Day 1539 my word today is self care

I am tired today but that is ok.

I’m sure we woke up with a new government too. Hey a change is as good as a rest they say.

I slept like a log. Again, yes I know if must be wearing for folks who cannot sleep but I’m so grateful for my sleep.

I do miss the Fitbit sleep tracker… the Apple one is pretty basic in comparison.

I’ve been listening to the Diary of a CEO, a great episode about fasting, which also went on to explain so many other theories. I was thirsty for the knowledge, almost gulping it down. Towards the end Dr Mindy Pelz says we should think about a toolbox… on certain days we need certain things. Some days we need vitamin D to supplement our food intake, some days we need cardio, some days resistance training, some days we need to feed our hormones, other days we need rest.

I need rest today and instead of panicking about a wasted day, I’m going to allow myself some rest.

She says…. After having already done 12k steps in dog walks. 😆 that’s me on a resting day?!?

So I dragged myself out of bed after 7.30, a nice wee lie in.

I had to drop Bertie Beetle at the garage this morning for a potential slow puncture and it’s still creaking and groaning after having the passenger side spring replaced. So I took Calaidh with me and we had a lovely walk back up in the rain.

It’s honestly like November weather up here just now. It’s cold, wet and windy though the forecast shows this morning as the worst of the weather.

Everything is so green and overgrown just now. If you can brave the weather, it’s really pretty.

This tree always makes me smile…. Thought funnily this morning I suddenly thought it could be two trees and just the angle I’m seeing it at.

Every time I drive passed this field the highland cows are near the fence and usually when I walk past they are nowhere to be seen. Today I changed tact…. I’m off to get a photo of the heilan’ coos…. Determined!

Tah dah!

Now this is down to my 15x zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro so I’m taking it as a small victory…. 😆

This one stared at me for a while.

The others were playing so seem quite young. I’d LOVE to see these guys up close if anyone nearby can help me arrange it?!?!

The colours are amazing. Even although it’s such a dreich day.

So many lovely weeds along the way.

Did spot this colourful coo on the side of a trailer in JS Montgomery Tractor’s yard.

This statue says Welcome to Beith. It’s carved of wood and I think she’s called Johanna… she’s looking to the skies wondering when summer will come just like the rest of us. 😆

These nettles were massive!!!

Calaidh so happy off lead.

Geilsland Road just as we head in Spiers Old School Grounds. I’ve added some reels onto my instagram at The Rambling Sloth, today. Go take a look if you’re on Insta. It was beautiful in the woods.

In we go Cal!

SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!

QUAD VERUM TUTUM – safety in truth.

I walked into the Queen’s Coronation garden for the first time in a while. This Dawn Redwood was planted from a seedling from Japan in 1953.

It’s a beautiful tree.

I love the old walls and gates.

The sun is hitting the brighter leaves in this photo.

Just walking along…

My favourite gate looks really dark under all the trees.

Calaidh living her best life!

So back home and posted the insta reels then off up the hill with Bhruic and Freya…. The rain came over so it was a soggy walk!

The inside of my glasses were as wet as the outside!

They had a good run about in the field before I realised that silage had been spread on them…. Thankfully they weren’t too smelly. 😆

So to be honest, I got home about 11 and I’ve allowed myself to rest.

I’ve done precious little, though I have listened to some Law of Attractions YouTube videos.

And…. guess what… I had the longest nap…. Craig came home from work and fell asleep so I did too. Just woke up when the garage rang to say the car is ready. Tried not to have a “you just woke me up” voice. (Don’t think I said I woke two folk up on Wednesday morning first thing when I called them from work… felt awful 🫣😆)

The car was only £24 for the puncture.

So that’s been my self care day.

I’m still shattered but I needed a rest day from my toolbox today.

It feels good to have known that from the outset and not to have fought it.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1292 the calm after the storm and a catch up with a lovely friend! 🚶🏽‍♀️🚶🏽‍♀️🥣🥣

I slept all night again. I’m so grateful again for the fantastic sleep. I wake up with relief that I slept all night.

Up early and out with Bhru and Calaidh before 8.30am.

Freya has developed a limp since our walk yesterday. Checked her paws and no sign of anything but it’s quite a prominent limp. She may see the love that Khaleesi gets because of her limp and wants some of that?! 😂😂 It’s a lot colder than it looked this morning… I didn’t quite wrap up warmly enough… but the wind has died right down.

The sun is trying so hard to come through.

Back home, shower and hair dry for the first time in way too many days!

Off down to the little gift shop to pick up a last minute retirement gift then off to meet Shelagh, my previous Health Kinesiology Practitioner, now my friend!

Shelagh has just announced her retirement!!

