Project 365 week 26

Half way through the year. Our schools broke up this week for the Summer holidays, lets hope the weather stays nice for them. Hoping to get out and about with DD1 and the kids even if it is only down the woods or round the fishery.
Bob had had a gymnastics display last weekend and came home really pleased with himself as he won a certificate, only one he has ever won in seven years of gymnastics.



Sunday

The usual for now, a long day at work with the end of an episode of wire in the blood started yesterday in my break and doing some more of the latch hook rug.

Finished off this bobble wool blanket, first time I have ever used this type of wool but a quick and easy knit. Did start a crochet cardigan but don't think the wool did the pattern any favours so undid it again, will try the same pattern with different wool.

Monday

Into the town. Friend had a hospital appointment in the morning and a GP appointment in the afternoon that hubby ran him to. My plan had been to walk to the surgery from where I was, a little under 2 miles but the rain was bouncing off the roads with water running in rivers down the streets so I just got them to pick me up.  His sister met us at the doctors and we dropped the two of them off in the town before we walked the dog along the river and then headed home.


Decided to photograph this statue and see what it was all about. Live and learn as they say.

Coila was the muse of Robert Burns who created her as a poetic device for his poem The Vision in which she provides inspiration and encouragement. The University of the West of Scotland have erected a statue to Coila in recognition of her role in providing inspiration and encouragement to others

Tuesday

Dropped hubby on my way into town and he walked to friends while I did a few bits.

Went for a walk myself when I had finished and then got them to meet me at the red bridge, this gave hubby and dog a chance for another walk.

Friend came home with us, we went via a few shops so he could get some bits he wanted and we got a bag of cement so him and hubby could finish off the wall that was started months back. Hubby took friend home just after nine and I played with the wii while they were gone.

Hubby takes quite a pride in the garden, I never go out there other than to hang the washing out.

Wednesday

The weather is way to warm for my liking. I was in the town and was asked to pick friend up so him and hubby could go fishing later on, and it saved hubby going back in for him.
Payday and I know I needed shopping some point before the weekend, had a £12 off a £60 spent to use so did not want to miss out. Decided that it was better to go while hubby and dog were not with me as way to warm to leave the two of them sat in the car, so did my shopping and picked friend up.
They puttered around in the shed doing man things, we all walked the dog down the woods just after 6, and then they headed off. A peaceful evening to listen to my audiobooks and mess about with more crochet, one project did not go quite right, the other did.

These are in a pot in the front garden. look very pretty when in bloom, sadly they do not last long.

Thursday

Another too hot a day, we reached 27 with an average of 25. We had planned on going somewhere for a day out but no point in these temperatures. We did end up going into the town as somebody was selling lavender plants. Love lavender and how it attracts the bees when it is in flower. While in the town we walked the dog under the trees in Rozelle park, a little over 2 miles but enough, was still warm even on the shade. The plane was not painted last time I was here, looks great.
An afternoon nap, some crocheting and a walk round the streets with the dog just after 9pm. The woods and fishery would be full of midgies at that time of night.

Friday
Another warm day.

Bob's last gymnastics session, they are having a party.  and so I was down to watch the wee ones while DD1 picked him up. Way to hot to go the park and they were just going to have their tea. After tea I got slimed with one lot that I was told looked like bogies...and the other blood. They think it is hilarious when I  pretend to try and run away so they cannot slime me.

Hubby went to see friend for the afternoon/evening so I found a programme called London Kills and watched the first two episodes so far with two others downloaded to watch at work. I finished off two crochet projects from Wednesday, adapting the one that went wrong to fit a prem baby instead of a new born.

Have other people noticed that the crochet items feel more course to the touch than items knitted with the same wool?


Saturday

I was not a lover of circular needles, I was always under the impression you had to knit circular things with them, but it was explained to me that you can use them as normal. A few weeks back I used the one I had to knit the blanket with as I had lost one of the needles I have put down five minutes before. I am a convert now and really quite like them, so I ordered a full set, cheaper than buying the four sizes I normally use.

