Borrow my doggy....

Sometimes parents can be a wee bit cunning. We love walking. The fresh air, the great outdoors, the beautiful scenery round about. It's even well documented that it's good for you. Kids however think walking is a mild form of torture. They get bored, don't see the point and the views are well, frankly, just lost on them.

The answer? Borrow My Doggy.... Meet Sassy. Half lab, half jack russell and a touch of an akita, she's a total whirlwind of energy and excitement. We borrow her once or twice a week and go for a walk. She loves it, her owners love it, and, most importantly, the kids love it. We go for huge walks now without so much as a whimper. Sorted! Everyone with walk shy children should try it. And she's great fun - it's a pleasure taking her out.

And we kinda get a pet without most of the looking after part. Double bonus. Parents 2, Kids 0.

Meet Sassy

Happy, smiling, walking faces

Who's walking who?

On top of a hill and everyone was happy!!

Videoclip: Sassy the Whirlwind

Or you can watch the video here

Climate change...

As October drew to an end the climate changed from our autumn slowdown, and it all became wonderfully hectic for a few weeks. Crazy times indeed but for us it was all a really, really special time.

First up was a Halloween Party at friends Yvonne and Wilf's - and boy did they know how to do a spooky party. A trail of torches led to the front door and from then the kids were captivated by ghoulish devilry for the next few hours, culminating in buried treasure in the garden. It was scarily awesome! Thanks so much to them for all the effort they put in - left to us the kids would get the bare bones for Halloween. And they left laden down with sweets!

Next day, I was whisked off to help with the return of the Kirky Picture Palace, including the new James Bond complete with a DB9 parked outside...Then with barely a pause for breath it was Emily's 9th birthday party - an Escape Room special. And then later that day it was off to the bus station to meet and greet the family from India staying with us for COP26.

COP had been taking up some of my time at work in recent weeks, and we'd been talking about what we could do differently in our lives as well as for the COP fortnight. T really played her part painting banners with the kids, attending events, encouraging things at the school and taking Emily on the Friday for Futures march. (We even squeezed in a sneaky non-COP related trip to see Beauty and the Beast in Edinburgh). And I'm really proud of how we all carried out our own small part in the whole climate change conference; but what I'm most proud of, and what I truly loved the most, was hosting the Banker family from Gudjarat.

The Bankers became very much part of our home for COP. They brought with them smiles and happiness, as well as suitcases full of Indian snacks! We gave them a place to stay, a tour of Kirkintilloch, helped them orientate themselves, and ran rescue missions from wrong buses and missed PCR tests! We all joined together in the festivals of Diwali and Bonfire Night, with fire and fireworks. We shared food, conversation, knowledge, joy and laughter together. And when they left our lives felt slightly dimmed by their parting, but we had made firm friends and wonderful memories to cherish. It was a climate change of all that is good in the world, reminding me that what we have in common is much more than what makes us different; sitting on this precious world journeying together - our lives intrinsically intertwined whether we know it or not.

Little Witch

Carved pumpkins that gave us 6kg of orange flesh in the freezer

Scary snacks

Scary Daddy!

9 years old - a young lady

Sometimes we don't just buy second hand! Priceless...

Videolip: Emily's 9th Birthday

Or you can view the video here

Banner painting to line the streets for COP

Eco-protest - making me proud!

The lovely Bankers

The Homestay Crew

Videoclip: COP

Or you can view the video here

Growing pains...

We have 2 wonderful children. We're truly blessed. But there can be no denying that they're very different - and as they get older those differences can play out in so many differing ways.  

Emily was once known as 'the Supreme Being' - the world revolving around her as the first born. As she got older she lost that becoming a very charming, sweet, biddable and altogether good-natured child. Everyone said so. Add a few more years and she's now just starting to fight back to reclaim her title. Battles with her sister, battles with her parents - never did these things appear before but now they do. That is when her head's not in a book - which is where it is most of the time. She lives in a land of books filled with adventure and magic, truly artistic and creative - but the practicalities of life can be somewhat left behind judging by the mess she can leave in her wake....

