Summer was here today.

          

Good evening thought I had better use this graphic today just in case that was our summer today. After a busy morning washing  changing the bed Hoovering and dusting here I was busy wasn't I, I have been sitting out in the sun all afternoon. It has been a glorious day here just perfect.  Stuart went to see the doctor this morning and he thinks he should see his consultant just to be safe after yesterdays turn. Been feeling a bit worried but am trying to stay positive and put on a brave face.  The car has to go into the garage tomorrow the struts that hold up the boot lid have stopped working for some unknown reason. They packed up while we were on holiday and one of us has to hold up the boot for the other one to put whatever in. Fortunately the car is still under manufactures warranty. Got my book finished this afternoon so have stared a new one this time its an Andy McNab. Have read a few of his stories before and they  make a good read.  He (Andy ) was in the SAS during the Gulf war.  Well will have to go the ironing basket awaits. Have a good evening. Love,

 

           

Tuesday Musings.

Good Evening the time is now 9. 10 pm and the sun is streaming in over my shoulder it is a lovely evening up here hardly a cloud in the sky just the way the day started. In between we have had some dark clouds some fluffy clouds and a lot of sunshine not much heat as we have a cold northerly wind but still all in all a pleasant day.. Stuart and I took off to St Andrews this morning a lovely run in the car it takes us about 50 minutes to get there.  The countryside is looking at its very best just now with all the fresh green leaves on the trees.  Lilac and Laburnum is in full bloom along with the Clematis. We had a nice stroll around this beautiful old town bought yet another book, today it was Double Eagle by James Twining.  It was one of the books that W H Smith sell in conjunction with The Times newspaper.  You can buy one any day of the week when you buy that newspaper and it is a different one every week.  Sometimes it is something I fancy other time not but it is a good way of trying new authors. The book costs 99 pence   (Just over a dollar for those of you on the other side of the pond)  +60 pence the price of the paper. I think it is a very good deal. It then takes Stuart all evening to read the paper. Bought a new toilet brush today as I have been trying out these new disposable ones but have found the pretty hopeless and I had thrown away my old brush when I started to use them (Said in the title tonight they were musing for Tuesday).  Later we did the weekly shop in Morrison's just for a wee change. We were just about finished when Stuart took on of his very tired spells.  It washes over him very quickly and there's not a lot we can do except find a seat and wait till it passes.  Morrison's had a nice cafe so we went in there and had a coffee and a biscuit until he felt a bit better.  Thankfully it passed but is very worrying at the time.  There does not seem to anything in particular that causes it to happen it can even start up in the house while he is sitting.  He is now sitting with his Times and watching the football at the same time he's clever that way.  Well I think that's me for today oh forgot to say the flower picture I asked you to name was  a Horse Chestnut well done to those who got it right.   I had never seen one up close before and I just thought if was very beautiful. Goodnight all and God Bless. Love,

                          

Thanks to D's Design.

Thoughts for a Monday.

     

Good Afternoon, have been trying to think of a topic for today with great difficulty this is about all I could think of hope it is of interest to you.  I was pottering about the house this morning doing usual morning things and listening to Prime time radio when they started to play a tune that I have not heard for many years it was Russ Conway playing Side Saddle. It immediately made me think of my Mum she loved listening to his music.  It was always so cheery. I don't think there is anything like music for planting a memory in your head. I always think of a holiday in the borders many years ago and we had taken a wrong turning and were really lost when on the radio came Dusty Springfield singing In the Middle of Nowhere. On another occasion we were stuck in a traffic jam in Edinburgh this again was a long time ago so it shows you traffic jams are not a recent thing even in Scotland anyway the tune that day was The Birds playing Mr Tambourine Man. It gives you something to think about doesn't it.

              

Not a lot been happening here today very quiet were out for coffee this morning and doing my usual spending at the garden centre. I will have to stop going to those places or I am going to be broke.  Today I bought one of these big tubs (Ellen favourite colour bright pink) with the handles for mixing compost and doing various things in and a bag of special compost for my new Azalea as I wanted to give it a really good start.  Stuart had an appointment at the Physio at 1 pm and by the time he got back and we had our lunch it was a bit late to do much so I thought I would do this as I always find it easier to upload pictures and graphics into file manager in the afternoon for some reason. Think I will go down stairs now and watch last nights Triangle it was a bit late on last night so we taped it (I hope) thought it was great on Saturday so I hope it continues in that vain.  Hope you all have had a pleasant Bank Holiday so for now bye,

Another Grand Day Out.

