Coast to Coast...

What a glorious fortnight enjoying Scotland’s coasts. First up was a brief overnight for us all in North Berwick and Ly’s first ever visit to the sea. We enjoyed an amazing evening walk down the beach (and then I watched John rock a 50th!); then John and I did a glorious beach run; we spent a day on the surf body boarding; before a trip for cake with a view at Drift; and finally all topped off with fish and chips on the beachfront. Ly loved the sea and fully embraced the spirit of adventure and beach life. The look on her face and screaming whilst body boarding made it all feel so special.

And then this weekend was my summer birthday treat away with T. We zipped off to Dunoon lunchtime on Friday, arriving away from it all on the ferry in a record 1.5hrs. Then a trip and walk round Ardentinny and another walk near Benmore before a lovely home cooked meal back at our accommodation ‘The Hidden Place’. Next day was lots more glorious walking including highlights of the atmospheric Pucks Glen and the views over the Clyde and Loch Long from the Camels Hump, before an amazing al fresco sun-kissed barbeque at the Tryst in Dunoon. Next morning the weather was turning and rain set in – so we beat a hasty retreat to our old stomping ground of the West End of Glasgow. A last minute reservation at Crabshakk and a surprise of hitting the final day of the West End Festival, meant that no amount of rain could spoil our fun. We had an amazing time and the food at Crabshakk didn’t disappoint. What a weekend! Thanks to my beautiful wife 😘...

On North Berwick beach

Fun in the surf

The evening view

50th birthday breakfast of champions

Peaceful views onto Loch Long (with nuclear weapons just around the corner)

Big trees on the Big Tree Trail

Pucks Glen

The Clyde, Loch Long and Holy Loch

BBQ delight

Rockin in the Rain

Birthday picnic

Homegrown...

The last few weeks have seen an abundance of homegrown activity and action.

There’s been a spontaneous action in the shape of a bank holiday mini-festival in our backgarden. Tent erected; sleepovers for Niomi and Emily; Ly and us hosted guests; all over 3 days with lots of food, drink, firepits and merriment. We’ve also said a good bye to our nesting blue tits. That was a long-time birdwatch with our nestbox camera installed in February and charting first contact, nestbuilding, waiting, egg laying (8), hatching (5), and fledging (only 1). An eye opener on bird mortality and the challenges life can bring. We’ve also successfully grown 13 butterflies, with Emily and Niomi loving their release but Ly not so keen on crawly things! And then there's all our regular sunny homegrown dinners outside - with many, many meals involving friends (mainly Emily and Niomi's but sometimes others). Ly has really taken to cooking and Tanya and her regularly serve up new delights...including sushi!!

We’ve learned that homegrown is wonderful (but also quite hard work and can be faced with challenges).

Also on the homegrown front Emily is growing in experience at her sewing (making clothes now), flute (end of year concert) and dance (successful show and dance exams). Niomi is loving Brownies and her reading is coming on just grand. Both girls got great reports from school. And finally Ly is making great progress with her English. And I’m just proud of all of them. 😁.

And on the not so homegrown we’ve had recent trips out to Dumfries House, the Kirky Gala and lots of walking and cycling round and about. And all in glorious sunshine.

Sometimes life just feels good.

The crew at Dumfries House maze

Emily Dancer!!

Videoclip: Birdbox 2023

Or you can watch the videoclip here

Mischief making at the Wells

Sushi!!

Butterfly keeper 1

Butterfly keeper 2

Welcome Ly...

So Ly (pronounced Lee) has been living with us for just over a month and already seems to be one of the family. She's so lovely - great with Emily and Niomi, a real help round the house and a truly happy and gentle personality. She's fitted right in.

There's been lots of stuff to entertain her and lots of stuff for her to learn. She came here with pretty much no English but already our communication is much less reliant on Google translate. Her desire to learn is really apparent and she's enrolled in the school at the end of our street - and apparently quite good at maths!

And everything is just one massive learning curve. She's learning how to use a mobile phone, a microwave, washing machine and an oven. She's learning all about our food and our culture. She's learning to find her way around using train and bus. Every day seems to bring a new experience of one kind or another.

There's also been trips to the Campsies, Edinburgh, the Five Sisters Zoo, Science Centre, ten pin bowling, the cinema and lots more. Plus endless appointments with doctors, opticians, lawyers and others to help her settle in to the UK.

