Will make this brief considering I put out war and peace earlier in day 488….

It’s cloudy and windy but still a warmth in the air.

Sat here and had coffee and cake…. Hard life. The house is a riot and badly needs cleaning but it can wait until tomorrow.

I had a lovely day. Then Craig phoned to say he’s brought food in… I jumped in Abbie, switched on, shoved in reverse and noticed there was a light on the dash…. A door was open. I carried on talking, trying to sea which door it might be…. Still reversing… someone shouted stop…. BANG!

The whole car park… every picnic table and bench turned to look at me. Everyone was staring. I was so shaken. I just wasn’t concentrating in the slightest. The guy who shouted stop was rubbing the front of the car saying it’s fine and no one would ever notice. I shakily wrote a note with my name and number, wasn’t gonna be that person.

Abbie now has a cracked rear bumper. That’s a new rear bumper as it was cracked when I got it. 2nd rear bumper coming up…. If I can’t just repair it.

Thankfully no one was hurt. It could have been a dog or even a child and I was oblivious to the reverse. Terrifying.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️ I should take my own advice!

As I settle into my new career I’ve been reflecting a lot on the old one. I know I need to let it go. To move on and heal from everything I need to think it through and realise what I learned from it and let it go. Social media has been full of things to really make me think.

My spirit was well and truly broken.

Now I’m not naive enough to think that one narcissist changed everything…..

I am the worst kind of person to respond to narcissism. I am a people pleaser…. I make it my life’s work to make everyone else happy round about be….. at all costs. I overcompensate for everything. I become teachers pet to said narcissists and a huge cost to my own peace. I second guess everything and start to live my life by what they would do rather than what I think is right. Huge conflict when the team you manage then has the ability to face the narcissism head on. And question it. And tie me up in knots 🪢 🪢🪢🪢🪢🪢🪢

Wow I love that emoji. 🪢 is how my body felt all the time. My mind 🪢 my emotions 🪢 my self worth 🪢🚽🧻🚾 (is it any wonder why my body and mind didn’t allow me to fall pregnant….. there were so many knots 🪢 in there, there wasn’t space for anything else. How heartbreaking is that to have to write. That actually brought tears to my eyes.)

That’s just the whole point. My voice didn’t matter. I had no self worth in the whole situation. I did not matter.

Knowing what I know now…. How bad is that?!? People used to tell me to leave. I couldn’t leave. I needed that job, I needed that status, I needed that salary.

I am living proof that I didn’t need any of it.

I’m gonna stop and say that again. Living proof that I didn’t need any of it. Wow.

My life is a gazillion times better than it was. life has a way of working out and despite how broken I was…. I always knew that I would be ok. I knew that life would work out doe the best.

Those very dark, suicidal moments were just times of extreme despair, almost like extreme panic attacks where I felt like I couldn’t be a burden to anyone else. When I say panic attack it wasn’t manic like you might think, it was sad, calm and resigned. My amazing support network would be better off without me. They must be as sick of listening to me as I was of saying it all. I was a burden to them all.

Those were the times I thought that I couldn’t live without the job, salary and status. But I have and I did.

Not gonna lie…. I didn’t take the first step, I was definitely pushed but that is something I have learned to be very grateful for. A good boot up the backside to move on and stop wallowing in what was.

I may have said this before but Craig remembers me saying that I always wanted to work for Tartan Campers. They were based in Beith when I first became aware of them). I knew my skills were transferable… it was just words… I never pursued it.

Fast forward a whole lot of years and ta-dah! I am so grateful for my new job. Love working the longer hours as to be fair it is still only a 4 day week. Love the work, life, gym balance. I feel more in control now than I have in ages. It really is time to let it go.

In the words of Idina Menzel who wrote the song from Disney’s Frozen… 🧊 👸🏻

I sent this to Craig this morning as I want us to look back on life and realise we lived it the way we chose to live it and not think “if only we had”…..

So yeah…. This needed saying again. I’m not promising that I truly let it all go as it is my story but I need to realise that narcissism has no place in my life and never allow that to knock me down again.

I am valued. I matter. From here on… onwards and upwards.

Earliest blog out ever (9.36am) off to enjoy my day taking Bhru and Freya to the beach as Calaidh still can’t walk that far. May post some pics in Day 488 part 2 later.

Thanks for following my ramblings. It means so much to me.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Do you ever have those days when you are off work but you have so much to do you feel like you are working?!

Today was one of those days but it’s all good.

I woke up at 5am for the gym and talked myself into going for a good half hour then fell back to sleep. I know that I’d feel better for it instead of this lethargic overtired way.

Got up at 8 and took Abbie the campervan back to her 2nd home… Burnside Motorsport…. She needs a seatbelt replacing… thanks to Calaidh for having a good chew of the passenger side overnight in Glencoe… aircon regassing as it just doesn’t work AND, if that’s not enough…. a service!

I joked with the guy when I left that he should feel the need to remove the turbo this time as it’s all good….. think the turbo has been removed the last two or three times for various jobs and it’s hugely labour intensive…. Leave it in there this time!! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️😆😘

So since I’ve been home I’ve worked on the Gateside Memorial Hall accounts. Balanced them, made payments and generally ticked that box.

