Last and first...

Before the supreme being descended into our life we were always away in Doodoo. Many a weekend was spent racing up the west coast on a Friday after work, to enjoy a weekend of hopeful sunshine in the Highlands. Just before Emily was born we decided to have a 'last' night away on Loch Chon in the Trossachs, as we imagined our wandersome life may be somewhat curtailed for the foreseeable future...that was last October.

Picture perfect views at Loch Chon 2012

Three and a half weeks before E-day

And so it was that I returned from work last Friday with the sun still splitting the sky, brimming with wanderlust, and suggested to Mummy that we once more race up to Loch Chon and give the supreme being a taste of our life before she arrived. Mummy thankfully jumped at the chance and we quickly packed and piled our things into Doodoo. One immediate problem became apparent as it was obvious we were no longer able to bolt out the blocks and travel quite as light as before. But it wasn't long before the car seat, pushchair, baby bath, bumbo seat, sling, baby backpack and various others toys, teethers and accoutrements were all packed and we were off for Emi's 'first' night of kipping in the van. 

We arrived just in time before the sun set behind the hills and managed to secure the exact same spot as 9 months before. It was magic...better than we could have dreamed :-).

A quick paddle before bathtime

The bathroom had a view to die for

Bathtime al fresco is magic!!

Location = 8 out of 10

Daddy's cooking = 2 out of 10

Video clip: Verdict = whirling hands for 10 out of 10

Despite all the excitement the supreme being managed to sleep right through the night, the fresh air must have done the trick. Mummy and Daddy even got a wee bit of time watching the sunset kept warm by a fire on the beach. There's hope yet for the old life...

Daddy finally chilling by the fire

No longer a second hand child...

The supreme being loves the sun

I have a theory that Glasgow gets a proper summer every 7 or 8 years. I have been here 15 years and this is my third decent summer, so it must be true. It really is glorious this year though. And with the supreme being in tow, we have spent hours and hours happily wandering around the place - just enjoying 'being' in the sun. 

There's something about this year though that feels very different. Seeing Emily delight at the sight of a flower or the sound of a bird has made me start to look at our amazing world with new eyes, and just appreciate the very simple things in life. Our daughter is growing up fast. They say that time speeds up when you have children. We can't believe she's nearly 9 months old. Where did it go?

Up to now she has been a second-hand child. A big thank you to everyone who has donated things to us, and another big thank you to everyone who has donated things to charity shops which we have bought for her. However, the other day I took the urge to dig deep and splash out £3.20 on a paddling pool from Mothercare. Emi took to it at once... summer is now complete!! Happy summer everyone - hope the sun is shining wherever you are...

Heaven is a paddling pool on a summers day

Video clip: Summer fun with the wee one

The little people...

Whilst the supreme being has not quite mastered the intricacies of our family tree, she has started to enjoy the company of her cousins. She likes little people, they are more her size and are more at her level, and they certainly don't try and wipe her face or nose clean with a wet cloth like Mummy and Daddy do.

We've recently spent two weekends visiting little people - firstly for cousin Dylen's 2nd birthday in Edinburgh, and then to cousins Rosie (6) and Abbie (4) in North Berwick.

 

Dylen loved his 2nd birthday

 Bathtime with cousins is SO much fun

She loved both trips and spent the whole time smiling away at her new found friends. In fact she loved the little people so much that we went in search of more of them with a trip to Pressmennan Woods.

Elusive creatures live amongst the old dying trees in Pressmennan Wood. Glingbobs and Tootflits have made the wood their home, and those with keen eyes can often see the signs of their habitation. The Glingbob is part woodlouse and part bumble bee.  It lives on the forest floor and its home is always found at the base of a dead or dying tree.  The Tootflit on the other hand is part dragonfly and part weevil and can fly, and so inhabits the woodland canopy.

 The cousins prepare for the search

Knocking to see if Glingbob Bombi Noffnuff is at home

Decision time on whose house to visit next

 Excitedly searching for the elusive little people

But unfortunately all good times must come to an end. And so the cousins all headed back to their respective homes having found where the Glingbobs and Tootflits lived, but what they did not see were the creatures themselves. Apparently they are there though – but they are very, very shy, and were no doubt watching from a safe distance.

