Didn’t get to get until 11.30pm last night….. how late was that for me?!?! 😆

Woke at 7.30am surprised to see daylight.

It’s been a beautiful day.

Very cold but beautiful.

Craig made me a lovely breakfast with leftovers we brought home from his Mum’s.

Calaidh approves.

Craig and I went to the Gateside Plant Centre to pick up our Christmas tree today. It’s a bit early for us but we wanted to get the best pick of trees!

We then went up to the Gateside Wood Committee Store and got some “biscuits” in Craig’s van…. A biscuit is a piece of tree trunk that still needs cut down, I mean, who knew?

We loaded some into our wood store.

I then had my shower and got ready for St Vincent’s Hospice afternoon tea run by my next door neighbour Holly & her niece Aimee.

They both out so much work into it along with other villagers.

This is the Village Hall before arrival.

I literally spent an hour and a half folding raffle tickets.!!!! That is how many that were sold.

It was lovely to spend time with Lynsey and Rachel when we’re not running!

Holly made an incredible £2,600 so far, money always comes in after the event.

Everyone is so generous.

Back home about 5pm and we got the tree up.

We’ve gone for a smaller one this year and put it on a table!

The puppers didn’t obligatory Christmas Tree picture.

Putting up the tree has made us miss Khaleesi….

This is a dark photo but missing our girl.

So I finally have my feet up after a very busy weekend.

I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been lovely to see so many people.

It was lovely to spend time with the lovely in-laws yesterday!

Calaidh loves cuddles with her Gran.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Stay safe everyone 🎄🎅🏼🧑🏼‍🎄

It’s 2pm and I’m knackered!!

It’s been a full on morning. I didn’t sleep the best thanks to the caffeine coffee I consumed at 3pm yesterday. It was very lovely but I was dreaming like crazy all night.

It didn’t feel like a restful sleep.

The alarm was set for 6.25am and I got dressed and walked the dogs in the dark!

It was very dark!

But the head torch and the lightening sky make for some lovely photos.

Bhruic keeps on looking behind us which does creep me out one little tiny teensy weensy bit MUCH 😆😆 there is nothing behind us, but she keeps checking!

The light in the sky is a plane taking off from Glasgow Airport!

Back home to do some stretches and managed to kick Calaidh AND Bhruic is the face as I did my leg swings!!

I felt awful. Full on clatter.

I spent the next few minutes making sure they were ok and I was definitely more bothered than they were!

I met Lynsey for our Saturday 5.4kms at 7.30am. It was cold but a lovey run!

I was in the little gift shop this morning and it was HEAVING!!!

It’s so lovely to see so many lovely people supporting my favourite local business.

Calaidh is ready t head to see her Gran and Gramps for the rest of the day. Hope they are ready to throw the ball for her!

A lovely afternoon at our in-laws so far!!

There are only 4 of us here.

And main course!!

Having a lovely time so going to go off and enjoy it!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

A nice lie in working on Her Travel Circle!!

I have booked my first trip to Denmark at the end of April! Staying with one of our lovely founding members for 3 nights!

Super exciting.

We have members joining every day now.

It’s happening.

Another girl has just booked Christmas in Barcelona for 7 nights!

I sat with the puppers for coffee this morning

Then took them for a very cold and very, very windy dog walk!!

It’s wild!!

The sun tries to come through….

I came home to get ready to head out for the Crochet Hookers Christmas lunch.

We met in the Boatyard in Lochwinnoch which was more Christmassy than a Christmassy thing…..

Some photos and none of them do it justice!

There are lots of cakes in this cabinet!

This snow scene along the wall was breathtaking but it doesn’t come out in the photos.

I had garlic mushrooms to start.

And Gambas Pil-pil for mains.

Two of the lady’s had this curried chicken which looked amazing, again pics not doing it justice.

It was a lovely meal, even the soya flat white was really tasty.

