Time flies...

Wow…one month since last blog. Where did that go? Well time flies when you’re having fun, and life certainly hasn’t been dull.

There’s been a short break to Banchory to see Nana and Baba; an XR march and a cinema launch, both of which made the front page of the local rag; a trip to Birmingham; and a hospital stay for poor Niomi following what was supposed to be a day op. It’s been err…kinda busy.

Still we’re all good, still smiling…and with a 7th birthday round the corner what’s not to like.

 Horse - by Niomi

 Wonky teeth about to fall out

 Views over Banchory

 Cat care guide - by Emily

 Part-time Angel

 Hide and seek winners

 XR East Dunbartonshire

 XR minus the tooth

 The new cinema 

Videoclip: Debut screening

 Hospital bed

Pub lunch with the Parents

Friends and family…

We are truly blessed to be surrounded by so many lovely friends and family; very fortunate to have plenty of both. Friends who’ve become family and family that are also friends. Many, many of our favourite memories involve these wonderful folk and we love travelling on life’s journey together with them.

September is flashing past at top speed but we've filled it by spending some lovely times within these circles. My Dad’s visited, there's been the annual Gedik weekend away - this year to the Pentlands, and a great camping weekend with friends on Loch Lomond. We never get to see any of you as much as we’d like but when we do its always magical…so thank you to everyone for making the walk on our path so amazing and hope to see you soon!

 The Gedik Girls

The Rooke Girls

Emily and Nana

The stunning Loch Lomond from Conic Hill

 Emily and Yvonne

 Contemplating a chilly dip

The brave open water swimmers

Good night Cashel

A game of two halves…

And so the family were divided. Off Mummy went with Aunty Leeloo for a weekend in the van, with Daddy left responsible for two children and Grandad.

Having spent most of the week organising Mummy’s weekend as well as my own – it was a relief that we were finally underway. No clear plans had been pencilled in for our half of the deal but there were options and the weather looked good. And so, as we were tucking in to the first of our gourmet dinners, it was somewhat a surprise when the phone rang to hear Mummy on the other end. It appears DDU wasn’t too keen on the family being split up and had decided to break down quite near Stirling Train Station (rendezvous point with Aunty Leeloo). Ho hum…there goes my well planned weekend of peace and quiet I thought – the riotous Gedik girls were sure to return.

Uh-oh...DDU wants to go home

And so they did. After seamlessly putting both children to bed ALL BY MYSELF! At about 21.30 all hell broke out in our quiet street. Brrmmmm we heard…then flashing orange beacons lit up the sky…it was like a Canal Festival fireworks re-run. And out they poured – popping my idyllic bubble. Despite their temporary disappointment they were determined to sleep in the van, so onto the driveway DDU was pushed. And, after all the neighbours had been out to join in the party, eventually I left them inside with a glass of wine whilst I returned to sit by the fire. Not quite as planned but Night One was over.

Videoclip: DDU off to hospital

Then onto Day Two. I was up bright and breezy – Daddy Disco was running 7-8am whilst Grandad, Mummy and Aunty Leeloo slept the morning away. Eventually everyone emerged – and the game of two halves resumed. Mummy and Aunty Leeloo were off to the Campsies for a day’s walking, DDU was off to hospital, and, Daddy’s crew were off for a day of more leisurely local fun. There was canal trips, ice cream, horticultural shows with monster vegetables and a town hall visit – all before everyone (apart from DDU) was reunited for a September dinner in the garden, and then Aunty Leeloo was packed off onto the train home.

Videoclip: Daddy Disco

Ice cream joy

Walking joy

So, the weekend of two halves ended a little prematurely, but as ever undeterred, the Rooke’s reassembled and spent a marvellous Sunday of fun at the Falkirk Wheel. And the verdict? A really tip-top-tastic weekend of fun. Not how the game was set to pan out but sometimes it’s good to throw the rule book in the bin. Let’s just wish DDU a speedy recovery before Mummy tries to throw him in the bin too…Thanks to Grandad too for all his treats!

 Water fun 1

 The Wheel from low

The Wheel from high

Water fun 2

Water fun 3 

The result of water fun

Videoclip: Water fun at the Wheel

Cow Air...

Cow

Every Cow has its day. And this Cow's day came at the Canal Festival 2019. Many a child would be scared by the idea of their favourite toy being hurled off a 40 foot tower with just a flimsy parachute for protection, but not our Niomi. She graciously threw caution to the wind, and allowed Cow to be flung to the wind as well.