Niomi on the other hand, has always had to fight her corner. She's always had competition so has learned to express herself - generally quite loudly. She can be boistrous, strong willed, determined, obstinate - sometimes enough to make you scream. But then the other side can emerge - a kinder child I've not met - she gives away all her toys and possessions, no one ever leaves without a gift. And she'd lend anything, especially to her sister whom she idolises. And despite her bouncy, bumpy, tumbly, Tigger-like nature - she's also strangely, incredibly neat...

Oh yes - we have 2 wonderful children - but yes, they're very different.

And just like every family as they get older, sometimes both of them fight with each other, sometimes they both ignore their parents and sometimes they answer back. These are the growing pains of life.

Angels

The other side

Tigger

The Bookworm

Videoclip: Being ignored...

You can watch the video here

September-ventures

Our summer season this year finished in style. Three weekends, two of which were long, of back to back fun and adventure. Even DDU joined in for two of them.

First up was a van-venture to Marthrown of Mabie – hippy heaven – for a weekend of composting toilets and solar showers. We arrived with fish and chips to fuel a race against the dark to get everything set up. There was hardly anyone there as there’d been a large scale Covid-cancellation. This suited us, as it meant the kids ran free under a stunning starscape up above. That said I felt dreadful with the cold (no Covid just cold) and was forced to put my best brave face on. Next day we explored about, the girls went wild swimming in a nearby loch and we entertained friends Fiona, Frank and family who’d travelled from Kirkcudbright for bbq and blether. A great eve. Then the next day it was back up the road – a short sojourn but it was awesome to be out in such stunning surroundings. I think my favourite was the loo with the view!

Next up was our ‘annual’ trip with all the Gediks and Gurneys to Crieff. And what an amazing time we all had! Awesome food and awesome company – plus we crammed in horse riding, swimming, an adventure playground, football golf, walks, runs, dancing, yoga, Nana’s birthday party, escape room and a trip to Drummond Gardens. Wow! Boy did we have fun, and it was so great to catch up with everyone all together after what had been far too long.

And then finally it was a long weekend in the van to Cobleland, near Aberfoyle. This time we were taking it easier with showers forecast and us all feeling slightly tired. DDU even added his tuppence worth with a bright red flashing oil alarm sounding on the way up, but all ‘looked’ fine after some slight increase in stress levels. The kids however thrived – finding friends aplenty and left us to chat our way round the campsite meeting everyone from moth experts to waffle makers! It was a lovely few days including a cycle to town and Mummy had her own wild swim from Kinlochard Community Beach. However very heavy rain was forecast so we beat a hasty retreat slightly earlier than intended (as did most of the campsite) – and when the rain came we all agreed that was the best move by far.

So adventured out. We’re now ready for autumn.

DDU all on his tod

Literally the 'view from the loo' at Marthrown

Playmates

The morning stretch

Ready for the riding

That's us! By Rosie

The most amazing football golf course ever

Drummond Gardens

The Crieff Crew

Videoclip: Crieff Fun

To view the video click here

On the pier at Kinlochard

Kinlochard Community Beach

Feeding the family...

I might have built the greenhouse. And I also built the veg beds. But that's where my art finished...This year Tanya has taken everything to do with the veg. And she's literally fed the family all summer.

It's been a bumper crop this year - Mother Earth has done us proud with what she's provided, and Mother Tanya has done us proud with all the hours of graft and tender care she's put in. It's been one tasty summer to be sure.

The veg beds have given us peas, radishes, beetroot, rocket, lettuce, broad beans, runner beans, potatoes, chard, kale and pumpkin. And the greenhouse has been a roaring success - at least 4 varieties of tomatoes (we are currently cropping masses every day) and some really excellent cucumbers. Fruit success has been blueberries, raspberries and blackberries but not such a good year for our plums, pears, apples, cherries (as normal but we keep trying!) and black/redcurrants. Still we've picked plenty of things for chutney making, blackberry glaze and for the first time rowanberry and rosemary jelly! And there's even a little veg saved in the freezer for Christmas Day.

