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 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 🌅🌅🌅

Day 1084 Scotland you did us proud today. Just stunning ☀️🕶️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I need to find a better describing word than Wow. It seems so underrated when I use it so often. But wow….. what an amazing day so far and it’s only 2pm.

I slept really well. The warmth, the cathartic sound of the diesel heater or the progesterone induced sleep did the trick. The diesel heater was on all night and it was a bit warm at one point, but I did wake up to ice on the inside of the windows, despite that.

I looked for Aurora at 2.30am but decided I was far too chicken to go out on my own in the pitch black. Not sure why I’m scared of the dark?!? Will need an Aurora buddy to go Northern lights tracking!

At 6.30am the sky was turning a pinky blue shade. The sun didn’t actually come up over the Pap of Glencoe for a while after that. The light was stunning as it hit some of the mountains.

I had taken my running gear and was desperate to go for an early morning dog jog sans dog! I mean, who even am I these days?!? Do I need to rebrand The Rambling Sloth as The Jogging Photographer?!?! 😂 doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?!?

I have no idea how I am going to sort through the gazillion photos I have taken today.

I ran from the Invercoe campsite down to Glencoe and then back up to the Glencoe Lochan again. Running felt good.

This mornings mood was all about reflection. Not a ripple in the sea or the Lochan. Everything was a reflection.

I am in my element. I am blown away but the beauty I see. I even giggle to myself, have a look around to see if anyone else is there… and go hug a tree!!!!

I ran right around the Lochan and back down to the campsite.

There were even a couple of wildlife shots!

I was out for about an hour and a half. It was bitterly cold. Even the seaweed was frosty but it was so exhilarating.

I feel an excitement bubbling through my veins…..all the time….. I have found something that makes me truly happy. A husband who is happy to let me go away, if he doesn’t want to and a real passion for writing and taking photos of beautiful nature. I could not have picked a better few days to come away. I have been so full of joy for two days, it’s so lovely.

This is the view from the van. Honestly it’s out of this world.

I had a shower… forgot deodorant but that doesn’t seem to have been as issue for me today. It’s so beautiful but FREEZING!!

I made myself a decaf coffee and headed down to the water.

I sat on a rock and watched the word stand still for a while. My bum got very numb on the cold rock but the sun is warm.

I got Abbie all packed up and put everything away in its place before heading down to Oban.

I can’t explain my connection to Oban, this little coastal town by the sea. Craig thinks that I picked up dads love of a CalMac ferry here and that’s why I love it so much.

It’s such a transient town. So many people are headed out to the islands. There are lots of English accents here today. Think there’s a coach tour in. I love nothing more than siting watching the ferries coming into port and heading out again.

I can see 3 as I sit on a bench by the sea, writing this.

Ok they’re dots on the horizon but I know they are there 😆

As soon as I got to Oban I headed to the Oban Chocolate Company. I was going to say you can visit Oban without going there… of course you can… but it’s a very decadent treat! I broke my 17.5 hour fast with a delicious rich oat milk hot chocolate with a little pot luck of choccie goodies to go with it.

I then had a wander round the harbour and a couple of shops before sitting down at the water to write. And breathe in the sea air.

It’s 2.30pm and I really need to make a move to head home. Craig’s had a lovely day in the sun too. Think it’s maybe warmer at home than it is here.

I feel like I have had the best form of reset. I’ve been SO lucky with the weather and I’m so pleased that I came this far. I might not get away in the van until the end of June now.

Right.

Moving.

Back to the van.

Of course I had to stop on the way. It was the most beautiful drive down. I stopped at Inveruglas as there are stunning views of Loch and Ben Lomond.

Finally home at 5.30pm and cooking rump steaks for dinner.

Just want to end with last nights sunset. It was breathtaking. I stood outside for an hour or so watching it.

And finally the view from my bed.

I am so grateful to bursting for these last few days.

Still a millions photos to share.

Wow.

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌄

Day 788 a whole lot of exercise!!

I didn’t put out a blog yesterday…. and the world didn’t stop turning.

I had less than nothing to say. I honestly couldn’t even do the… wake up, went to work blog again. It bores me writing it let alone you guys having to read it.

So…. I’ve said this before but I’m going to make a pact with myself. If I have nothing to say then I’m not going to write a blog that day as this needs to be tool that helps my mental health and doesn’t add to the list of things that need doing. If there’s no blog in a day, I’m all good, just my day has been uneventful.

I should say I’ve been good this week. I’ve not been anxious at all really and it’s good I have nothing to have to work through.

Today I have loads to say as it’s 13.16pm and I’ve already done 23,245 steps!!

The weather has been crazy for May in Scotland. Its very wet, cold and windy. I’ve taken some pics on the way to and home from the Farm to show the crazy clouds. There was a lovely rainbow during the class too.

The Fit Body Farm was a killer this morning. We’ve been doing a fairly new thing called DecaFit these last few Fridays. There is a whole lot of running and it’s really just not my thang. 🥴

This morning we worked out 5 stations for 3 mins with a 500m run in between each station. I think I only managed the 500m twice and the rest were closer to 350/400m. It’s non stop without and break…. though hitting the station targets before the 3mins is up does give you a minute of a breather.

So, not my favourite day at the Farm but I still did almost all of it and I know the running will come the more I work at it.

It was sunny when we finished but still windy and cold.

I went straight into the shower when I got home as I couldn’t get a heat!

I had to have Abbie the Camper van at the garage for her MOT this morning, so I drove down to Glengarnock with Calaidh and Freya so I could walk back up.

I thought this bus stop looked a bit arty?!?

This is where all the daffies used to grow

A strange contraption blowing from this tree… either Chinese lanterns or poly bags?!

Back home and crawled into bed for a wee half hour…. then back out this time with Bhruic.

Craig was working in Ayr so I thought I’d go with him and walk her down on the beach. He dropped us in Prestwick as I’d never been down to that beach as far as I could remember.

It was wild!!! Sooooo windy and the sea was whipping up and splashing over the sea wall. I have so many photos.

I’m not sure they do it justice, it was really wild.

Then in the middle of it all, I spotted this.

The sun comes out but it doesn’t heat up much….. though it does look a lot prettier!

Mumma do you think Dad will hurry up so we don’t actually freeze to death?!?

I was fine for the first hour but after that I was just walking round in circles, praying Craig would hurry up. We sat on a bench for a bit but I think that just made me colder!

Come on…. Let’s move again…. We’ve been sitting too long!!

He phoned to say he was 6 minutes away! 😘😘😘 of course then the sun came out and the sea calmed down a fair bit.

It was soooo good to see him driving towards us…. I got the heated seats on and defrosted.

Back home to hang washing and made a lovely sharing snack late lunch/early dinner.

We had it with Nozeco (alcohol free sparkling).

It was really lovely and now…. I could sleep for Scotland.

It’s 16.18 and I’m now up at 24,951 steps and still waiting to hear if Abbie passed her MOT!!

She did not pass…..She failed for all brake disks, a top engine mount and a white indicator light….. a mere £374. 🫣

Anyway, all fixed now. I just put £133 of diesel in her the other day…. That better do her for now. She’s had enough!

Anyway it’s been a good day. I’m feet up on the couch now. Planning only steps to the bathroom 😆

Have a great weekend!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️