Birthday on Millport

Last week the entire family went over to the Isle of Great Cumbrae to help my sister Lesley celebrate her (in whispered words) 40th birthday. Of course I forgot to take pictures to use in this blog, so have been forced to use the one above that shows Millport in less sunnier weather.

Anyway, the day we went the sun was splitting the sky. We arrived in Largs (home of the famous Nardini ice-cream…yum!) around lunchtime to catch the ferry across to the island. Armed with folding chairs (which we barely got to sit on…more about that later), a picnic and lots to drink (non alcoholic!), me, hubby and the weans got on the ferry for the (what felt like) five minute trip across the water.

We disembarked at the other end – along with lots of other people – and caught the waiting bus down to Millport.

We met up with Lesley and the rest of the family at The Garrison House (former barracks/captain’s house built in 1745, which is now a community cafe, museum and centre) and spent a few happy hours under the shade of the trees, eating too much, chatting, watching the kids running around and generally having a nice time. We also paddled in the sea, something I’ve not done in Scotland for a long time. Yes, the water was freezing, but you soon get used to it! We had ice-creams all round and about 4pm, when the temperature was not even thinking about falling even slightly, we decided we were departing. Being a pale northerner, I had had enough of the heat and was desperate to get home and into the shade of a cool house. En route home we had the obligatory fish n chips in the car (it’s traditional in our family that on the return from a trip to the seaside we have fish and chips for dinner as a treat or in our case: two sausage suppers and chips for the kids. Heaven!).

I think the best bit of the day was the reaction my youngest had to the travelling. My boy was very excited: not only did he get to go on a ferry, but on a bus too. You forget that kids are so used to being driven everywhere these days, that a bus trip is about the most exciting thing to happen to them. In my day it was the other way round.

Anyway, we had an excellent trip ‘doon the watter’ albeit we didn’t jump on the Waverley to get there.

Dawn xxx

NB regarding the folding camping chairs which I purchased two of from ASDA the day before the trip specifically for going to Millport – no sooner had one of us (myself or my hubby) get up to see to one of the kids, buy ice-cream or do something else, than one of our family members slipped into our place. They did offer to get up, but I didn’t have the heart to shove my mother or father off of them or Lesley’s friend. The kids weren’t so lucky though! Wooohooo – evil mother laugh.

It’s beautiful outside, but the Lurgy is visiting

Today is simply gorgeous. The sun is shining. It’s roasting hot and the birds are singing in the trees. But instead of life being like this today…

Or this…

Or even this…

It’s gone a bit pear-shaped. It started this morning with the girl being sick. I told her to take the day off from school, but because it was her school sports day and because she was doing the wheelbarrow race, she wanted to go. She seemed fine, so I sent her to school. I arrived a couple of hours later to watch the races to find she had just been sick again. So I picked her up, picked up all my picnic stuff and took her home (picking up the boy from nursery en route). She’s currently sitting on a fold-up camping chair (bought yesterday for the sports day because I didn’t want to sit on the ground) watching Victorious on Sky. She’s looking peaky, has been sick again, but is otherwise okay.

I blame it all on the fact that her dad wants to go and see Hipsway’s Skin play tonight.

And here’s the reason why…  the last time she had the Lurgy, hubby was on a night out with a couple of friends. He doesn’t go out that often, bless him, but when he does something seems to always go wrong. Anyway, he doesn’t go out a lot, which is why I didn’t call him home when the girl was sick all over her bed, quickly followed by the boy and then me.

I am hoping that today is not a repeat of that night. I want him to enjoy himself without worrying about us. I am feeling a little under the weather myself, but that could be because I’ve just drunk some gassy coke… at least I hope that’s the reason!

Heard from my publisher that DarkIsle 3 (name still to be agreed) should be out around Christmas this year or early next year. I can’t wait!!

Not much else has been happening. I am about to embark on a couple of hours of cleaning the house (boo hiss!) and then I’ll settle down to Joanne Harris’ new book Peaches for Monsieur le Cure. I think it’s common knowledge that Joanne is one of my fave authors and this is the third of the Chocolat trilogy. Already started it and it’s looking good.

Okay am off to clean! Speak to you soon!

Dawn xxx

PS re the last bout of sickness… poor hubby ended up with it too! And it wasn’t a bad pint!

Cola and laptops don’t mix

It’s been a little while since I last blogged and I don’t really have an excuse for it. I suppose I was taking an unofficial break and also perfecting (finally) bread making! I did go to blog yesterday, but was prevented from doing so thanks to my boy… on Thursday he was playing CBeebies on my laptop whilst drinking a small glass of coke (I’d given it to him as a major treat – I don’t like them drinking too many fizzy drinks). Anyway, he accidentally tipped about half the glass on to my laptop. I was in the other room and was alerted by his cries. I rushed in, mopped up the mess and shut the laptop down hoping it would start up again once it had dried overnight…it didn’t. Despite punching the on button several times, taking out the battery, giving it a shake etc etc, my poor old laptop was dead. I spent yesterday ranging between being angry at him, lamenting the loss of my computer and worrying about how much it would cost to fix (if it could be fixed).

