First of all I captured a photo of a sun dog last night…. Who knew that was a thing?!?
I saw a few people posting photos of it on FB on the Aurora pages and someone said it was a sun dog. I sent them my photo and it was confirmed! I felt right proud of myself!
There was a lovely sunset last night too.
Then a beautiful start to the day. I woke at 5.20am and the alarm was due to go off at 5.30. I was meeting Lynsey for a run this morning.
It was only 4°C and felt really cold outside. The sky was beautiful.
It’s getting darker in the mornings already… the Village Hall looks lovely in the light.
We set off at 5.45am and could really feel the cold. A cyclist shouted behind us to warn us and then gave us the fright of our lives… 😆 that was us awake!
The sun rose as we ran and thankfully it got warmer… as it always does 😆
Look at the light as we ran into Spier’s Old School Grounds! It was so beautiful. It’s usually really dark in here due to the amount of overgrown trees.
My favourite gate.
I maybe should have lightened these ones up as they are very dark. I love the simplicity of this next one.
Bearing in mind these are all just point and press as we stop for a second while we are running.
And we’re done. I was a sweaty mess!! My glasses are steaming up!
I think this is my fastest pace so far. Strava doesn’t say that but I don’t think I’ve seen 7.09/km before? I think 7.27/km has been the fastest so far?
It’s 6.45am!
I went into a freezing cold shower for a few minutes to calm down! I love that feeling after a very hot run.
I love that we get to do all this before most people are awake. It’s a special time of the day for me.
The 10k we are signed up for on 21st August is in the evening…. I don’t know how I will ever stay awake or be motivated to run in the evening. I’m definitely a morning person!
It put me in good stead for the rest of the day.
My running has improved so much over the last 3 months. I’m really proud of my consistency… even thought some runs have been really hard. They have all taught me something. I’m so grateful to the girls for allowing me to run with them. It feels like we’ve got a lovely group.
Work has been good again today. We were really busy with lots of customers…. And it was quite hot. The weather has been lovely.
My friend Isy sent me this…
Wow that blew me away. It’s so very true. I am impatient.
It’s a beautiful day and we’re we’re woken by a bird chirping away outside the window.
It did not give up until him we were both awake. 😆
It was 6.30am.
I got up and dressed and took the dogs straight out.
Look at that sky?! 💙💙💙
I am definitely a sunshine girl…. What a difference to my mood when the sun shines. There is a spring in my step and a hope that everything will be ok. The sunlight creates a calm in my head.
And then there are thistles. 💜💙💜
The dogs are used to me taking photos all the way round.
I had an appointment at the Optician in Largs for 9.50am.
Back in November they found a freckle at the back of my eye. They need to monitor the size of it. They told me to get in touch around February/March time if I hadn’t heard from them.
🫣
July.
Hi… can you check the size of my freckle?!
I parked a bit further out so I could walk on the coastal path.
Wow.
This just take my breath away. The colours are just beautiful.
No matter what else is going on in my head. This makes it all ok.
There’s not a breath. I wished Lindsay and Euan had the day off work and we could go out kayaking with them! 🛶🛶🛶
My heart shaped stone is still in the same place!
I’ve never take a photo of this fountain before. It’s a shame it’s not working.
The Largs to Cumbrae ferry is a lovely contrast to the blue.
Then the yellow bench!
Ahhh I could lose myself in the calm here. Largs is surprisingly quiet at 9.30am.
The ripples from the ferry… hardly create any movement.
Loading before heading off again.
Standing here when my lovely friend Isy, sent me this.
Start loving yourself…… I feel I still need to work at this. I love myself when I’m doing something that I’m passionate about. I don’t love myself when my head screams at me and I can’t hear what it says.
Do more of what you love…. Is what I get from that.
Exactly.
I had a quick wander round the charity shop before heading into SpecSavers.
My eye freckle is exactly the same size so nothing to worry about and back to the normal 2 year checkup.
I’ve booked to go back Friday morning for a contact legs trial…. Be interesting to see if they work for me. They would help with water sports… she says… like she does water sports every day…. 😆
By the time I’m out, the tide has come I. A good bit.
So have some clouds.
Reflections for my friend Helen.
The old bridge.
The two Cumbrae ferries passing
Smack bang under the mama cloud. I do think these clouds were like dad, mum and baby clouds 😆 getting confused with the 3 bears.
It’s just calm, it’s beautiful.
The island of Cumbrae in the foreground and Goat Fell on Arran in the background.
Heading back up this lovely road to the car.
I had to rush back as the locksmith was coming back to measure something, and Craig had enquiry calls to make.
Shame as I could have found a bench and sat there all day.
I’ve done some weeding, and filled in a path that I’d dug a few weeks back…. We’re trying to level off the back half of the garden for some artificial grass.
Check this one out… Khaleesi conked out right next to where I was digging!
Then it got pretty hot…. I may have sat down for a while. I’m trying to link my Instagram with my Rambling Sloth FB page…. It has taken me a long time to investigate but it still not happening! Everything I read… does not work for me. 🤦🏻♀️ it’s not the end of the world but I out lots of reels on The Rambling Sloth insta and I’d like them to post over to The Rambling Sloth FB but they got to my personal page just now. I figured the personal page is better than nothing….
I did some pupper photo shooting.
Trying to get them all moving towards me at once!
