I was running with Elly today. It stayed dry despite a wet forecast, and the sunrise was spectacular.
We ran just over 4kms as it was Elly’s first run in a while but she totally kept up.
I took Calaidh, Bhruic and Freya for a walk up the hill and it was a stunning walk….. I forgot to take my phone. The rainbows 🌈 were much more vibrant than yesterday. There was a full rainbow then a double rainbow. There was something nice about just being in their moment rather than trying to get the right photo…. Although I was RAGING I’d left my phone home. 😆
I took Calaidh back out with Khaleesi… remembered my phone and the wee were no rainbows! 😆
I love this…..
More ironing and packing…. It feels good to get it done!
This afternoon it was the Gateside Flower Show…. I had a wee cream tea 🥳🥳
It’s 4.36pm, I’ve just had a fresh shower and I’m in fresh jammies! (‘scuse the washing!)
I’m exhausted!
Craig and I are both running on fumes at the moment. He’s working all the hours god sends and I’m really busy at work and walking dogs and trying to stay on top of all things housework… while we deal with selling his house in Kilmarnock and all the other life stresses that come your way when you’re adulting.
I very often feel grateful that we never had kids as I’m shattered enough just dealing with me!
I sound like I’m moaning…. I’m not, I’ve had a really good day, I’m just tired!
I walked the Border Collies with Holly and Leo first. It stayed dry despite threatening rain the whole walk.
The first sign of a rainbow! 🌈
I was not so lucky when I took Khaleesi out and gave Calaidh a second walk. I got wet!!
The sky was stunning.
Both dogs are doing really well after their operations. Calaidh had been on a diet and lots weight as is a much happier pupper!
The rainbow never really fully formed but it was lovely!
The girls had a good run! I still have to watch Khaleesi’s recall and just make sure she keeps coming back. The minute she stops listening she’s back on the lead.
Khaleesi at the end of the rainbow! 🌈
Craig’s popped home between jobs today. He’s got my car as his is in the garage. I popped out when he came home and managed to get to 3 shops in a very short time. It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.
This is where I have to sit after me 6ft 3” had been driving my car!!!
My feet can hardly touch the peddles!
So I’ve spent all afternoon ironing.
I never iron anything unless I’m going out somewhere… even then I try not to.
Why is it when you have a holiday booked, I feel the need to iron all of the clothes we take?!? 😆
After about 3 straight hours (while listening to my audio book!) I had to stop…there’s a reason I don’t iron! I made a huge dent in it though.
I feel like Bhruic…. Sleepy puppy.
Craig’s not home for another few hours then he has more work to do when he gets in. He’s going to collapse into the plane on Wednesday…
Up with the alarm at 6.10am and into work early to write my list.
I worked through it line by line.
I’m one of these people that adds to the list and scores it off when I have something extra to do!!
So the day flew by and I had to rush out, at the end of the day, to get my holiday toes painted!! Back to a lovely orange.. . My favourite!
When I came home I hoovered the whole house as the dog hair was completely out of control! It was everywhere!! It feels a lot better now.
I also made some of Melanie’s Spaghetti for dinner…. For the third night in a row. That’s how much I love it! Craig comes home from work and heats it up. We only have two portions left… then I’ll have to try and make my own.
So I’m sitting by the light of the fire, listening to an audio book…… I couldn’t get into them when I first started listening. Now I’m kind of hooked!!
I’m tired but feel really relaxed with the pups all curled up beside me. It’s 8.15pm and it’s almost dark already.
I saw this today!
And this!
And this
I love seeing all these strange times!! The synchronicity of it all….
I’m looking forward to getting packed over the weekend and getting the house all tidied ready for our lovely pup sitter to move in….. must warn him about the amount of dog hair…
I woke with the alarm at 5.25 and managed to get up and out no problem.
Not the best photo but we were waiting in my hallway as Lynsey got stuck behind some wayward cows on the road to meet us!
We all had head torches this morning…. The girls are up the hill on our way home… lovely sky.
Action shot.
I found it hard today… I’m not sure why… me breathing was ok, my legs were ok and it was a bit faster than usual…. It might have just been that.
And we’re done!
This was the sky as I left for work about 45 minutes later. A lovely drive to work.
