It’s been another lovely day after yesterday’s clouds. We didn’t see the sun until about 3.30pm yesterday. When it came out, it was HOT!
Sorry for such a quick blog yesterday, I just ran out of day! I literally never stopped from 5.30am until about 10pm. I was so full of “birthday tea” when I went to bed, that I ended up waking at 4am. My mind started racing, the birds were twittering away and I couldn’t get back to sleep.
I got up and did everything backwards this morning!! I made my lunch, had a shower and then headed out for dog jog?!?! Go figure…. A run after my shower?! 😂 not my smartest move but hey… I’m tired.
Mid jog, I stopped to show you how tall the cow parsley is growing!! Absolutely nothing to do with taking a breather….. 🙊
They had a good run around in the field this morning too.
There’s also lots of these lovely yellow iris’ along the side of the field, so pretty. There’s a lot of them in the wild just now.
I loved this Hawthorne tinged pink!
I can’t tell you how guilty I feel when I head to work and leave these 3 wee faces. They’re used to Craig being here on and off through the day. They get under your feet as you leave, as if to the and trip you up!
Please don’t go mum!!
So the Scottish Dog Behaviourist is actually home tomorrow, finally! It feels like he’s been away for weeks! He’s had a great time, done loads of training and learned loads but think he’s ready to get back to our 3 amigos. He’ll certainly miss the 5 dogs he’s leaving in Spain too.
He’ll be home tomorrow morning just as I get to work, so our lovely friend Lindsay will pick him up and bring him home.
So I’m off to crochet tonight in the pub…. Alcohol free gin and tonic for me! We’ve not met up in ages so I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. It is just the other side of the fence from where I’m sitting just now so not too much of an effort. Guess I should actually take my crochet this week and get back into it, or that blanket will never finish itself!
Slept like a log!! I’ve been up since 5.30 dog jog, supermarket shop before work!!
The sun didn’t come through until at least 3.30pm today…. Shocker!
Now I’m at a 17th birthday party for my next door neighbour! I’ve had such a lovely meal. I’ve eaten more than I’ve eaten all week. it’s 8.30pm so it’s just a quickie! Been jumping back home to let the dogs out. Better get back to them soon!
I was out in the pub last night… on a school night! Our friends Lindsay and Euan walked out from Beith to meet me next door. We had a lovely wee catch up and FaceTimed Craig in Spain!!
I came home and played with the dogs for a bit and got some lovely random photos.
Always love the jumping shots!
This morning started off cloudy. I had an alarm set for 5.30am and was off out with the dogs but had to wear a long sleeved top. I felt pretty tired and grumpy if I’m honest. I get sluggish as I jogged. Not feeling it today.
We saw this big sheep!
Freya alway checking up to make sure I’m still there!
I’ve not been in the best mood today. I don’t quite know where to put myself. I think I’m just tired after being so busy at the weekend. I got through lots at work so that’s always good. The sun came out about 9ish and it’s been really hot today. We’ve had the door wide open all day and even the fan on.
I am LOVING this run of beautiful weather. All the things mulling round in my mind should be irrelevant when I look at that lovely blue sky and just breathe.
I just yawned my head off…. Early night needed I think!
That sun emoji is still right up there at the top. Even above my ♥️ emoji which I use a lot.
I’m sleeping really well these days… there no snoring in our house as he’s away and obviously I don’t snore at all so I’m out for the count! 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️😂
I felt a lot of anxiety when I woke this morning. It’s a beautiful day again and I have a sea swim planned at my favourite Portencross beach, today at 11am.
Now that sounds to me like the perfect day… and spoiler alert… it absolutely was… just the best…. But oh my god I make some amount of fuss in my head before I go!!!
There’s the dogs to be walked… and I like to do that before everyone is up… so I better get moving…
We went a different way today. They were so excited as they know they get off at the top of the hill so they pulled me all the way up. I stressed about that.
Then Freya needed a wee rest!
There are loads of buttercups up here.
Look how clear the sky is. You can see all the way over to the Isle of Arran.
A gate specifically for The Windsor Waffle my blogger friend. Just so she knows I’m still looking for gates 😂
Sooo many buttercups!!
I still had ages to get ready to head to the beach. I was stressed about remembering everything I needed to take (which was all safely stored in one place, I might add..) and of course I needed to be there an hour early so I could get parked. my driving and parking anxiety has been quite bad this weekend.
