Joan's Morning.

As you may know by now  Friday is the day  I  have the morning to myself and i am supposed to get on with things but a certain  J-lander mentioned a addictive game last night  so i had to give it  a try this morning.  What a great game i got really hooked in the short trial  I downloaded ,was very disappointed when it cut me off.  I think I will have to  put it on my wish list as I have a wedding anniversary and a birthday  not to mention Christmas.  Have bought Luxor and Mahjong Quest from Ebay  great prices there but they do not have this game yet.  Well I better go and pretend I have been very busy Ha Ha. lol. by the way the game is called Hexalot have a look its great.  Love Joan.

Perth

   Congratulations To Perth

               Gold Medal Winners

                     Britain in Bloom.

 So glad to hear that Perth has won The Gold Medal again as they do such a wonderful job. The city has looked a real treat all summer long and it has been a joy to visit.  They were very late this year putting up thier hanging baskets but as the judging was not until nearly the end of August I now see why.  We were there today but all the flowerbeds were empty they must be getting ready to do winter pansies etc so we will have to wait for a few weeks to see what they have planned.  Sorry to hear that many of you out there in J-land are feeling under the weather hope you are all better soon. Will say goodnight now and Godbless.  Joan. 

Trip to the coast.

Good evening J-land, this entry should have been put in yesterday but we had not downloaded the software for my camera since we got the computer repaired so I will tell you about my trip now instead.  Yesterday was a bit windy up here so we thought a trip to the coast would be in order.  We don't live far from the coast so we are very lucky.  This is Kinghorn in the pictures which is a small town directly across the River Forth from Edinburgh.  It has this small harbour and is a very good place to go birdwatching not that there was very much there yesterday but it was lovely just sitting in the car watching the big waves.The picture  no 2 is of Inchkeith Island.  There are quite a few small islands in the Firth of Forth.  As we were driving to Kinghorn yesterday we saw the new car ferry which runs from Inverkeithing to Rotterdam and it was making heavy weather of the rough sea.  We did this crossing a few years ago but we had to go to Hull to pick up the ferry.  The other pictures we taken with Stuarts paintings in mind it will give him something to paint during the winter.  Today we have managed to get a 4 night break booked in Strathpeffer a lovely little village just north of Inverness, so I will get the camera busy.  The last time we were there the Autumn colours were spectacular so heres hoping they are like that this time.  I did not have my digi camera when we were  there last time  as I was given it as a long service award last year so am looking forward to having all these shot to take.   Well there is the usual queue for this pc so I will say goodnight and god bless. Joan.

Breakfast reading

Morning J-land, yesterday I was not very happy with the situation of the computer but I have decided its not all that bad although it holding me up as usual. Here I am with my morning coffee wet hair and not dressed the time is 9.20 and I've been sitting here reading journals its a good job I did not know about J-land when I was working or I would never have gone.  Thanks again for all the company you give me Love Joan.

Sunday Musings.

Good evening all, don't have much to share today as we had been a bit lazy.  We did venture out late this afternoon for a walk round our local park which happens to be on a Lochside so it is very beautiful with plenty of wildlife.  There is an old graveyard down there and some of the gravestones date back to 1650ish so we had a wee browse round there as well.  There is even wildlife in there as we saw a Grey Squirrel but as per usual I had forgotten my camera. The park was very busy with all the people out for walkies with there dogs. I have been looking around the game sites and ebay for a Mahjong game to buy as the one I was playing on Pogo is not working it will not give me a score or let me move up any more since the crash and I don't know how to fix it. Any ideas would be greatly received on how to fix it or which one to buy.   Its just about time for Corrie so i will close now wishing you goodnight and Godbless. Joan.

Lazy Saturday.

Good Afternoon J-land, glad to be back with you again have done a lot of reading and feel am just about caught up with all your news.  Don't know what happened to the computer to made it crash we were just deleting some programmes we were not using anymore when the whole thing jammed up and closed down never to return nomatter what we did.  Thats the first time I have seen this happening so it was most interesting.  the computer was giving us instructions to fix itself but this did not work. Monday morning bright and early the tower was taken by car to our computer repair shop.  We live in a small village with only a handful of shops but we do have one that fixes computers.  Kevin the computer man said dit would be ready on Wednesday or Thursday thats not long I hear you say oh its a long long time its not like the iron or the kettle we do not have a spare.  Tuesday we took ourselves off to St Andrews for the day to pass the time so that was OK.  Wednesday we did our weekly shop etc so that passed that day.  Thursday our beloved computer would be ready today oh no Thursday is half day in the village yes we still have early closing here so that ment that it would not be ready . Friday dawned today would be the day we thought. Stuart went off to his art class and i stood by the phone. Stuart arrived home still no news so he phone .......will phone you back in a while.  After a short wait the phone at last rang yes it was ready for collection YIPPEE  .I would not have believed just how much i   I would have missed our computer but we have been really lost without it and are very glad to have it back.  It is a new position for the time being as we are going to decorate the spare room where it normally is so we thought it would be as well to keep it down here with it all being unpluged and everything the only thing is the telly is in here too and I find it a bit difficult to consentrate,but I will manage for a while till we get sorted out upstairs.  Not been out much today as Stuart is not at his best and is very tired so will say bye for now and hope you have a great weekend. Love to all Joan.