We had a lovely walk down by Kilbirnie Loch on the new Lochshore path. The clouds were trying hard to clear.

Sheladh spotted these birds on the fence posts. One looks like a bat!

Loved this wee fishing tent.

We went into the Lochshore cafe and had a lovely bowl of Yellow Split Pea soup.

It’s always lovely for me to spend time with Shelagh. She had a lovely energy about her. I’ll miss her kinesiology sessions and still remember my last one so clearly. She has a very special talent and I will never forget how much she helped my on my journey with mental health. I was so lucky to be given a link to her FB page in the very elderly days and her introduction video spoke directly to me. I knew I needed her help.

I attended Kinesiology sessions with her for 3 and a half years.

The end of an era but the continuation of a connection that we made at the time. Now it’s time for me to learn about her! 💕

I was home before 1pm and it’s now 5…. I kid you not…. I have been sleeping all afternoon. An hour on the couch… then up to bed. Not even reading, just sleeping.

Been out for the count. I don’t even feel like I have the cold anymore so the tiredness has surprised me. I’m so lucky that I was able to just sleep.

We’re now off for dinner with our friends Lindsay and Euan. We’re going to the Torranyard Tandoori. I’ve heard good things about this restaurant since we moved here 8 years ago. I forgot to say but it was our houseaversary (as Claire would say!) a few days ago so yeah be great to try the restaurant!

Lovely sky on the way there.

Fabulous company and fabulous food. lots of laughs with the guys as usual!!

I’m now resembling a beached whale!!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1238 just another manic Monday 😆 and a lovely gift from Ellison!

Actually today wasn’t really manic at all, I just smiled at that heading. 😁

The English part of the UK had a bank holiday today which meant the Scottish part of the UK got no answers to any phone calls today. 😆. It also means that it was ghostly quiet with no emails etc.

Strangely for a Monday, the phone didn’t go like the clappers either 😂

I had another amazing sleep. You’re sick of hearing that eh?! I don’t know why my sleep is so good just now, usually the 2 weeks off the progesterone is not as good but hey, I’ll take it.

Work went by fast oh and wait until you see what Ellison bought me today…..

MY PHOTOS ON WEE FRIDGE MAGNETS!!!!!

How lovely is that?! I was really touched….. also shows me what is possible with them, if I could have the confidence to do something with them!! That rose just looks stunning.

I had to go for a food shopping after work tonight… I have to say it was not fun. My head was all over the place, I couldn’t think straight at all. I’ve ended up with a whole lot of everything and nothing. It was a last minute thought so no list or plan. Never a good idea.

I came home, put it all away and made dinner and somehow it’s 8pm already!!

Lots of positive quotes first thing this morning so will share some of them.

And this next one… wow wow wow wow and wow!!!

I am in control of my own destiny. There are times when something side swipes me and I forget that but most of the time I know this is 100% true. My problems are my own.

Mull that over for a bit!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1215 musta needed it! 😴💤😴💤😴😴🥱🛌

I’ve not had a day like this in a long time.

I’ve been in bed most of the day. I’m not sick I’m just so lethargic.

The Scottish Dog Behaviourist set his alarm for 5am. Today was my only day off without an alarm. I tried to go back to sleep but got up at 5.45am. I’m very quiet, definitely not full of chat.

I headed out with the puppers at 6.30am!!

The forecast is for rain all day again, but it’s dry for now, though much cooler than yesterday. It is, however, only 6.30am 😂 when was the last time I was out in a T-shirt at that time of the morning?!

I didn’t run as much today. More of a flat footed fast walk at times.

It’s what I call a watery sun this morning. Looks like it will rain heavily soon.

I think that shot is pretty impressive when you consider I have 3 excited Border Collies in one hand 😂 desperate to get off on their walk!

Quite liked the wee thistley things, as you can tell as there are two photos.

“Whatcha stopping for now mumma?!? Awwww there are sheep-y-mehs in here!!”

I dragged the 3 of them past the meadow garden, just to see how it’s coming along.

It’s much the same but still very pretty.

It’s very unassuming behind this gate!

Back home and I sat about for a bit. It’s only 7.30am so I headed back to bed until just before 10am. I was woken up but the dogs doing a proper wolf howl after Craig left the house!!

I didn’t know where to put myself. Didn’t have the energy to do anything but couldn’t think of the kind of nothing I wanted to do. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

I came outside for a poo pick and suddenly found myself weeding the very overgrown garden! As you do.

It was a tough slog and I felt a bit lightheaded at times. There are still a lot of very tough weeds but I really broke the back of it. There are some plants that ended up going too but Craig really doesn’t like this part of the garden so I did what he wanted me to do rather than what I would have done. It’s easier to clear it all than clear bits of it.

