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 🇮🇹✈️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!

It was a very cold morning again… -4°C. It looked lovely out in the back garden. Everything was thick white with frost.

The sun is starting to rise by the time I leave for work.

Craig got me a fancy windscreen cover and I have to say that it absolutely did the trick. The windscreen was clear and I only had to scrape the side windows.

I stopped on the way to work as the sky was just so clear and so stunning.

What a lovely start to the day.

The Tartan Campervans looked picturesque in the sunrise too.

I have to give you a laugh. The one in the foreground was parked a bit further forward than the others and had been for a few weeks. I had to move it back towards the fence, the other day. as it was ruining all my van photos 🫣😆

It’s a longer van anyway so will always stick out a bit.

The sun was a huge ball in the sky early on but the temperature didn’t seem to get past 4°C all day. Much colder than yesterday.

So this time tomorrow I will be in Rome.

The alarm is set for 2am.

I book these flights thinking they’re a great use of the day but actually it’s quite daunting setting off at that time by yourself.

I’ve been great this week.

I’m very calm.

I felt a bit anxious about 15 minutes before I left work but that’s nothing compared to what I felt when I went to Milan.

Ryanair have messaged about a delay in security in Rome but the flight seems to be on time.

By the time you wake up in the morning I should have left Ayrshire. Driven for a hour and half to Edinburgh Airport. Parked the car and got a bus to the airport. Been through security, sat for a few hours, boarded and taken off. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✈️🇮🇹

See you on the Rome side Melanie!

Oh and finally…. I’m very pleased to say that Mum and Dad are doing well after their ordeal yesterday. So grateful for that.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I woke without a headache this morning!

What a relief.

It feels so good.

I woke just before 5am and got up at 5.15 as I was running with Claire and Lynsey this morning. Another PB!

I got a few best efforts this morning.

It’s good because I am slightly improving with each run and it’s always nice to see a gold medal on Strava.

It was a good run this morning but I had to walk a couple of times to catch my breath!

It was a cold but beautiful day. Ellison and I sat outside in the sun at lunchtime. It was so warm on my face. It felt like my skin was burning and I have SPF30 in my moisturiser!

It was so bright I couldn’t open my eyes.

At 13.25 I got a very strange sound from my Apple Watch and iPhone. A dropped pin 📍 with Dad written under it.

The text message said my dad had “phoned the emergency services from this approximate location“ . It said I was “receiving this message because” Dad had listed me as an emergency contact.

It took me a minute before I realised what it really said.

I phoned Dad…. Straight to voicemail.

I phoned Mum and she answered straight away.

I say “Mum, are you with Dad?” She sounds fine, says yes that she is with Dad and they’re both ok…. I think she’s going on to tell me that Dad’s pressed the wrong button on his phone. She sounds bright and cheery but a bit flustered… I relax…. She repeats that they are ok but…. they have just had a bit of an accident…..

😱

Now the main thing is they absolutely are both alright but it seems either a spring has broken or the rear suspension collapsed but it all sounds terrifying. The car is not so good but Mum and Dad are good.

I wanted to share the importance of setting up emergency contacts on your phone. Who knew that the phone would tell Dad it looked liked he’d been in an accident and did he want to call emergency services? Who knew my brother and I would both be notified the minute Dad agreed to contact them.

I can only assume that something similar would happen if Dad didn’t respond to the phone at all.

It’s very scary but I think it’s good to know.

They were both really cold too so we all need to have a winter emergency pack in the car with warm clothes, blankets, hats and gloves. Anything that will help if you are stuck at the side of the road in cold temperatures.

Here endeth….

I’ve finalised my packing for Rome and just had a big long chat with Dad.

I finish every blog the same way but somehow it means a bit more to me tonight.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Another day with a thumping tension headache.

Nothing is shifting it.

I get moments of respite when I open my eyes wide and contort my face into crazy positions. Moments of respite when I stretch my neck and try to release some of the tension.

I feel ok other than tbat.

I’m not worried about travelling this weekend. I’m quite organised and in control so it’s not that… unless my body thinks otherwise!!?

I do make such a drama of it though.

I hate that… but I let it take over everything and instead of just letting it be a sore head, I’m constantly searching for reasons and answers. Annoyed with myself for letting it bother me.

