Day 1490 a lovely coffee with Lea, time in the sun and The Realignment Project in Luss.

Up at 6am this morning and out with the dogs.

It’s a beautiful day.

The sky is bright blue and the grass and trees are very green, in their spring like state.

I have Bhruic and Freya. In a vest top and body warmer I’m already overdressed!

I’m not in the best fettle this morning. A bit too hot headed and irritable…. Yes… again…. I managed to turn it around.

When you appreciate the beauty around you, it’s hard to stay grumpy.

Love the high level clouds.

Every time my head slips into a negative, and I caught myself, I would take a deep breath and focus on the walk.

It really works.

The trick is being able to see it.

What’s through this gap, they say?!?

I loved this tree. I walk past it often and yet today it looked really pretty.

Can never get enough of the blue! 💙

Back home for a double pupper swap and off our with Calaidh and Khaleesi.

They had a great run in the field.

Someone’s coming to get me! Calaidh just doesn’t move 😂😂

Looking over to the Isle of Arran.

Pretty clouds.

Another of my often photographed gates.

I had a quick shower…. Went to get some trainer socks out the drawer upstairs, got my phone cable caught between two toes on my right foot and walloped left knee first into my desk!

Felt really dizzy so lay for a few minutes. I have the tiniest of bruises but a bit of a lump! it hurts!!

I drove to Silverburn Shopping Centre to meet my friend Lea today. It’s the first time I have seen her since her lovely mum died.

It was so lovely to spend some time with her and get a good catch up. I was so upset I missed the funeral as I had a stomach bug.

We went to our usual Starbucks haunt then sat outside in the sun for a while.

Back home and straight out into the garden.

It’s just so beautiful today.

The Borders in the shade… Bhru has Thor’s hammer and Calaidh wants it. 😂

Khaleesi is loving the shade too. She must have acclimatised to our Scottish weather, if she thinks this is hot. It’s way cooler than Spain!!

She’s back out into the sun!

So tonight’s group of us are heading to The Realignment Project in Luss, on the Bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

We’ll be doing breath work, yoga, exercise and cold water therapy in Loch Lomond from 7.15 till 9pm.

The girls have gone to this a few times and have always fancied trying it. I was so pleased when Rachel two doors down asked me to go, I booked instantly!

I want to be able to go into the cold water without the faff of a wetsuit. I want to be at peace with it and not feel the freezing cold pain. Rachel says she’s a squealer (😂) and she managed it fine! (She’ll love me for that! 🤦🏻‍♀️😂) so here’s hoping I’m the same tonight.

Hope you have a great sunshine filled weekend. Hold your loved ones close as you never know when you might not be able to anymore. Lea’s mum was one of the lovely ones.

Stay safe everyone ☀️☀️☀️

Day 1449 an amazing Saturday with a powerful message ♥️

I have a had a lovely day…. So far…. It’s only 5pm.

It’s been full of a little bit of everything. Exercise, laughter, friendship, sadness, love and of course dog walks and housework.

Before I even start I feet truly blessed to have had such a lovely day…. It’s ok, I hear myself 😂 today has been a normal Saturday but I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it, in the present moment.

It started at 6.20am…. The alarm went off after the perfect sleep. It was the hardest thing ever to get out of bed but I did as I’d arranged to go running with Rachel two doors down, her sister Lynsey and Emma.

We ran from Coldstream Mill.

We run just over 3 miles. I was so chuffed I managed to keep up until the very end when I felt a wee bit sick. 🤢

It’s the calm before the storm.

Spotted these wee lambs, obviously freshly born. 🐑

There’s lots of flood water after yesterday’s rain.

I was very red… but really proud of myself!

I drove Rachel home and we went out to walk Nacho and Calaidh.

Then I was straight back out with Bhruic and Freya!

The daffodils are out in full bloom!

More flooding…

Back home to pick up Khaleesi, it’s her turn!

She is so excited when she’s on a walk!

Love this nature with the man made…

All of this before 10am!!

When I got back home, I tackled the housework. The dogs are on the cusp of moulting session again so there’s a whole lot of hair to be hoovered up. I emptied the hoover 4 times. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

It’s been great to get the house all clean…. Woe betide any man or puppy that might mess it up 😆😘

Claire came in for a cuppa over lunch time and it was great to catch up.

I did more cleaning and decided to make some lunch. I had fasted for 21 hours without even realising.

I made Kimchi noodle soup with enoki mushrooms, silken tofu, sesame gochugaru topping and fresh coriander.

It was soooooo good!!

I then sent a voice note to my lovely friend who received the inoperable cancer diagnosis over Christmas. If you remember I’ve never met her but she’s been a friend on FB for over 5 years now. She sent me so many lovely cards, books and gifts when I was off sick and struggling with depression. She showed me a light when all I could see was darkness.

We’ve been messaging with voice notes as it’s easier for her. I told her it was very windy today as Storm Kathleen is blowing across Scotland.

She sent me a message back to say she is very weak now and her voice is failing.

She said that she wished this hadn’t happened to her so she could have met me. She thanked me for being me, for every single thing that I am. She asked me to please believe in myself because she believed in me and, if I value her opinion, then I must know that she’s right. She said I am simply the absolute best of every good thing in this world and she told me that she loved me so much.