Then a thought struck me…I wondered if I could fix it myself.

So with the  help of my android phone, I looked on the internet, found what I was looking for and before I knew it I had the keyboard off and was giving it a wee clean. Normally I would be too afraid of damaging stuff to do something like that, but I was missing the laptop, missing being on the internet and I thought ‘what the hell’. I put it all back together and with a drumming heart, pressed the on switch.

The laptop burst into life and I felt extremely pleased with myself (and sighed a huge sigh of relief!!!). Anyway, it’s working now…thank goodness!

So going back to bread making. I’ve been making the rustic Spanish loaf from the Hairy Biker’s latest baking book and it’s been working. I tried it first by kneading the dough in my food processor and got great results. Then I tried it by hand….and I actually made something edible!! Here’s the proof…

I’ve also been working on my two small quilts I made the kids. They are a bit wonky, but the kids like then and that’s all that matters. They’ve been wrapping themselves in them at night and snuggling down to sleep.

Dawn xxxx

 

PS had to resend this blog again because I’d forgotten to give it a title and for some reason the bread image didn’t show…oooops!

It’s always nice to hear from readers

Got a lovely surprise today when I looked at my comments. There was a really nice message sent from the Primary 7 Blue Reading Group from Duncan Forbes Primary School in Inverness. Just wanted to say a quick ‘hi’ to the group and their teacher!! I’ve replied to your comments and thanks for such nice messages!

 

Dawn xxx

Winning Easter hat and DarkIsle 3 edit complete

It’s amazing what you can do with a glue gun (my new fave thing) and some things from Poundland. My boy came home a couple of weeks ago with a note from nursery asking for an Easter hat/bonnet for a competition they were running for the kids. Cue: mild panic. Cue: mad thoughts about what I could do and where I would get stuff to make a hat from. Cue: more panic. And then the dark clouds of ‘I’m-a-bad-mother-if-I-can’t-do-this’ dissipated when I remembered that every year Poundland (a shop I must admit I love cos I always get fab bargains in it) sells Easter stuff. So during one workday lunchtime I trotted along to the Argyll Street store and picked up: two cowboy style hats with silver sequin headband; a bag of plastic eggs; a box of Easter chicks; some Easter Bunny hair slides; some paper flowers. Added to that was a bag of crepe paper from Tesco and Easter bonnet heaven emerged. Armed with my beloved glue gun, I not only came up with this for the boy (which won, by the way…and how pleased was I at that?? I never win anything…well apart from a national competition a few years ago, but generally I don’t win stuff):

and this for the girl:

I was pretty pleased with myself. I had to laugh though (and I thought this was pretty clever), one of the boys in my boy’s class had a cap on covered with yellow Easter Chicks and the immortal title of Chick Magnet.

So what have I been up to and where have I been for the past couple of weeks? Well, I’ve been finishing off a further edit of DarkIsle 3. I like to take my time with the editing stage because I want the book to be the best it can be and I’m hopeful it won’t need any further editing. Althought it may still do.

I’ve been doing a few Easter type things including doing the National Trust for Scotland’s Easter Egg Hunt at Geilston Gardens on Sunday there. I’ve been catching up on telly – all my fave programmes are back (Game of Thrones, Castle and Murdoch Mysteries). Now I’ve finished editing, I’ve resumed attempting to learn the piano. Am still very much in love with our two guinea pigs and last week ran the Guinea Pig Hotel again (my friend’s two females came to stay whilst they were away on holiday – cue lots of squeaking and interest from the boys in their cage). I’ve done a bit of baking, a mountain of ironing, a tonne of washing and gutted the house. My intention this week is to pick up the knitting needles again and get my boy’s cardie finished. I also have two mini quilts, which I must admit are a bit wonky, to finish. I’ve been reading E Nesbitt’s The Phoenix and the Carpet (so old fashioned, but very enjoyable) and Jane Duncan’s My Friend Flora (I just love her books). I intend to start making my way through the pile of Dickens books soon – well once I’ve finished The Pickwick Papers. I like to read two or three books at once depending on my mood. I’ve also recenly read Goldie Hawn’s book on teaching children mindfulness and I can tell you there’s a lot of wisdom in mindfulness. Now instead of rushing them on, I try and point out things in their environment like birds and plants and interesting houses. It’s made me slow down a bit, which is definitely what I need to do.

I’ve been busy, but it’s been a manageable more relaxed kind of busy.

I also have another book in the offing. It’s one for adults and hope to have that complete by the summer. I’ll tell you more about that when I’m ready.

Anyway, talking of stuff to do, I’d best be off. Hubby’s home in a little while from work and I have meatballs and pasta to make. Yum.

Dawn xx

Just photos…

The River Clyde the other night…

A trip to Edinburgh Castle…

 

Stunning windows…

The clock tower where the crown jewels are housed…

Inside the Great Hall…

Again from the Great Hall…

I just loved these…

Another room in the castle…

The lion…

The horse…

I couldn’t show the crown jewels as you’re not allowed to take images of them, but they were impressive. My favourite pics are of the lion and the horse statues which I just think are really stunning.

