Ayrshire seems to be giving Iceland and run for its money. It’s way colder here that it was for the last few days in Iceland.

There was an icy fog that didn’t lift at all today. The forecast was for blue skies but that never happened.

So back at it the best way I know how, these days,. Our for an icy 5km run with Lynsey this morning.

We managed exactly 5k on the nose.

Lynsey is running Marocthon all month, so she has to run for 25mins or 5k a a day. Her legs were so strong and I struggled to keep up with her. Most likely because I, on the other hand, have eaten my body weight over the last few days so I felt heavy.

Still, I got out of bed, when everything told me not to… got dressed for the cold and went outside!

As usual I’m so glad I did it.

Some good chats about Iceland as well. It was Lynsey who got us to Braud & Co for those amazing pastries! The pastries may be the reason I struggled to run this morning!!

Back home to defrost before shower and back to work.

I had loads to do but the morning dragged and then the afternoon flew in. The day past really quickly.

Just like that the holidays and over and reality is back.

I’ve made so many amazing memories these last few months. I’ve been so lucky to have been able to see what I’ve seen and do what I’ve done.

Still so many photos to share. Will get to that one day 😆

Off to crochet now, haven’t seen the ladies in weeks!

Stay safe everyone ♥️🫶🏼♥️

I barely slept a wink…. 🙄 I think I was wired on caffeine, either from the food or alcohol free beer, last night.

I had my earplugs in and I heard every single car that passed, every plane that took off from Reykjavik local airport, every street sweeper and every single noise that my husband made as he slept.

I was plugged into something all night.

The alarm was set for 2.30am and it went off all too soon.

I have been pre-sad for 11th December for a while now.

I have been so lucky to have so many amazing trips in the latter half of this year.

Today was my last trip of 2024.

All packed and ready to go.

The reception of hotel is an extension on the side of a traditional Icelandic building. Our hotel was great, very central and very comfy.

This beautiful blue tree outside our hotel.

We only had to walk around the corner to the aptly named, bus stop number 1. This is situated at Reykjavik City Hall.

The water around City Hall is now ice and the ice is breaking up and moving.

It’s even pushing the bricks up.

It’s about 3.20am.

I scooted round the side of City Hall to the big lake and the view was beautiful!

We got to the airport about 4.30am.

Thought Craig had found his twin 😆 he said it looked like me being really grumpy.

We had some food once we were through security and were boarding for 7am. It all went like clockwork to be honest.

I feel like you can learn a lot from someone’s personality, by their footwear. This pic was to show the legroom we had thanks to Craig being the tallest person ever.

But back to the shoes… Or boots.

I’m a worrier.

I need to be able to hike in them, have dry, warm feet and for them to still look good, despite all the functionality. I watched women get on the flight in trainers and uggs. I laughed at my reaction. How did they cope when it rained? When it was cold? When it was icy? When it was muddy? 😆😆😆 do they even consider these scenarios when making footwear decisions?!?

It started to rain as we left but it was still much milder than it was when we arrived.

I was freezing on the plane. I was right next to the emergency door and there was a draft… is that even a thing?!?! Well it was…. I was soooo cold!

Sunrise was beautiful!

As we reached Scotland, the mountains started to appear above the clouds… firs the Isle of Skye and then Glencoe.

Then further down towards Loch Lomond.

And here is beautiful Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond to the right. It was a stunning view.

As we came into Glasgow, the fog appeared.

Here are some tower blocks about the fog.

It was pea soup when we landed. I didn’t realise we would still land in fog that dense.

Apart from the cold this morning, we are really impressed with IcelandAir. We would highly recommend them and also to use a a layover for a trip to the States or Canada.

It took about 15 minutes to get off the plane. Either the fog affected things or it was like they weren’t expecting us.

It took about 10 minutes to get the steps up to the plane… then they had to grit them and grit the walkway into the terminal building.

We passed through passport control seamlessly.

Then we got to the baggage hall… and waited.

