I had a restless night but I’m fairly certain I still slept for about 8 and a half hours…. I really shouldn’t complain. 😆

Up and into work sharp today as I am on an Emergency First Aid at Work course.

I got into the office for just after 7.30 and managed to get as many rental enquiries answered as I could before I had to get ready to leave at 9am.

The course runs from 9.30 -4.30.

One thing I’m very aware of is my lack of anxious preparation…. On anti depressants I am way more calm and less likely to plan for every single eventuality.

I’d printed out all the detail for the course, forgot to bring it and forgot a pad and a pen…. Sooooo not like me. Always prepared…. But this time not in the slightest.

It must be at least 8 years since I’ve been on a training course. It feels very strange being back in the office environment and in a meeting room….. it triggers so many memories of what work used to be like for me.

I had a great day!

I now know how to use a defibrillator! I’m glad about that as we have one across the road from the house and I always felt I should know how it worked.

It was a good course. Really structured with plenty of breaks and practical CPR.

I had to go for a food shopping on the way home.

Craig made lasagne last night so I had day 2 lasagne for dinner! Was amazing!

I’ve been worried about how much I have to do this week with a day out of the office and a day off next Monday….. so I typed up a list in my reminders app.

I emptied a refilled the dishwasher, did another washing and hung it up, made my lunch for tomorrow and put the bin out

I’ve also sorted out my car insurance for this year…. And almost finalised our home insurance…. If you’ve been reading for a while now, you’ll know how much insurance stresses me out.

Not so this year.

Jeez these antidepressants are good stuff.

Now I am tired so I’ve sat down and will no doubt be in bed within the house.

Lovely weather coming for Ayrshire this week.

Looking forward to it!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It was torrential rain this morning.

No one was running today so I didn’t set my alarm.

I woke with a text message at 6.35am…. That’s a lie in for me. Not sure how the text message got through as my phone’s usually on silent…. There was no way I was running in that!! It was a mini monsoon!

It cleared up nicely and I decided to run by myself about 8.30am.

I ran my third fastest 5k which I’m really chuffed about! I didn’t stop apart from to let cars past…. I chose a flat route and I kept going talking to myself.

Every time my head said I couldn’t, I told myself I can!

I am really chuffed with my times. I honestly don’t really know how I managed it!

It was very hot! What a difference an hour makes.

Khaleesi’s paw is better this morning.

She’s still limping occasionally but nothing like she was last night.

Calaidh is still doing well but neither can be walked.

So I walked Bhruic and Freya. It was a lovely way to cool down after my run.

The sides of the roads are lovely….

Freya spotted a farm cat!!

I came home and made a smoothie and I sat in the sun to drink it.

I’d found an Oat Machta Latte drink in Tesco that I wanted to try….and I’m not gonna lie it’s pretty rotten, it just tastes like drinking straight oat milk which I’d never do. The only difference is that it’s green….. anyway, I zizzed it with frozen raspberries.

It wasn’t bad. it was better.

I had to move back inside as it clouded over and got pretty cold.

I finished off cleaning the oven that’s I’d started yesterday.

Another thing today I am very proud of! It’s not perfect but it’s looking really good.

Warning to anyone who may be using my oven in the next wee while…… keep it clean!!!!

I had washed all the cushion covers so I put them all back on and covered up the couches with the clean blankets, stripped and washed the bed. Another day putting everything back to the way I want it.

I sat and had a cheese salad wrap for lunch.

Poor Calaidh is on a diet…. She’s even considering my salad!

I managed to catch the dogs watching Craig coming home from work. Bless them.

I had a shower and went to pick Gayle up to head out to Largs. It was beautiful when we got there and I never took any photos until it stared to rain!! Lovely flowers though.

As we went back to the car I thought we’d take a selfie!!! It was wild.

We had a lovely hot chocolate and 2 fingers of shortbread in Wetherspoons for a total of £4.54! Cheap date.

So that’s been my day. It’s been a good one.

Hope you have a great Saturday night!

