Day 1166 hay fever slapped me in the face today and another trip to Largs!!

I say that hay fever slapped me in the face but I actually feel like I went looking for it!

I haven’t really suffered much since my late 20’s…. So today I thought it would be a good idea to walk the dogs into a beautiful field…

Looks so pretty. The reality though is that I have sneezed since I left that field. I’ve obviously stirred up the most incredible pollen….

Poor Calaidh is scared of a sneeze. As you do the big inhale she comes running for cuddles and when you actually sneeze… she tried to head for the hills, with her tail between her legs!! Not so easy when she is attached to a lead through all of this.

The whole way home, come running for cuddles, nope I’m off, come running for cuddles, nope I’m off……. 😂 it was actually quite comical if the sneezing and dog antics weren’t so difficult to handle. I sneezed the WHOLE way home. She hasn’t spoken to me since 😂😘 anyway, I did get some pretty photos.

I saw my first real thistle this morning.

And Bhru spotted some cows down in the burn.

There’s hardly any water. We are desperate for rain. It’s not so sunny today but still warm.

The little gift shop was really busy today and it started to rain for a short time. It was always forecast and it’s super cloudy but muggy.

Gayle and I had decided to go back out to Largs today to visit the charity shops. There’s a new one opened right at the ferry terminal. I picked Gayle up at 3 and we headed over.

I did really well and got 2 wedding outfits, yes, second hand and I will probably sell them on or donate them back to charity after our 3 weddings are over this year. I am not a fancy dressed person these days but I’ve enjoyed trying on dresses!

Love this next photo. The clouds are so atmospheric and I just spotted the wee seagulls… posing for the shot!!

Look how dry the grass is. At least it should get some water soon with the rain that’s coming.

We had a lovely wee shopping trip and back home just before 6!

Craig has the boys in for the Scotland v Norway game and Jim brought chilli with him so I just had a lovely feed and I’m sitting in the garden writing this! Barry two doors down is getting the goals about 20 seconds before our house. I hear him screaming and then our living room erupts!!! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 I think Scotland might be winning?!? Unless they are suddenly screaming for Norway?! 😂

Hope you all have a lovely Saturday night.

Stay safe everyone 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Day 1165 the little gift shop on tour!!

It’s 21.56 and I haven’t written the blog yet. What a busy day!!! I’ll have to make this quick as I am ready for bed!

I’ve had another excellent day.

The Scottish Dog Behaviourist waved the dogs this morning and I was going to sit out in the sun and have a decaf coffee. Instead I decided to hoover the whole house, as you do. That said, I’m so glad I did it as I haven’t hoovered for weeks!!

Gayle and I decided at the little gift shop today, to go out another wee trip to Largs for ice cream tonight! 🍦🍦

I’m afraid it’s going to be another photo bomb 😆

We headed over for about 6.30pm and it was really misty and moody.

Thanks to the little seagull for the photo bomb!

Spotted this lovely heart stone that only looked like a heart on the way out of Largs, not when you looked at it on the way into Largs.

Another lovely evening and thanks to Gayle for the company and great chats!

I feel like the forecasts show the weather will break tomorrow and I didn’t want to miss a last sunset if it’s getting more cloudy.

Living life to the max!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☀️

Day 1164 Hookers on Tour last night and a busy day!

I had such a lovely time last night witb the Crochet Hookers. We went to Portencross beach last night instead of the village pub, for a wee change, in the sunshine.

It was just so nice. It was still scorching hot right up until 9.30pm when we left to drive home. The scenery was stunning as usual, and the company just made it extra special. We’ve never done anything like that before.

As soon as we got there we met someone that Lesley knew and got him to take our photo!! Anne had made us a Hookers on Tour sign, the minus 1 is because Jane couldn’t make it last night. Evelyn said she would bring some nibbles and we should all bring something to drink.

Surprisingly enough, some cans of alcohol free pink gin and lemonade had arrived on my door step the day before!!! It’s my favourite and I could only assume Holly had spotted them at the cash and carry while she was shopping for the pub. Such a lovely gift.

Evelyn’s spread was amazing. Crisps and dips and antipasto… and of course Lesley and Anne brought nibbles too. I was the only one that just brought my drink…. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

This was our view.

We sat for almost 2 hours until a few midges came out and then decided to go for a wander round to Portencross Castle. I can never get enough of this place!

Of course I ran down to my secret spot! Now everyone knows where it is. 😆

Sorry for such a large photo dump but I honestly can’t choose between them and there are lots more that didn’t even make this cut.

Obligatory car selfie on the way home.

I used to sit and cry for days on end about 4 and a half years ago. Anne (back left!) mentioned that she’d like to go to a crochet class and I said I’d like to do that too. I didn’t know Lesley and Evelyn.

If you’re new to the blog, thinking what an amazing life I seem to be living, then I want you to know it wasn’t always like this. I always want to remember how bad the bad days were to appreciate how far I have come.

I appreciate every single minute of it and I appreciate these ladies for always being the voice of reason and knowing when it was a bad day. They can read me like a book….. that’s a ridiculous line given that I write my life like a book but you know what I mean. 😂

I had a truly exceptional Wednesday. Who knew that was even a thing?!? In the olden days Wednesday was always just hump day. It meant there was less working week until the weekend. I was closer to getting a rest and being able to drown my sorrows in red wine.