And waited….

20 minutes later, while we all wait at the Reykjavik baggage reclaim belt 3… watching it go round and round and round empty, they announce that actually it’s going round on number 1!!

Our lovely neighbour Jim had come up to collect us and he’d had to drive around in circles for the best part of an hour!

We are so grateful to our neighbour Louise for moving in while we’re away and to her mum, Holly, for walking them when she is at work!

Without them and our lovely in-laws, we wouldn’t be able to get away together.

I’ve been cleaning and unpacking since we got back until we sat down, by the light of the Christmas tree, to catch up on the shows we’ve been watching. We will crash soon!!

Iceland was every bit as good the second time, as it was, the first.

Some pics to finish off….

Just the best.

Stay safe everyone 🇮🇸✈️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

We both slept soooo well.

The hotel is so warm since the temperature increased!

We had the window open and I had ear plugs in…. Bliss. Out for the count until 6ish and then back to sleep until 8.15.

We’ve been really lucky as we expected torrential rain today, and yet it’s been dry almost all day.

We decided to head to Perlan today which is an Icelandic nature museum.

We walked 46 minutes from our hotel to get to it.

The lake is still frozen but it’s rained on the top of it and it’s melting so it looks like a mirror.

The view was so pretty.

You would never know the lake was still icy.

The cones are sitting on the ice to allow a digger out to the small island.

Pretty bridge.

Perlan is huge and it’s great for a rainy day.

Not gonna lie, it’s probably not my favourite thing to do in Reykjavik as I’d rather be outside seeing the actual things, rather than in a museum, looking at them. We thought it would be a good idea for a wet day.

They have an ice cave. Craig is sitting on an ice throne! 😆

The colours are so pretty in some places, white and clear in others.

It’s -10°C in the ice cave!

This was really pretty. There’s a mirror down the bottom here, designed to show the layers going on and on and on. The colour is amazing.

Ice cave selfie! 🤳

We headed upstairs to the coffee shop as we hadn’t eaten this morning.

As usual in Iceland, the cakes and the coffee are amazing. Honestly so so good.

I took the first photo over Reykjavik…. The next 3 photos are the same view as the clouds rolled in… we then realised that the view outside is slightly different, who knew it was a revolving restaurant on top of Perlan! It’s so slight that you don’t really notice!!

We then went outside on the 360° panoramic decking.

More beautiful views over Reykjavik.

Cloud inversion!

Looking down to Hallgrimskirkja.

We then went in to the Planetarium for the Aurora show…. These are my photos but only of the Aurora they show at the start for photos.

Our Aurora trip was cancelled due to cloud so we have to make do with this!

Early afternoon we walked back down into Reykjavik.

These are famous Icelandic felted soap bars… we love them but at £17 a pop we haven’t bought any…. 😆

Craig spotted this Christmas tree made out of felted sheep!

Back around past Hallgrimskirkja, on a much cloudier day than Saturday.

I never noticed before today but all the planters have these lovely flowers in them.

Back down Rainbow Road.

Looking back up to Hallgrimskirkja… Tiny spire at the top of the street.

Back into our favour Einstök Bar.

The sky was amazing when we came out. It seems even quieter today.

Some random photos as we walked through downtown Reykjavik.

My lovely alcohol free cocktail in Tipsy. (Can’t remember what was in it!)

Dinner was in Sæta Svinid tonight. It was probably the most expensive restaurant we’ve been to, about £65 for two courses and one beer… but Craig said his burger was the best he’s had.

I had the jackfruit burrito… don’t sure I chose the best option… it didn’t taste of much! Yeah I know… I hear you. 😬😆

This is the restaurant, so pretty.

Back at the hotel early tonight with an amazing Jeep parked outside!!

We are flying at 7.35am so leaving Reykjavik at 3am!!!

Bags are packed and get are up.

What an amazing adventure.

We love Iceland and are sure we will be back.