Today was really busy again. I can’t get doing the day job for all the other things that are happening…. I stayed a half hour late tonight which is nothing, but I could have done with much more!!
I’m loving being so busy but I’ve only 3 working days left before my holiday.
I need to clear my feet tomorrow and write the list of all the things I want to get done…. Once and for all and then cross them off one by one.
Even writing that clears my head.
I should add I’m not stressed or panicked in any way…. like I would usually be.
I’m calm.
I just want to do my job the best I can before I finish up.
In other news…
Today is World Suicide Prevention Day…. This is from the Empathetic Therapist, please contact her if you think you need help.
I had suicidal thoughts when I was at my lowest ebb.
I was so distraught suffering from anxiety and depression, at the same time.
I felt I had become a burden to everyone.
I was so sad that I couldn’t lie when someone asked how I was.
I felt I couldn’t say the same things to the same people over and over.
I was sick of thinking it.
They must have been sick of hearing it.
I even turned to the Samaritans when I felt like there was nowhere else to go.
Yet despite all of that…. There were angels in my life that appeared and told me what I needed to hear when I needed to hear it.
They didn’t give up on me.
They wouldn’t allow me to give up on myself.
You never know when you might be that angel for someone.
When you might say the right words just at the right time, when they really needed to hear it.
Be kind as you never know what someone is going through.
I was hanging by a thread in this selfie taken in 2018…. I was drinking wine to cope with a job that was tearing me apart.
I don’t look it at all do I? Completely the opposite.
This next one was when I was sick. I went for a day out and felt awful and I took this photo to remind myself of how bad I felt.
And this is me in 2019 when I really thought I just couldn’t go on.
But I did and I have survived 100% of my worst days and you can too.
If you feel low ALWAYS reach out to someone. Keep talking… to anyone who will listen.
I don’t really know why but I guess it’s down to my diet again.
Not really been eating the best food or drinking enough so I’ve tried to be better today.
I can hardly stay awake.
It’s 7pm so I think it will be a very early night for me!
Lol now it’s 7.45 as I just had a long chat with mum!
Work is still really busy and doesn’t stop. I’m loving it. I’m loving my control. I’m loving that I can remember things…. Not all the time…. But I don’t feel all scared and anxious when I don’t… I’m confident in the not knowing and knowing that I can find out….
I know that I am doing my best instead of the anxiety telling me I’m at my worst.
I’m so grateful that I feel like this….. except for the tiredness!
I have the fire on tonight to dry some washing. It’s cosy and it smells nice too.
Bhru and Freya are watching the world go by in the garden. they only turned around because I walked out to take a photo!
I’m laughing 😆 literally just went from one thing to another to another 😆 and problem didn’t do half of what I was in the middle of before I had to finish something else!
It ended up being a lovely sunny day and Ellison and I sat outside at lunchtime. It was really nice after yesterday’s torrential rain…. I mean it wasn’t scorching but it was a breath of fresh air.
Lovely Coffee & Quotes – give Lisa a follow!
I missed the lunar eclipse last night as it was so cloudy here. The sky changed colour slightly but that was really the only difference….
There was definitely a reddy/yellow glow to the clouds!
I’ve seen some lovely photos of it today though. Would have been amazing to watch.
So nothing much else to report. 9 more sleeps until we go on holiday…. Craig’s working all the hours possible and we have to try and pack between now and then!
It’s still raining. I don’t think it’s stopped for most of the afternoon! It’s just been torrential!!
I had a great sleep but woke at 6.30am and had a lovely hour nap this afternoon so I can hardly remember what I did all day….. 😆😆😆
I changed the bed, so clean bed tonight!!
I sorted out the spare room and got that back ready for the dogs.
I got the suitcases out the loft and started throwing in some holiday clothes to make a start.
I put some things in the loft and generally pottered.
I de-dog haired the stairs…
I contact some Her Travel Circle ladies and set up a WhatsApp group.
Criag and I went to Mocha JaK’s for breakfast (my second time this weekend!!)
I went to bed about the back of 1 to read my book and had a nap….. I was about to fall asleep at 2.45pm when I remembered we had a UK Security Alert test at 3pm….. so I lay there waiting for it…
I still got a fright as it didn’t happen at 3pm but about 10-20 seconds in!!