Our gig was cancelled tonight as the band can’t get to Glasgow because of the storm. They come from Stornoway and the ferries were cancelled and the plain they got on had to turn around due to the wind!

Gutted, but you know me, nothing beats a lovely cosy night indoors, out of the storm!

So I have to say that I’m over the moon with how Her Travel Circle is going. There are some hiccups to be ironed out but every day is a learning curve.

So I’m sat in my jammies, full make up on, all ready with nowhere to go.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Sorry it so late I’ve been at work, had a lovely massage and been to Braehead Shopping Centre with Gayle.

I had a lovely massage with Norma at Harmony in Beith. it’s been years since my last massage and it was just so good.

Gayle and I headed up to Braehead for a wander and their Christmas lights were lovely. Pics don’t do it justice!

I’m really busy for the next few days so might not get a chance to write much.

Friday hookers Christmas lunch and then Craig and I are off to the Art School in Glasgow to see Face the West.

Saturday morning 5k, the little gift shop then Craig’s mums.

Sunday I’m helping at a St Vincent’s hospice afternoon tea.

I’m actually really looking forward to it all.

I’ll be back to work for a rest Monday!

Her Travel Circle is growing every day and that’s taking a bit of admin time.

Excited to say I’m planning a trip to Copenhagen to stay with one of our new hosts!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I’ve had a good day today and I’m off out tonight with 2 of the hookers to see Wicked 2…. from henceforth we shall be know. As the Wicked Hookers!!!

There will be no hooking tonight as we all leave our wool and crochet hooks behind!

I had a very cold and frosty 5k run with Claire this morning!

My legs were heavy but I still really enjoyed it. We look like miners!!

It was already defrosting by the time Craig drove me to work. The sky was red but the clouds had moved in!

All taken from a moving car remember!!

And then the heavens opened. It got dark, wet and misty and it’s been like that ever since.

Today I bought a light box.

I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I used birthday money from mum and dad. I think it might help me negotiate the dark days. We’ll see…. It could be a huge gimmick but I want to give it a go. I’m buzzing when the suns shines and half shut when it doesn’t!

Wicked 2 was AMAZING!!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Super frosty this morning and we had to wait in the car defrosting before Craig ran me to work.

I stood out the back with the dogs for a while this morning and marvelled at the stars again. This is about 6.30am.

I thought I saw a shooting star!!! It was a plane. 😆

It’s was another stunning drive in. Chauffeur driven of course!

It was a lovely day. Work went really quickly.

My chariot to take me home!

I’ve been working on Her Travel Circle since I came home. Lots of new members and some lovely introductions and chat on our WhatsApp group.

I’ve been a bit overwhelmed but the amount I have to do but it’s really good. It’s just taking a bit of getting used to.

I’ve got a really busy week ahead which is not like me!

Looking forward to it all!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Have you ever had one of those days where you let outside energies just beat you to a pulp?

I wonder where that comes from?

I think it’s because I’m so busy with work and Her Travel Circle. There’s a lot of noise inside my own head.

I had a good day at work but I just feel a bit overwhelmed just now.

I’ve going to try and switch off and watch some Blue Lights on BBC iPlayer….. or find a dark quiet room to hide in.

So on a lighter note, some photos of sunrise and sunset today as I was chauffeur driven too and from work.

Check the light pillars.

It was actually quite a lovely day.

The sky on the way home was pink and purple, this doesn’t do it justice!

The moon was incredible. This is a pretty poor photo but I took this before dinner. It was very bright and very yellow!!

I feel calmer after writing this.

I wrote a whole lot more and deleted all the paragraphs.

You didn’t need to see it 😆

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s funny how 3pm seems like bedtime when you’ve been up since 5am!!

I’ve been working on Her Travel Circle all day!

I did a post last night that’s generated 14 new members overnight!!

Now that may sound like nothing but it’s more than we had so it’s pretty damn good!

I cannot thank the girls enough for their enthusiasm in joining.

We just need to keep doing this and keep growing.