If you’ve never been, we can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s such an amazing place!

Thanks for all the likes and comments.

Here are still loads of videos etc to share but they will come!

Stay safe everyone ♥️🇮🇸♥️

Wow, you know me, I love a milestone.

1700 days of writing a daily blog (give or take!)

There have been days I skipped when I felt really low and days where I couldn’t get enough signal on holiday, but I’m always writing it in my head anyway!

It helps me make sense of my life. My reactions, my responses, it helps me focus on how I am feeling on a daily basis. I take time out of my life and think. I guess writing the blog has probably helped me more than I realise.

I always like to recap on my stats on a milestone day. 😆 self indulgent, as if a daily blog isn’t usually self indulgent 😆

2,190 days since I walked out of the office in floods of tears and life, as I knew it at the time, fell apart.

I sat for 3 months in Gran’s chair in our sunroom and cried…. I managed to walk the dogs but even that was a huge struggle.

I spent thousands of pounds on counselling and kinesiology to help me make sense of it all.

I went back to work for 5 months and then just couldn’t go back…. I was subsequently made redundant in February 2020. Right before the world closed down and joined my crazy, new stay at home life.

2,171 days without alcohol, this is my biggest achievement to date.

That’s 5 years, 11 months, 2 weeks and 2 days! I am finally in control of who I want to be. I can wake up the next morning with absolute clarity and nothing has changed since I went to bed. I know exactly what I have said and done the night before. That is the most powerful gift I have given myself.

It’s also been the hardest thing I have ever done. I used to be “one of the gang” and now I feel like I’m on the outside of society a bit. Maybe I need to try and make some peace with that and realise that I’m not… it’s just a different place from where I used to be. We live in alcohol fuelled society and if you don’t drink, you are considered weird. That said, my family and friends have been supportive and the only-for-drinking buddies are long gone. In years gone by, the drinking me hassled a work colleague once or twice, to try and get him to have a drink at a night out. I was 3 sheets to the wind and I couldn’t understand why anyone would not want to drink….. it didn’t make any sense to me?!? I was incredibly uncomfortable about my own drinking and social events made me feel better as we all had a drink and had a laugh. We’re still in touch, as he’s a member of the no drinking group that I’m an admin on, After Dry January. I’ve apologised so many times G 😆😘

I often wonder if I will ever drink again? To be honest, I don’t even like the smell of it now let alone think about tasting it. I’m sure I could control my drinking as I am no longer drowning my sorrows. I’m facing them head on with a clear head. I’m a bit too scared to try, if I’m honest.

I never drank any more than the next “man”. It just didn’t work for me.

1,571 days without anti depressants. I have to sit with that number every 100 days when I talk about my stats.

I lived my life for years on antidepressants and they got me through so much. I have always been a people pleaser, who put everyone’s needs before my own. I slowly learned how to live my life for me, without the need for the pills. I would never have imagined this possible. Huge respect to anyone who goes on an antidepressant as you are putting yourself first.

767 days on HRT…. This I have a bit less to say on…. I’m not sure whether it’s done anything or not. I didn’t see a massive change in my life before HRT vs after. I’m going to stick with it for now. I’ve done a lot of reading on it and I believe that these extra hormones are good for my body. Many disagree. Hey the world would be very boring if we were all the same.

713 days fasting… my latest “fad”.

I bloody love fasting. This one really makes me smile. I have spent my life fighting with my weight and feeling disgusted with myself. I decided to randomly start fasting on 20th December 2022. What a time to start.😆 I have never looked back. I pretty much eat what I want I just don’t eat between dinner and lunch. I was never a big fan of breakfast anyway. I have WAY more energy and I always feel great in my clothes, I never feel bloated and overweight. I have been 2 sizes smaller than I am just now but I think I’ve found my ideal size. Again, this is another one that people don’t get. They tell me it can’t be good for me. As with HRT, I’ve read a lot about it and I believe it is the right thing for my body. It works for me. No more yo-yo dieting. I just don’t eat all the time.