Bhru in her usual ladylike stance 😆😆
Couldn’t resist this…
Gorgeous girl.
So we’re off to our neighbours, Holly and Kenny for dinner tonight. Really looking forward to Holly’s cooking!
It’s still hot, I’m just going to jump in the shower as soon as Craig gets out of it!
The alarm went off and I had to think what day it was?!? It’s Friday, why is there an alarm….. oh wow it’s 4.30 and I’m swimming with Elly this morning.
I actually felt great and got out of bed no bother.
Sometimes you lie awake waiting for the alarm…. Not last night! It’s such a great feeling.
So out of bed, swimsuit and wetsuit on to the waist and I walked up to meet Elly. She was coming to pick me up but I was ready a bit early and I thought we’d wake less people if I walked to her house… I’m very considerate that way… sometimes too much!
The road was so quiet apart from seeing Lynsey who was off to run a 10k. She’s a machine!
We drove to Irvine beach where the tide was still really high.
The sunrise clouds were so pretty.
You can see the Isle of Arran so clearly as the sunrise hits Goat Fell.
The colours are lovely.
It’s calm, there no breeze and although it’s not warm, it’s. It that cold either. Ailsa Craig there off to the left.
Here we are, 5am!
We’re on our way in….. the water is cold this morning.
I love that the water is so clear. You know what you get on Irvine Beach as it’s so flat for miles out.
It’s just so atmospheric.
Elly is going for the no hands approach for as long as possible.
I snapshot this photo from it… it’s the best of a bad bunch 😆
There’s a fair swell in the sea despite it feeling calm.
The clouds are dark blue.
I took a million photos to try and catch these birds which were low flying over the water.
The birds are still here if you can see them?
Birds still going strong!
It’s a shame they didn’t fly in the blue sky space between the land and the clouds.
We’re on our way back out after 20 minutes.
The tide’s on its way out but there are still waves coming in too.
So dark and moody….
There’s hardly anyone on the beach. One girl away for a walk and one guy with a dog. I love this time of day… but you know that by now….it’s not yet 6am….
You can almost make out the cloud inversion in the distance.
The tides gone out a fair bit already.
Can’t get enough photos of Arran.
I think the weather looks better over there!
Last few….
I can’t get enough of this view!
Pano!!
Really enjoyed it and Elly is such lovely, calming company.
Back home and had a warm shower, then off out with hoddit, doddit and ploddit.
It’s 8.30am and the clouds are still lovely.
The sun is trying to burn through.
Very pretty roadside weeds today.
I met a guy that I used to see all the time on dog walks. He had 2 border collie type dogs…. Then he only had one and recently I’ve driven past him and he was walking alone 😢
I stopped to talk to him and said how sorry I was to see him on his own. I asked what had happened, sadly just old age… and I introduced him to our 3 and he never got much of a chance to say hello in the past. We chatted for a good wee while… he introduced himself. I felt really sad for him but I hope I cheered him up by speaking to him about his lovely girl.
Then I spotted these beauties. There are for my friend Anne! 💜💜💜 she sends me pics when she finds them too. To be fair I think we send the same thistles to each other as these are very close to her house!!
Back home and washings on and out to dry and more weeding…. Before….
After…..
Before….
After….
I sat down just after 1pm and started this… it’s 2.36 already… and I wonder where my day goes eh?!?
I’m sitting outside in the sun. Shorts and vest top on. It’s a high of 19°C today. Got to catch it while we can.
Thanks to Elly for a special morning.
Meeting Gayle tonight so might head to Largs… it’s been a while!
Hope you all have a lovely Friday and rest of weekend!
I didn’t sleep that well last night…. I tossed and turned on and off all night but we had Freya in with us, and she’s a lot more active through the night than Khaleesi.
She doesn’t look it here!!
We’d all had a lovely lazy evening too.
I was up and out for a run with Emma this morning at 7.30am. There was just the two of us.
It was a lovely morning!
We did a 4.3k but it seemed super hot so we ended up walking back. we decided to switch our trackers off at one point on the way home.
I came home and sat out and had coffee in the garden with Craig, before he went to work. No rest for the Scottish Dog Behaviourist.
When he went to get ready, I headed out with the 3 puppeteers.
They were really good this morning! Always weaving about from one side to the other.
I have to say that I’m really low energy again today. I feel good, my head is in a good place, but I’m really tired and I need to do absolutely nothing but rest.
The light was shining on this last night so I thought I’d take a photo. Craig bought this for me.
I am having the loveliest of days. The dogs and I had a sleep over lunchtime. I’ve read a book, chatted to the neighbours and sat out in the garden for a few minutes.
I do feel like I’m going through a rejuvenation of some sorts. I was so super excited at the start of the week that I feel like I’m resting to process everything I’ve taken on board. I feel calm and in control.
There is nothing wrong… only a lack of oomph!
I have picked my crochet back up for the first time in a very long time and I’m sat watching Beverly Hills Cop!
Nice and bright and colourful!
So I hope you’re all having a great weekend. There’s loads needing doing here but it won’t be getting done today.
It was very strange waking up with only 3 dogs this morning. We’ve been fixated on Khaleesi for the last week and now she’s not even here.
My alarm went off at……. Wait for it… 4.30AM!!! Elly had asked if I wanted to wetsuit swim this morning but she had to be back by 6.45am.