I am absolutely shattered!!!!

I’ve been on my phone for all bar 2 hours of today!

I went to meet the lovely Lesley-ann who is a host in Glennifer Braes in Paisley.

I’ve met her before but honestly, could listen to her all day.

She’s lead such a wonderful, far travelled life so far. It fascinates me.

We went to Mocha Jaks for breakfast.

I copied Lesley-Ann’s example and stayed healthy, with porridge!!

It was really tasty!!

I’m still eating less, ans more slowly but I’m feeling ok.

So I’m going to leave this as quick one as I now need to go and sit in a dark room!

We have members joining for Denmark, Bulgaria, Spain, Ireland and France!

I was buzzing.

I’m now zonked but smiling.

Craig the IT guy has been upstairs working on it all day too.

It doesn’t feel like work.

I hope you had a lovely and relaxing weekend!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I feel soooooo much better today.

Back to normal thank goodness…. Whatever normal is for me?! 😆

I’ve had a lovely day.

It’s such a relief to feel better.

I ran with the girls this morning and I really enjoyed it. I actually felt quite strong, considering I’ve barely walked the length of myself all week.

I’ve lost 8lbs this month so far and I’m really pleased with that. My clothes just fit so much better. I wore my new birthday leggings 😆

Claire took some lovely photos as I left my phone at home. I know right?!?

I then went straight out with Calaidh and Bhruic as Freya has a sore leg. She’s been limpy mclimperson for the last day or so. Bless.

It’s still not quite daylight. I met Holly just as I set off up the hill so it was lovely to have some company!

Back home and washed my hair for the first time in 6 days!!!! it feels so much better too.

I wore my new birthday jumper.

The little gift shop is so lovely at this time of year, it’s lovely to chat to so many people.

I came home and had lunch and then had a Her Travel Circle FaceTime with the lovely Kirsty who has joined.

She is really keen to help me get it moving. She says she’s a fantastic number 2 and I have to say after our call today, I think she’d be a great number 1. 😆

She helped reinvigorate my marketing and I’m back on it.

Such a lovely energy about her, just what I want for Her Travel Circle!!

I did a social media post!!

And then I sat down.

And relax!!

Have a great weekend!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I was disappointed my dodgy tum came back with a vengeance after my pasta last night…. But I slept like a log for about 7 hours so can’t complain.

I still feel very rumbly and gurgly but so far so good today.

I did manage out for a dog walk as it’s the last of the beautiful, cold weather for a few days.

It was a stunning sunrise just after 8am.

There’s a thick frost.

And some ice patches.

Love this light in this one.

Bhruic sitting like a boy dog 😆😆

And again, she’s been in the mud!

Shadows!!

The clouds are staring to come in from the coast.

Love this!

The colours are amazing.

I think this might be my favourite!

Cloud over our wee village.

This view again. 😆

The moss is covered in thick frost on the top of the wall.

It was just a lovely way to start the day.

I came home and showered and got into clean jammies and have worked on Her Travel Circle all day.

It’s costing us a lot of money a month and not much is happening. I’ve been annoyed with myself. I’ve been throwing myself into missing Khaleesi, being ill (twice in a month) helping Craig with dog behaviour calls… any excuse.

I know they are very valid excuses but I was avoiding Her Travel Circle. My plans for expansion weren’t as easy as I’d expected. I have to work harder at it. I have to think differently and I didn’t want to face it.

So today I did.

I decided to try and get everyone out of the chat that costs £150 a month and onto a WhatsApp chat. It took a bit of time but it was sooooo worth it!

I have two new hosts just by engaging in proper communication.

It’s the boost I needed.

I have a FaceTime with a lovely lady in Englandshire tomorrow. She wants to do everything she can to help this grow. We’re going to brainstorm!!

Then I have coffee on Sunday with Lesley-Anne, she’s a host in Gleniffer Braes.

So I didn’t grow the business today but I cemented some relationships and foundations which was what was needed. No point in getting more people to join something that wasn’t what I wanted it to be.