But we're only just beginning - there's a whole summer full of adventures to come. Sometimes she's understandably a bit tired with everything that's going on as its pretty full on, but generally she seems to be taking it nearly all in her stride. And we're loving having her here.

Welcome to our home Ly - we hope you'll be very happy here 💖

First day at school

First meetings

Feedling lemurs at Five Sisters Zoo

Finglen

Growing at the Science Centre

Pedalling...

Month 4 of my 50th year, and a challenge lay in store. A cycle race taking place right around the iconic Loch Ness and offering the chance to cycle 106 km on traffic free roads. The circular closed-road route around the loch starts and finishes in Inverness, offering over 1,000 m of ascent. The literal highlight being a brutal King of the Mountain stage which is 7.72 km of climb gaining 380 m in height with a gradient reaching 12% at times. Phew!

I'd trained well so physically I knew I'd be ok but my nerves were getting the better of me and I had zero sleep the night before. It was an early start, up at 4.45am despite staying just a few hundred yards from the start/finish. A nervy breakfast, kit on, and away to the start line for 6am. It was a harsh day - the temperature felt like 1°, rain was forecast and there was a strong NNE wind gusting up 30mph. This didn't do much for my nerves but it was too late and very soon we were off.

It took me about 15miles to find my stride but I was soon enjoying some hazy views above Loch Ness in and amongst the other 6,000 riders. It was a great atmosphere and I soon forgot all about the weather and just settled into pedalling to Fort Augustus before the big climb. I made not bad time and turned back into the wind and began the ascent. It was pretty brutal but just over 44 minutes later I heard the piper playing at the top and I was there. And from then on I was flying. A big descent and then a long rolling section around the loch and Inverness was in my sight. Upping the pace I arrived in Inverness, high on adrenaline and feeling tip top. 4hr 46mins (which included 11minutes of pie eating), putting me almost in the top third. I was pretty chuffed considering it was the furthest I'd ever cycled, and all done before lunch on a Sunday. Quick shower and change and then out for a few beers and food. I slept well that night!! Would I do it again....well yes, just maybe I might...

The Loch Ness Five

At the top of the King of the Mountain

Pedalling for Inverness

Finish!

A wonderful welcome back home!

Truly spoiled...

Easter is often a family time, and we had plenty of that this year, ending up truly spoiled by the end of it all. First up was a trip to see the Southern Rookes (aka the Bucks Rookes) down in High Wycombe. But also for the first time the trip included seeing my Dad in his new lodgings nearby in Marlow. Things haven't really gone to plan for him since his stay in hospital and he's now moved to a care home - it's not been the easiest few months for him - so hopefully this will see him more settled as its a really lovely place. Still he must have had a whale of a time as we had him out every day with us whilst we were there.

So what did we get up to beside seeing Grandads new pad? Well Legoland was the highlight for the kids (and possibly us all) - Grandad came too although didn't make the rollercoasters. We loved the Lego and the all the rides, but the whole vibe of the day was just lovely. Then we also had Easter Egg hunts, a trip to Cliveden House and the girls all visited the Roald Dahl museum. Lots of fun. But I think the best bit was the great hospitality - food, fun and laughter with the Bucks Rookes. Thank you so much for being amazing hosts.

And then hot on the heels we whizzed up to Banchory to stay with Tanya's folks in Banchory. The kids (and us all) love staying with Nana and Baba and as usual we were very spoiled. There was the usual entertainment round abouts but there was also a High Tea for all the girls including the Gurney girls who were all also staying in Banchory. I was working but I still got a good run up Scolty with John, and another run round Crathes. We had a lovely day out to Loch Kinord and also a lovely meal out at the local curry house. Truly spoiled once more we returned ready for next adventures.

And what was that? Well our young visitor from Sudan, Jazoli left for the big smoke of Glasgow a few weeks ago but now we have welcomed Ly a young girl from Vietnam into our lives. She arrived on Monday but by the end of day 4 we think she's settling in very well and is a great hit with everyone. Hopefully less camera shy we might get a photo on here soon! She doesn't have much English yet though so thank god for Google translate. Anyway in an effort to pay 'our being truly spoiled' forward we're trying to make her feel very welcome.

The girls enjoying Legoland

Ninjago

Spoiled by desserts

Spoiled by chocolate

Grandad getting in on the action

Easter bunnies

The Easter Rookes

On Loch Kinord with Nana and Baba

Back to front...

Geez. So much is happening I can't keep up. In fact it's making me lose time. For the record I've realised I've forgotten some weekends and should put down for posterity a few key events in the Rooke Family which happened BEFORE the last blog post....All gone back to front I tell you.