As hard as it is to get out of bed, it’s so worth it. As you know I love being out and about when everyone else is asleep!
Pic taken at 5.30am. It’s 9.5°C.
Wetsuits bottom half, still to get ready to go in. Lovely sunrise glow!
The tide was coming in, and almost at high tide but it was a bit windier than it usually is, when I go in the sea.
We didn’t swim but we stayed under the water and bobbed about in the waves.
It’s the most present I’ve ever been in the sea. I didn’t take a million photos, I just enjoyed the moment.
It felt like we were in for ages… and here I go sharing the million photos I “didn’t” take 🤦🏻♀️😂
It clouded over a fair bit, which surprised me as I knew the forecast was going to be good todays
I didn’t find it particularly cold today but it took me ages to heat up, even after a hot shower.
We had great chats this morning, nothing beats a good deep and meaningful conversation! Thanks to Elly for asking me to go.
We decided to take the 3 Borders for a family dog after my shower. .
This is what happens when I say ….. WHO…. WANTS…. TO GO…. FOR… A….. WALK…. Exactly with that intonation 😂
Look at this gate, it’s disappearing after years of no use!
This is what happens when Craig says… GO!
It’s a lovely morning and I’m a bit overdressed as I’m still a bit cold from the swim.
When we came home it clouded over so I hung out the washing and hoovered the whole house. It’s like deja vu from last weekend…. The house is soooo hairy. I want it to be nice for Khaleesi coming home. 😆
Craig had a job in West Kilbride today at 1pm so I decided to go with him and spend some time on the beach. It seems really hot until I get there and there’s actually a really cool breeze.
It’s still beautiful and exactly what I need to take my mind of Khaleesi. That’s not entirely true either, that was the plan but actually I think of her more when I’m alone, it’s the not knowing that’s the worst part. Is she still in surgery, out already or still to go in?! We had no idea.
I sat here for a few minutes. A lovely view over to Arran.
Craig dropped me near the Waterside restaurant and I walked up the coast as far as Portencross.
Sat here for a few minutes too. I have 3 hours to kill.
The tide is out so the beach is full sized.
My photos pretty much all have Arran as the backdrop 😂.
I loved the wee cottage off to the right hand side of the burn. It’s literally on the beach but private enough that it seems secluded too.
I found a sheltered spot behind the Seamill Hydro. The wall to the right of me, sheltered the breeze. I lay down here for a while and rested my eyes. The sun felt very hot.
The beach is just massive when the tide is so far out. I set off again.
I tried to take some arty upside down shots of all the lugworm piles (it disgusts me that they seem to be called that…. ) but I can’t seem to hold the camera straight when I’m hanging upside down… picture the scene?!?
Should say this is Portencross beach now.
I’m getting straighter 😂
There are more waves here. They’re still tiny though.
I love the colour of the sand.
I almost have the whole beach to myself. I wish I had brought some of the dogs. If the tide is in, the beach is tiny and I always feel a bit overwhelmed with 3 dogs on a beach filled with other dogs.
It’s really windy but I love the peace.
The lovely irises growing in the boggy ground.
I’m finally on my favourite rocks at Portencross.
Portencross Castle with the Scottish flag flying.
Love the rocks.
Always think of Claire when I see this lovely blue boat as she took some lovely photos of it.
I’m heading back along the road to meet Craig when he’s finished.
Sooooo green!
I love this house.
How pretty is this?!
And just like that my knight in shining armour appears.
We head home via Lidl. We’re on a budget and it’s great to see how many bargains you can get in Lidl. I got sensitive toothpaste for 69p!!!
That reminds me I actually had the dentist in between shower and dog walk! Just check up and scale and clean. £15.85 and done in 10 minutes.
We got the call when we were in the supermarket with no signal and Craig had to run out to call them back.
Her operation had just finished and it was a success. Her ankle bone has been fused and her foot had been straightened. It all went as planned.
Such a relief. Craig is blinking back the tears all through the crisps aisle… I’m relieved but I knew it would be ok.
We have to call at 9am to find out how she was overnight and they’ll tell us when we can pick her up.
It will be so good to have her home again. It feels really strange without her. Bless.
Who’d a thunk it, as my lovely Gran would have said?! 💜
1500 days of writing an almost daily blog. Only interrupted by the odd bad life event and lack of signal on holidays last year.
I have learned so much about myself… the main thing being that when I set my mind to something, I really seem to stick to it.
I have staying power. who knew?!?
After going off sick in September 2018, with anxiety which sank into depression, I’ve been on a journey of self discovery and healing.
It hasn’t always been pretty.
In fact, at times it’s been pretty ugly.
In March 2020 I started to write a daily blog to keep a record of life in Scottish COVID-19 lockdown
So as I do on the big number days, I’ll have a quick round up of my stats.
1971 without alcohol
1371 without anti depressants
567 on HRT
513 fasting
Look how many units of alcohol I haven’t drunk!!!
I need to manage everything that goes into my life, to ensure that I give myself the best chance of peace and happiness.
This has lead to my love of day trips, exploring and re-igniting my love of travel.
There are days where this is absolutely a travel blog…. I feel for the lovely people I meet on trips, that join the blog and within days get the woe-is-me-I’m-crying-again blog. 🤦🏻♀️😂
I always promised I would try to be as honest as I can. The hard days really hurt and I have to show incredible vulnerability.
