Favourite things

     Butterflies are one of my favourite things.  Have been struggling to get pictures to share.  Everytime I get close they either fly off or shut their wings.  At the moment our garden is full of  of the beauties.  We have three Buddleis in the garden two of the normal lilac ones and the other one is yellow(I think you can see it in one or two of the pictures) its called Buddleia Weyeriana.  I bought this plant as a cutting while on holiday in Norfolk in a place called Holt a lovely little Georgian Town.  It is now standing about 12 feet high even though it is pruned down every spring to about 18".  The butterflies and bees absolutely love it so it is well worth its space in our garden.

     Got on well with the housework today as promised even did my own hoovering as my hooverer in chief still has a bad back.

     Went to visit Gemma's Journal and tried to encourage her to keep writing.  I get a lot of pleasure doing this journal even if somedays nobody reads it.   I like thinking during the day what am I going to write about today and try to make it interesting.

     Well I will close but before I go I have got two more favourite things tonight .  A fresh bed and a new book how good is that.

     In case anyone is interested the two butterflies in the pictures as Peacock and Red Admiral.    Goodnight all and God Bless          

Quick entry

I  have just been catching up on all the news in J-Land  and promising I will not touch this computer again until all all all all my housework is done.Will come back later, took some good pictures yesterday I hope..  Bye Bye Joan.

Out and About

     Summer has nearly returned today only for the wind.. It has been blowing very hard for the last few days but at least the sun is shining.

     We have been out walking in the countryside today.  Have taken some pictures to share with you it would have looked better if I had been able to put them in the middle of the script but I can't manage that so you will have to look at them at the top of the page.                

     We went to a place called Birnie and Gaddon Lochs.   These lochs were open to the public by Fife Council in 1995.   Believe it on not they were disused gravel works.  We think the council made a superb job of making them into a Nature Reserve.  We have been going there to walk for the last 10 years as there is footpath all the way round.  It is a lovely walk with losts to see and the birdwatching is very good especially in the wintertime when the ducks from Iceland and the north come in for the winter.  We also get a lot of Geese so it really is a great place.  It is only about 12  miles from home, we are so lucky to have this lovely place on our doorstep.On picture No 5 you will see a strange tower in the centre of the picture, the warden put this up to try to get Sand Martins to use it as a nesting colony but up until now it has not worked at all, but they have been sucessful in other places, we will just have to hope.

     Picture No 6 is a big reedbed that has been greated.  At the moment the Bullrushes are looking so beautiful I would have loved some for a vase.  You can just about make out the brown tops in the picture.  Sorry to keep rabbiting on about this place but it has always been special to us.  Hubby has had two heart attacks and when he was back on his feet this is where we always came to walk.

     To close is'nt it amazing just what can be done with hard work and same cash.   Hope you enjoy the pictures.  Bye Bye.

 

                                                        Joan.

Still wet.

Just came back on to say its still raining its the worst day we have had all summer.  If you were watching Rolf at 7 30 you will know what I mean.  Had a good day got all my drawers cleaned out and my wardrobe so I did well.  Hubby and I have been taking it turns to pay Luxor so I have done all this work while it has been his turn.  Could do with another PC then I would not have to share.   Goodnight J-Land speak to you tomorrow.  Love.

                       Joan.                                                                      

Rainy Sunday.

Good Morning J-Land, not that there is anything good about this one up here this morning it is pouring rain.  It always seem to be the same when there is a big event on the weather turns  bad.  The Bowmore Horse Trials are on today at Blair Athol Castle which is beautiful spot right in the mountains but you really need a good day as the weather can close in real bad.   My next door neighbours were setting off to go this morning so I hope they have got their waterproofs and wellies with them.  

    Have not been out much and it does not look like we will be going far today as hubby's back is still very bad   so, that give us a fine excuse to get on with Bookworm and Luxor.  Will have   to start a new Bookworm today as we were burned down last night.  Will go now and get dressed etc speak to you later Bye bye .

                                          Joan.

 

                                           

Wasting Time?