Actually as I write that down, I realise why my tension headache doesn’t go as I’m building up tension just by constantly questioning it.

I don’t want to be this person. Making a huge drama out of nothing.

So comfies on and relaxing and will get a super early night.

We’re running in the morning and I’m hoping it blasts this out of the water.

It was a lovely evening when I got home. The snow and wind and rain has gone. It’s been such a calm day.

I love the colours in the next photo. The sky is lovely. There’s a very bright light in the sky underneath the cable. I thought it might be a plane but it didn’t move so maybe a star?!

I’ve drunk soooo much water today… it’s been a good flush out!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

The wind and rain has not stopped all day. It’s been incessant. I think that’s the end of Storm Bert tonight and I’m looking forward some sunshine tomorrow!

I never heard a thing all night though as I was in a progesterone induced coma. Dead to the world until 5.45am.

I woke with a sore head. I think everything was tense when I woke.

I mentally feel ok… I’m not worrying about Rome (yet!) but I haven’t felt great today.

It was one of those days I’d have much rather just stayed in bed. We all have them.

The rain poured and the wind howled and my head thumped!

I have lists for this week…. Only so that I don’t forget anything.

Other than work obviously, today was about getting my Vinted parcels posted! I had a parcel to pick up from M&S and had to get diesel.

I usually hate having things to do after work. Today was just about getting them done and ticking them off, and it felt good.

I may have popped into the charity shop beside M&S and picked up a lovely teal GAP hoodie for £4 and a wine coloured fleece Oodie type thing. Also £4. It’s sooooo cosy….

So then….. I headed into Tesco and treated myself to another pair or my new favourite jammies!! Obviously in a different colour but they are literally like a hug in clothing. I’m so pleased I got more!

I’m done for today. I’m even too tired to write this…. It’s taken me about and hour and half 😆

I’ve started watching the Whitney Houston movie, I Wanna Dance with Somebody… which seems really good so far.

But I am tired.

I’ve had paracetamol and the head is still thumping.

I’ve drank lots of water and that won’t shift it either.

Hoping another good nights sleep will.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I tried to have a lie in this morning as it might be my last lie in for about 3 weeks… check me Mrs Dramatic. It’s kind of true!

I woke at 2.38am with the high winds from Storm Bert battering the house. I shut our window and lay for a while… I woke again just after 7am…. Which isn’t bad for me, I guess.

So straight out with the dogs. You’ll notice the snow has gone already. It’s still really windy.

This is not a great photo but if you zoom in just above Freya’s back… there is a brown/red blur on the grass 😆. It’s tiny…. You’ll probably not even see it!

As we walked along the road, a wee robin sat right in front of the dogs. They sodnt spot it but stopped and sniffed about for ages and still it sat there. Until I took the camera out and it moved into that bush. 😆

It wasn’t scared at all.

The sun was trying to come out.

I dropped the 3 of them off and took Khaleesi up the hill.

When I came back I spent a bit of time in the garden.

Winter poo picks are less fun (I am not for one second, suggesting any other season is fun…) but you only get daylight at the weekends so harder to stay on top of it.

I cut all the heads off the Hydrangea. would you believe it’s only just lost the last of the pink colour. Must have been the frost and snow.

It looks very sorry for itself now.

I then started parcelling up everything I sold yesterday! When you sell that much you have to be careful you put the right thing in the right bag…. 😆 one girl bought 3 things and I definitely don’t have a bag that big!!

I had to keep an eye on the time as Gayle had a ViP event on the shop today. So into the shower, hair wash and ready and back down to the shop for 1.30pm.

This is an awful picture of me but it shows I had on the most Christmassy jumper I own 😆 it’s not even that Christmassy 😆

We didn’t even get a photo together, let alone a photo of us in our Santa hats. 🧑🏼‍🎄🧑🏼‍🎄😆

So I’m not gonna lie, I am tired now.

I’m back in the November blog spot, favourite new jammies on…. I’m gonna need a spare pair of these 😆 Can’t believe it’s a week since I got them from Claire and mum and dad were here for my birthday. It’s been a quick week!

So not much else to report. Hope you all had a great weekend.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

This must be serious as today’s weather has a name! Storm Bert hits Scotland this weekend.