No more. This week the weather has been our summer and that has definitely helped but I’ve lived life to the max while working at the same time.

I came home from work tonight and had a free massage at Harmony in Beith where lovely Norma worked her magic. I have one more free massage to go and that’s the end of my 50th birthday vouchers. What an amazing gift to be given.

Now I’m off into the pub to meet our friends Lindsday and Euan. Looking forward to the laugh we always have and running late fonishing this so best dash.

There’s an 0% pink gin and slim waiting for me in the beer garden!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☀️

Day 1163 I swam 750m before 7am this morning! 🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️

Bet you never saw that headline coming?!? I never….. let me reiterate, I swam 750m before 7am this morning and it was amazing!!! For some perspective that is 30 lengths of a 25m swimming pool. I have NEVER swam 30 lengths in one go before. Ever!

Until this morning that is, so now I have. 🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️

Always love a new emoji!

So one of the swimming ladies I met through my swim buddies Ellison and Eileen, Chantal, swims at a pond close to Tartan HQ. It’s the same pond I have had paddle board lessons in.

This is it a 6am. A group of ice-men in dipping.

I messaged Chantal last night and asked if she was planning a swim either today or Thursday and she said could meet me this morning.

Big grins excited to get in the water.

Bookers pond, as it’s located known due to its location next to Bookers Cash and Carry in Irvine, is actually Shewalton Water. It’s been set out with 4 buoys in a rectangle to distance triathlon swimmers.

We got changed here!

We set off for the first buoy and I get a wave of concern wash over me. What if I couldn’t swim that far, what if I held her up, what if I was knackered half way round and couldn’t get back….. I voiced my concerns…. As I do!

Chantal said that we could cut across the pond half way instead if I was tired, or we could turn round and swim back obviously… as soon as she said that I knew I’d be disappointed if we didn’t swim the whole way. With that in mind… off we went.

In true Julie fashion, I felt the fear, did the full lap anyway and loved every single minute of it.

I cannot tell you how beautiful it was. The sun a huge low ball in the sky, in between two windmills. The sunshine made everything seem that bit more magical.

I have no photos of the swim as I couldn’t get the phone to work and it did end up with water in the wee “waterproof” bag. 🥴 the few photos I did manage to take were awful 😆

I felt very comfortable as we swam. No fear, no panic, only a deeply relaxing exercise. I say this a lot these days but it really was out of this world. I never used to say that in my old life unless we were in the Maldives or Cuba, somewhere exotic. I love that I can find the beauty in the everyday things.

When we finished our 750m we got out and stripped wetsuits to the waist (swimsuits underneath, don’t panic!) and got back in for a cool down. The pond is a lovely 18/19°C which is much warmer than the sea. We were fully wetsuited up as we knew the swim would take over half an hour and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

I’m reliving the moment looking through all of the photos I managed to get at the end.

What a wonderful way to start the day.

I got ready for work at the side of the pond. (Should say I’d had my shower the night before and hoped that would do me!) and was at work for 7.40am. Can’t wait until I can do that again soon.

It was really hot again today. The office up at 27°C but I’d left the pop top up in Abbie the Campervan so she was much cooler when I left work tonight. Only 33° versus last nights’ 48°!! Will do that again tomorrow.

So in other very exciting news…. The hookers are on the move tonight and we are going down to Portencross for our crochet session!!! I am so excited that I get to back to the beach, and get a lift as Evelyn has kindly offered to drive. Sharing my happy place with the hookers!

Hookers on tour, here we come!! Pics tmro!

Stay safe everyone 🏊🏼‍♀️☀️🏊🏼‍♀️

Day 1162 writing this from my happy place! 🌊🏝️🌊☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Honestly if the sun shone like this in Scotland, we wouldn’t go anywhere else.

I’m sitting out on the rocks at Portencross again and it’s just out of this world. I feel like I just popped over to Greece for the evening! there is actually a heat haze over the sea!

It’s obviously been raining since I left work but I missed all of it. The van was 48.3°C when I got in it at work tonight. I decided in my wisdom to wash it before I left. I was soaking in sweat by the time I’d finished… sorry perspiring… us women perspire don’t we?!

I’ve even dipped my toes in and it’s surprisingly freezing cold. Considering I was in here in a wetsuit last weekend, I really didn’t expect it to feel so cold.

The clouds are just beautiful. We very rarely get an extended period of heat like this.

It was VERY hot at work. 28°C in the office today. I struggle to concentrate… the Scottish Dog Behaviourist is working tonight so I took the chance to head to the sea. The tide is gently coming in so I’ve had to move back a couple of times.

I went to the supermarket in Stevenson and got some salad for my dinner and I ate that with my toes in the water. Honestly I can’t manage more than 10 seconds at a time because of the cold.

I slept like a log last night and couldn’t wake up this morning but I dragged myself out on dog jog. As soon as I was out of bed I actually felt fine. The hardest part is thinking about getting out of it!

It was a beautiful morning again, with stunning clouds and we never met a soul. Just how I like it!

I know I’m writing this as I sit here but it’s fascinating to watch the tide come in. My feet just got soaked again in my new perch and it was a welcome freeze!

In my element.

No worries.

No stress.