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Project 365 week 25

Sunday

On holiday from work so a trip to the car boot, good grief when I use to go the place was stowed and there were hundreds of cars to walk round, could not have been any more than about twenty. Nothing worth having so walked the dog on the way home. Had some lunch, did some crochet stitches and a bit of knitting and then down the woods with the dog for a two hour walk.

Monday

Dropped hubby and him and dog walked to friends  picked him back up when I was finished.
It was dry when we parked up but raining within ten minutes so we put on the waterproofs that were in the rucksack and did nearly two hours with the dog. She needed drying with the towel but we were ok.

Some more knitting and a few more episodes of The Tunnel.


Tuesday

Yeeehhhh finished the blanket, not a lover of the bigger projects like this but this was a favour for a friend. Happy with the result and she says she likes it. I always worry when making things for other people but I did ask if she wanted normal or Elaine style, she picked the latter so Elaine style she got.

Dropped hubby off at friends and picked him back up after I had been for a walk myself. Need to get back into my 45 minute walk every day.

Friend came back and the two of them went off fishing. I had hoped while they were away to play on the wii but time I got round to it the batteries were dead. A nice evening listening to the radio and knitting,.


Wednesday

We decided in the afternoon to take a run to Troon to see the taxis that come from Glasgow for the annual day out to Troon, They bring lots of disadvantaged/special needs children who may have never been to the beach before. We take it for granted now but when my children were younger a day trip to the beach was a great day out as we lived else where then. A fish supper between the two of us, another walk on the beach when we could see the rain sweeping in and made it back to the car just before the heavens opened and the rain was torrential. A bit of shopping and home for just after 9pm.

I have done a post on Troon here if you want a look. 

Thursday

A dental appointment, need 1 filling replacing as an xray showed some decay below it, and a clean needed, so back end of August for that ( first available appointment)

We walked the dog just over three miles along the river and back. Dropped hubby at friends and went home, Did a pile of housework and did a bit of knitting.

Went down to DD1 to babysit as the twins were in their dance show and DD1 and SIL1 were away to watch them. Just Spud, Bob and I. We went and played in the park to help tire her out. Went back and tidied and hoovered DD1's save her coming back to do it.
Took a bag of items over for the Clean up Tarbolton woods fund raising table at the Scout sale this weekend.

When DD1 came back ran back into town to pick up hubby, he had said he would walk home but changed his mind, walked the dog again and back home for 10.30 pm and pretty much straight to bed.

Friday

Some blogging and knitting in the morning. Food preparation in the afternoon, tonight's and tomorrows night tea  made as well as lunch for work for the weekend.
Down to watch the three horrors while DD1 picked up Bob from gymnastics. Went for a run round the park. We did have some tears and arguments from the twins as they are both tired from three nights of dancing and late to bed.

Hubby was away with friend most of the day, the two of them back here and then they went away fishing.

Saturday

Made another matching set for SCBU. Back to work this weekend.

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Glasgow taxis day trip to Troon #WoTW

I always marvel at the amount of people that do so much good in this world and make a difference to others lives. One such annual event is the Glasgow taxis day trip to Troon.

So my word of the week this week is

More than 300 children were treated to an unforgettable day as Glasgow Taxis held their annual Glasgow Taxi Outing to Troon.

Now in its 74th year, the much-loved event saw more than 100 drivers give up their time to take the schoolchildren, who require additional support for learning, to the seaside town for a fantastic day out.

I heard it advertised on the radio, and decided as it was dry we would take a run out and see it for ourselves.

There was plenty for the children to do with various bouncy castles, the bouncy seats they sit in and bounce and a live dj playing music and making merry with the crowd.

I did not take a huge amount of photos as for obvious reasons the place was jumping with other peoples children. The mother gave us permission to photograph her daughter.

she did not want to leave the water

the driver was taking animal balloons off the taxi and handing them to passing children.

the never ending row of taxis, and some buses at the front as well. 

