The parting of the company...

In over 5 years there's only been the very occasional overnighter where myself or T, or maybe even Emily, has been away reducing our number to three. And even then those remaining three have generally hung around other family members to feel like the pack's intact. But never before have we truly parted company; Emily in one location, Tanya and Niomi in another, and myself in a third. It was uncharted territory to have the family split like this. A big step towards independence all round.

 

Strange as it was though, we all had a ball. Our little weekends away were a great success for us all. 

Emily went away without us for the first time for 2 nights on Brownie camp. It was Aladdin themed and it seemed to me that many of her wishes came true in Agrabah; toasting marshallows round the fire, staying up late, eating food she'd never eat at home (well if we cooked it anyway), games, games and crafts galore. It was an all in Cave of Treasures of a weekend and she came back delighted and exhausted in equal measure.

Tanya and Niomi were not to be out done. They had movie nights, a trip to the safari park, cycle adventures and Sunday breakfast dining out. Niomi also lost another tooth (3 gaps currently and 2 only just growing in). T even slept in the bunk bed with Niomi for that true sleepover experience, and tried to catch a glimpse of the tooth fairy (but failed). I came home to find them both shining with happiness.

And I got lost in the Fannichs (near Ullapool) with John. We had a mild endurance challenge climbing 2 munros in not the best of conditions, although it could have been worse. And then the next day actually was worse, and so we left our munro count at 2 for the weekend. Still, despite the inclement weather, we had stunning views in the barren north, and enjoyed good company, food and music, along with a dram or two.

Maybe we should all part company more often? Maybe, but then again I have to say it was equally lovely to be reunited on Sunday eve, so maybe we'll keep hanging around each other for a few more years yet.

On the magic carpet at Agrabah

Going wild toothless style at Blair Drummond

Happiness is most definitely two ice creams!

Walking companions in the wilds of the North

A wee bitty dreich

Sgurr nan Each before we disappeared in cloud

Campervan 'room with a view' onto An Teallach

Beltane's busyness...

The start of May comes with the promise of summer warmth. Mother Earth joins with her consort the Green Man for another circle of life, empowering the earth… It's Beltane - a time for blessings for couples, and to fertilise plans with energy and action. 

Beltane is traditionally celebrated by the collection of blossom and the lighting of fires. It’s a time I find so full of optimism and positivity – fully emerging from the long winter into spring and summer’s delights. And we always get busy….every year from the end of April things just get mad with plans and exciting busyness.

First up my Dad visited – his first time trying plane rather than train for his supported journey. The sun put in a welcome appearance, and we spent a happy few days enjoying the revamped Burrell Collection in Glasgow, the delights of Balloch Country Park, Springburn Park and Strathkelvin Railway Path…. We ate and played outside enjoying the positivity and warmth coming from the sun.

And then it was Beltane proper with a van trip to Aberfoyle. The rain came but we created an Odeon-luxe van experience; the rain cleared and we searched for fairies on Doon Hill; made blossom crowns; cycled, ran and walked about enjoying the best of the Trossachs. We even ate food at the Fairy Tree Inn to complete a magical experience.

Then last weekend my big cousin Jan visited with Patrick. And we had more fun, fun, fun. She was enticed to a Beltane wild swim in the waterfall pools of Campsie Glen, and we strolled through the Campsie foothills breathing the spring air. We ate wild garlic pesto and drank cleavers water – rejuvenating ourselves with natures health kick. And I think we also all ingested some of Jan's energy and joy of life - much to learn from there!

Refreshed, revitalised, renewed. Beltane brought busyness and vitality, and we're now fired up for more fun times in the coming weeks.

92 and still loving a Mess

Odeon-luxe Van-stylee

On the trail of fairies

Spotted!

Videoclip: The Fairy Tree

Or you can watch the video here

Spring in the Trossachs

Beltane Queens 1

Beltane Queens 2

Beltane Bliss

Big cousin Jan embracing life!

My wonderful wife absorbing Beltane's power

Searching for Nessie...