So flash back in time to our ceilidh in February, which was followed very swiftly by Tanya's birthday. Slightly toned down this year but it did include a tasty inpromptu trip for high tea to the Broadcroft, courtesy of friends Katy and Nico.

Then a few days later my niece arrived with her boyfriend Alex. They brought with them sunshine both in spirit and in weather. It was a real tonic having them to stay, the girls loved it and so did we - particularly as Tanya and I got a day out to climb Ben Lomond AND then go out for dinner. Alex is a really, really lovely guy from the Netherlands and we had a lot of fun together. He's great company and it was a real pleasure meeting him. But sadly when they both left they took a little bit of that sunshine with them. Thank you for visiting us, looking after the kids, and please, please come back and bring more sunshine soon!

And then next up was the Hillwalkers weekend away to Pitlochry, which was equally blessed with sunshine. Our trip up turned into a 4 hour nightmare due to road closures but after a pitstop with a fellow hillwalker, Andy in Dunblane, we made it. Walks up Ben Vrackie and around Dunkeld were really amazing, and Niomi did herself proud on Ben Vrackie - climbing all the way up aided by a massive bag of Haribo. I particularly loved hugging the Birnam Oak. At 600 years old it felt deeply mystical and wise.

And all that was before my weekend in Milan. Phew...no wonder I can't keep up.

Birthday Girl - still crazy after all these years 😁

Maximum cake effort - I did well

Chloe and Alex

Ben Lomond - nothing wrong with our half century legs

The bench of sociability

Hillwalkers Assembled

The Birnam Oak

Atop Ben Vrackie

Marvellous Milano…

Part of my 50th plans was a trip to Madrid Milan with some great friends. (We were originally going to Madrid but EasyJet cancelled on us). I wasn’t really sure what to expect but I have to say it absolutely blew me away. I was seriously impressed:

Some things not to do in Milan:

1. Don’t spend all your time going from place to place on their wonderful Metro. Whilst it is wonderful – super quick and efficient, you will miss seeing a new sight round every corner, some stunning architecture and just absorbing the amazing atmosphere in the city. Take a bike tour or walk instead.
2. Don’t try to find good restaurants on trip advisor before you go. Every restaurant seemed to be pretty tasty if you ask me. Wander around and look till something tickles your fancy.
3. Don’t just stick to the old parts of the centre, some of the modernist architecture was really imaginative and just as amazing. The centre is huge and encompasses so much, but don’t just see the sights, there really are many, many sights slightly off the beaten track that are just as worth it. We didn’t make it inside the Duomo nor did we visit the Last Supper. Both I thought were must-dos but I didn’t feel like we missed out.
4. Don’t think Milan is just style and shopping. Whilst there is plenty of that (there are an endless number of exceptionally stylish places to shop, eat and drink), there is also a whole lot more to Milan than that.

But we didn’t just while away the hours in Milan, we also did a day trip to Lake Como and a half day to Bergamo. The whole area was just fantastic…

Key take-aways:

1. It all felt very ‘civilised’ – a wonderful culture, aperitivos are great, sunshine helps, everything worked, and it just felt – well – very nice. I could get used to that.
2. Ambition in town planning makes for truly stunning places to visit. The Milanese seemed to have protected their history and embraced the future really well.
3. Cycle tours, particularly those a little off the beaten track, are a really effective and cool way to see a city.
4. Tenants Super is a delicacy in Milan. And a small bottle, strolling through a park with some roasted chestnuts is actually not too bad.
5. Milan is twice the population of Glasgow but its city centre must be 4 or 5 times the size. And all of it packed with sights, tastes, style and atmosphere.
6. Its fine to leave somewhere unfinished. Particularly if you like somewhere. Gives you plenty of reasons to return.
7. And finally, wandering around having great conversation with some great friends in a great place is a really great thing to do.

So a big thumbs up for Milano. And a massive thank you to Colin, Andrew and John for a truly amazing trip and making my 50th even more memorable. And also a thank you to our respective partners and kids for letting us go off and enjoy ourselves for a few days. You know we're worth it.

(Oh and also thanks to John for taking most of the photos below!)

Arrival in civilisation

The local mall

The local park

Classy and stylish

Pootling around Chinatown

The modern was very cool

Living living

The canals with plenty of life

Pick a spot for dinner

Duomo

The side of Lake Como

The view for lunch

Bergamo

I miei amici