things that I would love for us to do, because although we aren’t going abroad I really don’t want us to spend our time at home only doing chores and boring things. I can’t think of anything more demoralising or more likely to make me run out and spend all the money I can to make up for such a dreary existence.

I’ve never been to a Highland Games in this country and every year we do speak with increasing enthusiasm about the Lonach Gathering. I haven’t been berry picking in so long, and I have only fond memories of heading away with a punnet full of fruit and picnicking by the seaside after a day of gathering. We might go camping at Ballater which is a really beautiful village with a nice campsite with good amenities. We have quite a good tent, although Daisy Dog does detest it - and I don’t know if I can spend another night of her throwing herself against the tent and howling for the king-size bed she normally sleeps on.

I also hope we can have jaunts to all the pretty little villages and hamlets around us we would normally drive on through. I can picture a warm sunny day and an impromptu stop at an independent shop, tea room or vintage stall by the side of the road. Whether this happens or TH and I drive past the turnoff, get stuck up a country lane and Daisy gets poorly just as the heavens opens is another story, but I guess we won’t know until it happens.

We live by Bennachie and there are so many routes up that hill network that we have plenty of ways of getting up or parks for stopping for picnics along the way. There are also lots and lots of parks that allow Barbequing, and hopefully the village butcher will be back up and running so we can get our delicious ‘party packs’ again.

I want to take full advantage of our new home and our (hopefully) last summer in it. If everything goes to plan TH will have a new job in a far off country meaning a brand new adventure for us both, and if not we will still have saved enough for a deposit so we’ll be viewing properties. The move in December and all of the stress associated with the freezing cold house and terrible snow really took a lot out of us, and certainly sent us on a negative spiral. Although I have it in my mind that this is in no way the forever home we thought it was, it is a big place in a lovely part of the world near to a beautiful little village. It would therefore be beyond ridiculous to not appreciate that, and appreciate this gorgeous glorious country is what we’ll be doing this year.

Looking Forward

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Forever and ever

“One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands out and throws one's head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one's heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun--which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then for a moment or so. And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with the millions of stars waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in someone's eyes.”


Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

midsummer's night dream

Fairy mischief reigns supreme tonight so make sure you tell the person you love how you feel or you might get some unwanted fairy dust sprinkled about!

Maybe its time to read about or watch a play, film or ballet of one of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies!

Follow Oberon, Titania, Bottom and Puck along with the poor lovers; hopefully it will be in an open air production near you tonight.

Its all a bit different, isn't it?

Can you believe that it’s September already? Where did summer go? I know that I was looking forward to it...

...I know that I was planning some activities and I do remember getting excited about the caravan. I know that work was hard before summer…

...I know that I knew things would have to change for me to be happy, and then summer passed.

Things are slowly in the process of changing. I felt so down about work before our holiday, but seeing my family and having time to think and remember what its like not to be worried or sad about work got me thinking no amount of money could be worth this.

So with renewed vigour I came back and decided to set change in motion.  This summer was a wash-out up this way. We apparently had summer in April, May and early June…then the heavens well and truly opened.

I feel so bad when I think of all the farmers, we’ve been hearing the tractors and trucks go up and down the roads all day and night whenever we’ve been clear of rain for a couple of days. I do hope things have worked out all right for them.

Autumnal sunlight wakes us when its not raining, and its quite nice to take the morning cup of tea out into the garden first thing and wake up in the cold morning, clear and bright, casting the most beautiful shadows over our messy borders.

I look forward to the changes happening, personally and with the seasons. I just keep reminding myself its character building…its character building…

Can't take me anywhere

One of the things i love about getting away is seeing the history of a place...

I am genuinely happiest touching rocks and stones and imagining who did it before me (umm, that is....apart from the other tourists). 

So when i go anywhere of course i seek out mosaic's, tombs, pillars and amphitheaters. 

I find quiet places and small streets.

Places to sit and pour over independent guide books. 

Oh, and buy lace...oh yes! 

lots of lace...

But i am happiest sitting under a tree next to St Pauls pillar, next to The Husband, watching everyone come and go.

Can we go back?

Can we go back please?  Can we go back to not living in the real world?  Can we go back to spending time together and not talking about boring grown up things?

Can i sit in the sun again?  In the warmth....with a book....can i go back to peeking up over it and just smiling? 

Can we have the whole place to ourselves again?  Can we get up early and run to pool knowing that we will never be able to sit in it once its ten in the morning? 

Can we go up to the market and stare out at everything?  Can we go back please? 

Can we sit by the harbour and look out over the sea? 

Can we go exploring again? 

See what we find again? 

Sit by the flowers again? 

Have an ice cream again!? 

Jetting off

"After all, the best part of a holiday is perhaps not so much to be resting yourself, as to see all the other fellows busy working."

- Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

The holiday is very close and i could not be more excited!!  I get to see some of my family and i get to do a big fat nothing for two whole weeks.  Can't wait to share all of the news and pics when we get home.

x

Summer in our village

"The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated. By the side of the river he trotted as one trots, when very small, by the side of a man who holds one spell-bound by exciting stories; and when tired at last, he sat on the bank, while the river still chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea."

Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

I could watch the boats and children playing for years and years.  I sit and listen to the calls of everyone, hear the sea and families and birds and all those noises in between for years.  The only noise to interupt is the siren call of the ice cream man chugging along in the ancient van.  Ques descend the white van covered in pictures of treats and cartoon characters, children orbit and barter for funds from parents and grandparents, pound coins are pushed in to palms of chubby hands and closed secretly with a kiss.  Grandads and Grandmothers have successfully sneaked the extra pennies into little fists which trot off happily into the middle of the throng of people.