I always think if I am playing a game on my computer or on my PS1 I am really wasting time and I always feel guilty a woman of 62 playing games but I do enjoy it so.  Today I don't feel so bad now after reading this small piece in the Express I quote

  " Loose yourself for half an hour.

   Play a computer game.

   Whether you have hit a mid-afternoon slump at work or are stuck for something to do on a Sunday playing a computer game can help you to relax and focus your mind.  Research has shown that video games contribute to improved eye-hand coordination and reaction time."

  So J-land no need to feel guilty any more.  Hope this will help anyone who thinks the same as I do.

 Thought I would log this piece tonight as I could not think of very much to say today.   Goodnight and God Bless. 

 

                                                Joan.  

 

The Last Word

Hoorah, the Fridge Feezer has arrived and I will be able to switch it on in just a little while.  I'll be so happy as I have not been able to trust anything for about a week now and it was getting to me.  Had a good day doing this and that and playing Bookworm and Luxor which is also very good.  Going down now to watch last nights programes as hubby was watched the football  night so I taped our favourites so I will say goodnight God Bless.

                                                             Joan.

 

 

Second try. Todays the day.

Why is it when you lose your entry and come to write it again its not the same I was really pleased with what I had written 5 minutes ago but when I pressed save  nothing happened and I fell off the net.So to start again the new fridge freezer is coming today (I hope).  What a week its been trying to use up food out of the freezer so my neigbour will have room for the remains and trying to use up the food out of the fridge before it goes off.   Found Long Life milk a great boon this week and its not so bad.  Have not used it for many years, but used to use it when we went camping and caravaning it was handy then.  Just thinking does anyone remember the dreaded the sterilized milk.  It was a pinky colour and came in a glass bottle and was disgusting, I'm talking way back in the 50s.  

   Have not been out and about much this week as hubby has done something to his back and is at the doctors as I write.  I think it must have been the skipping.  I am the one that has had a bad back for years it it has not affected me one bit.   Thats hubby back from the doctors and he has trapped two nerves in his back so the skipping is off for him.   By the way I was telling him that I had lost my entry and he said the Doctor was saying his computer is a nightmare this morning to I am not alone.   Think I will print this off before I save it just in case.   

     Am  expecting delivery between 8am and 6pm so we will be stuck in for the day I suppose.  Will have time to read your journals and maybe play Bookworm as we are in the middle of a game.  Wll let you know how the day pans out.  Bye Bye ,

 

                                             Joan.

Rainy Day Tuesday.

Good evening J-land, we managed to get the fridge freezer sorted out yesterday and hubby took the blame, I did offer to shoulder the blame being such a nice person but he would not hear of  it.  By the time we got back it was well into the afternoon.  We got the grass done as the forecast is not good for the next couple of days.  That done we spent a couple of hours with The Bookworm and finished the game we had started on Sunday our final score was 553,9130  how do they manage these scores on the high score board they can do millions.

     Today has not been very nice.  I hope thats not the start of autumn as it can come early up here.  The weatherman is forecasting a storm for tomorrow with gales so we will have to baton down the hatches tonight incase he's right.

    I have put in a couple more of the photos I took on Saturday at the garden center. Sorry you have to look at me again but I liked the background in the picture.

     Hope you are all well and hope I have more to say tomorrow. Goodnight and God Bless .

                                    Joan.

    

The continuing saga of the fridge freezer

So off we went to the big city (Perth) to buy the new fridge freezer.   We fiound just what we were looking for bought paid it and all was well for a while..  When we got back I thought I would just check the measurement for hieght and low and behold it is too tall to go under the boiler.  I know it should not go there but there is no where else for it to go in the kitchen.  I could oput it upstairs in the spare room and run up and down which would be very good exercise but I might die of exhaustion.  So tomorrow its back up to Perth to get a smaller one bad because I really liked the one I choose.    Since we got back we have been playing bookworm we have had to stop as I am tired but up to now our score is 321000 and we have not set fire to the library yet so we will carry on tomorrow.   Bye the way the rain is lashing down now so we are playing for the lovely morning. PS it was not me that measured  the space I will let you guess who the culprit was. Night night all. God Bless.