No anxiety.

Just focused on the present moment and just being me.

I was sitting here with my toes in what must be less than half an hour ago!

Ellison just phoned about going for a swim at Seamill beach but I don’t have my stuff with me! Such a shame!!

I’ll have to make do with my tootsies!!

What a night.

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☀️

Day 1161 a sweaty scorcher today!

Jeezo man it is hot. 🥵 It’s been 25°C since about 1pm and just hasn’t let up. I was literally stuck to my clothes this afternoon in the metal portacabin! The fan just blowing hot air at me.

I don’t know about anyone else but I can’t deal with the noise of a fan…. I feel such a relief when I switch it off. It must be at a frequency that just irritates me. I can only have it on for so long, blowing it’s hot air around. (Listen to me 🤦🏻‍♀️😂)

I am trying not to complain but it’s hard not to feel lethargic when we are SO not used to this!! The aircon in my van was amazing!!! I am so grateful for the aircon. It was 43°C inside the van when I left work. 🥵🥵🥵🥵 It was down to 28°C by the time I got home which felt so much cooler than outside. Funny how that works?!? Maybe my sensor is wrong with hindsight 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

So up and at it today with dog jog before 6am. It would have been so easy to stay in bed but I was determined to start the new week the same as the last.

Took this pic as Calaidh was having a wee shake!

The rhododendrons were stunning. I love that colour. 💜💜💜

I managed to have a shower, make a salad for lunch and a banana and strawberry smoothie AND feed the dogs and tidy the kitchen all before work. It feels amazing being bright and breezy in the morning.

I’m still doing really well on the fasting. I have definitely found the thing that works for me. As with most things I really want to do, I am focussed on it and never let it slide. I really commit to something when I want to.

I feel SO much better for it. I never wake up bloated, my clothes are never tight. I am almost comfortable in my own skin…. But let’s not take it too far. 😂

I’ve been having salad for almost every meal for the last few weeks. Toss everything into a large Tupperware tub, a splash of extra virgin olive oil and some balsamic vinegar and shake! I’m having some lovely meats and cheeses mixed in with it all. I’m not denying myself anything but I am not so hungry anymore either. I love it, it makes me very happy!!

A HUGE cloud has just come over and it’s still roasting but it looks ominous.

The forecast is for thunder just now… and as if on queue. Thunder!! 🌩️⚡️🌩️⚡️ I just wanted to use these emojis.

We’re still sitting out under it but the puppers have gone inside. They were not happy. I’m just loving the cool air!

Stay safe everyone 🌩️⚡️🌩️

Day 1160 ROADTRIP to Dundee with Gayle! 🚘☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

My fresh clean bed came at a cost last night…. Making the bed up, in a hot bedroom at 1am…. No one wants to do that do they?!?!

It seems there was a spectacular thunderstorm here last night, with torrential rain and we missed it all. There were only a few big spots up at my in-laws last night, about a 45 minute drive away.

It was such a lovely party yesterday. 🥳🎉🎊

Now… if you read the blog…. You will know that, for me, a large gathering of people is among my list of things to be slightly dreaded. Call it a party and I’m 😵‍💫

And yet, as with all things I think I will dread, I end up having a really lovely time.

Being alcohol free at my in-laws is actually very easy. They have always catered for my non alcoholic choices. After 4 and a half years, I finally feel proud and confident of my choices. I have chosen not to drink because it makes me a better person… I no longer feel jealous of other people who haven’t made that choice. It’s my decision and I’m happy it’s the right one for me.

I had a lovely time. I had great chats, felt completely at ease small talking and was so chuffed I got to meet Isobel who often comments on my ramblings and yet I’d never met her. She is definitely my kinda person ♥️

Fast forward to a little woof at 6am this morning!!! 5 hours…. 🥴 I let them out and then we all went back to sleep until 8.30am. That’s more bearable.

So since then I’ve sat in the garden, writing this, I’ve done an Asda food shop for delivery and I’ve tried to fix the battery life on my iPhone…. Having a lovely wee morning to myself in the cloudy sun.

Gayle is picking me up in an hour for a visit to a supplier in Dundee today so I best go and get ready!!!

It turns out we were actually heading to Fowlis which was just outside of Dundee.

We had a lovely wee ROADTRIP and got to see some lovely new stock for Gayle’s shop. Isn’t funny how my phone always screams ROADTRIP in capital letters theses days?!?

It was great to be able to see the new stock for autumn/winter and of course have a wee fashion show!

I wonder if there’s a job for a hat and scarf model going?!? I seem to have the same selfie grin every time 😂 not very versatile.

The stock is all on show in the rep’s front room. It was a beautiful house!! We had tea, coffee and biscuits while we browsed and I helped Gayle to spend her money. 😂

The sun was back out for our drive back. It’s hot again today but it feels very hot for us. Like rain and thunder might not be far away.

The country roads on the way back to the motorway were lovely.

Crossing over the River Tay. All I could think about was the procession when the Queen’s body left Balmoral for the final time and driver over this bridge. Very poignant.

We passed Stirling Castle which looked very splendid on top of its hill.

The only traffic we hit was coming back into Glasgow of course. Caught this plane flying right overhead on approach to Glasgow Airport.