Stay safe everyone 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

Ok Helen….. the house is clean right now so you have to stop work and get up here straight away before that changes. 😆😆😆

I have Helen coming to stay this coming weekend and Melanie coming to stay at the end of August so I am spending some of this weekend really cleaning the house.

Not just my usual superficial quick wheech around.

I have scrubbed and cleaned and washed and dusted and sprayed and wiped and brushed and hoovered and….. I’ve run out of words.

I’m sore and exhausted…. Everything aches again.

But…… it feels so good that the house is clean.

I breathe more freely.

Everything feels lighter…. Except my joints and my muscles!

I’m not finished yet!

Bertie Beetle was in the garage for MOT and Service and it passed!!!!!!!! Only needed the rear brakes loosened as they were binding.

Now there’s a turn up for the books.

Calaidh is still doing well but poor Khaleesi has hurt her paw today…. Think she cut it as it was bleeding but she’s limping pretty badly.

🫣

Fingers crossed it heals quickly.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Another really busy day today and Calaidh came to work as we had the vet at 3pm.

She’s such a good girl! She roams about then goes for a wee lie down.

So drumroll….. the good news is that the lump was benign!!

I had built myself up to hear the worst. I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t anxious. I knew what would be would be. But I have to admit being so relieved when the lovely vet said it was benign!!

She has to rest up a bit as too much movement is causing swelling around the scar.

Here she is poised for the ball…. Which of course I am not throwing!

Just throw it mum….. nope!

So a quiet night for me. I’m shattered after a really busy week and all the vet excitement.

There’s no food in the house but I coped!

MOT & service tomorrow YAY…… and then I have to scrub the house from top to bottom as I have Helen coming to stay the following weekend. Perfect time for it as I won’t have a car!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s 5.15pm and I’m sitting on in our back garden being pestered by 3 Border Collies for their dinner…. Which is defrosting as we speak!

I’m now covered in Freya hair!

You’re fair game when you sit at their level. Every now and then Khaleesi comes over to join in too!

There’s a real heat to that lovely sun.

It was a really muggy run this morning but it’s been cool on and off all day. Ellison and I sat out at lunch but I needed my fleece on.

The run was really good this morning. I felt good and felt strong. Note large “bead” of sweat on my top lip there!

This one is a bit blurry but Claire and Lynsey are up ahead somewhere!

A wide eyed Julie!

When I left for work the sky was lovely.

I’ve had another good day at work. I feel very calm just now, even when difficult things come my way, I feel like I handle them much better than I have in the last 6 months

I’m so grateful for the peace in my head.

I’m waiting on the doctor calling me…. I’ve an update appointment on my antidepressants and then, a small Hooker club are heading to Gro Coffee tonight as there’s only 3 of us… we thought we’d have a mini adventure!

Have a great night.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I was pouring with rain when I got out of bed at 5.30am… thankfully the walk with Bhru, Freya and Khaleesi was a lot less wet than yesterday! There was even some sunshine.

I’ve had another good day today.

Busy at work. I went in early but the day still ran away!

I popped into the little gift shop on the way home to get a baby present and a a wee congratulations bracelet for my next door neighbour who passed all her exams today!!

I’ve had to stop for major puppy cuddles!

I used to get annoyed at the dogs for interrupting me when I was writing the blog. Now I love the love. I appreciate that they want to be with me and on me… it’s so sweet.

A giant Border Collie blob!

So I’ll leave you with some photos from this morning.

Khaleesi spotted a deer!

Lots of leaf debris from yesterdays storm’

Khaleesi always wants to see over the wall!!

I put their dog robes on when I got home …. Cuties!

Have a lovely night, I’ll be in bed in a half hour!! 😆😆

Running at 5.45am!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I had the best sleep. I woke at 5.30am and got dressed to take the 3 walkable puppers out before work.

(Calaidh is still doing really well but not getting walked yet).

It was torrential rain and we got absolutely soaked!!

It was lovely to be out in it when everyone else was in bed. it was fun to be out in the pouring rain.