Technical Mishap

Hello everybody, due to tchnical problems (PC crashing) have been unable to communicate with you since last Sunday.  Just got our PC back just now and have had to reload everything including our AOL Broadband connection but we are up and running again thank goodness. What a long week it has been I've been really fedup and lost for something to do.  I did not realised I used the PC quite so much.  Have got a lot of catching up to do and a lot of reading even I had 43 alerts and emails.  Will get back to you soon.  Missed you all Love Joan.

Thinking back.

Good Morning all, really stuck for something to write about today so if Jeannette does not mind I've got a wee tail to tell about my trip to Switzerland .  I was 14 years old when we did the trip Mun Dad  myself and two friends of my parents.  We did not have the luxury of a coach, we did it in a Motorbike and Sidecar from Dundee to Lusanne.  A very long way at the time as there was absolutley no motorway in 1956 so you had to go through all the towns on route to Dover it took us 2 days driving all day and then a B & B at night.  Once we crossed over to France we were on a camping trip and spent all our holiday touring and under canvas at night.  We did this trip twice once, the first time 1955 we only went to Paris and I remember we camped on The Bois De Boulonge (Not sure about the spelling of that but I'm sure you know where I mean).  I saw it again for the first time on the Paris Marathon it look really good but not a place to visit at night. I remember these holidays with very fond memories as it was a great adventure for us. One thing that has stayed with me were the bullet holes still in the walls it made the war seem a lot more real to me and I have never forgotten that.  Its not often you see a motorbike and sidecar on the road these days but i did see one this week on the motorway boy did I get the shivers. Always wanted to go back to Paris and hope one day Stuart and I will. One thing I will aways have are my Dads books where he wrote every mile he did in his 86 years on the road. Starting with his bike then motorbike and then his car.They make such good reading, all repairs,  petrol bought tyres replaced etc etc they are a  mine of information. I think I had better stop now as I have kept you long enough. Love Joan.

Goodmorning

Good morning all just popped in to greet you.  Had a laugh this morning when I put up my weather pixie she had on a furry lined coat so it must be cold out there.  Thats the first time i have seen here like that. As you know I am a new member on the team so I picked up the weather pixie from you along with playing games on line and many other things which i am very grateful.  I don't know what I did with myself before Journals.  All I need now is for one of you to come and visit me and show me how to do pictures in the text before I go completely mad.  Lots of love and thanks again Joan.

All alone am I.

Good Morning, Here I am all alone.  Stuart start back at his Friday Watercolour painting class this morning so I get all morning to do what I like mainly cleaning and trying to get on with things so |i am not going to sit here at this computer I am NOT goinmg to sit here at this computer.   I have posted a picture of Stuart my beloved for you to see. I tried with this picture a few weeks ago but it did not work today we had better luck.. The other picture is of a tiny fer growing in a wall in St Andrews (no, never saw Prince William while he was there even though we go there often).  The fern looks big in the picture but it was only about 3" long.   Am going to go now and hang out the washing as it is a lovely morning.  I don't know where it all comes from there is only the two of us.  Bye for now. Love Joan

Bargain of the day.

Good Evening, J-land, have been out all day as we usually are on Thursday.  Had a really good day.. Hubby is  ecstatic he got the bargain of a lifetime he says.   You maybe remember we were trying to replace some of our favourite records into CD's but it is either difficult or expensive.  Today in the Heart Charity shop Hubby found Fleetwood's Rumours which we hade priced in Virgin @ £16-99. Heart Shop price £1-99 and was he not delighted am sure it made his week if not year. Quick stop for sone chocolate raisins and some coffee.  I think our original copy of this went with our son when he left home, all our good records seem to have vanished about that time.  The one thing I don't like about new technology is that you have to replace all your favourites and it can be very costly to do this.   We managed to get some petrol today so we should be OK now, we were running low and were very glad to get some.  The girl in the garage said it seemed to be a bit quieter today, she had had a delivery yesterday but was getting low again.  Enough said, but we were lucky and the petrol cost us 92.4p per which I think was pretty good nowadays not the 4/5p per GALLON it was when we got our first car.  Oh that was a long time ago.   Goodnight all .Joan.