I’ve had the best wee day doing something completely different. I’m back in shorts and vest top, our in the garden with an alcohol free San Miguel which is very lovely. It’s sweaty hot but I’m persevering. The house is a state but, when you live in Scotland. You have to make the most of any minute of sunshine… we never know when the next sun might shine!

Also just realised we only have two weeks of work left before our summer holiday… please, please, please let this sunshine last!!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☀️

Day 1159 a walk to & from the little gift shop & birthday party at the in-laws 🥳🎉🎁

It’s another beautiful day. There’s still a breeze which, at some points, seemed like a howling gale in the back garden 😂

We were up with a woof at 6.30am, goodness only knows what disturbed them this morning. To be fair, I do love the early mornings so I’m not complaining.

We sat outside right a coffee… DECAF of course 😂😂😂 I am far too quick to take Craig’s suggestion that he’ll ask the dogs. 2 days in a row now that I’ve wanted to go out with them but give up in a heartbeat, as I’m so grateful that I don’t have to.

Think I may be shunned by Calaidh as a result 😂

So I decided instead to walk to work…. That’s how I can explain it to myself but in all honesty, there a another reason….. it’s the Beith Gala day today and I am…. Wait for it… worried that I might not get the van out of the car park as it might be too busy when I leave. Seriously. It’s amazing what I can make up in my own head. So instead let’s pretend it’s all about the exercise. 🥴

To be fair, I did really enjoy the walk. It’s calm and peaceful. I did get stopped by one of our lovely neighbours, to see if I wanted a lift, but I was striding it out and enjoying it. also taking photos… naturally!

It is a beautiful walk and the same again home only this time, more gates AND pretty damn hot! The breeze is suddenly working in my favour!

I stopped by the community garden on the recommendation of one our customers.

Then off up the road!

So many very old gates on this road.

They are all hanging by a thread!

It is scorching hot today. 25°C is about as hot as it gets here. I’m sitting in the garden for a wee while before we get ready to go out to the in-laws for my father in law’s birthday party. I am so hot I may not be able to move.

The dogs won’t leave me alone either so there’s not much sunbathing being do’e!

My life 🐶🐶🐶🎾🎾🎾😂😂

I’m at the party now and just realised I haven’t put this out!!! It’s also been raining….. 😱 Having cake and Nozeco so all good and I’ve met Isobel!

Here’s hoping I get home before 3am.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1158 start and end the day with gratitude! 💙💜♥️

I’m starting the day with gratitude today. It’s another beautiful morning though there is a cool breeze. I’m sitting outside in the garden with jammies on, having my first decaf coffee of the day.

I’m drinking out my lovely Slothy Julie mug and feeling grateful for all the lovely gifts I got for my 50th birthday, this being one from the lovely crochet hookers!

It’s just beautiful out here (could lose the breeze but let’s stick to the gratitude!)

There are no dogs at my feet…. There is no one in our house but me. The Scottish Dog Behaviourist is off out walking them this morning. I have really enjoyed our dog jogs but I am equally happy for the morning off to just sit here and just be.

I shared something on my FB page this morning which really struck a chord with me. (give Charlotte Freeman – Momentary Happiness a follow!)

I was the Queen of people pleasers! I went out of my way to make “YOU” happy…. Whoever you were, regardless of how you treated me, if I could make you happier then somehow my life would be at peace. Oh how wrong could I have been. This is what finally broke me…. Tying myself up in knots to please everyone else buy myself.

My head literally screams at me now when I agree to something I don’t want to do. It creates a whirlwind of emotion and angst (oooh what a word before 8am!) I don’t get a minutes peace from it until I say NO.

I do think that it could be perceived as selfish these days, and I get that, but I have to work very hard at preserving my mental health. I have learned over these last 4 and a half years, that I need to listen to myself now. I need to put myself first and do what is best for me.

As awful as that might sound to the person still stuck in the people pleasing loop…. I can honestly say this is one of the things I am most proud of.

Despite everything I have been through, I’m so grateful that I have been given time to learn this lesson. They say that true learning comes from adversity.

So back to today… it’s been beautifully sunny today though it was forecast to be cloudy. Sat here in the back garden at 6pm and it’s windy so cooler than it should be.

The little gift shop was lovely as usual. Always get to chat to so many lovely people. I was lucky enough to get a buttered cinnamon scone from Lindsay that works there through the week and Norma, who works in Harmony next door for me a packet of crisps!! So kind of them both. I had my usual salad for lunch. I’ve been living on salad this week. It’s been great! Long may it continue.

It’s nice to be sitting back outside where I started the day, although this time surrounded by Border Collies 🐶🐶🐶

The dogs have all just made a bee-line for the front door which means that the Scottish Dog Behaviourist just got home from his first day back at work!

I’m gonna sit just right here for a while.

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

Day 1157 the Scottish Dog Behaviourist returns!!

She who vowed never to look at the plane tracker ever again… tracked Craig’s plane into landing this morning. 🤦🏻‍♀️

When I woke up after another dead to the world sleep…. This time fuelled by progesterone as it’s another 2 weeks on…. I checked and he was flying over Santander!

Then it was off out for dog jog! Getting into a bit of a routine with all this these days.

No pulling, no fuss, just out for a walk.

And a bit of a run!

We had a big run about in the field and they were all in munching in the grass.