Sadly time we got there a lot of the drivers had removed their costumes and taken the decorations off of their taxi, 

But there was a lot of laughing and shouting and happy noises going on. Various children enjoying the beach and others the other activities that were going on. 

So as we were in Troon we decided to move to a less congested part and walk the dog. 

The sea here is so crystal clear. Lots of  different types of seaweed in the area, plenty of crabs and hermits crabs, anemones as well as small fishes and what looked like a small sea horse. They do apparently live along the west coast of Scotland. 

under the flight path

crystal clear water 

me looking at the sea life 

and dog exploring 

a great shimmer on the water 

plenty of sea life

hubby photographing the supports that use to hold the pipes. 

We then went for a fish supper and took another walk after but we could see the rain sweeping in and headed back for the car, Withing less than two minutes of being back in the car the rain was torrential so a wise move on our part. 

Did a bit of shopping and headed home for just after 9pm.   By which time the washing was soaked beyond believe so it got left out overnight and brought back in and rewashed the next day.  

Project 365 week 24

Fifi is back at school after her exams this week, into her final year, what we call 6th year and has her choices picked but some of these may change if she does not get the results she hoped for in her exams.I am sure she will. She may need to change if she needs to resit.
Sat and watched my way through "The Kettering Incident" was quite good but a strange end.....not sure if it has been left open for season 2 or not. Started watching Tunnel as well, bits in both French and English as a police programme based on a murder in the Eurotunnel.

Sunday

DD3 and SIL3 were away for a long weekend for his 30th birthday last week, went to do a Silverstone experience plus a few other things. While they were away they wandered into a shop and he spotted wool, and bought this for me. Beautiful colours, I especially like the florescent yellow and orange in the middle, it will go lovely with the multicoloured either side of them.

Monday
A run into town and then our friend came back here where friend did another project in the shed and then went fishing after tea; Was about 11pm when hubby got back because it is light until gone 10 now.
Fifi came up to pick up information I had printed for DD1 as her printer was out of ink and she is doing her final exam of the year for her open uni course tomorrow and needed it to take with her.
Fifi  really is a very nice, considerate, pleasant young lady who seems to have her head screwed on right ( most of the time). She was here for about 45 mins.
I bought this wee box to hold my knitting to keep my corner in the living room a bit tidier.

Tuesday

Dropped hubby off at the red bridge where him and dog walk the 2.5 miles to friends house, one of the big benefits of friend is how active this has encouraged hubby to get. .
Fell asleep when I got home, but needed to go and do some shopping, so we headed to Irvine and walked the dog at the beach park first and then shopped. I did buy throw in the oven food for tea as it could have been cooking while I unpacked the shopping, but realised it was gone 9pm time we got home and I did not fancy eating anything cooked that late at night. So a sandwich and a doughnut was had instead.

Wednesday

Nothing much happening. A walk round the fishery "before it rained" but the rain never appeared.
Phoned for a GP appointment for a named GP as she has been dealing with me lately and managed to get one for the same afternoon. We agreed a change of inhalers but to leave everything else the same at the moment. On maximum doses of other medication already.
To go back in a month for an asthma review.
Managed to get signed up to our GP Practise online so now can order prescriptions and make appointments without phoning.

Thursday

Again it was forecast for heavy rain so the plan had been a pile of housework and then I was determined to sit and spend some time with a crochet pattern, I have crocheted since I was about 9 but have only ever followed a pattern, only thing I have ever made has been granny squares made from treble stitch, I want to be able to do more.
The rain never appeared so we went for a two hour walk down the woods with dog, came back and did housework and then did some crochet. Took a ridiculous time to make a few small squares but it was a learning curve.
I have a knitted project on the go and usually finish one piece before I started another but decided not to this time. Think I may have to buy another box for my crochet.