Goodnight

Just popped back to say goodnight.. I am waiting to go downstairs because hubby is watching the art program that is on BBC2 at teatime.  We tape it because six o'clock is  not a very good time for something like that for us.  Been playing Mahjong again.  It was a free trial and I got cut off with just 4 tiles left very annoying will have a look for one tomorrow as I really enjoy playing.   Hope you are all well this evening and have had a good day.  Goodnight and god Bless.  Joan.

Return from the Dentist

You will all be glad to know that I am back from the dentist safe and sound and the good news is that I am not needing anything done, so thats me till December.  Had my hair trimmed as well so thats me for a wee while.  Teatime now so better get busy. Joan.

Not one of my favourite things

I'm off to the dreaded dentist this afternoon.  Its just a check up and a descale and polish I go every 3 months for the cleaning and see the dentist ever other time.   I hate going and do get anxious. I had bad experiances when I was at primary school and have never forgotten it.  It got so bad that I used to miss my appointments because I was in the loo.   Things have come on a lot since then but I still hate the dentist.   I supose I should be grateful to have one but I do take a bit of convincing.     Have managed to post the pictures I promised from the weekend.  Just trying to outdo Sara's elephants. Speak to you when I get back if I'm able.   Joan.

The Car Part 2

Good Evening J-land, feeling much better this evening .  Not been struggling with the PC this afternoon I have been playing Mahjong which I found very therapeutic.  Well the car is back home again after its wee adventure to the garage everything is fine again and it is looking much better and hubby is a much better mood.The wee adventure was his fault (thank goodness it was not mine).  I have put up a picture of the carThis was not taken today as it has been raining all day not   picture  taking weather.This was taken when we were awa in early Spring Pictures were taken on Sunday past when were were up at Kinordy another RSPB reserve.  It is near Kiriemuir (birth place of J M Barrie).   We had a lovely day away to see what we birders call a lifer, that is a bird we have not seen before. We were lucky to see it but it was distant and some of bird watching equipment had been lelt in our car so I did not have my Telescope as my tripod was the missing one.  We would have emptied the car but we were not expecting to be away last weekend.  Well I will close now and I try with the pictures again later. Goodnight all Joan.

The Car

  Off out this morning to collect the car.  You maybe remember that our car has been in the garage since last Thursday and we have had a Nissan Micra 2 door for the duration. It has been a fine wee car but I will be glad to have our Focus back.and so will hubby. He's been like a bear with a sore head.  He's now mumping that he put too much petrol in it and he will have to hand it back with the petrol in.  He's not a happy chappy with the petrol prices the way they are.   Speak to you later.  Joan.

Bad Day.

Today I have had a bad day.  Was not feeling too well so after the morning chores I tried to do some bits and pieces on the computer..I struggled all afternoon got a splitting headache nothing worked that I tried and then just to finish off a perfectly awful afternoon my counter went back to zero again so I have taken it off all together so it will be one less thing to go wrong.  So I am going to say goodnight and go and watch some telly and do a bit of my crochet.   Goodnight and Godbless Joan.

Autumn is coming quickly

Hello J-land, just been out hanging out the rest of my washing and low and behold a Robin singing thats a sure sign that Autumn is on the way.  Waiting on the grass drying so we can get it cut we have had a very heavy due last night and the grass is soaking wet even at this time and it is a lovely day here not a cloud in the sky.  Its time I went and made some lunch I think we will have our favourite toasties today. Speak to you later. Joan. 

Tomb Raider

Good Afternoon J-land , feeling very pleased with myself today.  We took a turn round our local car boot sale this morning a rare occurance as hubby is not keen.  Its always very cold as it is held in the same place as the car auctions.  The weather is still not very good and still a bit cold, so why am I so happy well, I have a Playstation 1 which I have had since they first came out and have played many good game on it, but with all the new PS's on the market it is quite difficult to get new games for them.  Today I managed to get Tomb Raider the Last Revelation. I have played the other ones but not this one so I can hardly wait to start.  If I go missing for a few days you know where I'll be (In ancient Egypt)   Speak to you later   Joan.