By the time I got to work this morning, he was coming in to land, just passed over our house!!

I know I am sad but I love this tracker…. Also watch with a huge amount of fear, as you know, as the speed with which it descends is quite terrifying to watch! Can’t stop though.

It was a quick day today and I’m just home from work and Craig has had the day with the pups…. They are really pleased to see him and haven’t left him alone.

There was no one at the door to meet me!!!

He’s already missing the 5 he left behind in Spain.

Just sitting outside in the windy sun for a bit though I do have a sweatshirt on today. Mr Spanish heat is loving the breeze!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

Day 1156 dog jog, work and crochet, almost all in the sunshine! ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

It’s been another lovely day after yesterday’s clouds. We didn’t see the sun until about 3.30pm yesterday. When it came out, it was HOT!

Sorry for such a quick blog yesterday, I just ran out of day! I literally never stopped from 5.30am until about 10pm. I was so full of “birthday tea” when I went to bed, that I ended up waking at 4am. My mind started racing, the birds were twittering away and I couldn’t get back to sleep.

I got up and did everything backwards this morning!! I made my lunch, had a shower and then headed out for dog jog?!?! Go figure…. A run after my shower?! 😂 not my smartest move but hey… I’m tired.

Mid jog, I stopped to show you how tall the cow parsley is growing!! Absolutely nothing to do with taking a breather….. 🙊

They had a good run around in the field this morning too.

There’s also lots of these lovely yellow iris’ along the side of the field, so pretty. There’s a lot of them in the wild just now.

I loved this Hawthorne tinged pink!

I can’t tell you how guilty I feel when I head to work and leave these 3 wee faces. They’re used to Craig being here on and off through the day. They get under your feet as you leave, as if to the and trip you up!

Please don’t go mum!!

So the Scottish Dog Behaviourist is actually home tomorrow, finally! It feels like he’s been away for weeks! He’s had a great time, done loads of training and learned loads but think he’s ready to get back to our 3 amigos. He’ll certainly miss the 5 dogs he’s leaving in Spain too.

He’ll be home tomorrow morning just as I get to work, so our lovely friend Lindsay will pick him up and bring him home.

So I’m off to crochet tonight in the pub…. Alcohol free gin and tonic for me! We’ve not met up in ages so I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. It is just the other side of the fence from where I’m sitting just now so not too much of an effort. Guess I should actually take my crochet this week and get back into it, or that blanket will never finish itself!

Current view through my crossed legs!!!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

Day 1155 a 17th birthday party!!

Slept like a log!! I’ve been up since 5.30 dog jog, supermarket shop before work!!

The sun didn’t come through until at least 3.30pm today…. Shocker!

Now I’m at a 17th birthday party for my next door neighbour! I’ve had such a lovely meal. I’ve eaten more than I’ve eaten all week. it’s 8.30pm so it’s just a quickie! Been jumping back home to let the dogs out. Better get back to them soon!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1154 another beautiful sunny day! ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

I was out in the pub last night… on a school night! Our friends Lindsay and Euan walked out from Beith to meet me next door. We had a lovely wee catch up and FaceTimed Craig in Spain!!

I came home and played with the dogs for a bit and got some lovely random photos.

Always love the jumping shots!

This morning started off cloudy. I had an alarm set for 5.30am and was off out with the dogs but had to wear a long sleeved top. I felt pretty tired and grumpy if I’m honest. I get sluggish as I jogged. Not feeling it today.

We saw this big sheep!

Freya alway checking up to make sure I’m still there!

I’ve not been in the best mood today. I don’t quite know where to put myself. I think I’m just tired after being so busy at the weekend. I got through lots at work so that’s always good. The sun came out about 9ish and it’s been really hot today. We’ve had the door wide open all day and even the fan on.

I am LOVING this run of beautiful weather. All the things mulling round in my mind should be irrelevant when I look at that lovely blue sky and just breathe.

I just yawned my head off…. Early night needed I think!

Stay safe everyone 💙💙💙

Day 1153 wild sea swim at Portencross! 🏊🏼‍♀️🤿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙☀️

That sun emoji is still right up there at the top. Even above my ♥️ emoji which I use a lot.

I’m sleeping really well these days… there no snoring in our house as he’s away and obviously I don’t snore at all so I’m out for the count! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️😂

I felt a lot of anxiety when I woke this morning. It’s a beautiful day again and I have a sea swim planned at my favourite Portencross beach, today at 11am.

Now that sounds to me like the perfect day… and spoiler alert… it absolutely was… just the best…. But oh my god I make some amount of fuss in my head before I go!!!

There’s the dogs to be walked… and I like to do that before everyone is up… so I better get moving…

We went a different way today. They were so excited as they know they get off at the top of the hill so they pulled me all the way up. I stressed about that.

Then Freya needed a wee rest!

There are loads of buttercups up here.

Look how clear the sky is. You can see all the way over to the Isle of Arran.

A gate specifically for The Windsor Waffle my blogger friend. Just so she knows I’m still looking for gates 😂

Sooo many buttercups!!

I still had ages to get ready to head to the beach. I was stressed about remembering everything I needed to take (which was all safely stored in one place, I might add..) and of course I needed to be there an hour early so I could get parked. my driving and parking anxiety has been quite bad this weekend.