And whilst we've also learned some harder lessons on the way - every year gives a little bit more - and there's been a good 4 months of delicous home-grown delights!! Next year we're expanding with more fruit and rhubarb...and maybe another couple of veg beds if I can get round to it! So you and your families are all welcome anytime for a slice of homegrown pie.

In full growth

All the varieties - that's a small daily crop!

Epic cucumbers!

First time for the rowanberries

Now THAT'S a sunflower!

About half the potato crop

One of three jumbo pumpkins

Has beans?

Water, water, everywhere....

Believe it or not, sometimes I get to be in charge. Yup - it's true! Mummy takes off for a couple of weekends (well a weekend and a day trip but a couple of weekends sounds more epic), and I get to do what I want with the kids. Anything could happen...

But like all responsible Dad's when left in charge I found 50ft waterfall and plunge pool, chucked the kids in and watched if they swam or drowned. Sorted. And then followed impromptu late night/sleepover. I drank beer with friend Liam, whilst his girls and mine had a complete ball making slime, watching movies and having a whole heap of fun. Sorted.

Next day was an equally simple affair - lazy morning, trip to movies, loads of popcorn, sweets etc and then everyone collapses into bed early on Sunday eve. Done.

Next weekend - day trip on repeat. Skoosh. I'm the Daddy and Daddy's in charge.

But then with the return of Mummy and normality, the next weekend was a more sedate swim in Mugdock and then meet up with friends Zan and John. The girls loved their new body boards and were quite happy with pootling about the loch.

Now if someone could just cancel Covid and we could get swimming lessons back on the agenda, then all this water, water everywhere could lead to a whole heap more water fun. Maybe next year...

Fin Glen

Go Emzo! Brave girl...

Fun on Abie's Loch

Loving the new body board

All the girls together

B & B....

B & B = Bed-and-Breakfast

noun

1. an accommodation offered by an inn, hotel, or especially a private home, consisting of a room for the night and breakfast the next morning for one inclusive price.

2. an inn, hotel, or private home offering such an accommodation.

Our favourite B & Bs have to be those that provide us with ‘being truly spoiled’ for the all inclusive price of nothing at all. Great value!! And this can only mean two places - Birmingham and Banchory - homes of parents/grandparents.

Our post-Cotswolds tour continued with a few nights stay in Birmingham with Granddad – where we were treated with a trip out to the Black Country Museum. Having lost my Mum last year, and the challenges that Covid presented seeing Granddad has not been straightforward but, with normal business hopefully resuming, it was great for us all to catch up again. And we had a fine day out going back in time and teaching the girls ‘how ta speak proper.’ We even squeezed in a visit from big cousin, Ruth..... Ta very much Granddad!

And then it was a week back home, before Tanya and the girls high tailed it up to Banchory, with a working me in tow as Baba relinquished his ‘office’ for the week. And the week was truly an Olympic one for the girls. There were trips out to Crathes, Drum, Story Book Glen and Aberdeen, but there was also activities a-plenty with mini-tennis, ice skating, putting, climbing, swimming in the Dee and extreme hide-and-seek. In between working hours I also got to run in the magnificent Deeside scenery, and went out for walks every night with Tanya – total luxury. We were all truly spoiled! Thank you very much Nana and Baba!

Gratitude messages on the Tree of Thanks

Old Street at the Black Country Museum

My childhood favourite 'Beep Beep'

Aberdeen City Beach - 'Italian Takeaway' - apparently!!

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

The big man HD

And so they went to the ball...

Spa treatment by the Dee! 

And a paddle too

Niomi No Fear

Rain meant lunch in the boot!

One of many stunning evening walks

Videoclip: The Banchory Olympics

To watch the video click here