So I sat all day and I know it’s coming. I know what it can be with the right women around me who want it as much as me.

I’ve eaten a slightly wider variety of food today.. 🤞🏼

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I always think round numbers of blog says should bring some kind of hurrah…. Today’s more of… I worked from home with my dodgy tum 😆😆

Let’s be very clear, compared to yesterday my tum is much better than it was but it’s still churning away and I’m only eating bread.

There is no bread for my dinner so I may have to branch out. 😆

I kicked the ball about the garden for the dogs before I started work.

Of course I made them pose!!

They know just to get it over with. 😆

It’s been a lovely, very frosty day again but I’ve not been over the front door since Tuesday night.

I’ve finished work and it’s dark now.

So in other news Craig’s house in Kilmarnock finally sold today.

Which maybe is the hurrah moment worthy of day 2050. We have dreamed of this day for a long time!

I saw this straight after it sold!

I knew this would all work out and it did.

I expanded to wholewheat pasta with soft cheese, for dinner. Adventurous!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I can’t believe I’m feeling rotten again….. Craig says it’s because I’m 53 now. 😆

I felt so rotten this morning that I’d didn’t run with the girls.

I went back to bed for an hour.

I decided to head into work to pick up my laptop and come home to work.

I just felt better sitting in front of the fire working at the dining table all wrapped up and close to the loo 😆

My stomach is cramping and I’m running to the loo all the time. I’ve got a sore throat and head and I could sleep for Scotland.

My work laptop died before 11am. It’s been on and off for ages now and the charger has good days and bad days. It was the charger that went today.

I opened up my personal laptop and it’s not working either…. It has the blue screen of death!

So…. Finally I head up to Craig’s office, away from the fire, but his laptop works just fine and I’m up there for the rest of the day.

I get fresh air at lunch and kick balls for the dogs.

It’s been another beautiful day not that I’ve appreciated it.

Not going to crochet in case this is a bug.

I’m crocheting in the house instead… back on Craig’s 50th birthday blanket…. 4 months later! I am under here 😆

Hope you all had a good day.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

So lucky I had such lovely weather for my days off…. It’s poured with rain today.

Maybe I just have the birthday blues…. Although surely that’s not really a thing?!

My day has been fine. Back to work today. Craig has my car so he has to drive me to and from work just now.

If anything I’ve been a bit on the down side.

I’ve had a dodgy stomach all day and I might actually go to bed really shortly…. It’s not even 7pm but I really could sleep.

I’ve been freezing all day so I’m wrapped up in my jammies, cosy socks and my big Oodie.

The fires on and the candles are lit.

Soooo cosy that the tv overheated!

Oops.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I have had a really lovely day off work.

I’ve had so many lovely birthday messages, cards, and amazing gifts, honestly I’m so very grateful. I’ve been so very lucky.

We also had sunshine…. ☀️ how amazing that Craig even managed that!

I woke at 6.10 with the alarm that I wish I had switched off. 😆

Check my wrapping paper from Craig! Khaleesi is on it too 🫶🏼

We went out for brunch via the bank & solicitors in Irvine.

It was so frosty this morning, that’s thick white frost on the board.

We went to Gro Coffee for brunch…. Check all these cakes and we didn’t have a single one!

I had a breakfast taco. It was so good but very spicy! I was so full afterwards.

We had a lovely drive up the coast through Stevenson, Saltcoats, Ardrossan and West Kilbride to get to the sea.

There’s snow on the top of the mountains on the Isle of Arran.

It’s actual quite warm in the sun.

We headed up to Portencross next.

We sat right here…… for ages feeling the heat of the sun.

It’s so lovely. We sat here for ages… it’s the longest Craig has sat and doing nothing in a long time.

I love this photo…. It’s called “deep in thought!”

It was a lovely wee morning.

When we got home we took the dogs straight out.

