A New Month

           

Dull November brings the blast,
Then the leaves go whirling fast.
*************************

Good Morning, very early today, I am having my usual problem of not being able to put my internal clock back to I am awake from about six o'clock. I try to fall asleep again but to no avail so by seven I am just as well up.  I have tried staying up later but nothing seems to work. Hope time itself will work it out for me.
I can hardly believe that today starts November it seems no time at all since the start of summer and we had all that warm weather to look forward to but time marches on as the saying goes.
This is our busy day so this early start will do no harm.  We will be going to Perth for a wander and a coffee Tesco shopping then picking up Ellen from school so we will be out till about six.  I am saying this, Stuart is not up yet he does not suffer like me with sleeplessness but he was not very well yesterday felt a bit off colour we think it was maybe the flu jab he had on Saturday as he said he was full of aches and pains.
Am doing well with the new DVD recorder managing to get things recorded it takes a bit longer to get it set up but thats the way with thing that you are not used to. Will better go now and head for the shower and breakfast. I hope you all have a lovely day think it is going to be nice here blue sky and cold.  Love

                                                   

Second entry today (Back by public demand).The Old Man of the Mountain.

I did my entry earlier and thought that my ghost story from last year was still in previous entries but it has disappeared so for those of you who have not read it I have downloaded the copy for you as requested. Enjoy.............

                            A Ghost Story for Halloweeen

 

 

     In  Scotland, among hill walkers there is a story of ‘The Old Man of the Mountains’. Many people hear him but none see him. Today for Halloween I am going to tell you a true story of ‘The Old Man of the Mountains.’

    This story begins many years ago a young couple were on a weekend camping trip to Glen Lyon with the girls parents. They were very keen walkers and usually did this together but on this particular day the guy went to the mountain on his own.  He was a very brisk walker and used to walk all his companions off their feet, maybe that is why he was on his own that day.

   He set off at his usual pace to climb the mountain nearest to the camp site, it was a lovely summer day with sunshine and he made good progress up the mountain, we are not talking Ben Nevis heights here, but around the 3000ft. mark, just a stroll in the park for this guy.  Up  he went enjoying the beautiful scenery all the way. On reaching the top he had a few  minutes rest in the afternoon sunshine.  He then set off down the mountain again but as he walked a bank of fog rolled in and it turned cold.  As he continued he thought he heard someone behind him so he turned to look but there was nobody there. On he went again but he could still hear the footsteps behind him. For the next five minuets he kept turning round as he kept hearing the footsteps behind them.  This really started to get to the guy and he started to get the feeling of a presence as well.  He kept turning round but could not see anyone there. He started to walk quicker and quicker. Now this guy was a seasoned hill walker, climbed many mountains and was not easily fazed but this was really getting to him.   At last the fog was behind him and the sun was out again so he thought all would be well.  The footsteps were still there and seemed even closer.  He was close to the  foot of the mountain now but the presence and the footsteps were still there.  At last he crossed the bridge over the River Lyon to the side the campsite and the road were on and he could see the people but the footsteps were still there.  He kept on walking quickly towards the tents.  He then saw his girlfriend walk out to meet him and as suddenly as the footsteps had started they stopped and the presence was gone.  

     I don’t know if you have realised it or not but the guy in this story is my Stuart and it was me that walked out to meet him and he stands by this story to this day and it must have happened 45years ago. Talking about it today I could see that it still gives him he shivers even after all these years.  

Love Joan.