I saw all these times on my phone without looking….
So yeah…. A lovely lazy day and now watching a movie with the family. Love it when all the dogs are in the living room with us!
It’s actually Friday night as I write this. It’s 22.51 and I’m on the train home from Glasgow… check me… out on the town like a big girl. 😆😆
We went to St Jude’s for dinner.
Restaurant pics!
We had potato scone nachos! Potato or Tattie scones are a Scottish “delicacy!” 😆😆
We both had macaroni cheese for main course mine was loaded with chicken tikka! it was lovely!
We spotted this crazy sign in the bathroom but the selfie was pointless as it came out back to front!!
We went to the King’s Theatre to see Joanne McNally, Pinotphile.
We had restricted seats but honestly they were perfect for this gig!
Show selfie!!
The show was great. She was really funny!!
It was great to be out doing something different!
It was dark when we came out!
This was a random statue in a building that we passed on the way to the station!!
Glasgow Central Station.
I was home by 11.30pm. Late one for me. I didn’t sleep that well as we had two dogs in with us… I didn’t want to wake them and Freya was cuddled into me 😆😆
So up at 6.45am for a run. I had macaroni cheese food coma belly but I still did it and survived!!
I then took Freya and Bhruic out and we met my neighbour Holly with Leo the cockapoo!!
Then I went back to get Calaidh and Khaleesi and couldn’t find Khaleesi anywhere…… I looked in every room about 3 times. I scoured the garden and I panicked…. I called Holly and headed out to look for her… she was shut on the porch!!!!!! Between the two doors!!! She didn’t make a sound in there as I shouted her. 😆😆 oh the relief!!
I then met a lovely Her Travel Circle host for lunch.
Lesley-Anne is so lovely and we just clicked!! She would be great to go and stay with and has a lovely room in a house in Paisley, Scotland.
We went to the Scottish Arts & Craft Fayre and then Auchengree Farm Shop for lunch.
Soup and a cheese scone!!
Then I got my hair cut at Elaine’s Garden Room across the road from our house.
And then I went to meet Gayle for a wee drive around and a bloody good chat!!
I had a great sleep last night. I’m really tired just now. Could sleep for Scotland!
Up and out with the dogs at 8am with Holly next door.
The lighting the sky was amazing as we set off. To one side almost navy blue with heavy clouds.
To the other side, bright and sunny!
It went the wrong way and it rained but it’s nowhere near as bad as forecast. It’s dry by the time I get home. I drop in the 3 Border Collies and pick up Khaleesi.
The sky is stunning. These photos don’t do it justice.
There’s a huge heavy layer of cloud.
There’s sun is bright and warm!
Khaleesi is happy!
I spotted a rainbow in the distance.
I had a quick shower and swept the carpet with my new TikTok gadget…. It’s pretty good although still impressed with Henry Hoover Pet XL. This just gives an extra helping hand.
There is hair everywhere just now!!
I went to meet my friend Graham from my old work, this morning. We went to Mocha JaK’s.
It was really good of him to come here. I told him I’d driven 570 miles last weekend and couldn’t face a drive over his way! It pays to be honest…. He was kind enough to drive the hour over here.
We had a good chat about the olden days! It was great to catch up.
I also had a great brunch…. A Hot Honey and Halloumi Pancake Stack!!
Then I spotted 11:11 again 😆
I got Craig a cake and sent him a photo while he works!!
The sky was heavy but I never got wet…. Craig has my car today so I had to walk.
So yeah….. I’m tired. I’m scrolling, I’m lounging, I’m listening to an audio book and I’m generally resting my brain.
As the thing says above “restless energy makes waiting feel heavier than action”…. I feel a bit like that today.
I’m going out….. (check me!) into Glasgow tonight, to the Kings Theatre to see Joanne McNally’s Pinotphile comedy show.
My friend Lea and I are meeting for dinner first and I’ve not seen her is AGES so we have lots of catching up to do!!
At the train station. This is as dolled up as I get these days!
So I think I’ll just put this out now. Hope you all have a great Friday night!