Made a few Tartan Camper calls that I forgot yesterday and started to tidy the spare room. Since I’m not using that as an office every day it’s become a camping equipment dumping ground and we have 2 of our Overland Bound friends staying overnight on Sunday. All the bedding’s in the wash for a freshen up. Why did I not do that on the days I was hunting for things to wash?!?

It’s 13.45 already and I still haven’t walked the dogs.

I don’t plan on doing much else today. I think feet up with my book sounds like a plan. The house still needs fitting but I will sneak up on that in the morning before I have time to think about it.

I still need to getting Abz back from the garage so might plan a wee trip somewhere tomorrow.

Hope you all have some lovely plans this weekend but also take time out for you. Do something that you really want to do… for yourself.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s actually raining for the first time in weeks or even over a month. The grass here is very yellow as it’s bone dry… that’s unheard of for Scotland!

So finally the weather has broken. Sadly just in time for my first wedding since long before the pandemic. I must say you wouldn’t want to have your wedding in the intense heat we had last week but as a bride I would have been pretty upset when I saw the forecast.

That said it’s been dry most of the day and the temperature is still pretty high.

I didn’t go to the Fit Body Farm this morning as I had to bring my overnight stuff and my wedding gear with me to work. My multitasking let me down yesterday 😆

I’ve had the loveliest drive down and am staying in the Walled Garden just outside Crosshill. It’s a stunning site behind a giant wall…. Obviously…. And there is not a sound here. It’s adults only…. I always think that sounds dodgy but it just means there are no kids. So far there’s not even a dog barking just total and utter silence!

So I’ve never stayed anywhere by myself… completely on my own. I feel very content, calm and peaceful but also a wee bit like a sore thumb!!! I imagine people look at me and feel sorry for me and assume I must be lonely.

This is the quaintest place. We will be back sometime soon. While I would like to sit and chill I have to try and remember how the hell to put makeup on. The little makeup I have left is probably off by now and I haven’t really worn much for nearly 3 years!!! I could end up looking like a circus clown 🤡 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️😆

It’s 6pm and I’ve had my shower. I have marks on my legs from where my jeans, socks and Converse boots have been… AND…. There is no hairdryer so I’m sitting with my back to the sun letting it dry naturally. This’ll be interesting. The old me would never have entertained getting ready for a wedding in a campervan… the new me is giggling as it will be what it is. I am willing my hair to dry!

So yeah did I mention it had been raining?!? No sign of it now. It’s scorching hot again!

I’m being picked up at 7.30pm ish…. And I don’t think there is enough signal to load the blog!

Wait till you see the wooden card that the guys made for the happy couple!

So there was no signal at the wedding venue either so the blog won’t upload tonight but what a beautiful place Dalduff Farm is. I have a serious lack of photos but there are a few. Congratulations to the happy couple and so lovely to see people being able to enjoy themselves.

We started off inside but there were no seats so moved out to a lovely courtyard area with a big picnic bench. Sat there for the first few hours. Drank Peroni Libre 0% as it was the only alcohol free option. Got the other drivers onto it too!

Not gonna lie, for Mrs Hermit Features there were a whole lot of people there, it was loud, it was noisy but I actually really enjoyed it. It was lovely to spend time with the guys and gals from work too.

The drive back to the camp site was interesting…. Boss man got us lost (just saying…) and we drove through some really dark, wee narrow single track roads in the middle of the countryside, woods and forest…. All I could think was they were dropping me off on my own in the middle of nowhere to stay by myself in the dark…… 😳😬😱

The reality was… we finally found the campsite…. It was well lit… I ran to the van and they watched until I was in and it shut the door and didn’t leave till the morning!

Now of course there’s a story here too…. I decided to sleep up in the pop top for the first time. It’s now about 11.30pm and I’m trying to make the bed and get in it all above my head… it didn’t feel right at all.

I tried to read my book…. Nope…. Tried to sleep…. Nope… finally gave in and back “downstairs” to set the other bed up and sleep there. I’m not sure I had the best sleep to be fair.

Then it’s 6.30…… and it’s raining!!

When you are as considerate as I am with other people… it is very difficult to leave a campsite without making a noise! Everything seemed so loud!!! I toyed with the idea of rolling off the pitch without starting the engine. So handbrake off and rolled back down off the chocks, technically up the hill. Not far enough off them so I could remove them from under the wheels… obviously. So I had to start the engine. Into reverse, off the chocks… stalled it. Very obviously stalled it. Jumped out and picked up the chocks. Handbrake off out of gear and rolled out through the gate like a silent thing! Is lovely to say no one would ever know I’d been there but oh they knew!

Not sure why that bothers me so much but it’s 7am and most folk are on holiday on a campsite and don’t need me waking them up. 😆

So I got to work bang on 8 and it’s been the busiest of days. I’m not sure that I will be able to speak to anyone for the rest of the weekend. I’m peopled out. I need silence… and a good book. And some sleep. And I have the whole weekend to do it.

Bliss.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Just popping on quickly to say hi…. I don’t know where this day has gone, just been so busy but all good here.

Work all day then home to let the dogs out and they greeted me at the door in their little goonies.

My lovely neighbour Holly and her kids walked the dogs today and I think they’d either been playing in a burn or white the hose as they were wet but all cosied up.