We’ve had a big event on in the Village Hall this weekend and I seem to be petrified of not getting parked when I come home. My whole weekend has been jigged around this event, which is, quite frankly, ridiculous!!

Anyway… I get there for about 10am and this is what greets me. Portencross is the best I have seen it this year.

The water is so still, so calm and peaceful. I could sit here for hours.

It’s just a shame a big group of age 60+ seem to have moved in to the picnic area and even at that time, have music blaring on a loud speaker. They are all chatting over it. Sitting under a large gazebo, none of them in the sun and they’ve brought an actual karaoke machine. I mean, really?!? Who does that. No care for anyone else sitting nearby them. Not sure why they hadn’t just stayed at home.

Down on the rocks and thankfully their tunes don’t travel.

I sat and watched this wee family of ducks float past! The wee one at the back was paddling like crazy to keep up. I was so lovely to watch.

I go swimming with Ellison from Tartan Campers and her sister Eileen who has been doing it for years so knows her stuff! We also met Chantal and Lesley today (they are really good swimmers so they were off for a good two kilometre swim).

Eileen is really good at taking photos but had left her phone pouch at home. I gave her mine. No point in me faffing with my phone and getting nothing! Also allowed me to relax and enjoy it without taking photos all the time.

We swam out the little stony beach at the side of Portencross Castle.

We literally walked in here and swam away!

Don’t be fooled into thinking I was swimming with a spaceman!! Ellison is wearing her snorkel mask which covers her full face and allows you to breath through your nose and mouth while snorkelling.

Eileen obviously took all of these photos. It just felt like such a special day. I’ve always wanted to swim there. I was petrified of jellyfish and saw none. I preferred not to look but once I borrowed Ellison’s snorkel I saw that it was amazing to swim under water.

I could have lay about in the water by the side of the castle all day!

It’s lovely to come out of the sea into the heat but you’re still exceptionally cold. The heat helps you to warm up a bit faster but you still have the shivers.

We sat and had a lovely lunch looking out to sea, I took a salad with me, I was ravenous by then!

Then to top it all off, Ellison and I took a wander back round to the castle and went inside. I’ve always wanted to do that! The views from the top are incredible.

This next picture shows the bit we swam in. It was amazing to see it from above.

Yet another day spent with people who are very good for my soul!

The whole reason I write this blog is to show people that I might look like I do lots of amazing things at times but I do feel a lot of anxiety around it. It doesn’t always come easily to me. It would have been so easy to stay home today and look what I would have missed.

Feel the fear and do it anyway!

Off to meet friends in the pub tonight about half 6… it’s been all go but a great weekend!

Lots of calls with Craig during the day today catching up on his dog training too! All good over there!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙🤿

Day 1152 a real scorcher, scorcher and a chippy tea with Gayle ☀️☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☀️☀️

Wow you know you’re having good weather if the sun emoji is at the top of your emojis. Right next to the Scotland flag!

I’ve had the best wee day to myself so far!

To be fair it started at 2am with a bark…. To wake up to this.

The moon was so bright that the room was light…. We don’t have curtains so wear eye masks but once I was up it was just really beautiful. Made me a bit less angry at the dogs. I let them out and we all went back to bed… until 6.15am when another one barked… or quite possibly the same one so it was off out for this mornings dog jog.

I didn’t take a lot of photos this morning as it’s just as beautiful as every other day this week.

It was a lovely walk. Back home for a peppermint tea in the garden before I got showered to head out.

I walked to the little gift shop this morning. It was such a lovely day and the village hall has a big event on with about 20 visitors expected. The downside to roadside living is that you can come back and never get a parking space!

Also getting my steps up!

It already feels really warm but I have to have warm clothes for the shop as it’s always really cool.

I had the best morning. It was heaving!!! So busy but I still got lots of lovely chats with customers. Doing what I love the most. Chatting to people, making them smile and having some banter.

The morning passed so fast. I didn’t get a chance even for a coffee, let alone the lovely salad I’d taken with me. I of course had to walk home in 22°C heat which is very hot for us Scots… wearing jeans and trainers, carrying my sweatshirt and body warmer!!

It is just a scorcher of a day. It’s hot and I am…. Wait for it…. Outside in my garden in a bikini for the first time in a VERY VERY VERY long time.

I am lying like a coiled spring, waiting on someone to walk into the garden so I can wrap myself in a towel but I’m in a bikini and not horrifically horrified by what I see.

The dogs just want to be with me so I’ve moved next to some shade so they are not to hot but able to still be close to me. Our artificial grass gets very hot in this weather!!

This is the life.

Gayle and I are going to Largs for a chippy tea later and I’m so looking forward to it!

Here we are!!

We’ve come to The Fish Works in Largs!

It is stunning here and we are having such a lovely time! I’m off to enjoy it!

Stay safe everyone ☀️☀️☀️

Day 1151 another scorcher today! ☀️☀️☀️

It’s 20°C and I’m writing this at 6.40pm in Scotland.

This is pretty much summer for us.

It’s so warm, the sky is blue and there’s not a cloud to be seen. Everything is in full bloom. It’s so green against the blue.

The puppers have been well looked after by Holly again today. When I got home they were wet, having been soaked with the hose this afternoon to cool down. They love that!