                                    Joan

Not such a nice day out

Well the fridge part of my fridge freezer has finally died temp this morning 52f. so we are off out to look for a new one how wonderful as it is such a lovely day and Icould be sitting with my book in the garden.  Hope you have a better day than I am going to have. Love.

                                 Joan.

A Grand Day Out.

After tending my journal and comments this morning we set off for Glendoick Garden Center.  Not only is it a garden centre it also has lovely gardens to walk around.  I have included some pictures for you to see.  The first one is of me to give you a picture of who is writing this.  The other two are of the gardens.   It was a lovely day and we just wandered around for ages.   Had a little run on the way back and visited our son and his wife and our grandaughter Ellen who is 4 and a real cutie. 

Found a good site in Computer Active Mag. for Post-it notes for the computer I have downloaded it and I think it will come in very handy you could even write you shopping list while you are doing something else on the computer hope you like it the address is          www.computeractive.co.uk/2140183

Its still looking like we are going to have to buy a new fridge freezer worst luck I could think of nicer things to spend the money on but it is a necessity.

Had a nice gift of a CD from hubby the other day it was Rod Stewart Great American Song Book Volume III.  Have been really enjoy listening to it up here on the computer and in the car. Don't like todays music very much at all.

We were just saying today this is the best 8 months we have had for a long time not working is agreeing with us in a big way. The only thing is that the time is going by so fast I don't know how I had time when I was working to do anything else.  Friends  must be fed up of me and the big smile when they see me but I am just so happy I wish everybody could be the same.  Well will say goodnight and God Bless till tomorrow.

Sorry about the text size.

                                          Joan.

Firday Part 2

Friday went well we managed to get the house all spick and span and all the rest of the chores done except the cutting of the grass as by the time we got all the house done hubby's back was bad as he has been skipping too.(see earlier in the week)   

     My bookworm game is up and running at last what a great way to pass a hour or six its quit adictive, you know what they say use it or lose it .Maybe thats the reason I did not get Friday part 2 done on Friday.   Beautful morning here  again don't know what we will be up to today just wait and see what happens after breakfast. Have a nice day.

 

                              Joan.

 

Up with the Larks.

Good Morning J-Land,  up early today,for me today as a retired oldy.Don't usually stir until about 8 15.am. but did not have a good night,had a busy brain that would not go to sleep and when it did it would not stay asleep.  Never mind feel good this morning so it does not matter a great deal.   Its a beautiful morning up here in Perthshire there is not a cloud in the sky but it does feel a bit nippy, my wee weather station says its only 10C outside, hope it gets bit warmer than that a bit later.   Have been planning a busy day while I was in bed with a lot of housework and I'll do a big washing if the weather stays nice (well the machine will).  Looks like we are going to have to buy a new Fridge Freezer.  I bought a fridge thermometer yesterday as I had suspected the fridge was not cooling enough and it does not look very promising this with the temperature is it reading this morning (quick slurp of  coffee).  When we were doing the weekly shop we picked up the new Argos Catalogue what a weight what are they trying to do to us, hubbys arm was about broken by the time we got back to the carpark as we have a bit of a walk back to the car.  We left it until last but even then it was very heavy as you will find out when you get yours. Its  after 8 o'clock now so I had better go and have my shower,hope to get back with Friday part 2 later so Bye Bye for now and Have a nice Day.       Love

                                    Joan.

Thought it was Tuesday.

Evening J-land, not a lot ot say today but once I start you never know.  Had to take the car in to see about a wee repair.  Hubbys beloved car got a scriff in a multistory carpark and it really upset him.  He even had chest pains last week when he did it but is much better now he has been to see about it.  It goes away on the 8th of next month (Picture of car at top of entry).  Have not worked out how to put pictures in the middle of the entry yet but will keep trying.    Have been also trying hard to get my bookworm game to play but thats not working right either so you can see why I'm FLUSTRATED.  Still waiting for that email I mentioned last night.   This is my favourite evening for the telly as I love watching Murder One and Desperate Housewives missed the latter first time round. Think thats all I have for you tonight so bye  bye for now. Love

                                                Joan.