Most of that blue rain this morning turned to snow!

Here’s what happened outside our front door this morning over the space of an hour or so!

And the other way….

It was heavy rain when we got up and it turned to snow pretty quickly.

These photos look black and white…. It was so grey!

Craig drove me to the little gift shop as his first job cancelled and I was too scared to drive!! When did I become this big girls’ blouse?!?!

The roads were dreadful! As usual with snow in Scotland, our infrastructure grinds to a halt and it’s seems to catch everyone by surprise!

We’ve not seen a snowplough at all today… just gritters that aren’t gritting.

We made it!!

We did a little gift shop FB post to let people know we were open and we were so grateful to the people who saw the post and ventured out!

#supportlocalbusiness

The snow turned to rain and this is what the road looked like when I left. Better buts it’s so wet and slushy.

Craig’s 2nd job cancelled too so he could come and pick me up.

We were meant to be going up to see my in-laws this afternoon and we had to cancel as they live in the snowiest place ever!! This was their garden really early on.

I had been quite stressed about this weekend as we were so busy and now I’ve had the afternoon to do some things I didn’t expect to do.

Wait for it……

I WROTE SOME CHRISTMAS CARDS!!!!

I know… I hate myself for saying it as I am not that person… oh wait… this year it would appear that I am. 😬

I’m away the next two weekends so I may as well write the ones I got today and get them posted 😆 I doubt I’ve ever written a Christmas card in November before.

I should say I’ve thought nothing about presents AT ALL…. If that makes you feel a bit better?!?

We went next door to drop a birthday present in for our neighbour…. Had a lovely coffee and a bit of (to die for) chocolate torte!!

I then do some more packing for Rome… and then decided to put some more stuff up for sale on Vinted.

I have made £52.50 this afternoon!!!!

Things were selling the minute I put them up. One person bought three things and another bought 2! I couldn’t believe it.

I’ve had a really good day.

We had to go and buy dinner as right now we should have been eating my mother in laws lovely food… so we have pizza in the oven. Yum!

So we are due to get about 10°C overnight tonight, randomly…. The snow will surely all melt and it will be positively tropical… we’ll be the throwing off the duvet after the few weeks of minus temperatures. 😆

This is Bhru last night when she’s meant to go into her room to bed 😆😆😆

She’s a cheeky pupper.

So last night I said have a lovely Saturday night… tonight is the right time to say that! 😆

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

I’ve had a busy wee day.

I slept so well, but it’s day 2 on progesterone so I’m always out like a light.

The alarm was set for 5.25am and I met Clare and Lynsey for a run at 5.45am.

It was so icy today… lots of black ice on the pavements so we had to run on the main roads. It made for an interesting run and also ended up a bit longer than we usually do.

We had to take it slower and stop as cars passed. We had to watch our footing all of the way.

It’s funny as that “slower” run used to be a fast one for me!

I tried a different hat today and it didn’t work as well as the one the other day. There was a bit too much air around my ears!

So back home and straight in for a warm shower.

There was a lovely sunrise… I spotted it while hanging up washing! Breathtaking.

I had a pottering few hours where I semi packed for my trip to Rome next weekend. I have to keep an eye on the forecast to decide whether to go for lighter or warmer clothes, but the staples are in.

Melanie, (who I met in Rome back in April, and then again in Milan last month) has invited me to stay with her for Thanksgiving. She’s invited people to share in her special day and I was lucky enough to be asked. I get the impression….. I should say I KNOW….she puts her heart and soul into it and cooks up a storm! I have never experienced a Thanksgiving before so I’m really looking forward to it.

So the bag is 3/4 packed. I leave on Friday, a week today, at 2.30am… or maybe a wee bit later. 😆

I headed down to the little gift shop for 11am. I’ve no photos… except for me modelling a scarf for mum….. but Gayle had some lovely new deliveries again today. Lovely beige, pink and blue hats, scarves and gloves. They look really good.

I have stuffed mushrooms and stuff fried veg for dinner…. Thanks to Craig…. Calaidh having a sniff…. 😆

So is Khaleesi!

So a really busy day and I’m glad to be relaxing now!

Have a great Saturday night.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

So….. with a view to finding the perfect way to defrost your car, my lovely neighbour Helen has been sending me suggestions. also so that I don’t have to climb in the boot like I had to on Monday morning!