We’ve had a big event on in the Village Hall this weekend and I seem to be petrified of not getting parked when I come home. My whole weekend has been jigged around this event, which is, quite frankly, ridiculous!!
Anyway… I get there for about 10am and this is what greets me. Portencross is the best I have seen it this year.
The water is so still, so calm and peaceful. I could sit here for hours.
It’s just a shame a big group of age 60+ seem to have moved in to the picnic area and even at that time, have music blaring on a loud speaker. They are all chatting over it. Sitting under a large gazebo, none of them in the sun and they’ve brought an actual karaoke machine. I mean, really?!? Who does that. No care for anyone else sitting nearby them. Not sure why they hadn’t just stayed at home.
Down on the rocks and thankfully their tunes don’t travel.
I sat and watched this wee family of ducks float past! The wee one at the back was paddling like crazy to keep up. I was so lovely to watch.
I go swimming with Ellison from Tartan Campers and her sister Eileen who has been doing it for years so knows her stuff! We also met Chantal and Lesley today (they are really good swimmers so they were off for a good two kilometre swim).
Eileen is really good at taking photos but had left her phone pouch at home. I gave her mine. No point in me faffing with my phone and getting nothing! Also allowed me to relax and enjoy it without taking photos all the time.
We swam out the little stony beach at the side of Portencross Castle.
We literally walked in here and swam away!
Don’t be fooled into thinking I was swimming with a spaceman!! Ellison is wearing her snorkel mask which covers her full face and allows you to breath through your nose and mouth while snorkelling.
Eileen obviously took all of these photos. It just felt like such a special day. I’ve always wanted to swim there. I was petrified of jellyfish and saw none. I preferred not to look but once I borrowed Ellison’s snorkel I saw that it was amazing to swim under water.
I could have lay about in the water by the side of the castle all day!
It’s lovely to come out of the sea into the heat but you’re still exceptionally cold. The heat helps you to warm up a bit faster but you still have the shivers.
We sat and had a lovely lunch looking out to sea, I took a salad with me, I was ravenous by then!
Then to top it all off, Ellison and I took a wander back round to the castle and went inside. I’ve always wanted to do that! The views from the top are incredible.
This next picture shows the bit we swam in. It was amazing to see it from above.
Yet another day spent with people who are very good for my soul!
The whole reason I write this blog is to show people that I might look like I do lots of amazing things at times but I do feel a lot of anxiety around it. It doesn’t always come easily to me. It would have been so easy to stay home today and look what I would have missed.
Feel the fear and do it anyway!
Off to meet friends in the pub tonight about half 6… it’s been all go but a great weekend!
Lots of calls with Craig during the day today catching up on his dog training too! All good over there!
Wow you know you’re having good weather if the sun emoji is at the top of your emojis. Right next to the Scotland flag!
I’ve had the best wee day to myself so far!
To be fair it started at 2am with a bark…. To wake up to this.
The moon was so bright that the room was light…. We don’t have curtains so wear eye masks but once I was up it was just really beautiful. Made me a bit less angry at the dogs. I let them out and we all went back to bed… until 6.15am when another one barked… or quite possibly the same one so it was off out for this mornings dog jog.
I didn’t take a lot of photos this morning as it’s just as beautiful as every other day this week.
It was a lovely walk. Back home for a peppermint tea in the garden before I got showered to head out.
I walked to the little gift shop this morning. It was such a lovely day and the village hall has a big event on with about 20 visitors expected. The downside to roadside living is that you can come back and never get a parking space!
Also getting my steps up!
It already feels really warm but I have to have warm clothes for the shop as it’s always really cool.
I had the best morning. It was heaving!!! So busy but I still got lots of lovely chats with customers. Doing what I love the most. Chatting to people, making them smile and having some banter.
The morning passed so fast. I didn’t get a chance even for a coffee, let alone the lovely salad I’d taken with me. I of course had to walk home in 22°C heat which is very hot for us Scots… wearing jeans and trainers, carrying my sweatshirt and body warmer!!
It is just a scorcher of a day. It’s hot and I am…. Wait for it…. Outside in my garden in a bikini for the first time in a VERY VERY VERY long time.
I am lying like a coiled spring, waiting on someone to walk into the garden so I can wrap myself in a towel but I’m in a bikini and not horrifically horrified by what I see.
