Fathers Day, been and gone.

Busyish weekend what with providing the support vehicle for Brownie Revels and a swimming party on Saturday plus the obligatory spoiling of the paternal half of the beleaguered adults in this family. This involved Garret staying in bed Sunday morning, no change there then and eventually rising in a leisurely manner to partake of some porridge and adoration from his offspring. This only once I had removed any unsightly signs of a busy Band B morning. It was then decided on his behalf that what he would really like to do was to go and sit in the smoke of a fiercely burning camp fire down on the shore, and get all hot and sweaty providing a lovely meal for all….and that is what we did! It was Pip the Pup’s first such delight but she cottoned on quick (Looking back I seem to have failed to mention her before, she is for my mum and will be leaving, sob, sob in a month or so) and settled down to drool and beg wordlessly (it would have been quite a surprise had it not been wordlessly but you know what I mean) with her eyes. However this did not work but the patient waiting eventually paid off as she was able to snaffle Toby’s last sausage that he left on a rock whilst collecting a fried egg…..What joy and bliss was on her little face as she hurriedly gulped it down in front of a furious Toby and a frankly and openly envious Lucy. Today was an osteopath day and as usual I paid £30 to have my back fixed only to instantly undo all the work by going on a food shop (sounds like that song,Going on A Bear Hunt…”We’re Going on A Food Shop…We’re Gonna spend a big Wad…..We’re gonna get Grumpy….but We’re not Scared…Well…we jolly well should be, it is a horrible job and I hates it!”). The day has ended on a low, sorry High point with the end of term Brownies jollity, a line dancing session where grown ups were very actively encouraged to join in and dress up (my concession to this was bunches) any way they felt appropriate. Ahh and now the day is done and dusted and I am a Happy Mummy.

Legs are aching so it must be Thursday.

Last night’s jogscotland session was a 10k most of which seemed to be up the longest hill I think I have ever run up. This was at Lochgilphead and through some stunning countryside that I have never seen to before that was just about visible through the veil of sweat before my eyes. The evening was gorgeous and clear, with a distinct lack of midges…perfect! What was even better was the phone call from Rosie just before we left to say she is having a great time, the flying fox apparently was the best as the second time you get to go down blindfold, Yippee what fun! (Brief pause for maternal shudder and regret for passing of that time when such things seemed fun rather than a sadistic punishment). It was lovely to hear her voice and know that all is going well. Today has been dedicated to
· Doing the B and B rooms (of course)
· Eating Garret’s dust as he disappeared ahead of me on his bike into Inveraray
· Forcing tired legs to follow Garret
· Session at Loch Fyne Pool
· Points 2) and 3) in reverse only uphill this time with more wheezing
· Strimming in the garden, not uphill but lots of wheezing.
· Bath…ahhhhh bliss….

Wet Wet Wet and other Scottish bands

The title says it all for this afternoon (not the bit about Scottish band, I put that in as an attention grabber). The heavens opened this afternoon and the rain is bouncing down still. It is actually very pleasant (for those of us not camping) as the ground is quite warm and it has been very close. The air has cleared now, which is very soothing indeed. Rosie has been canoeing today according to the itinerary so I daresay the weather will not have made too much difference to her general state of wetness. Liz and I made it through a fairly warm run and then a swim before the rain started leaving us to rush home in a very clucky, housewifey way to get our washing in from the line(s). I was lucky Garret was here and had rescued ours, but selfishly had not driven to Minard to get Liz’s…Men.. Huh! He had dropped a piece though on the way in from the garden so my average white (head) band got very wet in the subsequent downpour, so I had to give out a massive primal scream of rage. Anyway off now for the ironing and the nightly dose of Springwatch.

N.B I don’t know whether anyone noticed then how very cunningly, and effortlessly I inserted the names of two more Scottish bands into the telling of that wee tale of everyday nonsense. It takes hours of practice you know.