The one she sent last night hit gold this morning…. Almost!

You fill a zip loc bag with lukewarm water… mine just happened to be blue…. Look how quickly it clears the windscreen…. But…. When you footer about in excitement watching the frost melt… it ices right back up again very quickly…. It became a constant, de-ice, re-ice, de-ice, quick wipers….. on and on….

Helen has quite rightly suggested that I dry off the excess moisture as soon as it defrosts and I think she may have the perfect scenario!!

I’ll try that next time.

At least I got in through a door this morning in my lovely car with its very expensive glow plugs!!

The sky was lovely again.

Apart from being freezing cold, it has really been a pretty week.

There was still some of the light snowfall on the ground at work… very owintry looking.

Here I am at my desk, ready for action in the cold portacabin… which then becomes the warmest place after a while!

In other news…. The volcano has started erupting again in Iceland so I have EVERYTHING crossed that the eruption is still visible on 6th when we fly to Iceland. I say that very flippantly as I obviously feel dreadful for everyone living nearby and hope that everyone is safe and now my overthinking mind thinks I should delete that….

So that’s all for today. Comfies on, dinner finished, settled down with the puppets and I’ve got a good book to read so I might read tonight for a change.

Busy weekend ahead so I’ll have an early one tonight. My early nights are getting easier and earlier. 😆

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Does this finally make me a “runner”… funny how I put that in inverted commas.

I’ve watched people for years and thought I’d love to be a runner but I hated running. I’ve always hated running.

That’s aside, it seems to be my latest addiction and I guess there are worse things.

Contrary to popular belief, I no longer have any knee pain, muscle pain or stiffness now that I am running on a regular basis. I know maybe I’m just lucky but my knee was agony for a long time and now, nothing.

I don’t enjoy the early starts but I will never let the girls down when they are meeting right outside my house.

Up until now I’ve run in a T-shirt, with only a light jacket on a few occasions.

Today…. T-shirt, long sleeved overtop with jacket and a hat!

My legs were freezing though as I only have 3/4 length leggings…. I’ve already ordered two pairs of warmer leggings this morning.

It was such a beautiful morning with the stars very clearly visible, in the pitch black.

The clothing was just right for -3°C and I only had to free my wrists at one point to allow a bit of colder air in.

The whole “glasses when running” thing is a bit of a pain. They steam up pretty quickly in this weather…. Or in any weather for that matter. With my bright red face they don’t stand a chance!

So I thought a bit too much about this today and I’ve decided I can now call myself a runner. It feels pretty hardcore to go out in -3 and run 5.4k before 6.30am and to run it faster than I ever have.

It didn’t even feel that fast today. I had to walk a couple of times to catch my breath but that’s fair enough.

I am really proud of myself.

I am also proud of another decision I have made.

Marcothon is a thing where you run 5k or for 25 minutes (whichever is faster) every day in December.

I was going to do it.

I am now not going to do it.

Running 5k a twice a week is an amazing achievement for me. I’ve said, I don’t enjoy the early start or even, sometimes, the run itself… but I love the endorphins. I LOVE the after run feeling, even if it’s been a bad run. You can’t bottle that.

I think 25 minutes a day will be too much for me and I don’t want it to become a chore.

I also have two trips coming up so I’d have to run in Rome 🇮🇹 and Iceland 🇮🇸.

So I am being kind to myself and saying no.

I was worried I would have FOMO…. But I feel a sense of peace from knowing that I don’t have to do it.

Onto today…. Another lovely drive to work. Chauffeur driven of course.

I love this tree. Dark trees will always make me think of a lovely lady, no longer with us, who called these spooky trees.

Still really cold and when Craig came to pick me up from work, it actually snowed for a while. That wasn’t forecast.

It didn’t last long but that’s early for our first snow of the year.

My car was ready to collect…. A mere £448 🫣😆 I’m trying to get over it…. My ego is kicking off all over the place. Raging.

What’s the point… no amount of rage makes the price less but a lesser amount of rage makes my life more peaceful. Get over it.

So that’s all for tonight…. Crochet is cancelled as the fire in the pub isn’t working properly.

So it’s back in the comfies. Will these ever get washed?!?!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️