Second Try

Hi all, this is the second time I have made this entry I lost it somehow th first time.  I think its one of those days I have been trying to get The Bookworm game to play as I have  just bought it but am having no success so I am now waiting on  an email to help me.    I have tried and so has my hubby but to no avail. My online dictionary has gone  down too so I am having a great day one way or another.  Changing the subject I have taken to a skipping rope to try to help me lose some weight.  I do go walking a lot but it does not get my heart rate up enough so hence the skipping rope.   Speaking of skipping ropes I never see wee girls out with a rope these days.   Our schools went back today after the summer holidays so all is quiet again, lovely. When I was wee we were never still for the school holidays of course we did not have computers or computer games or maybe I would have been inside playing as well.  Listening to Prime time radio again they have just been playing 'Why must I Be A Teenager In Love' have not heard that one for a long time but I still remember all the words.  Well enough of that or the tears will be fusing the keyboard.  Goodnight all hope this downloads this time of I will give up.  Goodnight again and God Bless.

                                       Joan

Great Joy for Paula

Well Done Paula.   So glad to see Paulea Radcliff winning the gold medal for The Marathon it was very well deserved.(Sorry about the picure I took it the tele)

Glad the World Championship Athletics close tonight as I am needing to get on with some house work and gardening.  Still I've really enjoyed this week. Next big event the Winter Olyimpics in February.Thats a thought we will be nearly through the winter which can't be bad.

Thinking ahead,better get started soon on the address labels for my Christmas Cards as it takes me ages to do.  I have been doing them for the last 2 years ever since we got the computer Git makes such a clear job. Going to watch the last event now the 4X4 400 meters for men here's hoping.  Goodnight all .

 

                                                 Joan.

Lazy Day

Had a lovely day today just doing nothing in particular it was really great.   We did not go out today as it was raining this morning which was great  sounds daft but it was good  for the garden.   Sat and read all the newspapers with a coffee and listened to Prime Time radio which is our favourite as it plays all the tunes that were popular when we were young  ie:-the Everly Brothers Nat King Cole The Beetles Rod Stewart etc its a great station but only available on Digital Radio. We pick it up on Sky which is great as we don't have a digi radio.

      Had a walk round the garden later in the day to see how some of the plants I grew from seed were doing after I had planted them out.   I transplanted some Poppies and some Foxgloves for next summer.  Also managed to get my winter Pansies pricked out.  I recon I must have got about 65 plant out of one packet of seed, so I was very pleased with the results.Its great to have time to do that sort of thing as I neever had time when I was working Oh the joys of retirement.   Well will close now as its time I handed over this computer to my better half.  Goodnight all.

 

                                      Joan.

The Glorious Twelfth

Its the glorious twelfth today and all the poor Red Grouse had better be in hiding or they will be shot.   I am very much against this 'sport.'   I have been bird watching for 35 years and I have seen the numbers really deminish.   This year I have not seen a Red Grouse and we used to see lots.   The owners of the grouse moors say it has been a very bad year and some of them are not going to be able to have a shoot this year, if they would only give the birds a chance to get there numbers up again it would certainly help matters.  Well I said my piece on that sorry to go on but I do feel very strongly about it

The masterpiece I was expecting  did not really work out.  Hubby did not like it either.  It was a Sunflower in inks.   Sorry to say it did not come up to Van Gough.Well I'll admit it I going down to watch the final of B.B. not proud of the fact I watch it.  Its a total waste of time.   Hubby absolutely hates it so I'm in the kitchen withthe ironing board.   So will close not and say Goodnight and Godbless.

 

                            Joan.                                   

                                                 

Thursday' goings on.