Wow. 🥰😢

Even in her darkest moments, she has the strength to brighten other people’s lives.

I can’t tell you what this lady has done for me. She showed me that there was a way out of the depression. She showed her love for a stranger because she saw something in me that may have mirrored her own life. She’s been such an inspiration and I truly hope that I can be the same for someone else some day. I will never forget her message today and I can never repay her, I can only pay it forward.

If that’s not a reason to live life to the full then I don’t know what is.

I have her husband’s phone number now so that I can keep in touch with him.

So yeah I’m gonna end it here tonight, I’m so full of gratitude and love and a few tears but I think that’s perfectly understandable.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1263 exploring Exmouth in the sunshine ☀️

I have done 27,150 steps today and we’re not done yet! I will sleep tonight!!

We’ve had the best day exploring Exmouth. It’s been lovely and sunny with the odd passing squall. We didn’t even get wet though. So lucky with the weather.

My flight was perfect last bight. We took off early and landed early. I was there before Helen!!

We got to Exmouth at 1am and were both out for the count….. we’re sharing a bed and apparently I never moved all night!

So up at 8am and out before 10am and we have walked and walked and walked and walked and talked and talked and talked. I have some stunning photographs.

I’ve met up with Helen’s lovey daughters Zoë and Anna, after way too many years and met her cutie grandson.

We’ve had dinner with Helen’s mum and are having the loveliest chats. It’s been the best day!!

I’ll just share some quick pics just now as I am shattered!

I’m now at 27,943 steps. My sore knee is doing pretty well, considering. I’ve been on ibuprofen and paracetamol all day but it’s really helping.

A wonderful day!!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1180 back home, washing done, van cleared out and Starbucks with Gayle!

Once again it’s all in the title! 😂

I have to be honest and say I didn’t feel great when I woke this morning. I’ve been super dehydrated all week, not drinking enough while we were away, and have had tight neck and shoulders for a fair bit of the week. Either that or I was sitting in a draft 😂 It was so tense this morning. My head was thumping too…. But onwards and upwards.

We took the dogs out early on. It’s been like April today with sunshine and showers… we missed the shower thankfully. I cannot believe it’s actually July!!! How did that happen.

Wait till you see my next thistle pic…. I think I should call this one barbed wire instead. It does sum up the day!

We met a couple of neighbours along the way and everyone was feeling a bit down. Must be the weather. It was good to have a chat and a wee hug and try to cheer other people up, all the while feeling pretty grumpy myself.

I pulled the van over to the front door and emptied everything out. I cleaned all the seat pads, swept it out, cleaned the sink and hob. I love getting it all done after a holiday.

As I dumped everything at the door, Craig had it all moved and dealt with before I finished outside. He’d even hoovered up after Bhruic who is now moulting everywhere! He’s a good ‘un 😂 (well, for today anyway…😆😘)

I then went for a soak in a hot bath and actually took some ibruprofen to help loosen my muscles. That really did help. She who normally hates baths, loved this one. It was nice to just lie back and breathe for a bit.

I did have several interruptions…. The first was Craig telling me a lady had just stared into the dining room window as he sat working at the table…

Then literally a few minutes later to tell me she’d just walked in the front door and asked him if the pub was open as she fancied some pub grub!?!?! He was in a T-shirt and boxers as he ushered her out the front door!?!?! That’s a first. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

I arranged to meet Gayle for a Starbucks at 2pm since Craig was making dog behaviour enquiry calls and I caught up on all the shop news. I see loads of new stock in which is exciting. She doesn’t need me this week as Lochwinnoch is closed for holidays so I get some extra days off. I’ll miss the shop banter but will be good to have a short week first week back.

So yeah, maybe post holiday blues, not sure, but my head is all over the place today. Guess I need to take some of this advice… just once I figure out exactly what it is….

Hope you all have a great 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 1142 a beautiful day on the Isle of Bute, then Largs for a chippy tea and. Portencross sunset 🌅

I slept like a log last night. No wonder as we just didn’t stop yesterday and we’ve had way more of the same today.

It’s 8.30 and we are still not home yet so I will make this quick. We have had another amazing day and have been on the go since 7.30am!! We left the house at 8.30 and headed to Weymss Bay for the 10.05 ferry. A little bit of parking panic but otherwise all good!

We decided to walk all the way to Mount Stuart on Bute. It’s a stunning gothic style design inside. I’ll talk way more about it tomorrow.

It is a very, very, very long walk!! Not to be recommended, it took us about an hour and half… I’ve done 24,394 steps so far!!

And finally the sun came out. Woo hoo!

We had a wander around Rothesay after a bus trip back. yes bus trip woo hoo!

I bought a replacement Highland Cow for Helens grandson!!

Back in Weymss Bay station. It’s still so Victorian.

Then we headed down through Largs for a chippy tea.

And finally to my special place in Portencross where we are sitting now.

There are loads more photos to follow on another day!

I should just end by saying that I’ve had the best few days with Helen. She’s been sent to me to remind me to giggle and laugh way more (yes Craig I know, as you always say to me!!) She’s shown me that it’s easy to spend that much time with someone else. We’ve just settled into a giggly, comfortable life these last few days. It’s been a really, really special time. 💜

Everyone should spend time with a Helen! will miss her though will be found sitting in silence for a while… 😂😘

Stay safe everyone 🌅🌅🌅