The castle wasn’t the only thing I visited in Edinburgh when I was there earlier this week. Also managed to take in the Writers’ Museum which is dedicated to Sir Walter Scott, Rabbie Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson…all writers I admire. Plus finally got round to visiting the National Gallery. I’d never been before and I just loved wandering around its warm rooms gazing at pictures I’d only seen in books. It was a very enjoyable day.

Dawn xxx

She’s wants a Munchkin costume…by the end of the week!

I try my best to be a good mother: I make things for my kids, I look out for great things to do or things to cut out and stick. However, I drew the line when my daughter today asked if I could make her a Munchkin costume as she and her schoolmates were putting on The Wizard of Oz and could she have the costume by the end of the week?

“End of the week?” I exclaimed, choking on the words.

“Well I’ll give you two weeks then!” she replied. “Could you put lots of flowers on it? I need to look like a flower.”

I had to explain to her that a Munchkin costume could not be produced in two weeks because I work and because I’d have to buy the material, create a pattern, cut out said pattern and stitch it up.

“When can you do it for then?” she asked, a sulk creeping over her face.

“I don’t know.”

Sigh.

Dawn xx

Red, chrome, Helen Reddy and South Korea

I have a new love and it links beautifully in with a love I’ve had since birth. I’ve recently purchased this…

It’s a Steepletone Roxy 3 that is a record player, CD player, radio and has a USB port…what more could a music lover want? I really like it and it’s meant I can play my records once more. I have quite a large record and single collection stemming back to Bright Eyes (my first purchase) through the 80s right up until the mid 90s when I swapped vinyl for CDs. However, I never got rid of my records because I knew that one day I would buy another record player. And the Roxy is it. As an added bonus, it’s red…my favourite colour…and it’s got chrome (very vintage!). And added to that is that I have a few of my parents’ old record collection (which they gave me when they went to CD), so not only am I doing the 80s and 90s, but the 60s and 70s as well. Anyone for the Carpenters? Helen Reddy? The Beatles?? It’s been a nostalgia fest round here lately!!

Talking of colour, have a look at these lovely things… They are the South Korean versions of DarkIsle and DarkIsle: Resurrection. Unfortunately the second book got a little bashed en route here, but I’ve placed it under a pile of Nigella Lawson cookbooks, so am hoping she’ll sort it out for me!

Dawn x

I need to get a move on!

I need to make some time for myself and actually get back to writing, crafting and playing the piano. I’ve been so busy looking after the kids, doing ironing, cleaning, cooking and going to work that I’ve done nothing for myself. And I really want to do some stuff. Life just seems to  be whizzing by and I can’t catch up. Sigh.

For instance, last weekend, we had my niece to stay overnight on Friday night. My daughter and her are just over a year apart in age and they really love each other. It’s lovely. She’s a gorgeous girl and it was a pleasure having her to stay. My sister – her mum – came to collect her the next day and it was good to catch up. After they left, the girl then had a party to get ready for. I had to drop her at a beauticians in Helensburgh. There she got her nails done, makeup and was generally having a good old girly time. She loved it. Our friend’s hubby, whose daughter also attended the party, dropped her off later. The following day, the girl was at a second party at  a house in the village. When I went to collect her and two of her friends who also live in our estate, I couldn’t find my girl. I searched and called for about ten minutes and couldn’t find her. At the same time, parents were collecting children, there were people everywhere and the noise and confusion was deafening. I still couldn’t find my girl. I was getting scared. I was imagining the worst. I was starting to feel tearful. Then someone said there was a child through the back in a utility room I didn’t know was there. I ran through and looked and there she was stroking the cat. I was so relieved.

That weekend I also spent a great deal of time: ironing, cooking, running around after weans, clearing out guinea pigs, shopping for food etc. I managed to squeeze a swim in on Sunday morning as usual too, which was great.

This week, it’s been about work, housework, shopping for food and cleaning up (esp the guinea pig’s cage and playpen). Sigh. I did manage to finish the girl’s cardie though.

I need to get a move on and make some time for myself. Today, I have a couple of things to do, but tonight I’m getting back on to editing DI3 now that it’s back from my publisher with comments. I will also practice the piano – I’ve done no practice for about three weeks and it’s killing me – and start the boy’s cardie (he’s been asking about it). I also took delivery of a Sizzix Pro machine last week so am itching to make stuff with it.

Dawn x

PS once again the image used in this post has absolutely nothing to do with the text…I just loved the colour.

Guilty! A fight over a pearl earring.

I’ve just had a fight with a guinea pig over a pearl earring that my beloved husband bought me for my 30th birthday. This little culprit (above) was sitting happily on my shoulder when all of a sudden he launched himself at my ear, got a grip of my real pearl earring and decided he was going to munch it. I launched into action, grabbed him and had to prise his jaws open to get  him to release said earring. He nipped me on the neck for my trouble.

Despite his naughtiness, I still love him!

Dawn x