I just hope that someone reads this and realises it ok not to always be ok.
I think we all show the best of our lives on social media, and for some reason I am driven to show you the bad bits too.
I have no idea why I feel a calling to do this but I do. I’ve always said if I can help one person then it will have been worth it.
Also, selfishly, it allows me to process my daily mood swings.
I now know exactly what makes me tick.
I know that I need alone time to refocus.
I need silence to clear my noisy mind.
I need to control what I read, what I hear and quite honestly, who I listen to and who I spend my time with.
I need to surround myself with people who are good for my soul. People who bring out the best in me.
I love talking to strangers as you only get the best from them. So many strangers inspire me.
I avoid people who only talk negatively about others, as I find that drains on my energy.
I can read between the lines and trust my intuition implicitly.
You hurt me and I remember it for too long.
I hurt you and I never forgive myself, but I recognise that I have to do what’s right for me, and put myself first. I feel shame and forgive myself in cycles. I think of you often but I know that my life is better for me, this way.
I try not to talk about other people, I correct myself if I do, I try to see the best in situations and understand why people may act how they act.
I still get angry and blow my stack when things don’t go the way I think they should. I cringe at that but I recognise I do it because I care.
Hats what makes me tick.
I am incredibly empathetic but, finally, no longer put other people’s needs before my own.
That helps me too.
My life will always be a work in progress. (That’s a daft thing to say as everyone’s is… 😂😂 but you know what I mean!)
I have accepted who I am now.
I am proud of who I’ve become.
I still get upset on the down days (ironic!) but I mean that I beat myself up for it. I still have work to do on that.
So to everyone who’s been with me from the very start, for those who are just new, to those who dip in and out, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
It means the world when you connect with me, when you comment or message or tell me how you feel, or how you connect with what I’ve written.
I can’t believe it’s the 1st May already. This year is flying by.
Ellison and I sat out at lunchtime, grinning like Cheshire cats and saying ….”wow”…. Every time the sun shone through the clouds. 😂☀️
Love this from Severe Weather Updates 😂😂
I felt instantly better the minute I woke up today. My head is clearer, the cotton wool is gone.
I feel calm and less irritable than yesterday.
It’s still been there but I’ve been way better at seeing the brighter side of it.
We have a choice in how we react.
I woke up with the alarm this morning so no chance for a run. Today that’s completely ok as I felt so grateful that I slept a bit longer.
Work was busy. I cleared two big jobs that have been at the back of my mind for a few weeks, another one to be tackled tomorrow. It felt really good.
The sun shone for most of the day. The forecast was for rain!
I came home and made another Planthood dinner.
This was how mine looked!
It was sooooo good. I know say that a lot but I really mean it. Mine never look the same but hey…. I’m sure they taste just how they should.
I have kinesiology tonight so I’m looking forward to that. I love exploring how my mind works and finding ways to understand it. I’m planning to do some work on my fears arising during my solo travel. I hope to remove some of the stress from that.
We’re still being blasted by the arctic air so it was frosty overnight again but it’s a beautiful morning. ☀️☀️☀️
I’m sitting outside on a bench in the garden, pretending it’s warmer than it actually is… it’s 11.08am and I’ve already run 3 miles with Run Club, walked Bhru and Freya and then had a big field walk with Calaidh.
I’m contemplating how to top that 😂😂 actually I’m so tired after all that I may just sit here all day with my suntan lotion on!
It’s been pure blue skies with white fluffy clouds and I am determined to live my best life for June who sadly passed away yesterday. I want to make every moment count, even if it is just sitting around relaxing. As long as I’m present in the moment then that’s all that matters.
It’s 7am.
I cannot get over the colour of the sky… 💙
I must take more photos of the trees now than I do of the dogs 😂
Love the early morning sun creating these long shadows… 4 members of run club in action!
Spiers school grounds looking lovely in the early morning sun!
Old Geilsland House.
This morning’s run club, Lynsey, Elly, Rachel two doors down and my bright red face!!
More trees.
All done! I’m definitely the reddest!!!
I love how much we are all smiling.
Back home and straight back out with Bhruic and Freya. Never met a soul…. Just how I like it!
More shadows!
Then back for a half hour with Craig before Calaidh and I headed out with Rachel and Nacho, Jim and Muck!
We walked right up to the top of the old golf course. Views right over to Lochwinnoch and Castle Simple Loch.
The gorse is as yellow as the sky is blue.
Looking over to Beith Parish Church.
The final shadow pic of the day… it’s not even 10am. There could be more….. Jim couldn’t resist! Rachel looks scarily tall!
And yes I actually did put this stick above my head to make it look like antlers… 🤦🏻♀️😂
All the dogs had a blast.
I have to admit after all of that I have had the laziest of days.
I’ve done housework, pottered, hung washing out to dry but I’ve been shattered. I spent a large part of the afternoon on the couch under Craig’s crochet blanket dozing on and off. I’m so tired.
To be fair I have done 22k steps today and most of them all before 10am!!
I am very calm and it feels really good.
On our After Dry January FB group we’ve done tributes for June today. A lovely lady Sally posted this and this says it all.
I had a great nights sleep apart from one thing…. I decided it was a good idea for a Khaleesi to sleep in with us.