So cute to come home to this but no know what they’ve been up to! They are truly knackered now though….. not a peep out of any of them!!

I had to rush back out to Kinesiology tonight and we worked on issues with my hormones. A very rare occurrence but I was fully balanced before we started. I mean come on….. check me. That never happens!!! Must be something to this working, gym and cold water stuff…

We worked on some conflict within myself. I am working hard on not thinking badly of others and seeing everything from others perspectives and I would say 75-80% of the time I can do that. The other 20-25% I feel annoyed with myself if I moan about something or speak badly of someone.

I don’t think you can be a truly positive person if you don’t think positively all the time and that was causing some conflict inside of me. The work we did tonight will help address a hormone imbalance that may have been contributing to this. I think 🤔 that’s an accurate report!!

I randomly have a wedding reception tomorrow night so am taking Abbie the campervan to a campsite near the venue and staying the night to save having to drive all the way home. Had to rush about and find a dress…. Blah blah…. You get the jist.

I’m rushing everything….. even this.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Didn’t have the best sleep last night. Felt like I was up and down like a yo-yo! I hadn’t booked in to the Fit Body Farm as I was late getting to bed so I booked it for 5.30pm. It would be so easy not to go but I think it gives me more energy. (Despite the fact it knackers me… go figure!)

Work was good and WAY cooler than it has been. The weather is still hot but cloudy so the intensity of the sun is WAY less.

Despite that the Fit Body Farm was sooooo hot tonight! There’s a big difference between the 6am temperatures and the 5.30pm temperatures… I have lost count of the amount of press-ups and squats I did but it was hundreds…. Really enjoyed it though and was a sweaty mess!

So in one of my blogs I mentioned that I follow the Wild Sea Swimming group on FB but have never got round to joining them. Shelagh, who I go to for Health Kinesiology said she wanted to try it too.

And so we did it tonight!!

Here we go……

I just wore my gym gear and for the first few minutes my feet were really feeling it. I think I’d I’d been on my own I’d have walked back out for a bit but we kept going and it gets warmer.

Then it was time for the shoulders!!!! We went for it and once we were in we adjusted really quickly. It wasn’t really the best place to swim as there were quite a few rocks so we floated around for about 15 minutes.

It was lovely to just float around, look at the scenery, relax and be a part of the sea…. The pics make it look like a muddy puddle but we were stirring up all the sand.

So we’ll be definitely doing that again! We moved really quickly when Shelagh said something moved underneath her…. That was me… out!!!

What an amazing thing to experience and so thankful that Shelagh wanted to do it too. Here’s to many more!! 🌊

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I had a wee lie in today. Didn’t get out of bed until 8.40am. Not the longest of long lies but if I go back to the gym tomorrow it’s a 3 hour and 40 minute lie in!

We’ve had a super productive day today and weeded the rockery which was completely overrun with weeds. It was shocking!!!

Craig pressure washed the grass. Wish I’d taken a before pic. It looks like a green carpet now.

Still got a bit of work to do to the old pond area in the foreground… it needs soil and another plant in it.

So it’s back to “auld claes and porridge” for me tomorrow….

I’ve only worked one day in the last 10 and it’s been glorious weather so it feels like a holiday. Back to my new normal. Fit Body Farm at 6am and a full working day at Tartan.

Might head to the coast tonight for sunset too. Will see. Been a good day getting things done that have needed doing for a long time…. And of course… chilling in the sun. Again.

This is your Sunday afternoon reminder that we can all handle everything this coming week throws at us. Remember it’s only they way we react that affects us.

Stay safe everyone 🌞🌞🌞

Clean bed last night with lightweight sheets…. And yet I didn’t sleep quite as well…. We’ve had the same heavy but soft flannelette duvet cover on since before Christmas. I’ve managed to wash it and change it same day every time since then. I felt the need for change 😆

I think the weight of the covers helps me sleep more soundly. I was up and down to the loo a few times last night.

Anyway poor Craigie is working today so I decided to take Calaidh down to the beach for a run this morning. She ran… I paddled. I couldn’t tell you the last time I paddled and it was bloody amazing.

I’m a member of the wild swimming group on FB and have never quite managed to do it. I always have some excuse…. I even bought a dryRobe but still never seem to actually do it. It must be very cold as I felt the pain with the water just above my knees!!!

Still can’t get over the excitement of fitting under the height barrier. Simple things in life eh?!

Now I did see one thing that made me really sad….. someone had placed some rocks on a huge jellyfish… obviously had the fear it would float in the sea and hurt someone but the poor thing was lying in the sun with 2 big rocks on it. I’m sure it was already dead as it had some holes where I think it had been burnt by the sun and dried out. I can’t believe that someone could be so cruel as to do that and not even give it a second thought. Heres a pic of a happier jellyfish…. 💜💜💜💜

So…. Sad stuff aside.

It was beautiful. Stunning. Out of this world.

I have actually had the loveliest day. I have not sat out in the sun all day which is very unlike me… I’ve actually enjoyed sitting inside in the shade too. It’s still scorching and I think it must be in the late 20’s C again.

I forgot to mention the other day that I’d left my bikini top hanging up drying and puppy number 1 seems to have chewed the strap…..