I’m not really sure where the afternoon has gone. I’ve had the loveliest day.

For those of you who know Craig’s gift giving…. He excelled himself again. I am very lucky.

My main present was a solo trip to Nerja near Malaga, on 11th December. I knew about it as he’s been paying it up for months!

After I’d opened everything he presented me with a weekend for us both in Prague at the end of January!!!!!!! He’s been paying that up too 😆 then during brunch he “found” tickets for Face the West, an amazing ceilidh band, in 2 weeks time! I don’t think we’ve seen them live since 2014!

So .a great birthday. Humbling and I’m so very grateful.

Thank you .

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Woke early as usual and lay in bed u til the sun was almost up.

We had a wee scare with Bhru this morning when she fell over and couldn’t get the purchase to get back up.

We hoth got down on the floor with her, I thought it was maybe a fit but she was with us the whole time if that makes sense, Craig helped her up and she’s been fine ever since.

So I took them all out for a walk and she was fine the whole time. I watched her like a hawk!

It was a beautiful morning but very cold!!

Sunrise at the bottom of the pylon!

Craig had a job this morning in Clackmannan so I drove him up and took a wee drive to Culross on the south coast of Fife.

It was absolutely stunning!

The tide was in and the winter sun was low in the sky.

It’s hard to imagine this peaceful scene as a bustling harbour!

I walked right out to the end of the pier.

Looking back to Culross.

It’s such a beautiful November day.

You have to walk over the railway to get to the harbour and to get back to the village.

I had a lovely wander around.

It’s quiet as it’s only 10am.

The Mercat Cross.

The is the palace of the Royal Burgh.

I wandered back to the sea before heading back to the the west car park. I could have sat here all day.

I love all the photos today but this one really hits me.

I pulled over on the way back to take photos of these lovely trees.

I picked Craig up and we headed to his brother and sis I. Laws for a few hours for coffee. It was really lovely to see them and the pups. T

This is the view from their front door!

Back home and Claire popped in for a quick chat before we headed to the pub for a drink… Craig and I that is.

It’s been a stunningly beautiful day and I’m so glad I went out and didn’t just sit in the house while Craig worked. I went to look for the beauty and I found it!

I hope you all had a lovely Sunday and were on holiday tomorrow woop woop!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It’s 8.15pm and I’ve just sat down.

It’s been the busiest day.

I’m too tired for lots of words so feel like I may resort to bullet points tonight 😆😆😆

6.30am very dark dog walk and headtorch died only a quarter of the way up the hill.

It’s lighter on the way back down!

7.30am – 8.25am. 6.37kms run with Lynsey and Rachel! It was a good one! Photobombed by a horse!

8.30-9.15 shower and hair dry

9.30 – 1.15 at the little gift shop! Great wee morning! How good does the door look? Gayle just threw this together. She’s so talented!

2pm – 8pm driving over and back to Mum and Dad’s in Penicuik! They were meant to be coming over but mum’s not feeling great so at the last minute, we decided to go there. I’m so glad that’s we did as I hope it helped.

I got these lovely flowers.

So it’s now 8.30pm and I’m shattered.

A very busy day but it’s been really good.

Hope you are all having a great Saturday night!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I’ve had a lovely day….

The house is much cleaner than it was this morning.

I don’t know why I don’t stay on top of it and it becomes such a big job…. But anyway it’s done.

I’ve even washed all the floors which is something I haven’t done in a very long time.

And now I’m sitting down in front of the fire.

I feel much better than I did last night, thankfully, no sign of it today.

I emailed Silverburn Shopping Centre to thank them for their response last night.

I still don’t know where that came from!

Dog walk this morning was very cold. It was 3.5°C . 🥶

There is snow on the top of Goatfell in Arran. I zoomed in big time!

The sky was so lovely.

Freya’s living her best life.

I’ve got my big jacket on and my head is sooo cold!

Love this shot!