                    

                           

First of all thank you D'Desigs for the lovely seasonal graphic.    Good Afternoon, unfortunately I told the only ghost story I know (Which is true by the way and still there if you have not read it) to you last year so I will have to do some homework so I have something of interest for you next year. Have spent the last hour or so sitting in the kitchen in the sun with a lovely pot of coffee and The Radio Times.  I went to the store this morning for a paper and some odds and ends and saw the RT and thought I wonder what it is like nowadays as it is years since I bought one. All I can say is if you have not had a look lately its well worth a look. Really enjoyed some of the articles in it and found lots to read and am not finished yet but I wanted to do my entry before we had lunch.  We had our usual trip to St Andrews yesterday it was sunny and mild and we ended up on the beach again. While we were there we saw the blackest clouds I think I have ever seen away to the west I wished I had lifted my camera but as usual when I see something I want to photograph my camera is at home. I had been downloading it and left it beside to PC so I did not see it in the morning before we left for the day. Was really annoyed with myself as the sky was just right for photography. We had a lovely walk and had our lunch in the car and watched four wind surfers out on the water they were having a great time but they must have been frozen they had on wet suits but their hands and feet were bare it made me cold just to think how cold the North Sea can be just now. Its a very windy Halloween here today but at least last night's rain seems to have passed. Think that's all for now and hope if you are going out guising or to a party you have a great time.  Love,

       Joan.                   

Thought for a Saturday.

Good Afternoon, the graphic is perfect for the day we are having today heavy rain again, the reservoirs must be about full now I would think after the week we have had.  When we were in Perth on Thusday one of the main parks, The South Inch was flooded enough to have ducks sailing on it so after yesterdays rain and todays goodness knows what it will be like.Stuart has been off to the Doctors this morning to have his flu injection, he was so quick he was back before his appointment was due wonder how he does it, as I am there forever when I go.  In Boots the other day a nurse stopped us and asked if I we would like to have flu jabs we said Stuart gets one but I am no old enough yet but she said they are doing them in Boots for £15. and anybody can have one.  I paid £30 last winter for a private one so I thought it was a good deal.  I could not have one on Thursday due to the fact I was giving a blood sample yesterday but said I would have one next time I was in.  I mentioned this offer to the nurse who took my blood yesterday and she said she was not allowed to give these vacinations and there should be paramedics standing by when doing these injections. She has really put me off by saying this and now I don't know what to do.
             *****************************************
Listening to the news this morning it was so distressing to hear that they are putting out extra police for Halloween in case of trouble and are going to have on the spot fines for any trouble. Many people were saying how they are frightened to answer the door at this time of year you just wonder what things are coming to. When I was a child it was great fun and there was never any trouble oh dear what is happening to this country. Well I had better go and see what we are going to have for our lunch so I wish you all a pleasant Saturday. Bye for now and don't forget

                                   
Love Joan.
                                      

Friday.

   

  Good Morning, I had a very early start at the Doctors this morning giving a fasting blood sample at 8-30am so I was up with the larks.  One thing about being up early is seeing the dawn the above pictures are what was there for a few short minutes this morning and then it was gone in a flash just had time to run out and click.  Stuart has gone off to Art class to finish off the Big Draw from last week. This year it is figure drawing something he has not done before but its looking good. It hardly seems a year since last years Big Draw, that's when all the Art classes in the country do the same drawing one week of the year. After all the hassle of the last few weeks with the DVD etc and of course loosing my score on Book Worm I am feeling much calmer today hope I can stay this way.  Had my hypertension clinic this week and my BP was super the lowest its ever been don't know how I manages it must be doing something right.  The above photos are just some I have taken over the last week and thought you might enjoy them.  Watch a good movie last night very violent and a bit too much bad language but it was a good story. It came free with yesterdays paper. It starred Billy Connelly and Ken Stott and was called The Debt Collector. One to watch. I have collected a box full of free movies, I think they will come in handy during the winter if we are kept in with the weather.  Well I think I will go now and see what's what.  Have a good weekend.

                               Love

                                             

By the way after that glorious start its raining now.

Am I lucky to be here.