     

 

Good Afternoon, Yesterday Stuart and I decided to go visit Glendoick Gardens as this is the best time of the year as they specialise in Rhododendrons and cultivate their own. We arrived in good time to spent the morning and went in to the Garden Centre to get our tickets as instructed only to be told the gardens are only open Monday to Friday April/May. What a shame not opening on a Saturday when all the poor people that work would be visiting (Only joking) anyway that put paid to my bright idea for the day. Don't have many nowadays. We did the usual and went to the coffee shop for a coffee and a scone.  I then had another thought  gee my brain was working overtime "what about we go to Dundee as we are nearly there anyway and go to the Botanic Gardens". Stu thought that was a good idea so after a short walk round the garden centre bought a birthday present for Lisa and a deciduous Azalea for our garden we set off for Dundee. (Home City). It was very bright and sunny when we arrived and we set off round the gardens. We had intended to come earlier this spring to see the Magnolias and the Camellias but had not gotten round to it with one thing or another in our busy lives LOL.  Most of the Magnolias and camellias were past their best but the Rhododendrons were looking very good as you will see from the pictures.  We were caught in a very heavy shower so we stood under one of the magnificent trees till it eased but it came on even heavier, I did have my small brolly in my bag but its not much use for two people and did not have a coat on silly me trusting the weather you would think at my age I would have learned something, however time for another coffee and a bacon roll till it went off.  Sun out again so off we went again.  The Gardens have become a very popular spot for taking wedding photographs there were 5 wedding  while we were there lots of lovely brides and all those kilties.  We continued now the sun was shining again and then visited the huge glasshouses. Stuart then had a treat as there was a painting exhibition on in the visitors centre so we had a nice walk round there and had a chat to one of the artists. All in all a grand day out enjoyed very much by both of us. Hope you enjoy the pictures I certainly enjoyed taking them.    Have a restful Sunday. Love

                              

Thank you Sara for the sig.

My usual Friday

Here I am all alone as I usually am while the artist is at work. I have been busy too trying to update my Bird Watching journal but have had lots of trials and tribulations doing so never mind have manged to get something written now and will try again later to fix it.  It has been a dreadful morning here to pouring rain I know you have the same as Jeannette to of Welcome to my travels said in here entry today but she is having a great party. Been baby sitting Ellen on Wednesday and did the garden yesterday that is why there has been no enties this week.  Have transfered my Geranium plants out to my wee greenhouse to harden them off before I put them out.  Before I went on holiday I bought a special tray that holds 6pt of water with capillery matting that sits on th windowsill to save my neighbour having to come in and out all the time and it worked very well the plants sit on the matting and it soaks up the water as it needs it. It only had to be filled up twice while we were away. Pleased with that. Had a great time with Ellen on Wednesday as it was a lovely afternoon and we were all out in the garden.  Trying to teach here to catch a ball thats a laugh but she just says" I can do that" but she can't. We then played tig with Gran running round the garden like a young thing did not think I could still run but there you are you don't know till you try. |Must have been all the walking I did on holiday.  Listening to a Beetles song just now and it Eleanor Rigby you have to laugh at the words of that song. Its sad in places but amusing just the same. Well I had better go now as my coffee is cold I made it when I was doing my other journal so it has done not too bad.  So thats it for today love and have a nice day Love

Thank you D's Design.  Have just updated my Birdwatching Diary with 2 new entries. http://journals.aol.co.uk/jaymact1/JoansBirdwatchingDiary

Holiday Pictures.

                                 

Good Morning here are my holiday pictures for you. Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them. Picture 11 is the wee puzzle for you email me if you know or think you know but don't give it away.  Love                   

                               Joan.

Just another manic Monday.

                    

Just popped in to say Hello and happy Monday not been much happening today out this morning to put some food in my empty cupboards just bought the essentials will go to Tesco's tomorrow to stock up as the local shops are so expensive.  The picture above is of my new mug.  I love a big mug of coffee when I am sitting at the computer and Stuart bought me this one in a lovely little shop in Well Next the Sea called Phoebe's. I just fell in love with this mug whenever I saw it and it is so bit it lasts me for ages. I put a stick of Orbit chewing gum at the bottom of the picture to give you and idea of size. The embroidery courtesy of my dear Mum she did some lovely work. I don't know if I mentioned this or not but she had Altzheimer's and I have the last things she embroidered  before she died and the colours were all mixed up it must have been right at the start of her illness. She did so much work for the church always making thing for one sale or another.  I always thought I lost my mum many years before she died as she did not know us for a long time.  Don't know how I got on to that subject it oh yes it must have been seeing  the cloth in the picture  that covers my old tumble drier that I keep up here in the study/spare dumping ground.  I have another tumbler on my washing machine but everything comes out all crushed it takes my hours at the ironing board if I use it I much prefer old faithful it must be the best part of 30 years old and still works fine. I will have to break here will have to put the mince on or it  won't be ready for tea so as they say in the movies "I'll be back".......... Right now where was I. Great radio station this afternoon am listening to AOL radio Watercolour Jazz really relaxing music with a good beat. Well I think I have confused you all enough this afternoon with my musings so will close now so that we are not having burnt offerings for tea again. Have a great evening loads of love,