Back in the Saddle again

A warm, rather close day has given way to a glorious clear evening with that huge sky feeling. The light is so vivid you can nearly taste it, this I know as I have just got back from taking the gang of three out for the last walk of the day (the three dogs that is, the children we have pretty much trained not to need a walk before bedtime.). After a respite night last night, not unwelcome I must say, we are full up again with jolly holidaymakers and one workman, who may or may not be jolly.
This afternoon saw me scampering through the hills alongside and above Inveraray with the girls from Dalchenna (insert posh business name "Argyll Adventure"), Howard, Myrna and Caroline. We were on horseback in case any one thought we were out for a communal jog (far too warm and sweaty for that, and very, very unlikely). My Lewis did me proud (the bliss of a different saddle!) with several really good try-hard canters and an ability to know when to ignore all the negative and opposing signals coming from my hands/bottom/legs and last but not least voice. I did, to my credit (I thought) not scream at all (very unusual) and did also canter down a huge hill (don’t do cantering down hills, fairly high up on the inbuilt Fee mental risk assessment, this is an ongoing life long process that is incapable of being dismantled, switched off or even sabotaged with a sharp instrument….believe me I have tried).Rather sadly in my opinion Myrna tried to belittle this achievement by claiming that it was just a very small hill but I know what I know, and it was massive when me and my boy were heading down it! G’night all….early brekkie tomorrow.


PS My little Rosie is away on her outward bound school trip, left this morning so here's hoping for clear skies and calm waters for the week's duration.

The sound of leather on willow and so on.

A wee rare picture of Toby at transition time at Stirling, I say rare as Garret was far too busy cheering him on to take photos. We have some stunning photos of the grass though. Speaking of Garret he was busy at the weekend bowling a maiden over on Arran, actually I have no idea what that means despite being raised in that haven of all things cricketing (Yorkshire). The Cairndow team summoned all their resources and whisked him away for the day and to a triumphant win. This has lead amongst other things to an inclusion on the team for next weekend (from Rugby to cricket in one easy move….although cricket can’t actually be termed a sport can it? Any game where you actually stop to eat cakes and drink tea mid way is a pastime rather than a sport surely) and a request for sandwiches and cakes from yours truly.

Wednesday training resumed at long last. Hurray!!

A brisk 10k or so last night along the Leicann walk at Furnace with the jogscotland group has blown away any lingering training blues, despite a fairly fast pace (for me anyway!) there is not too much stiffness this morning. I was forced to maintain a reasonable pace as I was the only one at the front who knew the way (Garret did a few extra metres on occasion by taking the wrong way, that’ll teach him to overtake me on the hills), it is not the best-marked track we have done but great views. The constant thudding of the guys’ trainers behind kept me moving along and I went down hill faster with them behind me than with Liz and June leaping along in front as on a previous run (bit of a wimp on the old downhills, I am afraid). The advantage of speed is that midges cannot fly very fast at all!It was a lovely end to a very hot day shopping in Oban. The guests keep on coming; we had divers here this week or bought us lovely scallops fresh from Loch Fyne. The Germans are slowly being replaced by the French as the summer comes on. Time for off now…Liz and the Lochgilpead pool beckon and she did mention hill sprints last night……

To infinity and beyond ...(as long as it is no further than 10K away)

Another busy, busy week has gone by and no entry… Tut, Tut. I have several times managed to compose in the confines of my head (a strange, nay confusing place to be sometimes) wonderful passages of prose and wit effortlessly knitted together in a seamless fashion that would surly draw the amazed attention of editors word wide who would then pay gazillions for my daily pearls of wisdom. Ah well, and back in the real world life goes on and the girls ready for the daily dose of Harry Potter so I shall have to be quick. We have had my sister Alison here for the week with husband Raymond and son Tom. Poor Tom was heavily steeped in revision for exams upon his return next week. We did have time out to ride together on Thursday, my first ride in 8 weeks so we were a wee bit challenged in the buttock area the next day, when I say we that is the royal we as in me! The great 10k day has been and gone too. The race was superbly set up once again and a stunning route, the only hitch being that they had altered the route slightly and so when Garret, having missed most of the way markers thought he was on the homeward stretch he actually still had quite a way to go. I do have in my possession a photo of his finishing few metres but will not publish it here on the grounds of it being unsuitable for those of a nervous disposition so you will have to make do with Freya clutching her trophy for second girl in her fun run. As an under 9 I was supposed to run with her (actually it was Garret but he was still prostrate from his exertions) but from the word Go! She left me for standing, as did Rosie with her final sprint in between the finishing poles. Toby did well too finishing well up in the older class. As for us oldies I did 52.47 and was 64th overall (out of 300+) and about 5th veteran and Garret was 29th overall with an incredible 45.43. As he never stops pointing out last year he would have been 5th (smaller field). So all happy bunnies. Just awaiting Toby’s return from the Stirling junior tri…so far I have only heard that he is all in one piece and he has a medal…and that after all is what it is all about.