Today I decided to fix it…….. look what I managed to do.

I even checked to make sure I wasn’t sewing it on back to front and I imagined I would do that…. What a muppet. I only found out when I tried to put it on…….. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I sewed it on so well it took me ages to unpick it too. I did actually laugh out loud though.

I also put a new phone screen on and managed to get that right 3rd time. That old saying….. 😆

It’s been a lovely peaceful afternoon.

I have to say I am feeling really good just now. Calm, relaxed and chilled out…. Despite the intense heat! Life is good and long may it continue.

Stay safe everyone 🌞🌞🌞

Oh my word… it’s hot…..I feel I need to explain something to anyone reading that’s not based on the UK…. We never get this length of prolonged heat…. And most certainly not in Scotland. None of us have air conditioning (apart from The Windsor Waffle 😁), our houses are heavily insulated to keep heat in and our bodies are used to much lower temperatures.. We sit outside in the sun if it’s 14C!!!

We love it on holiday, in fact we expect it on holiday and are devastated if we don’t get it but it feels very different at home.

Craig and I were laughing at each other yesterday as it was far too hot to be sitting in the sun (26C here although it feels hotter). Yet we slogged it out. We could hardly breathe, it was like sitting in a sauna! Now we know the dangers to prolonged sun exposure but as I said yesterday, we just never know when we might see it again.

Yet we get up again today and here it is again…. Wow. Another day of glowing with perspiration 🥵😆

Claire and I headed down to the coast for sunset last night and had such a lovely time.

We heard a woman shout “oh there it is….” And we’re scanning the horizon for the “it”….. she just slowly crept down the side of Arran and it actually seemed like her engines were off at one point.

Now last night was great in a good few ways…. First of all Claire agreed to come down for sunset in the first place…. Secondly I managed to fit Abbie the camper under the height restriction in Portencross car park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is huge. I’ve not been down since I had the van raised as I was scared I’d be too high. Claire jumped out to check (immediately after admitting she has no spacial awareness…. 😬) and I sailed on under…… and thirdly Claire turned the brightness up on a phone and gave my phone a whole new look!!! I’ve been on the dimmest of settings and all of a sudden my pics took on a whole new light. Wow. Every day is a school day!

The next photo is is at 11pm…… arriving back home. Unheard of these days… we went to McDonalds for a milkshake on the way home. The moon rise was just as attractive as the sunset last night. It was very large and pinky/orange. We had the giggles in this pic as I thought a streetlight was the moon as we tried to take the selfie….. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️😁🤣

Quick dog walks today before it got too hot.

So I had the osteopath today and he said that my knee has a swollen goose foot….. (only me…..) and that’s the reason for my pain. It obviously has a much more sophisticated name but I can only remember the crazy one. He says I should put some ice on it after exercise I have all the tools to correct it but could do with some new trainers to help support my foot a bit more. Ok then…. I have to “keep doing the exercises” that I have not done enough of…. And stretch. I really must stretch.

Just before my appointment I bumped into Anne from my tapping group…. It’s maybe been about 3 years since I’ve seen her. It made my day to get a huge hug… even if we did only have 5 minutes if that!

I did a quick food shop after the Osteopath… came home and hung up the second last washing of the day and then tackled some of the meadow garden weeds.

Needless to say there is no after photo as it looks a mess and I have nettle stings under my right armpit and on my right wrist. I also got bit on the leg by and evil horsefly that drew actual blood. Booooooo to gardening!

Sitting back down and enjoying the sun. Hope you all have a a great weekend.

Stay safe everyone 🌞🌞🌞

I pinched the headline from my friend Tracey in Canada. She survived a much hotter heatwave than this but jeezo man this is scorching.

I have honestly been dripping with sweat for most of today. I cannot even imply the polite term of perspiring… I’ve been sweating like a beast.

Standing at the closed door of our portacabin felt like warming yourself against a radiator in winter. A door….. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

It feels way hotter than 25C.

Took a pic of the wee note I walked into this morning. It’s the wee touches that make Tartan special. ♥️ I was only in for a day then back off again…. One shift wonder!

Took this photo of Archie the Tartan Camper in the sunshine!

So we got to sleep all night last night! Puppy tummies are all better it seems.

So we’re sitting outside in the shade…. For anyone who knows me they almost won’t believe it… it’s THAT hot.

Forgot to say that I actually punched myself in the face on Friday when we arrived at the campsite in Glencoe. I was sitting in the drivers seat reaching for a bag to pull into the front of the van…. Mustn’t have had a hold of the bag. Full on whacked myself in the nose. Proper eye watering…. Though thankfully no nose bleed! Muppet!

Stay safe everyone 🌞🥵🌞

So yeah…. That happened today! 2nd vaccination for us in the scorching heat in Ardrossan.

As I did start this blog to record life in COVID times, I should stay here that the nurse was super attentive. Asked us both how we were feeling after the first jag, what our reactions were and how we were feeling about the second one. I did say I was a lot more apprehensive his time around as I’d felt so lightheaded after the first one. Don’t know if it was Craigs driving 😆 or me being a bad passenger but I felt pretty dizzy on the way over. He explained that our bodies generate a lot of adrenaline to help us get through the unknown. He said that the adrenaline floods away when the had is administered and the body realises it’s ok…. That’s what causes the lightheadedness. With that explanation I sailed through this jag… mentally talking to the adrenaline saying I didn’t need it before he gave me the jag. (Come one you know I’m a weirdo my now!!)