Homeward bound

The little people wore the supreme being out

Sandwich fortnight...

Growing up in a racket sport crazed family meant that the annual arrival of Wimbledon was clearly pencilled in to the family calendar every year. For two weeks in early summer life revolved around the tennis matches being battled out in SW19. Family legend has it that in the days running up to the start of play, my mother would be busy in the kitchen preparing a mountain of sandwiches the likes of which were undreamed of when John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich, slapped some cheese between two bits of bread. All catering was cancelled during Wimbledon fortnight, the Rooke family being forced to slowly work it's way through this bread Himalaya for the duration of play.

Whether truth actually resembles history is still a matter of heated debate, but whatever the reality Wimbledon will forever be known to me as 'Sandwich Fortnight'. And for the record, I have made a couple of tactical calls to my dad this year to check he hasn't starved by the fourth round.

 

Aspriations were high from an early age...

Like the Rooke child she is, the supreme being has taken a very keen interest in the tennis during her first Wimbledon. So much so, it has been extraordinarily difficult to get her to bed at any semblance of a decent time since it began. She's taken to sitting in her little seat watching 'Today at Wimbledon' while Mummy and Daddy are nodding off on the sofa, and getting visibly upset when the days play is over. Oh well, at least its only a fortnight...and I for one am well conditioned to not having a hot meal during Wimbledon.

Tension is high with Murray in the 3rd round

Let the summer's parties begin...

Glasgow is not famed for the longevity of its summer. In fact some years I am not sure that the Weegie summer has warranted being called a 'season' in its own right, having regularly failed to differentiate itself from any of the others - particularly the rainy ones. This year was Emily's first, and we were praying for long, hazy summer days - the sort that went on forever just like when you were a kid, or at least that's how your memory serves. Whatever, we wanted a summer to remember.

Despite being somewhat slow out the blocks, our warm sunny weather had been rapidly picking up since our holiday and so we gingerly upacked the carnival gear and barbeques and braced ourselves for the inevitable torrential downpours that accommpany the lighting of the first charcoal. However, the summer monsoon didn't arrive. And, whilst I wouldn't compare the weather to that of the Med, the past few weeks have been more than agreeable (although that's probably just put the kibosh on it). Still, the good weather has seen us enjoying some barbeques, picnics and festivals in the sun, a proper treat by Glasgow standards.

A boat trip on Scotland's only lake (Lake of Menteith)

Picnic at Inchmahome Priory with Grandma and Grandad

Where's the rain gone?

 Grandad still working his voodoo magic

Following this most gorgeous day out to the Trossachs, it was carnival time at the West End Festival. Having been in Glasgow's West End for 15yrs, I've really taken to the carnival. It certainly doesn't rival a Mardi Gras in Rio, or even get close to its sibling in Notting Hill, but it does have a wonderful atmosphere and never ceases to impress with enthusiastic amateurism and community joie de vivre.

This was Emily's first taste of a festival and we were slightly concerned that she might be somewhat over-loaded by the feast to the senses that festivals bring. Maybe she was or maybe she wasn't - we'll never really know as she slept through the whole proceedings despite the efforts of a passing samba band and some taiko drummers.

The sun saw the crowds flock to Byres Road

3 carnival ladies and a mighty fine dragon

The following week saw the Glasgow Mela (Scotland's biggest multi-cultural festival) bring an extravaganza of music, dance, food and entertainment to the West End. It was a fantastic weekend and another chance for the supreme being to get a taste for festival life. Our dear Emily though once again had other plans, sleeping through the Punjabi dancers, Bhangra drummers, West African percussionists and Samba ensembles. Some truly somnifacient performances!

One, two, three, zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

And so our sunshine summer continued to the mighty NCT barbeque - seven bairns at seven months, with seven maws and seven paws. I thought we had over-catered but totally failed to underestimate the scale of feeding that can take place with a frenzy of breast feeding mothers. It might not have been pretty, but at least we weren't left with many leftovers. A good time was had by all, Emily stayed awake for at least some of it and the rain held off for nearly the whole time...long may this summer of parties continue.