It was sooooo dark at 5.45am when we went for our 5.43km run!
It’s been a long time since we ran with headtorches. We only needed one today but it’s a thought, that’s us until February now!!
It was a good run but the traffic was really busy so we had to wait a while for the road to clear to run across and back.
At least it got lighter as we ran.
Another really busy day at work today.
I had to clear my feet before I started the day as I’ve been throwing things into a heap on my desk as I’ve been so busy. I’m flitting from thing to thing and not properly getting time to concentrate on anything.
It really helped and focused me on what I had to do so I got a good few things cleared.
I’m heading into the pub to meet the Hookers tonight!
Then a super early night as I’m still shattered.
Every night is a super early night… who am I kidding?!?
Did I ever think when I started this that I would have written 1972 blogs?!?!??!?!
Not in a million years.
I never imagined what this daily blog might become for me.
I’m still not sure why I feel so compelled to do it, but I sit down at night and feel calm as I start to write.
Most nights I have no idea what I’m going to write about…. Some nights I know exactly!
I had another experience at work today when I saw myself respond very differently to the way I would have responded previously.
As the accountants go through the VAT return for the quarter, I had a list of issues to address.
My head didn’t go into a complete tailspin, or a flat panic… I didn’t beat myself up for any of the errors or the changes that needed made… instead I was excited to work through the list and get it all fixed.
There were some interesting points made that I could learn from.
I hear myself…. I just enjoyed working through it and getting it done.
I love the peace that kind of thing brings me.
The awareness of a change in my anxiety is pretty special.
It lets me see how terrified I was of everything. How anxiety cripples you in a way that you can’t imagine.
It’s so silly on reflection… when someone picks up errors in a job you have done the anxiety beats you into a pulp! You call yourself everything under the sun, you beat yourself up, you panic that you’ve let everyone down.
So dramatic! So over the top!
It’s been a surprisingly busy but lovely day today.
The sun shone most of the afternoon.
I was in work half an hour early today and worked half an hour late.
I sat outside in the sunshine for a bit when I got home.
Calaidh’s eyes make me laugh!! Just throw the ball mum she says!
Melanie left this morning for a tour of Glasgow this morning after a whirlwind of a weekend!
I was so looking forward to getting back home, getting my comfies on and curling up on the couch to watch a movie. You know me, I’ll have to sit in a dark room for the next 3 weeks!!!
I am actually joking.
Being on anti depressants has helped me so much.
I used to get so stressed at being so busy and now I just take it in my stride.
I do realise that I did a lot this weekend but I loved the places we went to. I won’t do that with every Her Travel Circle visitor, I won’t be able to!
When a solo female traveller comes to stay, the chances are they want to have some time alone. We will have to run them to the train station etc as we live out in the country bit a host doesn’t have to spend all their time with a traveller…. Unless they really want to that is.
I wanted to see what was possible from our house. I loved the trips and loved showing off our beautiful country. 🏴
So a quiet week. Back to routine and only 16 more sleeps until our holiday so I really need to start thinking about packing!!
I hope that I have offered a selection of the very best that Scotland has to offer.
I’ve even been too tired to do much on Her Travel Circle but I have lots of content to be getting on with.
Yesterday we drove from Ayrshire to Loch Lomond up through Glencoe, back down through Oban and Inverary!!
I’ll try and stick to one photo of each! (Will I be able to stick to that?!?! 😆
Loch LomondGlencoe
We stopped at the Clachaig Inn for lunch!!
ObanOutside ObanKilchurn CastleSheep!! 🐑 Inverary!! Best shot I got at traffic lights. It was POURING!I popped into the pub for an alcohol free gin and slim!
Melanie made us some lovely pasta for dinner!
It was sooooo good I had two portions!
Today we went to Stirling Castle 🏰 it was a lovely day and much better than forecast… although very windy!
We met Auntie Jac for lunch and she gave me this hat! Jules ate a sponsor of the a Tour de France!!
She took us to the River House which was really lovely!
So that’s the end of Her Travel Circle 1st visit to my house and safe to say, we tried to do it all!!!
It’s 7.35am and I’m sitting here sweating profusely because swearing like a beast doesn’t sound ladylike…. It’s pouring off me but I am buzzing and felt the need to write about it.