I told the nurse today if Craig got the chills with this vaccine, as he did the last time, I’d just shove him out in the sun. 😆

We were up 3 times through the night with Little Miss Freya last night. We had her in our room as we suspected she was the one who still had a dodgy tum…. We were right, 1.15am was the first baptism of fire as she started a wee jig at the bedroom door! I was in a VERY deep sleep and bolted upright wondering what the hell was going on. Craig got her out sometime early morning and me again about 6.30am…. Better that way than her thinking she can’t get out.

It was really dark at 1.15am which surprised me as the moon had been so bright at 10pm.

So cloudy again this morning, pretty high level but actually a wee bit of respite from yesterday’s heat.

Only those of us who live here know what this feels like to us. This kind of heat is truly unheard of. Us Scots talk about the weather ALL the time. We often moan about it. We frequently get 4 seasons in one day. This heat feels like we are all abroad on holiday at once. It’s very hot… very draining but so, so lovely. Its expecially welcome as we can’t get abroad for holidays just now due to COVID restrictions.

I did read one thing (which I can’t find now!) that said we crave the heat and 30c on holiday is out of this world but at home it feels like the devils armpit!!!

I think I’ve said before but most of us change our whole daily plan around when the sun shines. We wash clothes, bedding, blankets, towels like there is no tomorrow. We never know when winter might hit at the drop of a hat. It can take us a week to dry washing in winter so we over wash in the summer just because we can. We high five each other for the number of washings we can do and dry in a day!!

So Craig’s at a funeral this afternoon… our neighbours’ mum sadly passed away. A very sad day for them all but what a lovely send off in the sunshine. 🙏🏻 ☀️

This is our last day off work, we are both back in action tomorrow…. Only for one day for me mind you as I’m off on Friday. Hard life eh?!? Tempted to message the boss to ask if working from a swimming pool would be acceptable?!? 👙🏊🏼‍♀️

So in light of the recent holiday and dog-pooping-once-again debacle… we are going to have to rethink our main summer holiday this year. We were planning a CalMac Ferries island hopping tour at the start of September but don’t think the dogs could cope. We have to weigh up our options but I have this romantic idea that someone would love a 2 week holiday in a quaint Scottish village with the village pub next door…. Obviously with the prime objective for us that someone will be here to look after our dogs. They are so much happier when they are off lead and able to run about in the garden. We may decide to take one with us, we may look into kennels but we really would rather not. if the worst comes to the worst we may need to just have a home based holiday with day trips. The price to be paid of building a dog pack!!

I’m relaxing in the sun this afternoon, reading a Lynda la Plante trilogy now starting with the Cold Shoulder. My lovely friend Evelyn has been keeping me going in books for a good few months now. I should say here too that I have the lardy ass out in an actual bikini today. Unheard of in the back garden that can be like Grand Central Station with visitors popping in. I am ready to shove clothes over the top at a minutes notice…. I am hiding down behind our wee fence which is festooned with wet washing as I’ve run out of places to hang it. No one needs to see this but it feels like a real summer holiday. 👙☀️ and literally just like that the door opens and Craig shouts “are you decent?!?” Eh naw!!!! Gimme a minute!!!! 😆🤣

Looking forward to a cold shower before crochet in the beer garden tonight. Life is pretty good right now… pooping puppers aside obviously?!? Anyone fancy a holiday?!? 🤷🏻‍♀️😆🤣

Stay safe everyone 🌞🌞🌞

It is a scorcher today….. 28C we reckon… in Scotland…. In summer…. In July…. Almost unheard of. 😆 it’s certainly the hottest I remember Craig’s birthday being.

7am we were woken with a howl from the sunroom….. we were too late. Little puppers sore tums accident to clear up before I’d barely opened my eyes. The joys of pupperdom….. 🤦🏻‍♀️

We were awake.

Of course Craig was so excited about his pressies that he couldn’t sleep anyway. 🤣🤣🤣 so we got up and sat outside in the shade for coffee and pressies!

I should say here that Craig is the master of gift giving…. No birthday is too small to have a small fortune spent on it. So his birthdays are a source of stress for me as I can never match his generosity. I have tried in the past but always fail so I’ve decided to keep doing it my way. He still got a tonne of stuff!

We lazed about this morning… well I did while Craig fitted his new Front Runner awning to his roof rack. Not a birthday gift but I bought him the bottle opener, the under awning lights and the GoPro mount for the roof rack so his new overlanding car is taking shape.

We went to Auchengree Farm Shop for brunch.

It was too hot to eat outside today. For those of you who know me well you will see I’m a changed woman… I’d have been beside myself to get outside in the past! how times have changed. Maybe it’s because o don’t work 100 hours a week now (slight exaggeration!) and I know that if I miss nice weather I will catch it some other time?!

So for lunch Craig had a Club Sandwich and I had Chicken, Mango and Halloumi salad. I love love love halloumi!!