     Good Evening,  Glad to report hubby is a lot better today thank God.  Thats the way it is with his heart problem down one day then ok the next so I am feeling a lot more upbeat tonight.                                                                                                      I thought I was not very good on the computer but a funny thing happened yesterday,a few days ago I sent some photos by email of my granddaughter to her Mum and Dad.   Yesterday I reoeived an email back saying enclosed are some photos for you and back came the pictures I sent along with the email I had sent.     My daughter in law I thought was a wizz on the old computer going to phone in a while to see what happened.  Hubby as an art workshop tomorrow so no doubt I will receive yet another masterpiece.   Don't know what the subject will be but will report back. So will say goodnight and have a pleasant evening.

 

                                                    Joan.

 

                                            

                                                        

                                       

                                                 

Quicky

Just a quick entry tonight as hubby is not too well and don't want to leave him too long on his own as I have to come upstairs to do this  and with my hearing being so bad even with my aids I don't want to miss him if he calls.  Hubby has a heart condition and has had a triple bypass.  He usually keeps well but he still gets an odd off day and today is one on them.  It has been so hot today up here 24degrees which is very hot for us. better than it is in Helsinki. Well will go now goodnight all.

ps Sara. People using nail clippers even on the telly  and long nails sliding down glass. 

The Rain in Helsinki

     Have been watching the World Championship Athletics today well all week really but today the rain came on about 5ish and boy did it rain its still on yet so I have come up to write my journal.  We have had very little rain here for weeks and we are having to water the garden everyday which is very unusual up here in Scotland . 

      A couple of months ago I treated myself to a mini greenhouse you know the type tubular frame with a poly cover.   I have had the most wonderful results with it.  I have brought on seeds for Poppies and Foxgloves for next summer and they are now ready to go in the ground.   I have also planted seeds for winter Pansies so I should have a really good show God willing and the winter does not get too cold.

     I have been reading in other journals about you all going on holiday.  Mine is distant memory .  We were away for 3 week in May Birdwatching.  We were in North Norfolk for 2 weeks and then had a unplanned week in Suffolk so we could visit Minsmear it was a great holiday but not all that warm but it stayed dry which is the best thing when birding.

 

You can just see my wee greenhouse at the botton of our garden in the picture.

Visit to Home Town

Had an appointment at hospital today about my ears which don't  work too well. But they were better today than the last time.  This trip entailed a visit to my home town which is now about 40 miles away and I don't visit there very much now.  Dundee used to be a nice place but now I don't know it seems to have lost all its character.    After my appointment we took a trip into the city which we have not visited for about 5 years.  We walked along the main streets but it was so busy and so changed we did not seem to fit in at all although we were both born there and lived there for over 30 years it shows you cannot go back.  We did enjoy a stop at Riverside  Drive which overlooks the river and I took some  pictures which I will put up if they are any good.   Well will have to go and make some dinner it has been a funny old day and left me feeling sad and a bit lonely as we did not meet one person we new.    LOL

 

                                                         Joan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lazy Saturday.

Today must have been my lucky day on an outing to my local Garden Centre for morning coffee I got the most wonderful bargain I bought two lovely plant filled pots large reduced from £14-99 to £2-50 each.  One of the plants was very dead and another one was feeling a bit sorry for itself but after a good drink and a bit of TLC its looking great the other plants in the plot we ok just needing a drink.  This has really made my day as nothing cheers me up more than a bargain.    Sat out for a while in the sunshine this afternoon with my book still on Jeffrey Archer but getting on well with it although I don't think its up to his usual standards its called Sons of Fortune by the way. Have been watching a bit of the Athletic World Championships today I like most sports but not football or boxing. Am going down to watch Paula Radcliff in a short while I hope she does well.  So I hope you all have a pleasant Saturday evening, mine will be watching the telly but I'm old so if you are going out have a great night.  LOL Joan. 