Instead of heading to her room for bed, she stood at our closed door and looked at me with the saddest eyes…. And I caved! 😂😂😂
She had my covers all night…. But it must have only woken me a few times, or I would have moved her. I just couldn’t get enough cover out from under her, for my left arm! She was very happy though.
There was a lovely red sky this morning.
On national Unicorn Day 🦄😂
I am much calmer today.
I feel much better that I have some trips booked for when I’m away. I still have lots of concerns and anxieties but I know that that’s all they are.
I’ve called my travel insurance to make sure I’m covered, got Craig to check our mobile phones are covered under our mobile phone insurance, I’ve told both banks I’m going to Italy…. Craig said I worry too much!!
Has he met his wife?!?!? 🤦🏻♀️😂
My bag is mostly packed. I’ll finalise more tonight. I also want to look at a map of Rome and get my bearings.
Hmmmmm…. I am really looking forward to some sunshine. ☀️☀️☀️ Sunday is the hottest day…. This’ll do nicely!
Actually that’s gonna be pretty hot considering it’s about 6.5°C today. It has rained ALL day today. Everything looks soaking wet. The sky is so heavy and foggy.
I’ve had a good day. It’s been a good week at work. A good buzz.
I also made another lovely, colourful dinner tonight….. Sticky Teriyaki Tofu Bowl With Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Pickled Cabbage Over Sushi Rice.
I think Freya is actually licking her lips!
I’m listening to another Mel Robbins podcast, called What Makes a Good Life.
She said that when she was younger she spent way too long looking at the curtains, deciding on the brand and the fabric… she never looked out at the view.
Wow.
That really spoke to me.
Until I was off sick, I never stopped to look out at the view. Now material things don’t really mean anything to me. It’s such a lovely feeling to want less rather than constantly wanting more.
We will not always be happy.
We will have days where we are far from happy. There will be days that are incredibly sad, days where things seem impossible to overcome, but as my friend Ruth has always said to me, we will survive 100% of these days. As awful as they seem, these are the moments that define us.
Dare to be Happier on FB shared this.
The way to happiness is to spend time building healthy relationships with others…. Says she heading off on holiday alone 🤦🏻♀️😂
Slept like a log from 9am until 5am and then was awake on and off until sleeping beauty finally awoke at 8.33pm… that’s my friend Helen, not Craig 😂
We went on a bus trip from Exmouth to Sidmouth today.
This was like a step back in time…. In a previous life I wrote the spec for these buses and checked them all through build.
This bus one was one of my contracts.
Stagecoach selfie!
So yeah… off to Sidmouth.
It’s now 8.23pm and I am shattered. A mere 15,724 steps so far, a lovely lunch out, hot chocolate and cake out and a chippy tea with Helen’s mum and daughter Anna. I’ve had the loveliest day but I’m a bit too tired for words…. I am in my element exploring, walking and taking lovely photos in the sun. Here are a few.
Here we are at the mouth of the River Sid. We walked right up the river through the Byes.
The ford was closed as it was too fast flowing.
We are the two shadows on the left 😂😂
When we got back down to the beach there was a storm rolling by. It was really dramatic.
Models own T-shirt…. Pres from Craigie for my trip!
Helen’s mum picked us up and took us to Budleigh Salterton where we caught this lovely sunset.
Off a a wee overnight secret adventure tomorrow that definitely involves Lyme Regis! Exciting!
I’m still buzzing from yesterday. My dolphin reel on FB has had 1.6k views which is a loads more than any other reel I have done.
It still only has 29 likes though but we can’t have everything 😂😂😂
I have literally just seen a FB post that said travel now, don’t put it off, don’t use money as the excuse as you will always find a way, life is short…..
I laughed as Craig walked in the living room and he asked what was funny….. I’m seeing this everywhere…. I thought I’d saved it…. It’s not there now. I can’t find it anywhere.
How strange.
So I’ve had a lovely day today.
I slept like a log and stayed in bed for a while. I spent an hour and a half clearing out photos on my phone. I went from 61.940 photos to 60,192 and videos from 1580 to 1509… I have a ways to go! 😂😂😂
I spent a bit of time on my Clever Fox self care journal. I’ve not been able to look at it while I felt low.
So back at it today and looking forward to reviewing my day.
I am so grateful that I got to see the dolphins yesterday. It was such a special trip.
It’s really lifted my mood and given me purpose again.
I’ve written a list of all the trips and events that I have booked or planned this year. Instead of thinking I have so few holidays to take,
I’ve added all of my Friday days off onto my holidays and in 2024 I have 73 days holiday. Now how amazing is that?!?!?
We had a trip out to B&Q today and I was treated to a vegan KFC 🤦🏻♀️😂 we just wanted a quick fix but I couldn’t order the chicken. The meal wasn’t the best but it also wasn’t the worst. You shouldn’t really expect a company that specialises in chicken to have mastered the art of veggie or vegan food. Not sure what’s going on there but I’m still not wanting meat.
We actually went out into the garden for a bit…. I swept the decking which was so badly needing done. I should have taken a before…
We sat out on the deck for a bit and I listened to the sound of the birds. It’s was so still and quiet and the birdsong was lovely.
I am calm.
It’s so lovely to be calm after the last few weeks of anxiety.
My trip yesterday was the perfect medicine.
I may just leave you with some dolphins… be rude not to. 😂
There are still another 900 off to go but yesterday’s were definitely the best.