We bought some lovely BBQ meat for tonight. Now it’s not cheap… but it looks very good quality. Not a hint of fat to be found on the chicken skewers.

It’s been the loveliest of lazy days. The dogs are so much more relaxed being home. It’s nice to see them back to their old selves but sad that being away seems to bother them so much. We have to think up some strategy as we can’t not ever go away again.

We’ve had lovely drinks with neighbours and it genuinely feels like we’re abroad on holiday. It’s still hot and it’s 7.30pm. Wonder how long it will be before we have aircon in our houses in Scotland?!?!

Stay safe everyone 🌞🌞🌞

We had a lovely sunset last night… made all the more special by the receding cloud.

It was calm and peaceful as there’s not a a breath of wind…. Barely a sound apart from the neighbours smooth rock which played from early afternoon to the back of 10pm. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🥴😬😆

The mountains are even more spectacular which you can appreciate their true height. This Camping and Caravanning Club campsite is surrounded by mountains like a giant walled garden. It’s breathtaking…. And today it is very, very hot!!

It just goes to show that the cloudier weather we have had is so much better for the dogs.

Thankfully we have a bush (stop it!) right at our pitch so they are able to shelter in the shade. They have a basin of water to drink or sit in!!

I scoffed at my poor sister in law once for buying a cooling mat for her dogs and yet here I am the proud owner of 3 of them. You may notice from the above pic that neither of the dogs chooses to lie on one of them. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️😆 I… on the other hand have used them for my feet….. they are really cooling!!

This is my view just now. I’m crocheting and writing as the day goes on.

Sadly Bhruic has her usual camping affliction… the runs…. And this morning has been sick too. Craig was up 3 times in the night with her and Freya and I only heard her once. They are so used the run of a long garden that I wonder if it’s the being tethered on a campsite that stresses them out?

We took the dogs for a lovely walk up to another viewpoint this morning.

So it would appear our neighbours are listen to the radio station”Mellow Magic”… “timeless, relaxing classics” …. now there’s nothing offensive about it at all but we do not want to listen to it. I am on holiday and want to listen to a whole lot of nothing. It started at 12.10pm and if yesterday is anything to go by it’s gonna be on until after 10pm. I may have to go for another walk!!

So in the space of time between writing this above and now, we are now home. The dogs were very hot and miserable being tied up so we packed up in the heat of the day and headed down the road. Both drivers and passenger windows right down and the blower on full. Even then the van said 30C inside. Super toasty.

I have spent the last 3 days grumbling about it not being sunny…. Sun comes out and we have to go home. I’m not gonna lie, there was a spoiled child having a hissy fit tantrum inside of me as we packed up.

But…. (Never start a sentence with but…..) we have had a lovely time. It was lovely to catch up with Stuart and Lee, lovely to spend the day together in Glencoe and then have our BBQ. Things don’t always go as we plan but that doesn’t mean it’s all ruined. I’ve been cross with the dogs, why is life always so difficult because we have dogs I can’t change that so really there is no point being angry about it. They are much happier now that they are home.

My co-pilot took some pics on the drive home. Apart from the intense heat, it was a truly stunning drive, through Glencoe itself, across Rannoch Moor, down through Tyndrum to Crianlarich and down the side of Loch Lomond.

So all home and present and correct. Until the next time!

Stay safe everyone 🌞⛰🌞

I slept like a log last night…. Didn’t wake until 8am despite being aware of trampolining puppers are various times through the night, I was so tired.

It’s still cloudy, but dry and hot so another lovely bacon toastie with coffee outside.

I’ve done a wee bit of Campervan housework this morning, took the dishes down to the dishwashing room and got everything back in it’s place. My organised brain can relax.

We went along to the Glencoe Visitor’s Centre and left the dogs for a sleep. Had a wee wander round and saw the wee hoosie I stumbled on in the dog walk yesterday morning.

Of course then we had to have the obligatory coffee and large piece of caramel shortcake and it was bloody lovely 😊

As we wandered around we saw a young couple sitting at a picnic bench with the best view. They were both on their phones and not talking to each other or taking in the surroundings. It made me appreciate the beauty all the more.

This is how we roll this afternoon… crochet for me and a book about dog food for Craigie.

So tonight we are making pizza 🍕 for dinner over a fire… well over a BBQ.

Don’t say we’re not adventurous!! Pups have been fed but waiting to see what comes out! Gonna post this before eat.

It’s turning into a lovely evening! Finally getting some sun tomorrow I think. Can’t complain, had a lovely chilled out afternoon. There’s not a breathe of air, or rain, so it’s campers paradise…. Minus the sun 🌞 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🥴🌞

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s still not that sunny. I go through phases of being so p’d off that we’re sitting under cloud and everyone else has scorching sunshine…. And then being truly grateful for where we are and how relaxing it is.

I say that and I didn’t get the best sleep last night but that was mostly dog related. We put the dogs in the awning and like miss inquisitive Bhruic realises she can get out of one of the doors and I hear her trying to get in the van at 4.30am! From then on we were the proverbial pupper trampoline!

We got up before 8 and I took the dogs a big walk up around the Glencoe Visitor Centre.

So I forgot to say but by shear fluke Craigs brother and his wife are at the same campsite!! They didn’t know we had booked and so arrived last night.