School Easter holidays and time for a well-needed break. Finally having shaken off Covid the girls spent the first week amusing themselves with a trip to North Berwick, various adventures with friends and a highlight of a trip to the cat cafe in Glasgow to have lunch with 35 cats. Not my bag but they loved it!

And then it was on to the main Easter event - a week in the Highland Club, Fort Augustus. I have to say we didn't really know what to expect but we were very impressed with all that was on offer. Daily swims, tennis, games of all sorts and duck/pheasant feeding seemed to entertain us all for a large chunk of the time. Throw in the daily walk in some stunning scenery (went down better with the parents that part!), a few trips out, and a regular inspection of Loch Ness for Nessie, and we were in laid back holiday heaven. We were in a lovely rhythm and passed our week in holiday bliss re-energising the batteries. Just what the doctor ordered! A definite highlight was a trip out on the rib - not so laid back but a highly recommended adventure nonetheless.

The way back saw us take in Glencoe and 'another' walk up to the Lost Valley. This was not quite as anticipated though as Niomi slipped and cracked her head! Instant massive egg, a hasty retreat, panicked parents but all was fine. Phew...end of holiday drama!

Spring is definitely here and in full swing. The next few months are fully booked. And we are ready for this year's adventures (hopefully without the dramas)! Watch this space...

The Highland Club

My tennis partner for the week

The daily duck feed

Videoclip: Fort Augustus

Or you can watch the video here

Let battle commence!

The lovely ladies of Urquhart Castle

😊

Beach belle 1

Beach belle 2

The magnificent Lady Falls and the magnificent us!

Another day, another walk

The Spirit of Scotland passing through

Team Rooke ready for the off

Still searching for Nessie

NESSIE!!

The stunning Loch Ness. 

More water in here than in all of England and Wales combined!

Recovery...

2 years ago, give or take a few weeks, Tanya (we think) got Covid. It must have been Alpha back then. She spent 7 days locked in a room in strict sanitised isolation with her meals left outside. She slept most of the time early on, then read the blog and watched films for the final stint as she began to feel better. She was tired and had a cough for a good few weeks after that as well.

2 years on and 3 vaccines later, we all had Covid. This time though we could all just isolate together with hugs all round, and variant Omicron was much, much milder; so it was more a case of waiting it out rather than wait and see. That said we all reverted to our own version of recovery - Tanya still slept plenty as she had little energy; Emily wasn't herself but just read books so not much change there; Niomi you could barely tell she was ill and played relentlessly; and, as for for me, I grumbled my way through a week of work feeling a bit rubbish till I woke up about 5 days in feeling fine again. Variants of Covid and variations on symptoms.

One thing that saved us both times though was the weather. We've been completely blessed in our isolation periods with glorious sunny weather. And boy does that help.

So two of us are now in freedom, and two still wating on tests. Touch and go tomorrow if we're heading away to Pitlochry this weekend or not. Fingers crossed...whatever though - we're all well on the road to recovery.

Niomi played

Emily read

Tanya 'tried' to sleep

The sun shone

And apparently Covid makes your teeth fall out

Corononundrums...

Inevitably Covid was going to bite. Emily last Saturday; T and me this morning. Niomi had a cold last week which we thought was Covid but all tests were negative - and she's so far avoided catching it from us. T and me started off with Niomi's cold and now are segwaying seamlessly into our Covid - can't tell the difference so far! So there it is, self-isolation here we come.

All is fine though. And we are so very, very grateful for all our wonderful friends and neighbours for shopping offers, school run assistance, doorstep visits, lovely thoughts and messages and lots more. Makes us feel much loved and turns self-isolation into feeling anything but isolated. Thank you all so much 💗.

Still spring is seemingly here and the weekend weather looks lovely - so with any luck we'll shake off our symptoms and spend the weekend enjoying our garden. I've 5 fruit trees to plant so will be kept busy. 

