The inevitable ski pictures

The blush of the sun can be seen on Garret's forehead today and the burn of the exercise can be felt in my legs. Whether the slightly tackier snow was more challenging or I am just tireder this week I am not sure but we had a great day and the Main Basin is starting to lose its fear for me despite the bumps at the bottom yesterday.Still quiet and peaceful, the phone camera pictures do not do credit to the beauty at the top. Breathtaking....on a slightly less grand scale but nonetheless noteworthy I noticed lots of large frogs scattered around on the forest road today when taking a short run (sore legs remember?). They were spread over about a 2m section and I counted 5 or so. Closer inspection on the return trip showed that 4 had gone and the one that was left was not actually one but two frogs busy about spring business. Rather a dodgy place I thought, what kind of evolutionary blip requires the wide open spaces for such occasions instead of the grassy cover all around. Especially with the local heron living a few feet way. As every ditch,puddle etc for miles has loads of frog spawn in it I thought that that was it for the year, maybe they have a second run at it.



1. Garret at the top of Main Basin with the fearsome tow in the background.
2. View from the chair lift..Loads of tracks.
3. Across the Main Basin
4. The Wall from the cafe

PS Still no car, the word is not before the week after next...gulp.

Tea

My Pizza is top left...Smiley Face!-Rosie

Playing with Next blog button

I have only just noticed this wee search button at the top of the page and "wasted" a good 1/2 an hour or so happily wading through other peoples private lives..it is great, a license to be voyeuristic at long last. Being one of those nosy people that stare across into upper floor windows, and down into ground floor room from the top deck of a bus wondering fruitlessly about the lives and loves of those inside I find it great to flick across all these thoughts and photos from across the world. I found Pictures from A Taxi on first click and then panicked trying to relocate it but eventually tracked it down.The contrast with my world is astonishing but nonetheless appealing. I really enjoyed looking into this guy's world. He is a New York Cabbie and takes a photo each night.I did also stumble across a very weird blog by a woman in the south of England who comforts herself whilst her man is away at sea by making some seriously strange cards but I will not inflict that one on you (just yet)

PS Tonight we have staying an Australian couple who just turned up on the off chance that we might have rooms (!). Apparently she sought us out after researching her family and learning that a (very) distant ancestor married the "Laird of Clunary" way back when...she is married to, with the delightful touch of serendipity a cousin of the present Inveraray Policeman.

Fluffy cloud day

A good walk to blow the cobwebs away. The bridge picture was on the way home and is the Old Road bridge spanning Douglas Water on our land.

More ramblings on...Rambling

Escaped the house of plague today for a walk with the dogs. I did take a few of my own personal germs with me, I imagine them as a multi coloured buzz of sparkly lights whirling around my head AKA the blue birds in a cartoon that denote a knock out. Occasionally one lightly lands and delicately re-ignites my cough which is slowly retreating but alas too slowly to make competing tomorrow, or even completing the Bute Triathlon a sensible proposal and if I can’t do it Toby definitely can’t still with his barking cough despite constant pleading…and as for Garret, well enough said. The walk was romantically pleasing in a soft rain kind of way, the cloud was low and the drizzle gentle against Rosie’s silly hat that I had jammed on before leaving. This lasted until I turned for home causing the so far gentle wind to drive the rain into my face stinging it and giving me ice cream cheeks (like an ice cream head ache but lower). Also I discovered that yet another of my waterproof jackets is….ummmm…not. Then I trod in a puddle in my trainers and there the story ends.


Quote of the day. Watching the weakest link
Question “what is the phrase said by Highwaymen when holding up passers by. Stand and deliver your money or your……?

Answer by Toby “Wig”!
Excellent!!

Animals by Freya

Taken this morning before a desperate fight broke out between the two Guinea pigs.After three rounds and a knock down Snowy The Rabbit declared Snuffles (L) to be the victor and consequently the rightful owner of the celery...Daisy (R) took it all in good part and wandered off to eat some cabbage leaves.

Rambling on, starting with teenage boys ( as good a place as any)

Wearing full protective gear and safety equipment (rope and karabiners essential to ensure a safe exit to the world outside, a sleeping bag and thermos are also advisable in the event of ambush by rogue socks) I entered Toby’s bedroom at the weekend, the resulting scream of horror and disgust reverberated around the house startling dogs and family alike. How can some one who has previously expressed extreme surprise at the lack of plastic juice/water bottles available for after school clubs etc unearth six from the undergrowth? What is truly shocking is how like a mother I sound……but come on, SIX!!!! Digressing from the hormonal minefield of Toby’s room, I also discovered a horses girth cover, I have no idea how that got in there,I move on to today’s activities. Mainly ironing with a bit of light relief cleaning the sitting room with Jeremy Kyle on in the background for a satisfying amount of cringe worthy but sooooo addictive listening. I did cycle to Inveraray to collect a prescription (did I mention no car previously? More on that later) only to become truly depressed at the lack of cycling ability, my excuse is that it was so cold I could not adequately change gear and may be able to extend this to why my legs would not go round and round fast enough too. This was the first outing for the road bike since September which would be fine if it was not for the fast looming Bute sprint Triathlon on Sunday…yes this Sunday. However back to the car so I do not have to dwell on Bute and suffer the usual devastating nervous tummy, you know the one. When you think about event X (insert interview/competition /presentation/parents night (or is that just me) and your stomach does that sudden downwards lurch with a slight light headed dizzy sensation and light perspiration to brow (or upper lip depending on preference) to follow and an acute yearning for the day after the afore mentioned event.).
Have just read back on the Blog and realised that I have not mentioned the total cessation of engine action suffered by my car last Thursday on the way to Karate with Freya and Toby. We abruptly stopped about 2 miles out of Inveraray on the Dalmally road conveniently on a corner with hazard light furiously beeping and Freya almost catatonic with fear. Two local paramedics kindly shoved us out of the path of vehicles and a friend passing a few minutes later delivered Freya back to Mum before we could get started on the horror stories and urban legends (remember the one with the lunatic on the loose and the head banging on the car roof?). How mad can the hazard winkers send you after 1/2hr or so? Toby and I were happily practising our synchronized blinking by the time we were rescued by W D Semple’s on a silver horse (well, yellow van really if I am totally honest) Long story shorn to the bare bones time…having suffered a weekend of nail biting fear with the prospect of a HUGE bill looming we had a very agreeable phone call from the dealers today saying that yes, there is a horrendous problem, and that yes we have suffered big time with this vehicle since we got it (brand new) and so Peugeot are going to pay for it!! Unbelievable. Now then let me see how will the advert go ummmm........


Reliable Peugeot 807 for sale one careful Lady owner?