This morning we all went for a walk into Glencoe. We had a quick drink once they got settled. Alcohol free Erdinger for me. Still one of my favs.

We passed the site of the Glencoe Massacre.

Craig and I had been coming to Glencoe for years and only found the Lochan on one of our last visits. It’s a lovely place to go and you can walk right round it easily. There are loads of other walks around the area too.

We wandered back into Glencoe in search of coffee!!

We stopped for a coffee and a cake but seemed to chose THE most expensive place in Glencoe.

Two cappuccino, two scones with cream and jam, 2 portions of chips and two beers… £34.40!!!!!!!!! The scones were a fiver each and in all honesty the staff seemed mildly irritated by our order.

We wanted to sit outside as we have five dogs. They said we’d have to have the takeaway menu outside…. Which is fine… but the takeaway menu was nothing like the menu they were offering for takeaway once you went in to order. It felt like no one had any idea what was going on and we were just being a pest!!

Many gates to follow!!

We had a lazy afternoon sitting outside so I still have shorts and flip flops on but the sun isn’t breaking through much. Didn’t get my nap but did finish my book! Just couldn’t put it down.

We went to Stuart and Lee’s van for a BBQ tonight. Sat outside until about 10pm so it shows how warm it is even if there’s no sun. I will get over that…. I promise to try!!

The blog’s not uploading tonight so I’m going have to go to bed without posting it. Sure it will post sometime…. Update it’s all good this morning. Happy Sunday folks xx

Stay safe everyone 🏔🏔🏔

Wide awake at 5.40am this morning. Did not go to the Fit Body Farm but my body obviously thought I should have… 🤦🏻‍♀️ I have heard it was a killer.

So I want to start off with a bit for the ladies…… I always promised to be pretty straight talking here. So being of the possibly-maybe-nearly peri menopausal age, I’m not that concerned when the time of the month passed me by as it has for the last ooooh at least 2 or 3 months. No great shakes.

This holiday has been booked since we knew we could get back out and about post covid. Why does my body choose last night to start up normal monthly cycles again. I mean…. COME ON…. Seriously?!?! The night before I go away for a holiday?!? Surely that’s not a coincidence?? It’s not been on my radar at all so it’s not like I manifested it at all…. Isn’t nature weird and wonderful. And infuriating…. 🤬

So what that means for men is that I am super cranky. All the work I have done to calm the anxiety down and in one night I have become Mrs Narky McNarkerson. Honestly I am so irritated by absolutely everything…. poor Craigie boy has his work cut out for him and Tartan should be glad to see the back of me 😆🤦🏻‍♀️😬 I am saying ALL the wrong words…… it’s actually quite hysterical. I called my camping chair a CAR instead of a CHAIR…. You get the drift.

So we left at 9.58am and did not have to return home for any forgotten items thankfully.

We drove down into Glencoe village as we were a bit early for the campsite.

We’ve bought stuff here in the past and it’s just the loveliest wee shop. It has a wee restaurant/coffee shop…. Might have to walk there again sometime.

We spent the afternoon getting set up, exploring the campsite and about 4.30 someone other than me announced that they might have a lie down. Just had a wee read of my book and a nap and it was soooo good. My first of the week.

Now we’re sitting outside having dinner.

We are a teensy hit miffed that the weather isn’t the best but I say that and we’re outside in shorts so really we shouldn’t complain! It’s glorious at home though!

At least here we are surrounded by mountains.

I just spilled some dinner on my sweatshirt. Bugger… I am my father’s daughter. 😆🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️😬

Happy Glasgow Fair Friday!

Stay safe everyone 🏔🏔🏔

I’m not sure I remember such a consistent run of hot weather in Scotland. Maybe the last time was summer 2018 when we had a heat wave. A few days that I’ve left work today the car has read 35C. I know it’s not but it sure as hell is inside the van!

I did not stop for a photo session on the way to work this morning. I wanted to…. it was so beautiful.

I have my out of office on my email from tonight for just less than a week. Only started full days Monday to Thursday this week and I’m off already. Maybe that’s why I found the week so easy.

This is my view just now. It’s scorching hot again and honestly there’s not been a cloud in the sky all day. My blog friend who writes The Windsor Waffle has messaged to say how gloomy it’s been in Windsor. I think we have pinched Windsor’s weather for a few weeks?!?! Long may it continue.

We are off on our Overland and Borders adventures again tomorrow in Abbie the Camper van. It’s gonna be hot I think!

Craig has actually bought cooling mats for the dogs as it will be super hot for them.

He’s also packing then van just now while I sit out in the sun like Lady Muck, writing this and painting my toenails in some horrific neon pink I got free with perfume at Christmas!!! It may not really go with my mustard flip flops but I am wearing them come hell or high water… with neon pink toes…. 😆🥳

Oooooh I just checked the forecast and it now says foggy until Sunday afternoon….. NO!!!!!!!! I wish I hadn’t bothered. It will be fine.

Stay safe everyone 🥳🥳🥳

It was a much cooler morning this morning. Still T-shirt weather even at 5.30am but there was a nip in the air.

The village was shrouded on mist… as was most of North Ayrshire.