Fickle weather

Talk about fickle weather, it has been lovely all week but we get to Friday when everybody comes off for  the weekend and what happens rain, and cold to go with it, believe it or not we have had to put our heating on today.  There is an easterly blowing and it has turned very cold and will stay like that until the wind goes round to a more mild direction.  We went out this morning to our Local RSPB bird Reserve to see what was about (A birding term)  The Geese have started to arrive back this week from the Actic and the duck numbers have started to improve.  We have thousands of geese here all winter and it is lovely to hear them going over the garden in the morning  going out ,and then in the evening coming back to roost again.  We are very lucky with the bird reserve here its all heated and there is a small cafe as well so it is nice a cosy for the winter.  There are outdoor hides as well but on a cold day the "Observation Room" is best .  Like everyone else I would like to wish Jeanette a Happy Birthday.  Will close now as my tummy is rumbling Bye for now and take care.            Joan. 

Stop Press.

Good Morning sorry to have to tell you that the library burnt down last night and we will have to start all over again.  Players of the game will know how flustrating that is but we had a good run. Final total was 1,208,720.  Now going down to cry in my porridge.  Bye for now .  Joan.

Crisps.

Stuart is busy just now replacing the batteries in our fire alarm bleep bleep bleep thats it done.  Kept him up the other night peeping every 30 seconds.So thats us safe for a while I hope.  The pictures at the top are nothing to do with today they were taken in March this year when we were away for a few days.  They were taken on Scourie Beach, a small village in the north west corner of Scotland a beautiful spot. Have been visiting this place on and off for the last 35 years.  Now the heading says crisps here's me on my hobby horse again.  Has anybody noticed the price ot crisps lately.  We had coffee in M&S today and I was going to get a packet of plain crisps BUT, they wanted 70  pence per packet I just could not bring myself to pay that.  When I was young a few years ago just a few, crisps were 4 pence per packet thats old pence for those that  do'nt remember that curency  that would be about 2pence today  how thing have changed, thats my rant for today not much to rant about but it just got to me while I was standing in the queue,Well I had better go now as I think hubby is needing fed . Goodnight and Godbless. Sorry no paragraphs still having problems.                             Joan.                                                                 

                                                           

Our First Million.

Good evening J-Land, This is a very happy bunny writing this tonight. Hubby and I made our first million today sorry not pounds but Bookworm Points. We are so pleased.  It has taken a good few hours to do as players of the game will know but we just save it and come back the next time we have a spare hour.  I have put in the pictures to show you as I can hardly believe it myself. Stuart (Hubby) has just bought Chess and Scrabble for the PC (from Ebay ) so I have to form an orderly queue to get computer time now, it just won't do. I'll have to either get myself a notebook to log in for computer time or get a new computer.   I will be OK tonight though Scotland are playing football on the telly so that will keep him busy then it will be England next so I will have the whole evening. Today has been very dull and overcast and now the rain has just come on.  Tomorrow the car goes in for a wee repair to the body so am just wondering what car we will have for the next few days.   Can't believe tomorrow is Thursday already what a quick week this has been even with all my flustrations.  Well I think that it for today going now to read your journals Goodnight and Godbless    

 Sorry no paragraphs.                                                          Joan.

Rewrite

Good morning thought I would be in the pink today to see if it changes my luck with my journal. This is what I remember of last nights entry. Just to make a bad   start my Add Pictures is not working which makes the story I was going to tell impossible so I will keep it for another day when things are working again.  Yesterday (Tuesday) was a very quiet day. We pottered in the garden tiding up before the weather gets wet and cold, oh thats a thought, maybe it will not be for a while yet.The gardening programs always say that we are about a month behind the south of the country but at this time of the year we go infront as Autumn comes a bit earlier for us.Well I had better go and get things done Speak to you later. There will be no new paragraphs in my journal due to my technical problems.

It Worked

Hip Hip Hooray it worked. Joan.

Testing page width

I know that I have written my entry for today but am trying out what has been suggested to help make my page narrower.Don't know what I am going to say I just have to waffle on about not very much .The music I am lictening to is Rod Stewart   Stardust Album 111.  He plays a lot of the old standard songs and it is very relaxing and nostalgic.I first saw him performing these songs about Christmas I think it was on the telly and I thought it was great then. I have only had the album for a few weeks hubby bought it for me as a wee pressie.Well I think that will be enough words to see if it is any better. Goodnight all that has got down this length.                  Joan

Still trying for a remedy

   Hello J-landers,  you will have to stay with me on this wide page as I am waiting for a reply.   The help desk  thought  I  was cutting and pasting, you must be joking I can get in enough mess doing it the normal way.