I got the first EXCELLENT from Fitbit! That shows the power of kinesiology too. It takes all the stress from you. Such a blessing.
I’ve been good today, I’ve been much calmer and more direct I think, rather than internally blowing my stack and keeping it to myself. I’ve said what I’m thinking….
Its also the busiest day so I will have to make this a quickie tonight.
I’m off across the road to get my hair cut in Elaine’s Gatden Room. I got vouchers for Christmas and usually only get my hair cut twice a year but it’s getting really straggly just now so I think I need something different… she says…. TRIM…. Will come out my mouth no doubt! 💇🏻♀️😂
Then… my friend Evelyn and I are off over to the village hall for a psychic night…. 😬
I have only ever been to something like that once so don’t really know what to expect. It’s to support the hall though so I thought I’d go. I’m always the one who says no to everything. 2024 is going to be different. Again.. she says… 😂😘
Here’s some lovely things I read this morning that made me smile.
All of them make sense to me given my mood over the last few weeks. I knew I was creating the noise by myself but I couldn’t seem to stop it without Kinesiology. Here was me thinking I had “graduated”…. I was just on a break.
So all calm today which is so lovely after the noise.
I’m off to Edinburgh tomorrow for Auntie Marion’s 70th birthday lunch and then staying over with Mum for her birthday lunch on Saturday. I have the gifts all ready thanks to the little gift shop but I’ve not packed a thing…. Guess who will be up early tomorrow morning?!?!
Have a great Thursday night and here’s hoping the psychic night doesn’t spook me too much 😂
I was a very lucky girl and I got 12 red roses delivered to work.
My card from Criag made me laugh too.
He also had a veggie Carbonara waiting for me when I came home.
It was really tasty!
I’ve been eating vegan and veggie for the last few weeks, as much as possible, so it really touched me that he took that into account.
I was rushing home for a Kinesiology appointment tonight… I needed something to calm the chaos in my head, also lovely to get dinner in time to head up to the laptop.
And it does exactly that….. I’ve been fighting my reality for the last few weeks but she told me that lots of people are feeling the same this year. So many of us are experiencing huge pressure make changes. It was nice to hear that I am not the only one.
We worked on bringing me back to my community, everyone and every group of people involved in my life. I’ve been repelling everything and fighting it, all in my head. It all sounds mumbo jumbo but I LOVE Health Kinesiology.
It has given me a peace and calm that is priceless after the chaos of the last few weeks.
😂😂 midweek blog titles are sometimes difficult when life seems a bit like Groundhog Day.
I have to say that I’ve had another good day. My head is very calm just now, my mind is focussed and I’m tackling spreadsheets like there is no tomorrow. I’m in my spreadsheet element… if there is such a thing.
I had THE best sleep last night.
No knee pain at all… no waking up that I can remember… until 6.04am… 6 minutes before the alarm. I love that. I’m so grateful for a good sleep.
I was up and at it today as it’s hair wash day. I had to get the dogs up and outside before I left as they were in bed early last night…. Only because I was. 😆
The Scottish Dog Behaviourist didn’t get home until 10.40pm…. A real late one for him and I was long gone, out for the count.
I’ve found lots of motivational quotes tonight…
I feel really different since the Christmas break and I don’t know why but I love it. I feel lots of hope and dare I say excitement for each day at the moment, even if they are spent at work. I know so many people are going through some really difficult things and it makes me extra grateful of my own peace of mind.
I had a lovely salad for lunch in my new Brabantia salad bowl.
Didn’t I just go and leave my lunch bag at work though… dammit.
Last night I said I promised I would go and look out my knee exercises…. I forgot by the end of the blog. Of course I did.
I remembered today…. Got them out my handbag and realised most of them have to be done lying in bed. Of course they do. So I couldn’t do them before I started work like I thought.
I put them in my sandwich bag………… 😂
Won’t be doing any exercises until I retrieve said sandwich bag and hit my bed tomorrow night now. 🤦🏻♀️😂
It’s the return of the Crochet Hookers tonight so I’m off next door to the pub to get my hook on. And my alcohol free gin and slim.
I’m back. I feel so much better today. Phew. It’s such a relief.
I’d go as far as to say I felt no anger or irritability today. Well…. not too much. 🤷🏻♀️😌 There’s always a little 😬 but nothing like yesterday.
I drove to work in atrocious weather conditions this morning. The rain was so heavy that I actually couldn’t see the road. I had to switch off the stereo so I could concentrate. How crazy does that sound?!
There was an accident on the A736 at the Barmill/Burnhouse crossroads. A white van and a Mill’s Milk Luton van had hit each other. Mill’s Milk coming off WAY worse.
The Police had turned their car to shine their headlights up my lane. With the amount of water on the road, you couldn’t see anything with the bright shine of the headlights on water. I had to approach at about 10 miles an hour. I suppose that’s the plan… 🤷🏻♀️
When I drive past something like that, I always have a huge gulp of emotion ride up that brings tears… didn’t help to have water in my eyes when I already couldn’t see the road! I hope no one was hurt.
I forgot to say yesterday that I have finally started Collagen and Tumeric supplements in the hope that might help my joint stiffness.
My friend Helen did a lot of research into Collagen so I just copied her rather than doing my own. This shakes into a drink. The mandarin flavour is lovely. The tumeric is just a capsule. I’m also taking Magnesium and have been for a few months now. Surely some of it will help?!