Meantime Niomi decided she's quite able to drive to the shops and do our shopping to help out. She literally got her self ready, grabbed the shopping list and car keys, got in and started it up - and whilst we were keeping one eye on her, she is most definitely one to watch!

Cancelled sleepover - sad, covid face

Daddy with Covid by Niomi

His and Hers

Happy to help - off to do the shopping

POSTSCRIPT 19/03/22

First Niomi did this...

She spend so much time making her best birthday card ever.

Then she did this...

😭 I relly felt for her - she was so excited to be going. Bless. 

Niomi makes it the full house!

Girl power...

The power of Shakti has always flown strong in our house. I’ve never really stood a chance surrounded by 3 strong women – and I regularly just have to stand back in awe of them.

Tanya, now embracing her new decade, has always left me feeling weak at her commitment to wild swimming. 7am in the loch in the middle of January? I could never do that. To ‘celebrate’ her 50th she has just spent the day at the Hot Box Spa on Loch Tay with her tribe of Saturday Super Swimmers having a whale of a time. I could handle the hot box bit, but the slide to a freezing dunk? No thanks. Hats off to the lot of them though.

And whilst Mummy cat was away playing in the baltic water – I took the girls to watch Glasgow City FC, Scotlands only women-only football club. 14 years on the trot they’ve won the league but this year they’re running a close second to Rangers. I have to say the game was really impressive, with players from all over the world, and Emily particularly loved it. Why there’s only a couple of hundred folk watching quality football like that just begs the question. Too long has sport been a predominantly male dominated affair. Much greater investment and opportunity is needed to take even a few steps in equalising this all out. Still Glasgow City went one-nil down against Hibs, before finding their own equaliser and eventual winner. And all in glorious sunshine with not a hint of unpleasantness or bigotry in the crowd. The influence of Shakti…

Oh and yes… the final bit of recent girl power comes from Emily’s new drumming prowess. She’s taken to the tubs like her Mum does to water…and apparently she’s quite a natural!

Surrounded by the power of Shakti I may be. But that’s surely a great place to be.

The Saturday Super Swimmers

Videoclip: Birthday Swimbles

Or you can watch the video here

Pitch Invasion

With Costa Rican goalscorer Priscila Chinchilla

Videoclip: Little Drummer Girl

Or you can watch the video here

Operation Hello 5-0...

Weeks of planning, days of worry; and despite the worst of Storms Dudley and Eunice, I can report that Operation Hello 5-0 was a complete success. 

T's 50th had involved much secrecy; plotting, planning, and, well, outright lying; but all in the name of a good cause. She'd been wondering what might be happening for a few weeks but I'd been playing it cool. Until lunchtime on Friday 18th that is - as that's when it all kicked off. I'd arranged a magical wild goose chase round some of her favourite Kirky shops - collecting clues to lead her from one to the other...for no other good reason than to get her out the house whilst her parents snuck in.

She arrived back a little confused and somewhat windswept wondering what on earth was going on, to find her folks here who'd kindly agreed to look after the kids whilst I whisked her away to a lovely little cottage in Crieff. It hadn't been easy. Being a prolific organiser she kept arranging things for her birthday weekend...and I, being the party planner just kept, well, unorganising them again. But what else could I do?

And so we headed off on the tail end of Eunice, and spent the most wonderful weekend...only our 4th/5th night without kids in nearly 10 years. We'd forgotten what it was like! T managed to squeeze in 3 baths in the luxury outdoor bathtub; we ate amazing food at a leisurely pace; stayed up and got up late; watched films; drank bubbly; read books; went on long walks with no cajoling; and, all in all, just kicked back, relaxed and celebrated T's half way mark! The sun even shone the whole day. Awesome it was...

Then back home we came to more food, cake, presents and some more surprises too. I think she felt truly spoiled by the end of it all and so she deserves. Happy Birthday my gorgeous wife - here's to another 50 years together!

Triple-decker 50

Heaven is an outdoor bathtub!

Bliss...

The view from the bath

Walking along the Earn

Crieff - Perthshire's finest

Happy Birthday T!!