The dogs just want to be with me so I’ve moved next to some shade so they are not to hot but able to still be close to me. Our artificial grass gets very hot in this weather!!
This is the life.
Gayle and I are going to Largs for a chippy tea later and I’m so looking forward to it!
Here we are!!
We’ve come to The Fish Works in Largs!
It is stunning here and we are having such a lovely time! I’m off to enjoy it!
It’s 20°C and I’m writing this at 6.40pm in Scotland.
This is pretty much summer for us.
It’s so warm, the sky is blue and there’s not a cloud to be seen. Everything is in full bloom. It’s so green against the blue.
The puppers have been well looked after by Holly again today. When I got home they were wet, having been soaked with the hose this afternoon to cool down. They love that!
The day started with dog jog and run in a field. They ran in the field, I walked!!
They found a ball!
The field has just been cut and is so yellow looking, desperate for rain!
When we got back I sat out in the garden with a peppermint tea. That doesn’t break your fast and it’s so refreshing. Another photoshoot!
There’s loads of new stuff in the little gift shop again! Father’s Day is 18th June.
Had my usual “set the world to rights” chat with Gayle today too!! It’s always great to catch up.
I’ve been really good on the fasting this week. Don’t know if it’s because it’s sunny, or that Craig’s away, but I’ve been craving salad. I had a huge bowl for lunch and had more for dinner.
Literally a large plastic bowl… classy but honestly lovely. I’ve not craved carbohydrates or stodgy food at all. I feel the difference already.
Then took these really impromptu photos of the dogs and they are the best I’ve got in ages. There were mini sausages involved. 😂😂
Claire then waved a chocolate Cornetto at me over the fence so I went into her garden for that!! The perfect end to a lovely meal.
So that’s all from me! The Scottish Dog Behaviourist is getting on great in Spain. Click that link if your interested in any of his posts. The dogs he’s looking after are impeccably trained and he’s continuing the training while there owner is away. It’s amazing to see him out there doing all that. I’m incredibly proud of him!
How can it actually be June already? May seemed to pass in a blur, in fact life seems to pass in a blur these days!
My trying to live in the present moment isn’t slowing life down any.
I was up at 5.30am and straight out for dog jog.
It was a beautiful morning! Pure blue sky. T-shirt weather and very sleepy dogs.. not certain they were ready for dog jog at that time of the morning!
I’ve obviously looked through these photos again and feel the joy and peace I felt taking them!
This next one was taken in iPhone portrait mode.
And this next one just normal. Can’t decide which I like the best?
The singe track roads are just beautiful!
All the while jogging along!
I took a photo of me to send to Craig. Look at that face mid run. I am actually buzzing. Completely loving life to the max!
I used to smile like this all the time and I was hiding how sad I really felt, even from myself at times. Now when I smile, I really mean it and feel it.
These lovely poppies are I. Our garden. I can hear Craig shouting WEEDS in my ear 😂 I love them.
I got home and did some energy toning exercises in the garden for kinesiology (the things I have to do to keep my mental health in check) and THEN went to Tesco in Irvine for a healthy food shop to pop in the fridge in the van!! Even Tesco looked lovely in the sunshine.
Then I went to get diesel…. All before work at 8am!! Machine.
The too bright too early part is two fold. The weather turned cloudy and has been cooler and cloudy for a lot of the day. Ellison and I still sat out at lunch for a blether. It’s the first day this year that I’ve worn sandals. Not the best choice but hey…..
My mood also deteriorated through the day.
I have so many rules, processes and procedures that I have to follow to keep myself on the straight and narrow. I am not very tolerant of anything that doesn’t go the way I believe it should go. That needs nipped in the bud. A couple of things this afternoon didn’t seem to be that bad at the time but the combination of them hit me from left field and there were tears again.
I only have swear words to express my thoughts on this 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🥴
XXX why do I have to be that person?!?
I cannot cope with feeling out of control. It’s super dramatic and none of it is that big a deal. It’s never personal but I always take it between the eyes.
So luckily I had Kinesiology tonight and we worked on dealing with stress of tears in public, learning tolerance and cutting chords with beliefs that no longer serve me. I know how weird all that might sound but trust me it works. I feel much calmer already. I’m sad that I’ve lost the spring in my step from this morning but I know I will get that back after a good nights sleep.
All I ask is for true peace to be able to deal with everyday life. It will not always be easy and it will not always go my way and that needs to be ok too.
The Rambling Sloth 🦥 