Friday

A walk round Auchincruive with hubby and dog, getting rather overgrown on the top path so made for a difficult start to the walk with branches and bushes spreading into the pathway.
Bob has his last week of gymnastics as our schools break up next week, So I took the three wee ones to the park while DD1 picked Bob up. They love to play hiding on the way back home, the three of them crouch down behind a bench and I have to pretend I have lost them till they jump up and shout boo. They also hide behind this container. I crept up on them as they were running away.

Saturday

DD3 and I are away for a bike ride as part of  Women's Cycle Festival Event run by Active Travel hub. Did invite Fifi along but she has other plans. 
I got to use an amazing electric bike, even had an auto gear changer, I have always struggled with gears and use to stick  mine in a middle gear and left it there. So if any of you have £2,200 lying around spare give me a shout and I will buy one. I did not use the electric boost for a lot of the way but wanted it in case I struggled with my breathing, but I didn't. We did 8.9 miles on the bikes and then we walked another 4 miles round the town and over to meet hubby with the car to come home again.   
I won a book called Knit 1 Bike 1 a knitting and cycling tour of Scotland, a good win for me. 

Total mileage now equals 835.14 for the year.

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Project 365 week 23

Nothing much any different this week, working, knitting, walking and grandchildren.

Sunday

A double shift at work,. Sat working on my latch hook kit and watching wire in the blood on my kindle in my break. My back shift was a great laugh, you had to be there to get it,  but despite being harder work than a back shift normally is it was fun.

Hubby dropped me at work and took dog a walk, managed to lose her but thankfully found her again.  Told him he needs to be more vigilant about where she is when out for walks as he has a habit of walking on not realising she is not directly behind him. She seems to struggle with working out which direction you are shouting her from when out.
He took friend to the car boot where they got a few bits to work on the project he started in the shed last week, back here to work on it and then fishing in the afternoon before picking me up.



Monday

Still making items for the SCBU in between my own knitting so made a hat and a small blanket this week.The blanket is a trial run for something else I am making.

Tuesday

A friend of mine is struggling at the moment with anxiety attacks. These helped me years ago when I was stressed etc so dropped them off for her to try them. The tape ( if it still plays) was given to me by a psychologist when I was referred to one when my own children were young and I was struggling to cope with their illnesses, hospital stays and operations. Actually found it very good.

Friend came up and finished his project in the shed and him and hubby went fishing again when I got home. I spent the afternoon watching some of Save Me. The knitting I did I undid again as did not like the way it was turning out. Had a committee meeting this evening. Trying to come up with a new name and ideas of things for the children to do down the woods while the adults make walk ways or cut back trees. It is no longer about cleaning up but about enhancing what we have down the woods.

Wednesday

A rather wet day so did not do a lot. Started knitting the blanket I undid yesterday. It dried up after tea so dog got round the fishery. I think having got lost on Sunday has dented her confidence a bit and she was not straying very far away.

We started watching Chernobyl. I know I am behind but find it easier to remember and enjoy if I tape them all and watch over a few nights rather than week by week.

Thursday

Was a nice day, warm and dry, so we made the most of it and once I had caught up with the housework we went out for the day. Went to Portencross and then to a Glen in West Kilbride. I had a trackable to get rid of and needed to find a cache to put it in.We did nearly 6 miles and have to say I felt fine during and after it.

When we got back hubby went out fishing again with friend, friend again has some new stuff he wants to try out and is too impatient to wait and will not go by himself.

Friday

Went a did some shopping and took the dog a walk as hubby wanted the car to go back to the fishing.
Spent the afternoon making meals for the weekend and doing some baking before going down to watch the three wee ones while DD1 went to pick up Bob. She had asked me to pick him up but hubby was out with friend again and not back with the car. Life is easier now they are getting bigger and can push themselves on the swings so just Spud to push.

Did not get a lot of time to sit down but did finish watching Save me. Left hanging a bit I feel, maybe an opening for series 2.