The day has flown by but I feel so much better now that the house is clean. I can breathe and I walk about feeling so proud of myself for doing it.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Another pouring wet, dark and windy day today….. and cold. Our temperatures have dropped to 4°C which I have been feeling all day.

So, I’ve never told you that my lovely friend, Lea has been really ill these last few months.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that we almost lost her back in September when she had a perforated bowel and a very nasty infection.

The day we flew to Rhodes, I hadn’t heard from her in over a week and I was so worried but her lovely sister and friend kept me in the loop. About 10 minutes before we were due to take off, Lea messaged me and I can’t tell you how amazing that was… it was the beginning of a long recovery for her.

So tonight’s the first time I’ve seen her since then and I demanded every detail.

It was sooooooo lovely to see her and have a good hug. What a relief.

We had our usual Starbucks and I push for more. My first Toffee Nut Latte of the year!

I feel so desperate for her, so sorry for everything she had to go through…. My eyes start to swim…. My vision blurs, she’s talking but I can hardly hear. I’m telling myself I am healthy and I am safe.

My face breaks out on a cold sweat. I am suddenly roasting. I can hardly see.

I look to the floor as I turn to tell her I’m really sorry but I’m not feeling great and I think I need to lie down.

I don’t….. but I have to put my head down to stop it from spinning. I honestly thought I was going to faint.

I didn’t.

I hear her try to tell me to take my fleece off but can only manage half of it.

She gets me water and bring the Starbucks first aider with her.

I have pins and needles in my arms and my fingers are tingling.

I tell him that she’s the one who I should be looking after!!

I’m starting to feel better with some water and can lift my head but he’s concerned about the pins and needles in my hands.

They get the shopping centre first aid…. 3 of them come out.

By this time I’m better but the pins and needles carry on for about a half hour.

We all agree that it’s most likely an anxiety panic attack.

After everything she’s been through and I’m the one that almost passed out?!

I feel awful for everything she’s been through and I think I was so overwhelmed that she had to face all that.

I’m so glad that she’s on the mend!

So lovely to have seen her but just wish I hadn’t caused all that drama!

Cringe.

Oh and the Silverburn staff were so amazing.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

This was the cosy scene last night…. Bhruic (Blue merle) has a ball that she is hiding from Calaidh…. She knows fine well what she is doing.

Calaidh’s eyes to me… “help me mum she has my ball” where Bhru pretends there is nothing to see here! It comical and it goes on for hours…

Another good sleep and I was up at 5.25am for a run with Claire.

Seems we missed an amazing Aurora last night. I think we were pretty cloudy and overcast. I am obsessed with the Aurora but not enough to sit out in then cold on the off chance. I’m not that committed. There was no sign of it at all as we ran.

We had a funny run today. We effectively ran the sign of a cross to avoid main roads, steep hills and a huge puddle across the road!

And we’re done!

It was nowhere near as wet as yesterday but it was really windy!

So tonight we have an Afternoon Tea for one of our crochet hookers… the lovely Anne is 70!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

It was dry when I got up but this is the forecast for home and work.

The sky looked to be a beautiful sunrise but it didn’t really come to much.

But it was lovely playing outside with the 3 degrees, kicking balls for them.

This was the sky as I left.

I wore my crochet poppy today for Remembrance and had a minutes silence at 11am. you know, we think we have a hard life but when you stop and think what our grandparents and their parents went through, we really are very lucky to live in our generation.

We will remember them.

Ellison brought in her famous lentil soup for lunch…. I cannot tell you how good this is. I could stand my spoon up in it 😆😆 perfect for a cold, soggy day.

This is 4pm and the view from my car.

This is 4.30pm after a very wet drive home. The roads are quite badly flooded.

I can’t believe how miserable it’s been.

So we have candles lit and we’re all snuggled in the sunroom as Craig has a rare evening home. The wind is now picking up in time for Windy Wednesday… and Thursday is up to 47mph gusts… lovely Scottish weather!

Stay safe everyone ☔️☔️☔️