Mummy stocking up in case rationing was suddenly re-introduced

Miraculously we somehow managed a group photo

Frolicking in Fife...

Barring the odd day trip, the East Neuk of the Kingdom of Fife is an unexplored part of Scotland's central belt for us. Nestled between Edinburgh and Dundee, the area is famed for its pretty harbour villages, lovely beaches, fish and chips and more hours of sunshine than elsewhere in 'Europe's sun capital' Scotland. So with the fine weather continuing we stocked up on extra sun cream and headed off from Torridon to Pittenweem.

Picturesque Pittenweem 

Being the second week of the holiday our planning was a little on the light side, but this was soon overcome by a quick study of T's parents Fife Coast path map, Tripadvisors Fife top 10 and some in depth research on the proliferation of leaflets in the kitchen of our cottage for the week. So our weeks itinerary was soon sorted, and with Doodoo's warning light miraclously clearing itself, the Fife adventure began.

Our arrival in Fife took us past Tentsmuir, a favourite beach of a sadly departed dear friend of mine, Reuben. And a quick stop was called for to introduce the supreme being to the delights of the seaside holiday and reminisce about some fond memories with Reuben. Then it was on to a bus ride to nearby Elie for lunch in the sun and a glorious coast walk back...

Mummy enjoying more Scottish seafood delights

The coast path looking onto the Isle of May in the distance

Day two saw the weather take a wee turn for the worse, and so we retreated to spend a day mingling with the young jet-set in St Andrews. Our daughters love of fish (see post on the tao of fish) meant we couldn't resist a trip to the St Andrews aquarium, but bizarrely, despite seeing some massive and exotic specimens, it was the meerkats that captured the day and the imagination.

This minor rainy blip was quickly forgotten and the next days saw sunny trips to Cambo House and gardens, Kellie castle and more beaches. This was the most time I had spent with the supreme being since she was born. Two weeks of uninterrupted time with Emi was simply amazing. I got to watch her develop and was really learning how to be with her all day, every day. Despite our daughter being truly wonderful, motherhood is a tough task and I really began to appreciate the every day dilemmas for T. Still, we had the discovery of toes, the fascination of watching the wee one learn to eat, and first gum brushing to keep us entertained and recompense any sleep deprivation.

NBF's (new best friends) - the Meerkat family

The discovery of toes

Baby-led weaning going well - a pepper lunch

 Video clip: How to brush one's gums

Another gorgeous Fife coast town - this time Crail

Quality Dad-Daughter time (part 3)

An ice cream a day kept Mummy's blues away :-)

Our final day was a scorcher so we decided to take the boat trip to the Isle of May, which is a tiny island in the Firth of Forth managed by Scottish Natural Heritage. During the height of the breeding season on May, over 200,000 seabirds of 14 species can nest on the island, including Puffins, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots, Shags, Fulmars, Oystercatchers, Eider ducks, and various species of Tern and Gull. It was an amazing day, and one that Emi loved, she even got to try her first fish and chips from the 'Best Fish and Chip Shop' in the UK (allegedly) in Anstruther.

Puffin-tastic Isle of May

First fish and chips with Dad!

And so the holiday sadly came to an end and we resigned ourselves to returning back to Glasgow. One member of the team though had other ideas and Doodoo decided to vote with his battery by failing to start - the warning light was back! A visit from the local breakdown service soon had us back on the road though, and we all headed back to Glasgow via a pit stop at friends in Falkland, albeit with warning light flashing all the way. Despite this final twist, it was a brilliant two weeks, and if this was a taste of family holidays to come then long may they continue :-)

A view to remember our holiday by

The supreme being addresses the nation...

During our first week on holiday in Torridon the supreme being decided she would like to record her first message to the nation. She wished you all to know what a lovely holiday she was having and give you an insight into her world and her everyday adventures.

I hope you enjoy her first oratory appearance and appreciate the finer points of her address to you all. It's possibly not the most intelligible thing you will ever have heard, but like all great leaders, I fancy she wished to leave something for the imagination - either that or she had been pilfering Daddy's beer again.

Video: The supreme being's first address