     Have been out and about today.  Last spring I saw planters done with just Hyacynth and Tulips and they looked tremendous so I thought I would copy it for next spring.  I was having a bit of bother getting short stemmed Yellow Tulips but was successful eventually.  I thought the ones that grew to 22-24"would be too tall I wanted something about 14-16", so hopefully they will look good next spring as they have cost me a small fortune with the planters as well.  No doubt I will post pictures God willing.   It seems a long time till spring but if we do not plan now we will regret it next spring when the garden looks bare.  I will have to get busy with all the pots that have been resting behind the shed all summer, they have got all my dwarf Daffs etc in them.Had a really nice day with hubby but its time to go and see about something to eat for dinner. Bye Bye .

                                                          Joan.

 

 

We Are So Lucky

     Goodevening J-Land just a short entry tonight as I have been struggling with this computer all afternoon.  You would not believe what has been going on here even had a comment that my journal has gone too wide will go for the help line tomorrow.

    You may be wondering why I have shared pictures of a motorway.  This is the M90 north and south at 11am this morning.  You can see how quiet it is thats why the title is We are so lucky.   I was reading a journal this morning about how jammed your roads are well this was the way we were this morning, it was a beautiful day so I would have thought it would have been a busier, but not up to your standards down south.   When we were on holiday in Suffock earlier this year we left Woodbridge at 4am to come home.  We went to Ipswich  and at that time of the morning it was jammed up with big big lorries I could not believe it. I have never seen so much traffic in my life.  

     Other than battling with this computer this afternoon we did have a lovely long walk this morning.  Where we stay we can walk over the M90 and on to our lovely coffee shop.So after a coffee we walked back home in the sunshine.

    Well I will close now and hope you all had a good weekend.  Goodnight.

    Note.  just checked if the width was any better because of the smaller type but its not bear with me and I'll try to get it fixed tomorrow.  Could'nt take anymore flustrations tonight.

                                             Joan.

                                                            

Missing numbers.

First it was my pictures that went missing now ..............its my counter that has gone back to zero what next?  I think we must have "A ghost in the machine" (Old Police album title).  Our computer can do silly thing for me not hubby just me.  For instance I can close down and the computer making sure it is off and if I don't unplug the whole thing it will come back on in the middle of the night.  You will be wondering how I know this I'm one of those people that is up and down a bit to the loo at least twice during the night and the Computer Room is opposite our bedroom and you can see this strange light coming from the room, in total darkness you would think aliens were landing.  Can I  calify computer room sounds grand but its not its just the spare bedroom that does not have a bed in it now and there is no room.  Since our son got married it has become a great big cupboard.  We are just about to start to redecorate it but, before we start we have to take the computer downstairs so we are waiting for hubbies sore back to get better then we will pull out all the stops or should i say plugs (feeling very witty this morning).    So once  I start to move this machine you may never hear from me again the way things are going but we are not ready yet will let you know when the great day has arrived.  I say great day I have been waiting to get this room done for ages.  You know I just sat down to catch up on journals and emails noticed my counter was wrong and have ended up writing all this waffle.  Its a lovely morning not a cloud in the sky so I hope to spend some time outside.  Talk to you later .

 

                                                  Joan.

Sunflowers (Not by Vincent)

Good Afternoon J-land,  The Sunflowers in the first two pictures are the first time I have seen Sunflowers growing in a field in Scotland.  They are beautiful, the photos don't do them justice.   We usually get great pictures on Eurosport when hubby is watching The Tour De France the fields of Sunflowers are spectacular.  The farmer here has planted them among the cereal crop I was impressed.  The other two photos are of the Falkland Hills which are where we stay and I love to see the 'Dougals' as we call them (hay bales). Had a wee run round our local patch this morning and had coffee in a local coaching inn, its been there  since 1557.   Nothing planned for the rest of the weekend we usually wait till Monday when things are a lot quieter.  Hope you have a good weekend.  Bye Bye

                                           Joan.

Missing Pictures

Have been having a quiet hour sitting reading journals as I was wakened very early and could not get back to sleep.  Popped back to my journal and low and behold all the pictures I have ever entered have vanished has anybody got any idea why this has happened?   Will pop back later.   Joan.

Busy Day.

Good evening J-land am a bit late tonight as I have been shopping on Ebay.  Were out today pricing PC games that hubby fancied, but did not like the prices so we came home and tried Ebay and managed to get Scrabble and Chess for a fraction of the price so I am feeling rather pleased with myself.   Thursday is always busy as we go up to Perth for the weekly shop, after we have had a browse rounds the non food shops.  Hate food shopping, worked in a supermarket for too many years.

     The pictures tonight are both of Perth one is The River Tay and the other is some nice garden by the river.  

     We we lucky up here we did not have the thunder storm you shared down south last night.  Been a lovely day here today with a nice breeze to keep you cool, I love that as I am always too hot . Will say goodnight now and have another hot night no doubt  Night night all and God Bless.