         

Oh boy am I lucky to be here today if Stuart had committed murder last night I would not have blamed him after what I did (By accident) yesterday. We have been playing the same Bookworm game for ages now and had managed to get up to 5,926,200 yes that almost 6 million and we were doing very well until disaster struck last night. No, I did not get burned down I pressed the wrong button and lost our game altogether. You can imagine the state I got in after all the troubles of the DVD player earlier I was not at my best anyway and then I had to do this. Stuart did a restore last night but it was still the same 0000000 when we booted up again. I am so glad it was me as I think the mood I was in, I may have lost the place altogether whereas Stuart was very calm about it.  So be warned and be careful and don't press the wrong button.
On a better note I think I had switched the alert off on my own journal by mistake (Oh I am having a week of it am I not ) so I was the one not getting alerts not you as I thought. The DVD problems are all solved and everything is OK now.  Well, I had better go now and see what I can make a mess of next maybe burn the tea.  Love

                                                  

We Surrender

           

Thank you to D'Design for the graphic today.

Good Morning, I was surprised to see it is over a week since I wrote anything in my journal it has just been one of those weeks. As you may remember  we bought a new DVD recorder last week with a build in freeview box. When we bought it we told the salesman in the store our requirements. We wanted one that we could get a top up card for as we wanted to get rid of Sky but Stuart still wanted Eurosport which covers the cycling and Biathlon both of which are his passions.  We tried all last week to get it working but  then I noticed it did not have a slot to take a topup card.  On Friday last week we plucked up courage and took it back to the store.(Must say here that the store changed it no bother at all). We then bought a DVD recorder the same make as our tele and a separate freeview box complete with the  slot. After more lying on the floor and every permutation we could think of we still could not get it to work so we have surrendered and between 12 and 2PM today the engineer is coming to install all the bits and pieces before Stuart and I either go off our heads or get a divorce, it has been that bad.  There are so many scart leads coaxial cables and power leads behind the telly you do not know where to start. It has been keeping us awake at night, for me that is not a new thing but for Stuart who sleeps very well it is most unusual.  So hopefully all will be well after today.It just show what can happen when the salesmen thinks he knows his job and does not know as much as we do.
             ***************************************************

It has been great weather for this time of year for the past week. We still have Dahlias flowering in the garden along with summer bedding that I just don't have the heart to pull out.  When we were out on Monday to St Andrews we saw many hanging baskets still looking good . We had a run down to West Sands there and sat and had a picnic in the car, for us but there were people on the beach and in the water brave them, the weather is good but that water is always cold Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  The trees up here are still green in the most and I am waiting for some good colour to appear will just have to be patient. Well I think that its for just now will let you know how we get on with the engineer later today. It will be great not having to stay up till the wee small hours to see the end of a film etc. as we are not used to staying up that late. Bye for not catch you later.
Love

   

Sara made this for me. Thank you.                                      

Memories of Picking Potatoes.

            

Good Afternoon, been very remiss lately but have been having great problems trying to fit up our new DVD recorder but I think we are just about there now. Stuart seems to have spent the last few days lying on the floor behind the telly in amongst all the wires and scart leads etc I think its about time the manufacturers sorted things out to make it easier for us all of us ordinary mortals.

                         

Yesterday we took our usual run to St Andrews and very busy it was too there were student from the uni all over the place there seemed to be thousands of them and lots of tourists too. On our way there I noticed that all the potato crop has been gathered in. Stuart and I started to chat about the days long gone when we all got off school for three weeks to go and pick the potatoes by hand. Stuart went three times me I only went the one year that was enough for me. It was so hard, the bus picked us up at the school at 7am and took us out to the farm of the day. It was still dark when we arrived and made our way out of the bus and up to the fields. The picture I have chosen to illustrate this entry was just the way it was. It was very cold some mornings there was frost on the ground but that did not deter the digger. We were taken to a nearby school for our school lunch for an hour and then it was back to it till about 5pm. It was back breaking work and by the end of the day you were exausted cold and wet too somedays. The wages for this task were 11/3d per day that would  be about 57 pence today under a dollar for my friends accross the pond. After my three weeks I had saved enough for a new pair of skating boots and boy was I proud of them. Can you imagine that kind of thing going on today with the school children now, I would now wish that on my worst enemy.
Well I think I have remenisced enough for one day so I will say bye for now. Love
                                   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Last Days of Summer.