Forgot I took this photo earlier. Here are all the Tartan Campers parked up for the winter…. I put a sign on each of them saying that so no one drives one.
We were on Channel 4 at lunchtime today… hopefully that’s some great advertising.
I’m jumping around all over the place today….
When I got home, Craig had a lady in the living room!!!! 😳
She was from the Office for National Statistics and she asked us lots of questions about our working lives. We’ve had a few letters from them and I replied last week but she just turned up on spec. It took about an hour between us to answer all the questions. I quite like stuff like that. Not sure why?!
Anyhoo…. It’s been good to feel calm and in control today. The National Statistics lady asked how happy I was with my life and I was able to answer 9/10. 😌
I think that’s pretty damn good for anyone to be able to say. 💜
I’ve found some peace and realise that happiness is what you make it. Happiness isn’t living for the next holiday. It’s in the sunshine and the heavy rain, in the wind and in the leaves falling from the trees. It’s in every day.
Happiness is knowing that the bad days will pass. When you lower your expectations in life then you have a greater chance of happiness.
I’m tracking the Aurora again and toying with the idea of heading out later. Will see….
She who lives in the present moment, appreciates the smaller things in life, is calm and chilled out these days, showed a whole lot of ugly today…
I woke with the alarm at 6.15 which is unusual… but I was aware of feeling strange before the alarm went off. I know how ridiculous that sounds…. I felt breathless and antsy… nervous…. There is nothing to be nervous of today.
I just felt off.
I got up and found that wonderful time of the month had arrived. I believe this was on account of me missing 3 progesterone pills this month…. I forgot to take them one night and yesterday I found one floating at the bottom of my water bottle. To my terror. I thought it was a wasp?! Go figure.
Anyway…. I have a reason for my grouchiness….. but I’m like a volcano of irritability…. Sparking off at anything and everything…. Not actually keeping it inside. Even my boss mentioned how I piled on the heat firing questions at him before he even got into work.
I was incensed and yet nothing was any different today than it was yesterday. Except my reactions.
We can choose how we respond to day to day life. I wasn’t present enough in the moment to respond properly today. I was kicking off as if everyone was out to get me.
I heard myself say… “everything is going wrong”… “everything needs done 2 or 3 times”… “this is too hard”. I gave myself a difficult day. My inner child threw her tantrum arms up in the air all day.
The truth was it was a beautiful day. I took these photos at 7am out in the garden with the dogs.
The moon was a perfect crescent although it’s more of a dot in this photo. 😬
My lilies are beautiful.
And, despite having a thumping angry headache all day, I came home and went over to the hall for Kinisi-flow and I loved it. It would have been so easy not to bother.
I worked hard, I felt strong and the headache finally left.
I love it when the calm finally breaks through the noise.
I didn’t get a chance to say yesterday, but, for those of us in the UK, who’s clocks went back an hour yesterday, was it not just THE longest day ever?!? That was very poor grammar but you get the gist…. It was such a long day, in a good way. It just never stopped ! Craig was ready to head to bed at 7.30pm before he realised!! It’s amazing how one extra hour can make such a difference.
It was a lovely day today. Cold, but the sun shone for most of the day. Ellison and I decided to sit outside for lunch!!
Check us!
I was cold but it’s so lovely to get fresh air at lunchtime and to get away from my desk.
I’ve been a strange mix of in control and spirally anxious today. Ali, at work, did a really good job of talking me down as soon as my anxiety kicked off. I recognised it was happening and managed to see the true picture, if that makes sense. Adding something new into my job totally panicked me, he explained how it would work and straight away I realised I was only anxious of the unknown and once I work through it… it will soon be the normal day to day.
I quickly catch thoughts that don’t serve me. It’s ok that a part of me feels this way. I joyfully release the thoughts and embrace the positive.
I’m still saying this every morning and today has been a prime example of that happening.
Since I’ve come home work I’ve made dinner, been to Tesco for a food shop AND made soup!!
I never go to the supermarket in the evening and yet it only took me an hour and I actually enjoyed it. I love it when I forcefully break one of my self imposed rules, and it actually works out being a great idea. 😂
I always love the day after Health Kinesiology. The whirlwind has passed and only calm remains.
We covered loads last night, with the focus on me being really unsettled and out of sorts.
The hardest battle we face is with ourselves.
So very true. I’m still my own worst enemy at times.
I felt a real heaviness. Everything felt like a burden. Once again there was actually nothing wrong but I’d become weighed down by the amount of things that needed doing. Remember that some of these things were actually lovely, like holidays, but they just added to the drama inside my head.
This essence came up for me and as always, is scarily true.
I’m back on a even keel…. For a while anyway.
I think that I’m still so used to expecting the worst. My fight or flight response is still far too quick to kick in. I expect the worst all the time. Anxiety overthinks everything.
But not today. Today there is calm.
I got lots done at work as I’m having to plan ahead due to my holidays.
I came home and finally packed for my 3 days in Devon this weekend, staying at my friend Helen’s…. AND…
I put my clothes into my case for Turkey 🇹🇷 next week. check me!