I didn’t take many photos…. Obviously 😆

Look at their ears…. Not liking this mum 🫣

It hasn’t been quite as windy as I expected but there was a tree down on the way into work and I drove under it…. Yes I know, I know….. the two trucks in front of me went under it so I followed and then thought about what might have been. 😆

So it’s been another busy day that flew by… not enough hours in the day at the moment!

It was windy but it really didn’t come to much. It’s a year yesterday since I last set foot on the PS Waverley and it was very windy that day too. I’ve not been out this year as it freaked me out a bit!

I got this lovely gift from someone today for helping them out. How lovely?!? So very kind. And it’s the perfect colour too! I may be living in this from now on!

I made dinner and hoovered the house as I waited on it and I’m sitting down with the pups!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I woke with a pain in my lower left shoulder that hasn’t loosened off all day.

My whole body is stiff and sore.

I’ve maybe not been drinking enough water… she says, taking a big gulp.

It could be sleeping in the spare room with Calaidh the last few nights….

So I’ve had a pretty quiet and lazy day today…. I say that and I’ve actually done a lot. Just slowly!

I’ve done another 3 loads of washing. There are only 2 of us in the house but I leave all the washing until the weekend and it’s a good drying day to get everything washed and dried same day!

Craig and I watched an hour long YouTube video on how to use a WiFi microphone for recording. I did a video at Largs yesterday and it was really windy…. Turns out we’ve had these wind cancelling microphones all along…. Who knew?!?!? (Craig…… 😆)

I was so proud of how I handled that.

The guy on the YouTube was speaking so fast and Craig was talking over him, so I calmly explained that I needed to hear YouTube and for us to pause it while we tried to do what he’d just asked us to do.

I get overwhelmed by too much noise and can’t take it all in.

In the past I’d have snapped because I was overwhelmed. We got into a rhythm of listening and pausing and I managed to follow it.

It’s good to understand how you need to best function.

I cleaned the windows by the bird feeder as they were covered!!! It’s still so lovely to sit and watch them feed.

The sun came out and I lay down flat on our decking and stretched my aching body for about an hour while I listened to my audio book. The flat wooden surface really helped. Of course I got cuddled and licked!!!

She who did not like audio books is loving them now 😆

I then decided to take Bhru and Freya for a walk in the hope it would loosen me off… it did help a bit.

I deliberately left my phone at home as I’ve been on my social media on and off all day responding to comments. I needed a break from it.

After my TikTok training the other day, my 2nd TikTok video now has 18.2k likes!!! That’s amazing but it’s more people wanting to watch the Edinburgh Tattoo rather than solo female travellers I think.

So while I was sitting about 16.5k this morning, I did another TikTok post explaining what Her Travel Circle was all about. It’s doing really well too with 711 views already which is great.

I just need to get people to join…. I’ve looked up how best to do that too!!

It’s been all go in my mind I guess so now I really need to switch off. I’m going to read a book for a bit… and drink water and keep running to the loo!!

Hope you’ve all had a great weekend. Hope the storm tomorrow doesn’t affect you too much.

Think of me in my wee portacabin!!

Stay safe everyone ☀️☀️☀️

I’ve had a really lovely day and it’s been a long day off work! it hasn’t flown in at all.

I woke at 5am, as I was in with Calaidh, and she started shaking her cone… I took her outside and it was quite cold.

We went back to bed for a while but I didn’t really sleep again.

I got up about 7.30am and went out for a run about 8.45 which is late for me but none of the usual girls could make it today.

Michelle came out with me and it was great to catch up with her and get a good chat as we ran. She was worried she would interrupt my “training plan”…. I laughed and told her I practically hugged anyone who wanted to stop!

I ended up running 6.36 kms as I ran to her house to meet her and back!

By this time it’s about 16°C but it feels really hot to run!

Back home and straight out with Bhruic, Khaleesi and Freya… leaving invalid pup, Calaidh, at home in her cone.

I did a lot this morning.

I did 3 loads of washing and hung it up.

Sorted through my wardrobe and straightened out all my clothes…. Pulled a bag together for charity. I had turned all my coat hangers hanging off the back of the rail and that shows everything you’ve not worn since January!! I’m obviously not wearing Christmas clothes just now but everything else goes!!

