Mountain biking......ish

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As running is mainly denied me at the moment I hijacked Freya's bike (so much better than mine) and went off on a standard circuit from the house but.....got side tracked , probably the first time I have used the phrase completely correctly.... by interesting little tracks off the main one that I have not yet explored, a promising one proved to be unfit for bike access and so I pushed...well, it all counts as exercise although my average minutes per mile look as though I carried the bike all the way round. Traversing several icy streams seemed exciting at the time,the runners brain knows that feet pounding the tracks will soon warm up whatever they are dunked in but just rotating on the pedals does not do the same job so I bought the two blocks of ice home and dunked them in a warm bath. Other exciting things to happen today...coal delivery, we were down to four lumps so this was pretty eventful and...well I can't think of any but always live in hope,it is only 3.30pm.

Post Easter Bun Run

A lovely sunny but chilly Argyll day was perfect for our running group's annual Easter run. I planned three routes to suit all tastes, a fairly flat ( well, it is Argyll so nowhere is completely flat!) three miles or four along the Lochside or a more challenging ie officially hilly 5.5 through the woods with fantastic views to be appreciated through sweat fuzzed eyes. With twenty runners we had a great time and in contrast to the popular view that all youngsters are voluntarily shackled to a playstation from birth onwards we had a pleasing turnout from the younger generation. Soup and cake followed in time honoured fashion because calories consumed after exercise don't count... Just like those taken from someone else's plate. School was back today so home alone, apart from Garret, oh and Toby too as apparently sixth years have a more flexible attitude towards attendance, so in fact not home alone at all.

Family hug in the sun

The piggy family found a wee spot in the sun to catch those rays albeit briefly. A contented group indeed. The little piglets are on the top and so rotund as to resemble small hairy orange balloons on legs. The response on Facebook to this picture ranges from 'ahhhhh' to ' yummmmmmy'bb

Blue sky day

Another stunning walk today in nearby Furnace along the Leicann walk, half the Leicann to be precise as my taxi driving skills were needed post school and we were short on time. The day was glorious enhanced rather than marred by one short snow shower mid morning.
As Bob, the animal feed man remarked today "one nice day and the Argyll resident instantly forgets the preceding forty rainy ones"... And a very nice day it was too.

Spring cometh..

Or seems to be just around the corner anyway. Slower to approach Argyll than in England it is more precious when it does spread its fingers into the hills and glens. This week we said goodbye to the faithful but thirsty Peugeot and hello to the dinky, more economical Nissan Note. I am Easily pleased as displayed by my setting of the " limit" button to try to get even more mpg. So far I am up to 56 which after 39mpg is very gratifying. Holly walking is continuing space until she is literally up to spend and running. I am an off the track walker and like to make my own trails. This tree took my fancy just before I fell in a large hidden pool......

Full weekend

Busy weekend chez Claonairigh with the deerstalkers ( not just any deerstalkers but John the first one to stay and bring us much business and of whom I am very fond) doing a two night stretch and some returnees Friday night. Saturday night saw a change in the double with a couple who legged it from Inveraray. Freya and I collected a takeaway for them to save them a walk back into town. We were on our way back from the athletics final in Oban ( my tenth year I think). She did gooooood winning the 4 lap, and then coming second in her age group. Proud mummy moment. Revision day today for Rosie and Toby. I am proud to say that I managed to explain integral differentiation to Toby. Well, I was the tool that pointed him in the right direction of U- Tube tutorials and you you can't say better than that.The photo is tea... Lovely scallops from Aray Fish.. Or our neighbors as we like to call them, flamed in dramduie. Yum!!

Wedding weekend

What a truly lovely thing a wedding is..a time to spend with a family under the best of conditions and in the happiest of circumstances. My niece and the gorgeous Dan tied the knot last weekend surrounded by friends and family. The girls were bridesmaids and looked so lovely though I say so myself. It did my soul good to be with my brother,sisters and mother....Not to mention the nieces and nephews. The drive south was long and dark on the way down, and long and frosty on the way back but uneventful and pain free... Apart from the creaky, cramped legs. The joy of iPads meant that Mr Depp in full pirate make-up kept me company on the way down but I was a good girl and " looked out of the windows" on the way home. Rain and winds have been lashing the west coast since we returned, how bizarre that only a few hundred miles away there is about to be an official drought declared. Guests are creeping back to Argyll bless them and we even have a full house on Friday, just in time to fund Toby's driving lessons. Things are a bit grim on the exercise front.. Grump grump as I have a touch of Achilles Tendinitis, a tight hamstring and sore joints but I like something to kick against ( obviously not too hard though... That would hurt.).l