Good Morning

Good Morning, and early entry today I just cannot get back to sleep. I have been wakened since about 5o'clock and just could no fall over again so in the end I just had to get up,so here I am armed with a coffee making an early start to the day.It is a beautiful day the sun is up and it look promising for the next hour or so I say that because the weather here can change very quickly. We have been very lucky up here in Scotland as we have had a wonderful summer so far thouch wood.  The beeding plants like Petunia and Busy Lizzies have had a real chance to show off as they have not been ruined with days of rain.   Don't want to put anyone off coming up here as I live in the most lovely country if you can just catch the weather right it can be out of this world.   We had a week in March this year in the North West Highlands.  Will try to share some pictures later of this holiday with you but as I am new to this my brain is not in the right gear yet so as they say in the movies "I'll be back"  J.

Managed to get the pictures I took inserted now as I am a bit brighter now. Washing is done but not out and I have been for a 20 minute brisk walk. In case you think I'm mad saying I was up at the crack of dawn I did start this entry at 7 15 am. The pictures are all taken in the Ullapool area and the hotel is where we stayed that me in the doorway thats as much of me that I will show you till I get this weight of which may take a while.

 

                                          Love

                                    Joan.

Supermarket Shopping

Relaxing now after a busy day.  Thusday is our normal weekly shopping day when it is not so busy as it is at the weekend, you can even get a coffee when you feel inclined.   The amount of messages (as we call them up  here in Scotland) is absolutely rediculous you would think we were of big family instead of two people no wonder I have put on all this weight since I stopped work and stopped smoking.  I am really giong to have to do something about this problem soon.  My main excuse is that I have had this bad ankle for the last month or so and if I walk a lot one day I  can't walk again for the next few days it is a nuisance.  I have tried sport supports and the likes but they don't seem to do much good.  The music I am playing tonight is really lovely its one of the relaxing Classic FM CDs we have now moved on to Chopin Piano Concerto No1 I could just about nod off.Goodnight all.

 

                                                   Joan.

Time

When I stopped working seven months ago I thought I would have all the time in the world to do the things I wanted to do ie:- getting better on this computer getting the house in real good order playing with my playstation yes I know at 62 I should know better but I really love playing Tomb Raider games etc, but the opposite has happened I never seem to have a minute.  I just don't know where the day goes and now have discovered AOL Journals I have even less time.  I Love reading what everyone is doing etc its a whole big world out there that I did'nt know about but am really enjoying.  One of the things I have missed since retiring is chatting to the girls at work.  I am an only child and have moved away from my home city,once when I was 35 we stayed for 16 years and then moved again when I was 47.  It has been more difficult to make new friends this time as our  only son had grown up and I did not have the school run and the swimming to meet new people.  Still I am blessed with a great hubby. http//journals.aol.co.uk.JoansMusings    

Day trip out.

Been having a lovely day out today with hubby.  It was a lovely morning so we set off for St Andrews.   Stopped on the way in Cupar a small town on route in a big Garden Centre had a wander was really good and did not buy any plants which for me is very unusual.  They had a nice coffee shop so we had a coffee etc.then carried on to our destination.   The local Art Club was having their annual show so we nipped in to have a browse. Hubby does a bit of watercolour painting so it was of great interest to him.  The standard of painting in all mediums was very high, I did not know there was so much talent about.  Had a wander later through the town which is well worth a visit and it is looking at its best just now.  Well will better go and do some cooking.

                         Joan.

 

 

Monday Monday.

http://journals.aol.com.jtmcd

Monday again, they come round so fast these days.  Busy day today.  Hubby was putting up a new blind for us in the bathroom so it was major disruption but it looks really good now especially as I gave the bathroom a good clean as well.  I hate doing the bathroom as it really hurts my back.   After lunch the sun came out and I sat outside while the head gardener (hubby again) cut the grass etc.  Later just before we came in I watered the garden.  While doing this I knocked over the birds water dish if you could have seen the looks we got when we did not fill it up again quickly enough.  The pictures I have posted were taken on the first practice day at The Open Golf at St Andrews the gentleman in the picture is (answers on a postcard) ?.  We had a great day there the weather as you can see was exceptional for this part of the country.  Well the ironing is calling me downstairs so I will close now.

                            Joan.