                                  

I'm Back

                  

Good Afternoon everybody this is my second try at an entry today the first one got lost in the transfer from front page don't know why so i will just have to start again good practice for my typing skills.  We got back yesterday from our 1500 mile trip at about 2pm. The weather as you will know was very bad pelting rain when we left Brancaster Staithe at 4 15am and continued till we reached Newcastle then it stayed try till we got home.  Its dry again today so washing out blowing on line all I have to do now is the ironing.  House has been tidied by both of us so things are about back to normal.  we had a great holiday great weather no rain from the first Sunday till yesterday and now a cloud literally from the first Monday till Friday.  Can't ever remember the sky being so cloudless for so long before.  With the weather being so good it does stop great bird watching seems daft to say that but birds love to sit and sleep in the sun just like us. We did pay a visit to Sandringham and we were so impressed with the grounds and the Church St Mary Magdelene's on the estate you know the one the Queen visits at Christmas with all the family. It is small but is so beautiful inside.  We were not allowed to take pictures inside I would liked to have let you see it. I was not able to say bye before we left as we had a leek in our hot water supply on the Friday evening and it caused great panic but we did get it all sorted our thanks to our great plumber.  Still feeling tired today even with going to bed a 9pm last night but should feel better tomorrow.  Have been trying to catch Big Brother but Stuart can't stand it so I just get a peek when he goes out of the room will have to try to work something out as I don't want to start W.W. 3 if you get my meaning.  Hope you are all well and I will try to catch up soon and tell you some more of the Adventures of J & S on holiday and show you my pictures and have I got a puzzle for you.  Love to you all, alerts now back on so ding my dinger.

 With thanks to D's Design for top graphic and Sara for the butterfly.                             

Thursday Frustrations

                

Not my garden wish it was.

Good Morning, had a very frustrating morning so far today.  When I got up it was a beautiful morning and thought great I will get the bed changed before we go away on Saturday, so set too and stripped the bed and put the washing on.  By the time we were ready to go out to do some errands the washing was ready to peg out great says she.  So washing blowing in the sunshine off we went.  After our coffee a trip down the village with a suitcase to collect our repeat prescriptions for taking with us on holiday was necessary. Yes you've guessed it on the way the rain came on. For once could it not have stayed dry just for another couple of hours I had been so pleased to get ahead as I still have a lot to do before we go.  This might be my last entry just now as we have Ellen tomorrow afternoon and she has a Skiing  lesson a two o'clock which we are taking her to. She has been having them at her nursery on the dry ski slope there. (The nursery she attends is attached to the school) It was very hard work when she stared a the age of three as she had to be carried up the slope every time but now she is big enough to use the tow so we should manage as neither Stuart or I would be able for that as she is a big girl. Well better go and put some more washing in the tumble drier. . Love

Monday Monday

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Evening, Just a wee entry tonight just wanted to let you see two of my containers out the back. I was rather pleased with them after the shock of what came up.  We chose the Hyacinths and the Tulips very carefully last September all colour co-ordinated but somehow the got mixed up.  I had written on the bags what was in them and the varieties but somehow we got them the wrong way round. The cream Hyacinths were supposed to be in with the red tulips and the pink in with the lemon but you can see the results. They have turned out not too bad but I thought there would be a clash of colour but nature is great you don't really have to worry.  The pictures of Ellen and the other big kid were taken on Friday on our way back from picking Ellen up she asked if we could go to the park for a while but it turned cold after about 15 minutes so we just came home but she enjoyed the short time she had.  Had a fairly quiet weekend coffee as usual at our local Garden Centre sitting in the sun on Saturday afternoon and Stuart got burned believe it or not then yesterday did some planting of Hydrangeas cuttings I took last August and Foxgloves that I grew from seed and have over wintered in my wee greenhouse. Hope you have all had a good Bank Holiday speak to you again soon. Love