So just along the road the sun makes an appearance and I had to stop and take photos. Bearing in mind it’s maybe 5.33am….

I also spotted a thistle…. Maybe 5.34 by now?!

It was beautiful. As I pulled back over to my side of the road I realised there was a car behind me. It was another Fit Body Farm-er and I was laughing as I thought she must be wondering why I’d stopped about a mile or so from the house. I hadn’t been caught short! The sunrise is photographic evidence. 😆

As soon as we got near to FBF I could see that there was a Scottish saltire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 flag in the sky…. I took millions of photos of it.

So the Farm was great today. 2 teams competing. While one team had to hit a certain distance on the rower, assault bike and ski-erg, the other team had to try to score points with the number of sled pushes/pulls, wall ball targets and basketball baskets. Our team won…. By half a point!

Cold shower and off to work.

Another great day in the Tartan world. I don’t know where the time has gone this week. It’s great to have time in the day to actually do things I want to do at work. I still feel more in control being there for longer. The tin can portacabin was still super hot today but I actually managed to wash Abbie the camper van today by way of a break. Not quite a full lunch half hour away from my desk but about 3 stints at the van amongst other interruptions. I need to work on the lunch time separation!

Now I’m not gonna lie…. I am a bit more tired now than I have been all week but that’s allowed. I have the Gateside Hookers crochet club in 45 minutes so I thought I’d sit for a bit instead of running round like a maniac . I’m allowing myself time to rest without pulling the exhausted card.

I’ve put a washing on and put some dinner in the oven so actually that’s still more than the sloth in me would ever manage!

Onwards and upwards.

Stay safe everyone 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Woo hoo hoo hoo hoo!! Level 0 the day we could never see coming. Despite this blog being about struggling with mental health through COVID-19 lockdown, I’ve been very lazy recently with my updates.

I’ve stopped watching the news and the only time I hear something of any significance now is when someone tells me. Most likely to be Craig but today I got this news at work!

I’ve been invited to a wedding evening reception today too since this announcement. Craig doesn’t know yet! Cries of “what will I wear” were heard round the workshop today….. from the girls obviously. 🥴😆 one of the guys gets married at the end of the month.

So, a bit of reflection from me today…. Not like me eh?!? I’m really enjoying working the longer hours…… yes, honestly…. 😳🥴😆as it’s helping me keep more on top of the day to day work. I think a lot of my work anxiety comes from not knowing things and this way I am more in control.

So far I am more switched on (we can overlook the trying to put the kettle away in the fridge rather than the milk today…these things happen….😳🥴🤣😆) I have more energy, I feel brighter and happier. It’s actually a really lovely feeling. I am WAY more organised. WAY MORE.

Breakfast and lunch are ready the night before along with clothes for the gym and work. I’ve just make salad for dinner and an extra one for tomorrow. (What is happening to me?!?)

I’ve cooked up chilli to freeze to take away in the van at the weekend AND walked the dogs, all since I came home from work and not once have I felt tired, exhausted, sluggish or lethargic. Can I find any more words for tiredness?!?

So I realise, as with everything, there are peaks and troughs, but I am riding this peak and long may it continue. mixing my metaphors again too but hey….

I did my fist customer handover today. Processed payment and ticked a job off the list. It felt really good.

As I walked back into the village a white van flew through at what felt like 60 miles an hour. I gestured for him to slow the ‘f’ down…. He stuck his fingers up at me. I stuck mine up back… the effect was completely lost as I had 3 dog leads in that hand. It just felt better to do something. How would he like it is I drove past his bedroom window at 60mpg….. exactly.

Other than rude man it was a very positive day. I will allow the “I told you so’s”. It just has amazed me as of all the scenarios I played out in my head for this week I was never organised, alert, calm and relaxed….

I even did my knee physio exercises before leaving for work…. I mean…. Come on!!!!

So a good day. More of the same on order please.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Well I have day 1 of back to almost full time work under my belt and I’m still awake. 🤷🏻‍♀️😆

The day flew by and I even missed lunch but by 2.39pm I did think to myself, jeez I’m still here!!!

So I was in bed for 8 last night and am reading a new book which I couldn’t put down. Lights out by 9.30pm and missed all the Euro 2020 football “excitement”.

I bounded out of bed at 5.10am and all ready for the Fit Body Farm. First thing the coach asked me was if I had done my physio exercises yet…… errrrrr….. moving on…… 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️😆 I will watch the video clips and get on it tonight!

I was really chuffed that after a few days off the gym, after physio and lots of unhealthy food, I managed the 5 minute warm up run quite easily this morning.

It was very hot at work today. It’s been about 25C here and cloudy which is very unusual weather for us, not complaining at all. I went to stick something up on the wall today and the wall was actually hot. To be fair I am sitting in a metal Portacabin!

So the day was not without its issues but I didn’t crumble. I can only do what I can do and handle what I know and be very polite to people if I don’t know the answers. (Where did yesterday’s drama Queen go?!?) I’ve approached it differently today and genuinely feel more responsible for results as I’m there for longer hours. That’s only a good thing.

We are off camping again this weekend so this made me laugh!! That’ll me is soon!

Thanks so much for all the messages of support for today. It really means the world to me.

Stay safe everyone ☀️☀️☀️