All is well in the world.  At least for now.

Welcome Summer

Hello!!

 It’s so bright and lovely here right now. I've been drooling at all of the garden posts on the old blogging sphere at the moment.

Well, actually, they’ve been going for some time. We haven’t had the sun that the rest of the UK has had and only now are buds appearing outside. It is most certainly an exciting time.

It's so bright and welcoming, and fills me with hope.  The joy that comes with planting tiny little seeds and then seeing them come up in a variety of leaves dotted all over the garden!

We didn’t have a garden this time last year, and we’ve only been able to potter about for a wee while. I went a little wild in the aisles buying seeds and after a couple of early problems-notably the ex-gardener raking up my first two attempts at planting-we are on our way. It’s a little bit haphazard for two reasons. First the gardener issue. And the second is that I like a country cottage garden look. I didn’t really know how to achieve this and so decided to empty all the seeds I had out into a big bucket, mix said bucket with compost and throw over raked soil! Something tells me Monty Don isn’t shaking in his boots!

The garden is a mixture of grass with various borders around it. One side of the garden had really high bushes, and the part closest to the cottage has great big ugly slabs. The back garden looks to the west, and so the sun passes right over it casting all sorts of shadows at different times through out the day. The back border was empty except for a tree and a rhododendron. I am glad to say that I have changed that!

Their were two other little patches of sad empty soil which I originally planted scented flowers in, however these were destroyed and the scented flower seeds only survived if they happened to be near bulbs poking through or the lavender seedlings. The second chance I had at planted resulted in much of the same. However by the third time I came to planting there I had decided on herbs.

This is the garden last year as we found it.  Lovely all the same, but with much more colour this year!  Sadly the camera died half way through my trip outside to get all the pictures i could and so here we are with a reminder of last year!

Quite a lot of the bulbs are well and truly leafy and I can see little buds, and the bushes are doing all right. I'm a tad disappointed to not find any poppy seedlings as they are my most favourite flower and would have done well is my sandy soil.

I guess time will tell how well things are going. I just want a garden full up of colour and scent. I want bee’s and butterflies to hover around and get well nourished. I want to be able to cut away at whatever I like and bring it inside-even if it does make me feel like I'm robbing nature!

I can’t wait for long days lying in a beautiful garden, The Husband getting the BBQ on, and lighting the fire pit. I love Summer!

Summer is about being outside. Busy or still, it’s about feeling the warmth on your skin.

I tend to think of Summer and Winter as still months, while Autumn and Spring are busy.

 Spring is sowing and organising, it’s all about tidying up inside and throwing all of the windows open.  Autumn is about gathering the bounty, but the months before and after are about enjoying the peace.
 

We are in Summer now; we are feeling the benefits of the work in Spring.  We are clear and clean inside.  We are already tidied away and at peace in the house.  The clutter has been cleared-the very best a hoarder can clear away things.

Right now I feel I need the peace and the quiet and the flowers in the garden.  Right now I need to sit, bare foot staring out at the bumble bees.  I need the still, still summer.  The long days, the bright mornings.

Things are changing-the seasons as well as in our home.  We’re making decisions and facing tough choices so we are welcoming all that can bring calm.

I hope you are surrounded by the ones you love and having a much more peaceful existence in your own homes.

x x x

A nice day for a drive

Last week while The Husband was away my Aunt and Uncle called and asked if I'd like to go on a trip with them.

 

So i packed up Daisy Dog and headed out for the weekend 

I spent the Saturday night with them and we headed West for the trip on Sunday bright and early 

We went to a beautiful place, i definitely want to come back later in the Summer with The Husband 

And i guess we'll be visiting next year too, as its a bit of a tradition really

and I'm very glad to be part of it.

I promise to share more later as I'm a bit caught up with The Husband being home today, and just much too excited to do anything.  Hopefully we'll be having more trips into the Cairngorms so i can get much more pictures...ooops, I've said too much!

Have a great weekend.  I hope its nice where you are!

We were spoiled for too long...

We were too spoiled for much too long. We ran around last week shouting "We're hotter than Ibiza, we're hotter than Ibiza."  And indeed, we were.  It made the local news on the hour every hour.  We were warm, no, strike that...we were much too boiling hot for a village on the North East coast.  Windows were perpetually thrown open and at dusk every night i ran outside to try to water the plants.  Too many of them took a bit more sun than was good for them and my  poor sweet pea's have dwindled down to about a pot and a half worth now.  I still hope that they can come up through my roses later in the summer.

Last week was a reading week, just reading in the garden, and the occasional nap.  "We're not made for this weather," we would tell our neighbours.  I knew too well that we all got a little bit more friendly when it snowed outside, but i never have gotten the oppertunity to find out we were more open to peeping over garden fences in the Summer heat to chat too.

We had it good for too long, it started to get too 'close', even spending the day down on the beach didn't help.  There was no 'air', no breeze or freshness.  My head hurt non-stop for a whole week, we all felt the pressure building above our heads....then...BANG!

A giant thunder and lightning storm.  It lasted all night and the rain poured down.  Giant drops, not spring or summer showers.  Wild, crazy, howling, thrashing wind and storms.

Dasiy dog barked twice and went back to sleep.  I sat in the porch for a while watching it all, but quite frankly it got a bit dark after a while and the storm calmed and i headed off to bed.   

In the morning my head didn't hurt and it was cool outside. The next couple of days The Storm was all we spoke about...very British, its all about the weather! "Did you hear the storm?", "Were you kept awake by the storm?", "Cleared the air, that storm did, didn't it?"

We will never be happy, unless we're just happiest talking about the big news in the village, which apparently is just the weather.
Have a great weekend, The Husband is home and i couldn't be happier!
x