I poo picked the garden, took all the rubbish down to the bins and picked some weeds.

Then I had a shower which was sorely needed. 🙊

I decided to head over to Largs but I have to be honest and say, my heart wasn’t in it.

I was too tired. I’ve done over 20,000 steps today…. I kinda dragged myself around and it was too busy!!

My photos don’t make it look that busy….. that’s strategic 😆

These guys dropped their anchor and sailed a dingy to the beach!

The sun is a lovely big ball of yellow!

I went to Perk Largs for an iced coconut milk decaf latte and had to have some banana and toffee loaf!

This made me laugh!

I don’t know if this is the anonymous artist, a Sign of Humour? Maybe them or someone copying them!

I tried to do some footage for Her Travel Circle as I had clean hair… 😆 it was a bit breezy though!

A TikTok post I did yesterday is going great, it currently has had 5,706 views. It’s about solo travelling and staying with someone so you can go to the Tattoo!!! I’m pretty certain that everyone who’s viewing it is watching the Tattoo rather than my HTC message but hey… it’s getting me out there and helping the algorithm!!

So I’m sitting outside with the dogs as Craig’s watching the first football of the season!

The sun’s gone in but it’s still warm enough to be out…. Lovely pic of our hydrangea!

So hope you’ve had a lovely weekend so far!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I had an amazing night last night at the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle!

I was shattered on the drive over and yet as soon as I arrived in Edinburgh, I got my second wind!

I paid £8.64 to park in the Q-Park behind the Sheraton Hotel and I only had a 10 minute walk to get to Edinburgh Castle.

The car park is fully secure and you can only get access when you have a ticket to get in the door.

I walked past the Usher Hall where I graduated in 1995. I can’t believe how long ago that was! 🫣😆

I met my brother, Kenny his wife, Gill and my nephew, Rory in the Grassmarket in Edinburgh. It was really busy, full of tourists with everyone getting ready for the preview of the first 2025 Tattoo.

The Edinburgh Tattoo is part of the Edinburgh festival and fringe and it attracts tourists from all around the world. Tickets range from £33.50 to over £500 depending on the seat that you have!! Our tickets were £33.50 and I was really impressed with the location. We were up towards the castle but quite high up and had a great view.

The old me would’ve been terrified on the drive over, terrified when I saw where we were sitting, because it was so high up and worried my vertigo would kick in…

I’m really proud of myself when I respond definitely in situations now that I’m on antidepressants.

I was just so excited.

I couldn’t wait for the show to begin.

I don’t think I’ve actually been to the Tattoo since the 1980s!!

We used to go when we were kids.

It was so lovely to spend time with my brother and sister-in-law and nephew as I don’t get to see them very often.

The only downside to being up the top is waiting to get out but it wasn’t even a downside… we just sat until we were able to move.

I felt way more awake on the drive home than the drive there!! I got home at 1am and was in bed by 1.30am.

Awake at 6!!!!

I’ve had a really lovely day with no pressure to do anything!

I decided to go shopping this morning and stopped at The Little Coffee Caravan as I haven’t been there is AGES.

As I walked towards the van, Donna shout “JULIE!” and I cannot tell you how lovely that was. I’ve not been there in so long and yet she knew who I was…. To be fair, I do plaster my every waking move on social media so I’m not exactly inconspicuous!!

I sat out in the sun for a bit before heading to the shops.

Since I came back I’ve been working on a He Travel Circle post about the tattoo!! I lost the whole thing and had to do it again. It’s out now.

So I’ve just reminded myself how tired I am and I’ve taken myself off to bed.

I had a lovely sleep. Completely dead to the world and then Mum phoned! The first half of the conversation I had no idea where I was, who she was…. When I finally came too, I had to ask her to repeat the start of our chat 😆😆😆

Oh and I bought myself some lovely flowers today.

Welcome August…. My word is SHINE. I’m going to keep working on Her Travel Circle and shine.

Stay safe everyone 🌻🌻🌻