It’s hard not to at the moment. Obsessively monitoring news from Ukraine isn’t going to help anyone, but nonetheless I find myself scanning the updates morning and evening and at odd times in between. I sat half undressed on the edge of the bath yesterday evening for a full ten minutes watching an interview withContinue reading “Doomscrolling”
Category Archives: country life
A miscellany
Keith and I have climbed unsteadily back on the wagon following a dangerously prolonged period of daily celebrations what with Mum, `Ishbel and Lachlan all being in residence (in various combinations), Barry coming to decorate the spare room and, to top it all, Alison along the road having a significant birthday. “There is no moreContinue reading “A miscellany”
Leaning in for take off
The wild west wind is now our regular companion. In the garden, every day brings a new lawnful of detritus. The poor shredder has had an attack of the vapours and gone to convalesce at the repair shop. Hopefully it will recover as I still have a lot of mulching to do. In the meantimeContinue reading “Leaning in for take off”
Well Sprung
I came in from the garden in the boogly dark today – so I am clearly down with an acute case of spring fever. I popped over to Mum’s on Monday and Selkirk was distinctly wintery. We walked around the Haining Loch in the afternoon looking for snowdrops but there was no sign as yet.Continue reading “Well Sprung”
Dry in parts
We are now about half way through “Dry January” (having started a bit late we really should run into February) and things are going swimmingly. We have had but two lapses (though in both cases I decided I’d rather be hung for a sheep as a lamb). A third is scheduled for tomorrow and IContinue reading “Dry in parts”
Mens sana in corpore sano
The new clean living programme got off to a slow start today. I had one of those nights when you just don’t sleep but instead of getting up just keep rolling over to negligible effect. The net result was that we had a frosty walk round the garden whilst Keith was in the gym, aContinue reading “Mens sana in corpore sano”
New Year Plots and Plans
In their ones and twos the family reassembled, and the guests arrived, for the Hogmanay Festivities and the quietude of “Twixtmas” was over. Keith had charge of the catering arrangements so my limited contribution was a trio of game pies. On possibly the rainiest day before the new year Lyra declined all walking entreaties andContinue reading “New Year Plots and Plans”
Bewitching ‘Twixting
The last two days have been all go. After breakfast and stockings on Christmas morning we had a slightly hair-raising drive to Gala to see Dad and deliver his presents (Lachlan drove, taking all the bends with a racing line, because I was deemed too slow. Ishbel admirably kept her breakfast down, but only just).Continue reading “Bewitching ‘Twixting”
The quiet before the onslaught
And so it is Christmas, and what have I done…. Everything!! Things have been manic since my last post. In the first wave of action cakes were iced, cards written and posted, mince pies baked in industrial quantities and force fed to the neighbours and two sides of salmon cured (one beetroot one experimental citrusContinue reading “The quiet before the onslaught”
One two three hop,
Back two three hop… goes the progressive barn dance. And so it is with all Ruthven home improvements. The lovely Barry painted and papered the big spare room in double quick time, the carpet fitters were secured for a few days hence. The carpet does indeed look lovely and tones nicely with the wallpaper. PityContinue reading “One two three hop,”