I woke at 5am excited for my big road trip today! Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Oban and Inveraray hopefully!! I think I’m way more excited than Melanie but I’m hoping to show her what Scotland is all about in one day!
I decided to run with the girls this morning and it was the right decision.
We had the best run. I just loved every minute of it.
Great chat, a comfortable speed and lovely to see Emma back after a while. It always amazes me when girls come back that don’t run as often and they can really keep up!!!
So a few photos of our morning as these will get lost in the day…..
What a great way to start the day!!
I may not get time to blog today but please keep an eye out on Her Travel Circle socials for photos… I’m on Fb, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube!!
Have a lovely weekend everyone! Stays the day with some exercise you’ll thank yourself.
Thanks to Claire, Emma, Lynsey and Rachel for the banter this morning.
We started the day with a dog walk and then headed to Irvine to Gro Coffee for lunch and a walk down to the very windy beach!
It was wild!!
We then went into Tesco as there is nothing better than visiting a foreign supermarket (in my opinion!!) it gives you a real measure of what life is like to live there and I’d loved going to the supermarket in Italy!! So this was Melanie’s first time in a Scottish supermarket!!
We then headed to Portencross and had a wander around to the castle. The sky was so dramatic!
We were so lucky to miss the rain showers all day as it rained a fair bit!
We drove to the little gift shop and went into to see Gayle!!
Finally home for the best dinner. Holly next door had cooked for us.
I’ll be heading to bed soon!!
Stay safe everyone ♥️🏴♥️
Check out Her Travel Circle on social media to see the reels from today!
Let’s be clear, today’s blog is nothing to do with the World Cup!! 😆
I’ve had a headache all day today.
Tablets won’t shift it.
I’ve felt exhausted and sluggish and foggy headed.
I’ve been moany and fidgety but other than that I’ve been my usual charming self!!
It was another good and busy day at work.
When I first started The Rambling Sloth, I wasn’t thinking about building a business, or even an audience. I was just trying to cope. Writing here became my way of untangling the mess in my head — the anxiety, the depression, the endless chatter of “not good enough.” Putting words out into the world gave me something I didn’t expect…. connection.
Through this space, I discovered I wasn’t alone. Every time someone wrote back saying, “me too,” I felt a little less lost. That’s the magic of vulnerability— it pulls people together.
But as much as I loved writing, something was missing.
I wanted to travel.
I found that I loved being alone.
I loved to travel alone but I loved the connection with strangers.
That raw honesty women share when they get chatting and click.
I wanted to create a space where women like me — could connect with each other, find common ground and go and stay with each other for free.
Why should solo travel have to cost the earth? Why can’t you stay with a local and live like a local. Either respecting each other’s need for solitude or spending time together. Reforming female connection.
That’s where Her Travel Circle was born.
It’s not a blog. It’s a community. A private space where you can share stories, find places to stay, connect with other women who get it, and know that you’re not doing this whole “solo thing” alone. It’s practical, yes — you can host, you can travel — but it’s also personal. It’s about belonging.
So what happens to The Rambling Sloth? Nothing changes here. I’ll still write, still ramble, still share the messy and the meaningful.
If you’ve been reading me for a while, Her Travel Circle is really just the next chapter of the same story. This space (the Sloth) was the spark. The Circle is what grew from it.
It’s so warm and lovely, I don’t want this summer warmth to end.
I heard someone say this was our last day of summer but I refuse to believe it. We’ve had a great summer this year in Scotland.
Anyway, today was Bank Holiday Monday but Tartan Campers was busier than ever.
The last two 3 day weeks has taken its toll and I’m so far behind… it just means every day is super busy.
I slept like a log last night except for the most vivid dream about work! It was so real I can remember every bit of it.
One thing I realised is that even in my dreams my ego is quick to put me down and quick to blame myself for the fact that people were in the workshop trashing the business. (Hey it was a crazy dream!!)
It’s no wonder we struggle in life at times when our inner voice is so cruel.
So I’m sitting outside after a busy day. Poor Craig is working every night this week. The puppers are with me…… hmmmm I just work them up by talking to them there.
The Rambling Sloth 🦥 