Saturday

I have been seriously bothered with hay fever these last few weeks. Not been bothered with it in years but my nose won't stop running and my eyes are that itchy I would cheerfully scratch them with sand paper. Hoping these will help. Would not be so bad but the runny nose is causing a cough and the cough is keeping me awake at night.

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What Should You Do With Your Home When You Go Travelling In Later Life?

(Source)

In The UK and Australia, just over 10% of students take a gap year. Around 22% of students don't end

up taking a gap year because they don't feel they can afford to. The cost of a gap year, paired with the stronger

desire to build a career from an earlier age, and combined with the higher amounts of remote working

opportunities and entrepreneurial opportunities means that they are no longer a given for students.

In fact, many people look at extended trips and travel later on in life, partly because travel

is so much cheaper than it used to be. In the 1940's it would cost two years worth

of average earnings to afford one single airline ticket, compared to tickets as low as 0.99p

in modern times. Careers are also more flexible and many of us prioritise travel and making the

most of these short lives we have been gifted with.

The fact is, gap years and trips can be taken at any point in life. With later life, travel comes a new

consideration that isn't something students need to worry about when they travel and that is home

ownership. If you own your home and don't rent, you can't just sign off your contract and live without

a home for the duration of your trip. So, what do you do with your house? Let's take a look at some

great options for you to consider as you plan an amazing trip for the future:

Long-Term Rental

If you don't mind your home being stripped of your belongings, and any personal aspects of your life,

then this could be a really good option for you. Any trip that is six months or longer would open up

the opportunity for long-term rental in your property. It does need to be safe, you will need to

'neutralise' it with plain walls and features.

You can check out Estate Agent Networking for a guide on what you need to do to prepare your

home for rental. You do need to put a bit of effort in, but you could get hundreds of pounds a month

in return or, your mortgage paid.

You could rent using an agency who will do everything for you but they will take a fee for this. You

could also be a private landlord but you should be contactable and have connections local to the

property and know plumbers, gas technicians and other workmen in case anything needs doing with

the house.

AirBnB

For a little more work and organisation than long-term rental but for a chance of making more of an

income and keeping all the furniture and decoration in your house, Airbnb could be a great option.

It is a really useful option for shorter trips enabling your house to be looked after and enjoyed,

and to get a bit of extra money in the bank, all without moving much out of your home.

Do read the Airbnb small print carefully though to check it is the right choice for you.

Pet Sitters/House Sitters

There are proper pet sitting sites where pet sitters need to go through referencing and checks

before they can take on a 'job'. The way it works is they look after your pets in return for staying

in your house for free. So if you have pets, you could save money having them looked after

and enable them to avoid kennels or the cattery. You could also have the peace of mind knowing

your home is being looked after.

Pet sitters will list how long they are available for and jobs can be for a few days or a few months

. The same services are available if you do not have pets and just want a house sitter. A good

site for both pet sitting and house sitting is https://www.housesittersuk.co.uk/ which has more

information on this type of agreement for you to take a look at.

Ask Around

Do you know any friends or family who might benefit from caring for your house whilst you are

away? Maybe they will stay in your house for free, saving themselves rent and providing you

with a live-in caretaker in the meantime. Maybe you could offer them a deal where they pay the

very basic rates of mortgage and bills in exchange for living in your home. If you pay a very low

mortgage this could be inviting for some people.

Travel is a new experience that can transport you out of your everyday routine to create memories with the ones you love - Brian Chesky

However, you choose to care for your home as you travel, do it as smart and as informed as you

can. Ask others what they have done, take a look at forums and Youtube videos, podcasts

and posts about it and always put the safety and security of your home and pets first. By making

the smartest decision, you will not only be able to travel, but you can do so with the peace of

mind that your home is cared for and safe, and maybe your bank balance will get a boost too!

This is a collaborative post.