Strapped in and ready for the off

Off she set gladly watching Cow be hauled up by bucket for the first of two jumps. But then...disaster struck as Cow ended up stuck in a tree. This was not so great. And she started to entertain the possibility that teddy bear parachute jumping was not such a good idea after all. That said - one rescue and one plaster later and Cow was ready for jump two - achieved with much greater success.

Assessing the damage

Videoclip: Cow Air

Relief was evident. But I don't think Cow will be allowed on any more adventures any time soon. Go Cow - this was your 15 minutes of fame!

Certificate of Bravery

Living in Colour...

We’ve been living the ‘Good Life’ following our holiday in North Berwick. Nothing complex, nothing major – just good, simple fun. Apart from a trip to Edinburgh for the festival, we’ve generally been to be found in the garden – enjoying the fruits on offer and making our own fun – all helped by a reasonable splash of sunshine. 

All 3 girls have been top-tastic with the veggie beds this year and our world has exploded with peas, beans, salad and potatoes. On top of that blackberries and raspberries are filling our hedges, the apple tree has a reasonable crop (plums not so good though) and Emily’s sunflower is a Rooke record breaker. For my part I’m delighted with the cottage style garden and the roses that have bloomed – a labour of love for the last few years, now starting to come into its own. 

The kids are back at school/nursery, so weekends are the preserve of fun and laughter – which makes the working week a bit harder as summer unwinds and its back to routine proper. Still I can’t say we’ve had a bad summer….it’s been one packed full of lovely family memories – truly life in colour…but as the year progresses I'm having to work really try hard to smile because it happened not cry because its over! Ho-hum - more adventures needed methinks...

 Niomi with new friend Hector (just a visitor)

 Fun in the sun with more visitors

 The start of the main crop

 Wildflowers still doing well

 As is the cottage garden

And front garden too

Videoclip: Living in Colour

One finger one thumb keep moving...

A late cancellation, and one thumb operation later and we were off to North Berwick, with the addition of a thumb all splinted and bandaged up. Poor Emily was a little traumatised by the whole affair but was putting on a brave holiday face. (For details see here - turns out it was 'trigger thumb'.)

Once again, with the Gurney’s abroad, we’d been given the onerous task of looking after their cat, house and garden (in no particular order) and, once again, the house and garden were more receptive to our efforts than the cat. I wouldn’t say the poor thing was traumatised but he does get A LOT of attention from the girls. Emily was even going for her animal lover Rainbow’s badge for looking after Squeak for a week. But with thumb bandaged up, and clear direction not to get it wet, then a change to our normal North Berwick agenda was required.

 Rookes on tour - the North Berwick chapter

Thumbs up, she's still smiling

 In more thoughtful mood

Delight lies in a big deckchair

Generally in fine weather we visit the beach, enjoy the sea and apply a more maritime aspect to our lives. But, necessity being the mother of invention, we were forced into moving the goalposts and thinking more out the box for new options to entertain. So off we went on the move…Traprain Law and the Exmoor Ponies, Hailes Castles (old and new), Smeaton Garden Centre and lake, East Linton for Preston Mill and a few other attractions, Archerfield Fairy Trail, Tyninghame and Binning Woods, Fringe by the Sea, the hostelries of North Berwick, a few playparks, and by special ironic request of Emily – a trip to Finger and Thumbs craft shack. We even invented a new family activity - the Walcycle - some on bikes (mainly Niomi) and some on foot (mainly the rest of us).

All in all we didn’t miss out by our pollexial deficit, in fact we gained a whole wealth of new experiences and a lovely week away. Thanks for another year to the Gurney’s!

 Exmoor ponies on Traprain Law

 Scaling the castle walls

 Flax and Rape

 Walcycle in the Woods

 More traditional walk in the woods

 Happiness is dangling feet off a branch

 Dressed for the cycle but walking instead

 Preston Mill - as seen in Outlander...apparently

 Wheat - I now definitely know the difference between wheat, oats and barley (rye is a little trickier)

 A 'mindful' summers walk

 A slightly less mindful activity

 Uh-oh - what's she found now?

 They come in lots of shapes, sizes and colours

 Ours aren't quite this good

 Bad thumbs don't inhibit wing growth

 What a picture!

Farewell North Berwick!!