I asked him to bring a KFC Boneless Bucket home. Lethargy craves junk.

As soon as I ate it, I went for a shower then back up to bed for another 2.5 hours!!

I tried to read a book that Evelyn lent me but was out for the count. I haven’t needed this much sleep in ages.

I’m super silent in my head. I’m calm, there is nothing to worry about, nothing I can’t blog about, Craig and I haven’t fallen out, I’m just hiding in silence which I know sounds weird but I must need it for some reason. I maybe need some kind of recovery from the crazy histrionics mid week. Hard work this over analysis! 🫣🥱😂

I’m back out in the garden, jammies on hoping no one from the pub looks over the fence. I have one boob under each arm pit, as you do when your my age and braless. 😂 I could sit here all night.

The rain never came.

Check out our hydrangea bush. I tried to get it all in the photo!

It’s really beautiful.

I’ve had a wee play with the puppers to get some jumping shots!

A couple of them you have to click on the pic to get a full view but I’m sure you get the gist.

So a day of a whole lot of nothing and I could go back to bed and sleep some more. I might just do that.

Getting up some energy from my full day on the PS Waverley tomorrow which I’m super excited about… in a quiet, tired kinda way!

I musta needed it.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I loved this Hawthorne tinged pink!

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

Please don’t go mum!!

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

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

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

Current view through my crossed legs!!!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

Day 1145 feeling sleepy now!! 😴😴

After a lovely day yesterday, it’s much cooler today. Lots of people came in to The little gift shop, looking very summery, while I stood in jeans and a jumper and my big body warmer!

Once again I slept like a log all night. Usually during the weeks I’m off the progesterone, I don’t sleep as well but I’m not complaining.

I came home today and cleaned out Abbie the Campervan. I have to say it was a very half assed attempt. 🥴

I knew I wanted to do something but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what! Once I was in mid clearout, I realised that I didn’t really want to be doing that. But it’s done. Just needs washed and hoovered out now. F

I cleared out all the cupboards, brought things in for washing and scrubbed at the fridge. If I leave the door open, there a light on all the time but if I shut it, then it goes mouldy. Hmmm must ask about that this week. 🤨

I was going to go away this weekend. But I’m just too tired after a busy week last week. Also it’s bank holiday weekend so I figure everywhere will be busy!

So not much else to say today. Just sitting with my feet up, while Craig makes dinner. It’s very good of him as I’d have been inclined to get takeaway tonight as I am allowing myself to rest. (I had typed that I felt so lazy…… 😂)

Hope you all have a great Saturday night!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1140 functioning on less than 4 hours of sleep!

Considering I got a mere 3 hours and 54 minutes sleep last night, I actually think I have functioned pretty well!

That “fair” sleep is while taking progesterone too, which usually makes me sleep like a log! Not so last night.

I felt really tired about 4.30pm and could have gone for a nap but decided it was too late in the day.

I was super thirsty so drank a pint glass of sparkling water…. Surely it isn’t that but I can’t think else would keep me so wide awake and wired to the moon!!! Poor Craig ended up on the couch with all my tossing and turning….

I am so lucky that I usually get a great sleep. I very rarely lie awake like that and my heart goes out to anyone who doesn’t sleep well. It feels like the end of the world at the time ( jeez let’s face it, I could make anything feel like the end of the world if I think enough about it! 🤦🏻‍♀️🥴😂)

Finally get to sleep at half 1 and Calaidh wakes me at 5.15am… barking.

I came out into the garden this morning and did some energy toning moments for Kinesiology….. I felt like I was being watched…..

It was Neville from the pub!

He’s being brave because the dogs were still in bed!!

I also took a photo of my second favourite plant in the garden, which is now flowering!

I just think these are the most beautiful colours ♥️💛

So after all that, I’ve had a really good day. My head’s been good, I’ve been focussed and on the ball. I’ve got loads done without any anxiety.

I do feel tired now that I’ve sat down! Freya always jumps up for cuddles when I try to write. 🥴

It’s been a beautiful day. The sun has shone all day and it’s been warm… T-shirt weather for most of the day. Really a first day of summer for us, I reckon, which is crazy considering it’s the 22nd May!! We’ve usually had a Scottish summer by now. I should also say that’s it’s probably only been about 15/16°C today which is warm for us, considering the weather we have been having!

So, the out of office is on and I have a lovely catch up for the next 3 nights and 2 days with one of my oldest friends… she’s not old, the friendship is 😂

I pick her up from the train station in less than an hour.

The forecast is good for the next couple of days so let’s see what we can get up to!

Stay safe everyone ♥️💛♥️