I feel so much better as a result of the non drinking and the fasting. It’s a way of life now. It isn’t hard work. It’s easy and it makes me happy.

On 1st January 2024, I sat in the Gateside Inn with my lovely neighbour Rachel two doors down. We decided we should start running one a week round, what we call, the Gateside loop…. It’s about 3kms… and so we did…. Every weekend in January.

Come February we were both busy and a couple of weekend’s fell by the wayside… but any chance we could we ran.

She then suggested we join the “runners” one morning. I freaked. The “runners” had been meeting for a while now but they were leagues above any kind of running I was doing.

The best decision ever. Thank you Rachel for making me do it!

Then we open up a whole group of girls in our village who can run, want to run, want to think about wanting to run and off we go. We meet at least twice a week right outside my front door…. And I love it.

Some days I don’t even realise I’m running. 😆

I always feel better after a run. Even if it was a tough one. It’s hard to put a number of days on this but let’s say 340 days since I made the decision to introduce running in my life.

In August we (most of us) did our first 10k “race” in atrocious weather conditions but we did it!

It’s not all been plain sailing. I still have days where I feel very out of sorts. Very off. I would say that my spidey sense literally tingles to quote Spider-Man. My head doesn’t let anything go that it’s not happy with. It eats away at me until I blurt something out. I

f I speak my truth I will be calm.

This was my new mantra learned in cognitive behavioural therapy all those years ago.

I am grateful that I haven’t felt too bad recently.

An argument, a cross word, or something at work can send me off on an irritable grump. my fight or flight instinct kicks in immediately. I would like to be more aware of this when it happens rather than after the event.

So I guess my life can look like hard work when you read all of this but actually I seem to have found my mojo….. and long may it continue.

There was a lovely sky this morning.

Now I’m off out to the Gateside Plant Centre for a wreath making class with the lovely Elly and all the Memorial Hall Committee.

It will be a lovely evening. I think I’m not that creative but I fair get in the swing of it!!

Once again thank you to everyone who reads this, whether you make yourself known or you’re a secret reader.

Every like, comment or share means the world to me. I honestly do this for me but I love that it may help other people realise there is life after depression. AND you can live life with anxiety.

So, tomorrow, Craig and I are off to Iceland for a few days. Cannot wait to head back and this time in winter… AND with Christmas lights. I have been very lucky with my travel this last few months!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Oooh I’m a rat bag tonight. The last few days have finally caught up with me and I feel so tired after the day at work.

It’s wild outside too. A storm is passing through and it’s super windy and the rain came at me like the start of a Star Wars movie on the way home.

Of course I knew that coming back from Rome, early on the Tuesday and heading off to Iceland on the Friday was going to be tough. I didn’t pass up the chance for Rome though just because of that. It was too good a chance to miss and Iceland has been booked for a long time.

I also have a wreath making class at the Gateside Plant Centre tomorrow night so I’ve restricted my organising time even more. That said, I am really looking forward to that!! This is last year’s effort!!

I just feel so overwhelmed by mess and stuff. Trying to unpack for one and repack for the other. I’ve not done housework over the weekend either and I’d usually have the place all clean and tidy for our lovely dog sitter coming to stay…. Hey I can’t do it all.

Craig was super busy working over the weekend and this week too before we go. My standards need to lessen.

I’m sitting here writing this calming down as I realise how ridiculous it all is to be irritated by all this. Mess seems to mess with my mind.

I just can’t think straight as my head is all fuzzy. I don’t do my best thinking in the evening…. Except to write the blog of course.

I’m just tired.

Of course I was up at 5.30 for a run with Claire and Lynsey this morning. I’m sure I was awake long before 5 so maybe I’ll sleep better tonight.

We ran the usual 5.4kms and I ran my fastest ever kilometre.

It was a good run.

So yeah. I will tell the negative committee that sits in my head to shut the hell up.