The day started with dog jog and run in a field. They ran in the field, I walked!!

They found a ball!

The field has just been cut and is so yellow looking, desperate for rain!

When we got back I sat out in the garden with a peppermint tea. That doesn’t break your fast and it’s so refreshing. Another photoshoot!

There’s loads of new stuff in the little gift shop again! Father’s Day is 18th June.

Had my usual “set the world to rights” chat with Gayle today too!! It’s always great to catch up.

I’ve been really good on the fasting this week. Don’t know if it’s because it’s sunny, or that Craig’s away, but I’ve been craving salad. I had a huge bowl for lunch and had more for dinner.

Literally a large plastic bowl… classy but honestly lovely. I’ve not craved carbohydrates or stodgy food at all. I feel the difference already.

Then took these really impromptu photos of the dogs and they are the best I’ve got in ages. There were mini sausages involved. 😂😂

Claire then waved a chocolate Cornetto at me over the fence so I went into her garden for that!! The perfect end to a lovely meal.

So that’s all from me! The Scottish Dog Behaviourist is getting on great in Spain. Click that link if your interested in any of his posts. The dogs he’s looking after are impeccably trained and he’s continuing the training while there owner is away. It’s amazing to see him out there doing all that. I’m incredibly proud of him!

Have a great weekend!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿☀️

Day 1150 too bright too early as my Gran would say and how can it actually be June?!?

How can it actually be June already? May seemed to pass in a blur, in fact life seems to pass in a blur these days!

My trying to live in the present moment isn’t slowing life down any.

I was up at 5.30am and straight out for dog jog.

It was a beautiful morning! Pure blue sky. T-shirt weather and very sleepy dogs.. not certain they were ready for dog jog at that time of the morning!

I’ve obviously looked through these photos again and feel the joy and peace I felt taking them!

This next one was taken in iPhone portrait mode.

And this next one just normal. Can’t decide which I like the best?

The singe track roads are just beautiful!

All the while jogging along!

I took a photo of me to send to Craig. Look at that face mid run. I am actually buzzing. Completely loving life to the max!

I used to smile like this all the time and I was hiding how sad I really felt, even from myself at times. Now when I smile, I really mean it and feel it.

These lovely poppies are I. Our garden. I can hear Craig shouting WEEDS in my ear 😂 I love them.

I got home and did some energy toning exercises in the garden for kinesiology (the things I have to do to keep my mental health in check) and THEN went to Tesco in Irvine for a healthy food shop to pop in the fridge in the van!! Even Tesco looked lovely in the sunshine.

Then I went to get diesel…. All before work at 8am!! Machine.

The too bright too early part is two fold. The weather turned cloudy and has been cooler and cloudy for a lot of the day. Ellison and I still sat out at lunch for a blether. It’s the first day this year that I’ve worn sandals. Not the best choice but hey…..

My mood also deteriorated through the day.

I have so many rules, processes and procedures that I have to follow to keep myself on the straight and narrow. I am not very tolerant of anything that doesn’t go the way I believe it should go. That needs nipped in the bud. A couple of things this afternoon didn’t seem to be that bad at the time but the combination of them hit me from left field and there were tears again.

I only have swear words to express my thoughts on this 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🥴

XXX why do I have to be that person?!?

I cannot cope with feeling out of control. It’s super dramatic and none of it is that big a deal. It’s never personal but I always take it between the eyes.

So luckily I had Kinesiology tonight and we worked on dealing with stress of tears in public, learning tolerance and cutting chords with beliefs that no longer serve me. I know how weird all that might sound but trust me it works. I feel much calmer already. I’m sad that I’ve lost the spring in my step from this morning but I know I will get that back after a good nights sleep.

All I ask is for true peace to be able to deal with everyday life. It will not always be easy and it will not always go my way and that needs to be ok too.

Bring on tomorrow!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1149 a cold start but a scorcher with a little home made drama in the middle!

Up at 5.45am to take the Scottish Dog Behaviourist to Glasgow Airport.

It was a cool and cloudy start to the day. I set off in my shorts…. Found a random place to throw him out of the van at the airport as the costs to drop off are ridiculous. 😂 I headed straight to work and was still there 10 minutes before 8am. Felt like I’d been driving for days!

Busy morning and the sun came out around 11ish. Until then I was wrapped up in my big fleece!

So at lunch time Ellison sets up the seats outside and I start tracking Craig’s flight. I’ve checked in on it a few times through the morning and can see him starting to descend. It’s quite addictive… ok if you like that sort of thing!

I see him get as low as 737ft and 187 knots

I wonder out loud what happens to a plane that disappears from radar on this app, when all of a sudden it starts to climb and very fast.

The plane takes off again and heads out to size gaining in height and speed. It disappears off my screen as it’s moving so fast again…. A tiny part of me assumes the worst until I realise it’s still in the sky…. Visible when I zoom back out again!

I start to feel a bit squeamish and can’t eat my lunch. I go put in in the fridge.

It climbs back to 5,479 and stays there while doing a full loop back to get it back on track.

It’s fascinating to see how it just picks up exactly the same approach…. What else would you expect but you don’t think of that.

I watch him come back down to 100ft and the height goes haywire, he rises, he falls, he rises again, it gets stuck for a while at 87ft and it takes far to long to look like he has actually landed. There is a chance the height measurement could be 87ft off the ground but my head tells my otherwise.