Project 365 week 22

The twins have had sports day where they both came in the first three in their races. They have both got certificates from school. Dinky's was for confidence. When she started P1 at four and a half last Summer she would not even sit on the stage for assembly. By Christmas she managed the school play and quietly said her one line. This week she stood on stage and spoke loud and clear into the mic with no only her lines but also the lines of a boy off sick.
Fifi has finished all her exams and is back at school come Monday for her very last year. She feels she has done well in all of them. DD1 is glad they are over as well because she has been helping her study.



Sunday

My regular readers will remember I went to a hen party a few weeks back, well today was the wedding day. We had an invite for the evening reception. Dropped the dog off at our friends house and went along. Did not stay as long as we had planned to as I found the music was playing havoc with my balance and making me feel dizzy. One of the down side to Menieres, same reason as I can never go to a concert of the cinema.

But we saw the happy couple and spoke with other family and friends and caught up with some of the people I had met at the hen do. I have never seen my friend as happy as she was today, positively glowing with happiness. I have watched her daughter change into an amazing woman. Was so nice to be part of the day.

Monday

Friend wanted a run to buy a guitar, so was my good deed for him watching the dog last night. He came home with us and then him and hubby went fishing. I got to watch the film Gone Girl than I had recorded a while ago. A long film so I stopped in the middle to go for a shower. Kept thinking it might get more exciting but no it did not. Sat and knitted in between dealing with two loads of washing and remaking our bed that had been stripped.
Only picture I took all day was dog waiting on her dad coming back.

Tuesday

Dropped into friends, home to do more knitting and then a walk down the woods with the dog. Not been down there in ages with this restricted walking. Trying out a new tactic and using vaseline to stop the pollen going up the nostrils

The Primary School children have been keen to get involved as they go down the woods with the school for a walk, not many other places to go right enough. So they have been  making fairy doors and are keen to make a hide/shelter as well.

The Clean Up Tarbolton Woods (CUTW) group bought a  handmade one of bench and placed this in the area known as Toby's graveyard. It is from the poem "The Twa dogs by Robert Burns" I also picked up a painted stone that I will move on somewhere else.

Wednesday

A rather slow day, rained all day, had friend round for a visit, He came round to make something in the shed. Hubby dropped him back off at his sisters house.
I got Dinky's first cardigan finished. I remember know why I stopped knitting, the larger items when putting collars etc on - they are rather heavy and sore on the wrists.
My aim once I have made the kids at least one thing each is to spend a few weeks mastering other patterns and designs in crochet. I can do basics but see so many lovely things on other peoples pages and want to make some crochet items.
I bought myself this magazine as a starting point.

Thursday

Caught up with downstairs housework, did a load of washing and went and did some shopping. Was going to get an online delivery  but had vouchers for Sainsbury and did not need many tins/packets/cleaning products so was going to struggle without fresh stuff to add to the total and I like to choose my own fresh products. But saved £14 with the vouchers and their clothing is currently 25% off so saved money on t-shirts as well. While we were shopping I bought a crochet magazine.
A drizzly walk along the beach and home to do knitting.

Friday

A very wet day here. Sat this morning sewing in all the ends and sewing on all the buttons for the items I have finished. The problem with stripey cardigans is all the ends that need sewing in. From now on the plan is to do them as I knit them - we will see...lol.

Then precooked tea for the next four nights so it just needs heating.

A walk round the fishery just after 2.30 when it dried up. Hubby then went off fishing again as friend had got some new fishing bits and was desperate to try them out. I went down to watch the kids while DD1 took Bob off to scout camp for the weekend. The bag he took was big enough for him to curl up and sleep in.

Threw them in the bath, played silly games with them and then snuggled in with the twins as they were tired. Here Minky is trying to get his toes up Dinky's nostrils. They are getting a bit big size wise for three in the bath and poor Spud gets shoved to the side, but three in the bath is the easiest way to do them.

Saturday

The things you find when you clear out under the stairs. My veg rack is in there.

So that was my week. I hope you all had a good one.

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