I am so lucky to be able to go on two holidays in one week. This is my dream. Suck it up buttercup and get packing!

(I posted a couple of Rome videos on my Instagram, The Rambling Sloth and they also post over onto FB if you haven’t seen them already.).

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s 6.30pm and I’m sitting with an alcohol free red wine by the light of the Christmas tree.

I saw it for the first time when I got home last night at 1.40am! It’s a real tree from the Gateside Plant Centre. It smells lovely.

I honestly had a great trip home, despite it taking a very long time.

I left Melanie at 3.30pm and took the Metro 3 stops to Rome Termini station. I stood for an hour to wait on my bus to Rome Ciampino Airport. I was on the bus for 45 minutes. The sky was lovely as I left Rome.

I spent 4 hours in the airport before a 3 hour flight. I took this on the plane. I look shattered. 😆

I landed back in Edinburgh at 12am which was really 1am my time.

I then got a bus to the car park…. Walked straight to my car and drove straight out the car park without even having to show the ticket. (Oh me of little faith thinking that I’d get stuck in the car park!)

I then had the best drive back home to Ayrshire.

The sky was so clear, the moon was bright.

The roads were clear until a closure at Glasgow Airport, which took me a diversion through Paisley.

It was a long time but it was the perfect trip.

Every step of it went perfectly. So smoothly.

I walked in to the dogs slowly waking up, one by one, realising that I’d finally come home!!

The Christmas tree is up and there are lights out front too. it was a lovely welcome.

I was in bed by 2am which was really 3am to me.

I finally fell asleep but it didn’t come easily after being so alert for so long!!

I woke with Craig’s alarm at 7am so headed into work.

I yawned a bit just before lunch but otherwise I’ve felt great.

I’m still absolutely buzzing from my trip!!

It’s not all been plain sailing today…. As soon as I’m in the house I see a huge list of things that need done. I get to work and see all the things that need doing. My ego has tried to rage at some of it and tried to wind me up. I’ve fought it a few times today.

I have made the most amazing memories this weekend.

I have experienced things I may never experience again and I’m so very grateful for it.

Now I have to focus on the reality which helps me be able to make those experiences.

It’s taken me so long to write this tonight so I know that I’m tiring…. But I thought I’d do a wee photo shoots with the puppets now that we have the tree up!

Check Khaleesi’s tongue! She was just at the end of a yawn 😆

It’s a shame it’s a bit dark in that corner!.

I have loads of videos still to share from Rome but I suspect Iceland might take over before I get to them!

I’ve been watching the movie “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” in the background…. It’s a lovely watch.

Ok… that’s all for tonight…. Off to bed shortly!

Thanks for all your amazing comments and support over the weekend. It means and lot!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I slept like a log again. No wonder after all those steps yesterday!

Some people have said they could never go and stay with someone they don’t know, let alone share a bed but honestly, it’s not a problem at all. I am so fast asleep I don’t even know there is anyone else there 😆😘 (ok reading that back that could be a bad thing 😆)

It’s another beautiful morning, cold in the shade but hot in the sun. Craig always laughs when I say that… like yeah, obviously!!

I have been so many places today, with Melanie, that I honestly won’t remember them all so I hope she sends me a list before I put this out. (she did!)

I had been so lovely of her to invite me, to allow me to stay and to show me around her stunning city… pointing me in the right direction, when she was not with me.

Today she was.

First we took the bus and walked to Basilica di San Paolo fuori le mura!

It has the most beautiful cloisters. it’s quiet as there are hardly any tourists.

I cannot tell you vast and jaw dropping St Paul’s Basillca is. The main part completely empty and it was so quiet. It was very peaceful.

Very ornate and highly decorated.

We then walked to the metro and took it to Melanie’s work which is FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

How incredibly lucky am I to be security cleared to enter a UN building (after an airport style security check!) ?!

This is we are headed…. Of course for the view from the 8th floor.

The vista……… incredible on such a clear day.