All of these things have been causing anxiety. Today…. Packed, boom, done, what’s the worst that can happen?! Please all remind me that I have t packed any underwear for Turkey yet, so that could be awkward 🤦🏻♀️😂😘
This is the first night Craig has been in all week so I’m skipping the Crochet Hookers to spend the evening with him as I’m gallivanting for a while.
Check Khaleesi trying not to look at my fillet steak dinner.
It was very lovely.
So off to Devon after work tomorrow. Not flying to Bristol until 10pm so most likely be blogging from the airport tomorrow.
I slept like a log last night. 3 caffeine coffees yesterday too, go figure. Not complaining.
Khaleesi’s first mum/previous owner was on TV yesterday being interviewed by Vanessa Feltz! Khal was out the count after a big day and slept right through it.
Craig got a great wee clip the other day when she was on Newsnight. It’s on his Scottish Dog Behaviourist page! I do wonder if she knows who it is?! 😂
I felt a bit antsy when I woke up… as if I should be worrying about something… I know how ridiculous that sounds but that’s what anxiety does. I have to say it’s 1pm…. I’m sitting writing this and I feel calm to the point I could just sleep.
I’ve said before, but the calm after anxiety is a wonderful feeling.
The feeling of cleaning your rain splashed glasses, and being able to see again, is equally wonderful. Don’t know why I didn’t clean them before now. 🤦🏻♀️😂 hello blog!
I was up at 6am as I was heading to Ballast Bank in Troon. A very inspirational lady I know was swimming from Ballast Bank out to Lady Isle and back to raise money for River Garden Auchencruive. They do amazing work helping people to free themselves of addiction to drink and drugs. Chantal very sadly lost her partner to addiction a few years ago. She’s been talking about doing this since I met her swimming with Ellison and Eileen.
It was a pretty wet morning with winds forecast up to 14 mph…. Or knots… I’m thinking knots to be honest. Anymore than that and she would have to stop.
I’m dressed for the weather.
There’s a dredger out going up and down the channel that Chantal will be swimming across.
It’s pretty wet and mean and moody.
A very blurry photo of Lady Isle.
She has a friend swimming with her.
There she is waving at the boat!
Ready for the off.
We watched until they were almost invisible and then I headed to Morrisons in Troon for a food shop. It was a very healthy food shop!
I have to say that I am loving driver Bertie Beetle (I still feel the need to say I don’t actually call it that!! 😂) I think if I’d still been driving the van, I wouldn’t have gone down to Troon this morning.
I headed into Irvine and had a wander around Primark.
I got a pair of parachute trousers!! 🪂👖check me. How old do I think I am?!?
They are size 10/12 which is uh-mazing… they are obviously MASSIVE made (big made wasn’t quite large enough!) they were reduced from £18 to £10.
Also for a vest top and these teal joggers. They were £6.
Came home and got photos of the pups and took the OG3 out for a walk. This one of Khaleesi makes me laugh. Her face!
It’s stayed dry.
I went to pick Gayle up at 3pm and we headed up to Braehead Shopping Centre to get some currency for our holiday. We had a wander round the shops and I got some new trainers.
Chantal finished her swim in 5.5hours. What an amazing effort.
And just like that it’s 8pm! I’ve had a good day today. I love an early start and making the most of the day.
I got to bed about midnight last night and managed about 5 hours sleep. My alcohol free head has felt hungover all day… that’s very unfair. Shows how much of a hangover is actually sleep deprivation!
Was lovely to see do many neighbours out on their glad-rags last night! Megan was stunning and Stewart is a very handsome lad! It was lovely to be a part of their day.
I shockingly didn’t get any other photos other thank a lovely shot of the twinkling hall way at Dalduff Farm.
AND despite my best intentions, I completely lost track of time and forgot all about the blue moon that was due between 8.19 and 8.25.
I missed the “once in a blue moon”. 😆
I did get photos of the moon when we left.
So up this morning and out super early to get to Tartan to wash Abbie the Campervan in time for her 3.30pm viewing.
By 8.51am they said they weren’t coming. 😳
I am SO proud of the way I handled that whole thing. I love when I am so aware of my lack of reaction to something. I’d upset the lovely lady who had made the offer for Abbie. She spent the evening talking herself out of it. I’d been stressed and late leaving the house for the wedding last night, k thought about it a lot. I’d gone against my gut feel for some more money.
As soon as I knew the others weren’t coming, I was pleased instead of raging, as I knew my gut feel has been right. I wanted to accept her offer last night and leave it there but I took the advice to wait for more.
Of course I would have got more for the van if they’d wanted her but hey… in my life now, a gut feel is really important. I trust my own intuition 100%, I may just question it a lot but it’s only because I still don’t trust my own opinion above others.
So I messaged the lovely lady straight back and through the course of the day she paid me a good deposit!! I have no idea when she’s coming to get her but I drove like Miss Daisy tonight…. I must investigate that saying, I use it too much!
So I’m sitting at Silverburn Shopping Centre now waiting on Lea as we’re meeting for coffee tonight. The sun is shining so I’m sitting outside on a bench instead of going in.
As usual writing this I feel relaxed and calm.
I’ve sold Abbie the Campervan. The end of an era but the start of something exciting for me, like what on earth will I buy next?!?
I thought it would be a VW Caddy so I could still camp but I honestly think my mind might be changing…. Back to a normal car, with reversing sensors and all the mod cons. Hmmmm food for thought!!
The Rambling Sloth 🦥 