     

Good Morning an early entry from me today thought as I could not sleep I would get up and do this while i had the chance.  Don't know what happened to the week it just vanished. With the weather being good we have been out and about and in the garden too. I thought all the Red Admiral Butterflies would have migrated by now but as you can see we still have one or two in the garden.
When we were out and about this week we met a crowd of school children and oh my are they tall these days its like living in 'The Land of the Giants'. Me being only just over 5 foot and Stuart 5 foot six we looked so tiny beside them they were high school kids but they all seemed to be over six feet already.  I put it down to rationing during the war.lol. 
We have been trying to connect a new DVD recorder to our TV yesterday and oh what a job I have never seen so may cables in my life the back of that telly is like spaghetti junction.  We will have to have another go today as we have not got it right yet. We had it up and running and when we came to move the telly back the bottom glass shelf of the TV unit fell off and we had to take everything out and remove the telly which is a large one and start again so by that time we had had enough and both had splitting headaches so we will get back to it today sometime.Well I think its time I had my shower and some breakfast as we go out for our coffee this morning so I will leave you and hope you have a pleasant Saturday Love,

                                                    

                             

                          

                                  

Good Morning I wanted to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of you for your good wishes for our Anniversary it was so kind of you to take the time.  Love
                                  Joan.

6th October

      

Hi, have not had much to say this week don't know why but have not been able to think up anything new to say. We have have our normal week with the addition of a visit to Cupar in Fife to visit the Art Club Exibition. What a wonderful afternoon we spent looking at all the paintings the standard was of the highest we have seen.  If you ever see a your local art club having an exibition pop in I am sure you will be surprised by the talent that is out there.

                             

Today Stuart and I are celebrating our 44th wedding anniversary. It does not seem possible that the time has gone so quickly you wonder where it has all gone. So I would like to take the opportunity to wish Stuart a Happy Anniversary again and to thank him for all those wonderful years we have had together. I know he will read this it might be next week however as he is inclined to get caught up with all his bird reports etc. so whenever I hope you had a nice day dear.  Special meal planned tonight so I had better go and get on and we might ven have a little drink.  Have a good evening, Love and take care.

                                                     

 

                                         

                                                            

October

    

        

                                       Brown October brings the Pheasant,

                                       Then to gather nuts is pleasant.

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

Good Morning, I hope you are all having a good Sunday. Been raining very hard here this morning but seems to be brightening up a bit now. Nothing very much planned today other than a big basket of ironing to do this evening while watching the soaps.Yesterday I went behind the shed and retrieved our bird table and gave it a good scrub ready for the winter it was covered in moss and lichen. It was all nice and dry by teatime but now it is soaking wet again.  We were watching an episode of Midsomer last night that we taped the night before we went away on holiday. What a difference watching it with all the ads. taken out, I find that during the second hour of a two hour programme that the ads. seem to get more numerous and I get fed up and want away to my bed. We are early bedders here, it was a habit we got into when Stuart worked in Ediburgh and had to be up at 5-45am we have never been able to break the routine so at the back of ten we are both ready to climb the stairs.
            *******************************************
While we were on holiday last week we went to visit a place called Spey Bay, it is along the coast from where we were staying.  We knew it was a good bird watching spot and thought it might be worth a visit. When we arrived there were loads of people all looking out to sea and cheering and you can imagine it seemed very strange. We thought being us that there may be a special bird in but no it was too noisy for that.  We got out of the car camera at the ready to see what all the fuss was about.  We walked over towards the beach and then we saw the spectacal, it was Dolphins, loads of them jumping out of the water very close to the shore as it was high tide and seemingly we had timed it perfectly.  It was wonderful to see, there must have been a pod of about 15 Dolphins. We have looked for them before in the Moray Firth but never seen one so this was a real treat.  I tried and tried to get pictures but it is very difficult as by the time the camera has clicked they have gone under again so sorry I maybe should have put my camera on video mode but I did not think about it till much later.  Thats me for today have a good day. Love,

 

                                               

                                           

  Have found a new picture of the Lesser Yellowlegs for my Bird Watching Diary. 

                http://journals.aol.co.uk/jaymact1/JoansBirdwatchingDiary/