I’ll be loading videos up when I get a chance.

Palatine Hill… not… Palpatine 😆

The white building is the back of the one I visited in Piazza Navona yesterday.

The Colleseum.

St Peter’s Basicalla, Vatican City.

Think the Colosseum is in this one.

With Melanie and Claudia. Claudia was at Thanksgiving on Saturday and looked after my suitcase, in FAO, while we went out exploring.

Thermal baths of Caracalla or Terme di Caracalla.

I found the UK flag inside the UN building.

We set off past Circus Maximus.

To the Bocco della Verita – the Mouth of Truth – which is an ancient Roman marvel mask. Legend has it, it used to eat the arm of those who told lies. I am pleased to report I escaped unscathed. 😆

Then we went inside Adrian’s Crypt. This was very old and rustic looking. The floor is beautiful.

We walked into the Ghetto Ebraico the Jewish Ghetto which is beautiful area of Rome.

So much of the area seems to be build around ruins.

This is the Teatro Marcella. Very like the Colosseum.

Everywhere you walk there seems to be a building more stunning than the one you have just seen.

This is just someone’s courtyard.

We went to Sora Margarita for lunch.

Here I am modelling the Jewish delicacy fried artichoke.

Main course was Fettucine with Ricotta and Parmigiana. It’s was amazing.

These gold plaques are frequently found on the pavements in Italy. They signify the Jewish residents of that home that were rounded up and transported to Auschwitz or other death camps. Very sobering.

This is the Portica d’Ottavia.

This little square was where all the Jews were gathered before they were taken away from the Ghetto. Such a sad place to imagine the terror on 16th October 1943.

We then walked up the hill to the Campidoglio – the Town Hall.

And round the corner to this amazing view of the Roman Forum. I visited this in April. Who knew you could see it for free!!

I’m so tired I’ve lost track of where this might have been but I think it’s taken from the Terrazza Caffarelli. It was an unassuming set of stairs, in a building that lead to a cafe and this stunning view.

Photobombed at the perfect time!

This is a modern statue. It is massive!!! Statua colossale di Costantino. I am in there 😆😆

Then off to Aventine hill: Giardino degli Aranci – the next stunning view of the day.

Melanie has taken her winter coat off! It must be warm. I told her I don’t even have a coat that heavy for Scotland 😆😘

Next was The Keyhole outside of the Order of Malta.

Credit to What a Life Tours. This was a beautiful view through the keyhole but I couldn’t get a photo to work at all.

Here I am looking!!

And finally another view point garden and my last view of St Peter’s Basillica in the distance. As it has been for so many of today’s photos.

Back to FAO so Melanie could pick up my case.

My last warm sun for a while…. Waiting on Melanie.

We said our goodbyes….. 😢

I took the metro to Rome Termini which is a MASSIVE transport hub. Metro, trains, trams and buses. The sheer scale of it is immense. I was an hour early for the airport bus but the time passed quickly.

I am SHATTERED. I’m sitting in Ciampino Airport about 45 minutes from Rome and my flight is in 2.5 hours. I am landing in Edinburgh!!! (For those who don’t know, I have to get a bus to the car park, potentially scrape ice from the car as I believe it’s turning that cold, THEN drive for an hour and half back home). I should be home by 2am.

I am working at 8 😱

Thankfully I have a very understanding boss… I told him that I would be in as soon as I can! 🫣😬😆

I have had THE best weekend.

I have truly lived my best life.

I have done things I never imagined I would be able to do on my own… and calmly.

There have been slight nerves at the thought of the flight out and this morning at the thought of the flight home…. But that is all.

I have celebrated my first ever Thanksgiving.

I have been inside a United Nations building.

I have seen jaw dropping beauty every step of the way.

I have met some amazing women.

I am so grateful to Melanie for giving me the opportunity.

I have 3 days at work before Craig and I head off to Iceland! 🇮🇸

Stay safe everyone 🇮🇹✈️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