I’m shaking, I have pins and needles all over, I feel sick and even have dry retch behind a van.

By the time he texts I am so relieved… he says there was a plane on the runway. 😱 he’s neither up nor down but lands to a million WhatsApp’s from me! In my ridiculous panic I did have a wry smile that he would switch his phone on in the plane and it would ting ting ting ting ting for ages! Oops….

So I’ve learned today that I might love my husband a bit more than I even realised…. I’ve told him that already. 😂😂

He took these lovely shots for me during his aborted landing!

An obvious sign be wasn’t that bothered!

So I’ve been sat in the garden with the 3 pup amigos since I finished work. Holly next door is looking after them during the day while I’m at work. So lovely of her. We couldn’t do this without her.

Crochet was cancelled tonight so Claire has just been in to the garden for a chat. I could SO get used to this weather!!! It’s much hotter today than it was even yesterday. Way more to come tomorrow.

Craig is settling in well in his Spanish home for the next week. He’s introduced me to his 5 new dogs and training starts tomorrow. I’m so proud of everything he’s achieved to get to where he is this year. Follow updates from him on Scottish Dog Behaviourist.

So I’m hoping for way less drama from tomorrow!!

This might just be the summer that we’ve all been waiting for. We need to enjoy it when we can in Scotland as it could all be over in a heartbeat!

Stay safe everyone 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿✈️🇪🇸

Day 1148 another beautiful sunny and hot day! ☀️☀️☀️

I didn’t have a great sleep last night as someone was snoring SO loudly…. Strangely that same someone said that I was snoring too and that can’t possibly be right. My blog… I don’t snore. There must have been something on the air last night if we were both at it.

Our bedroom is hot in this heat!

I woke up at 6.10am from a groggy sleep and felt really grumpy…. Then remembered it was going to be a beautiful day today and my mood changed instantly.

Just shows you how easy it is to do and how we should try to do that even when the sun isn’t shining.

I came out into the garden first thing again and did some exercises.

I took some photos…. Of course I did.

I love the early morning glow of the sun.

So tonight is my last night with the Scottish Dog Behaviourist for 8 nights!!! That’s EIGHT whole NIGHTS….

Craig’s got an excellent opportunity to go and look after, and do some light training with, Jo Rosie Haffendon’s (of the School of Canine Science) dogs, from tomorrow while she’s over in the UK doing some filming work.

The bonus for him is that it’s in Spain!!

You might find me under a pile of work and dogs holding the fort. Gutted I can’t be there too. I’m the sun worshipper and he’s the one that likes the shade!

It’s a great opportunity for some advertising for his new business as Jo-Rosie has 39K followers on FB!

I’m very lucky that I’ve been given some sunshine here too. It really has been a long time coming for us this year.

I spoke to several suppliers down south today who said it was cloudy and cold. That doesn’t happen every often. I was in my shorts today.

Craig’s made a lovely smashed burger for dinner for us tonight and we’re sitting in the garden enjoying the sun.

Stay safe everyone ☀️☀️☀️

Day 1147 a beautiful working bank holiday Monday! ☀️💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙☀️

Ahhh what a beautiful day! I’m sure us Scot’s would be a much happier race if we had sunshine all the time!

The legs are out again as I sit in the garden writing this, but I can assure you the top is very much “oan”…. See description above!

I’ve been awake since 4.30am not sure why really, maybe just not that tired.

Clean bed was amazing last night, I even had a shower and washed my hair to get the full effect of clean person and clean bed!!

I got up at 6.15 and sat outside for a bit.

There was a warmth to the sun already. I’ve said before but i love that time before many people are up and you feel like you have the world to yourself.

I did 20 push ups and 20 tricep dips… that was my start at trying to tone back up again. Things are wobbling a lot more than they did when we were at the Fit Body Farm 3 times a week!!!

The traffic was busier than I expected today. It seems there were more Scots working this bank holiday than the last.

I’ve actually had a really good day. I wasn’t too hot or told cold in the office, just right. (Sounds like Goldilocks and the 3 bears 😂)

A few things went wrong first thing, which I overreacted to and then settled back down to resolve. Ellison and I sat out for lunch and rolled our T-shirt sleeves up for maximum tanning 😂

I even appreciated the mini weed garden next to where we sat.

I love a weed!!

I’d made a lovely salad for lunch with loads of things from the fridge that were just about to turn, but hadn’t yet.

I really enjoyed it. I didn’t pig out on unhealthy food which feels good.

It was one of those rare working days where I actually just lived in the present moment. Check me.

It’s funny but since I got the anti depressants from the doctor, I have never felt as bad as I did before she prescribed them. I’ve never felt the need to take them yet. Maybe the placebo effect as I know they are there? I don’t know. It’s maybe as simple as the better weather. I don’t really care what it is. I’ll take this level of calm any day.

Craig just sent me this photo as he was working in Largs today and it’s so beautiful. He did say it was heaving though.

A salt and chilli chicken crown is in the oven, I’ve a salad to make up and then dinner will be ready.

It’s now 7pm and it’s still hot. Long may this continue. ☀️☀️☀️

Stay safe everyone 💛💛💛