Day 1305 I have had the best day!!

Awwwwww have had the wee best day to myself….. I t’s 4.51pm and just getting dark.

It’s a lovely sky.

It’s been nice all day today. Calm and quiet after all the wind and rain we’ve been having. It’s cold but not freezing.

I woke at 4am with a really sore knee. I took ibuprofen and paracetmol and went back to sleep, until 7.15am! A long lie!

I made a pot of soup, in the slow cooker, before 8.30am… Ellison’s lentil soup again!

I headed straight to the Post Office to get some change for Sunday’s Macmillan Afternoon Tea in the Village Hall. Then onto Lidl for a “cheap” weekly shop…. It was still over £100!

I came back and unpacked the shopping, stirred the soup and headed off out with Bhruic and Freya.

Checking up on mumma! They look like a two headed dog.

The trees are a lovely colour.

One of the really old gates has disappeared…. That’s so sad!

It looked a bit like this one. I hope they didn’t bin it. To be fair, they are so old they’re not much use these days but they are relics.

Back to drop Bhru & Freya off and pick up the two Cal’s…. Calaidh and Khaleesi.

I let Khaleesi off the lead for the first time and she had a great run around. I have to limit it so she doesn’t run too far in her sore paws.

She followed Calaidh around and it was so lovely to watch.

Safe to say someone had a lot of fun this morning. She’s out for the count now.

Back on lead to calm down a wee bit.

There’s a lovely warmth to the sun when it comes out.

When I got home Khaleesi jumped up into the centre of the wee couch. I shouted the other 3 and suddenly got this amazing photo, without even really trying. It’s nice to have a lovely one of the 4 of them.

I did a poo pick in the garden 🤮… then spent the afternoon doing a washing, emptying and filling the dishwasher, cleaning the cutlery drawer, collecting things for charity, cleaning ALL the windows and generally pottering.

I have honestly had the loveliest day. Apart from a fasting panic yesterday, I’ve felt really good these last few days.

I’ve been in control, clear headed, ticking things off lists,. I feel content with my life. I’m trying to appreciate every moment, the days seem longer than usual, I’m getting more done.

I’m happy.

Check me.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1299 a beautiful dog walking kinda day ☀️🐶☀️🐶☀️🐶 with a lovely lunch!

It’s a beautiful morning. The Scottish Dog Behaviourist’s alarm went off at 6am 😳 so I’m wide awake. As soon as it gets light I’m away off up the hill with Bhruic and Freya.

It’s not warm…. That or I’m just a bit underdressed.

The sky is beautiful and there are some really strange clouds that I take a million photos of.

As cloudy as it is, they haven’t come to anything and it’s been beautiful sunshine all morning.

Just a girl leaning on a gate while the dogs run.

It’s very autumnal today.

I mean does that cloud not look like it’s taking over the world?!?

It reminds me of the movie The Fog…. 😳

Back home to put on WAY warmer clothes and I’m off to Lochwinnoch with Calaidh, while Craig is at work. He dropped us off and will pick us back up again.

We have had a lovely walk in the woods! We’ve said hello to so many lovely people and met Border Collies called Angus and Breagha.

I could have stayed home and done all the housework. I’m so glad that I thought to do this.

I’m sitting here on a throne and this is my current view!

I had my headband, buff and gloves on…. But the end of the walk I am very toasty and it’s all off!

These may have been ice houses where food was stored and kept cold, on the Castle Semple estate.

Craig gave me directions to the Collegiate Church ruin.

There are graves inside it.

We then found ourselves in the rhododendron maze!

Thankfully we got out… there was a point where I was secretly hoping the path would lead us out! 😂

Just look at these colours. Wow.

It’s lovely to see Calaidh doing so much exploring. It’s good for her to get such a good walk. I should do this more often.

Isn’t nature just stunning.

I was in my element just walking around taking photos and Calaidh was loving it. I’m so glad I went.

We used to walk the dogs here all the time when we first moved in, and I’ve not been back in years.

Craig picked me up at 12 and we headed to Gro Coffee for lunch. My favourite!

Craig had Stornoway black pudding with chorizo and 2 poached eggs with siracha mayo. It’s was amazing.

Mine not so much. I had the Katsu curry and sadly the sauce was as gelatinous as it looks.

It’s the first time I’ve ever eaten in Gro and it’s not been out of this world with spectacular flavours. I’d fasted for 20 hours and I’d hoped for something super tasty. I took photos of the cakes but we didn’t bring any home.

They really are as big as they look!!

So it’s 4.15pm, the sun has gone and I’m shattered! I’m super stiff from all the walking. I feel about 102 when I get up from a seat.

I’ve got my feet up on the couch now and that might be me for the evening.

I’ve had a lovely day!

Hope you’re all having a great weekend!

Stay safe everyone 🍁🍂🍁

Day 1294 two drives to work before 9am and a very warm day in my new fleecy leggings 😂

I left my work phone at home today. I spent 15 minutes wandering around work thinking that should be able to manage without it… I message Craig to see if he’d be near Tartan HQ today… nope. Then realised that I can’t even log on to the Xero accounting system so would be as well driving home to get it.

It was a beautiful morning. It was freezing cold and Bertie Beetle was very frosty.

The sky was absolutely stunning on the way to work…. I only have a photo when I left….

And when I arrived…

But the colours I saw in between were just something else. It was bright red at one point. I just wanted to stop and take lots of photos along the way. It was a stunning start to the day.

So it wasn’t the end of the world to drive home and back again all before 9am. I called ahead and had Craig get the phone ready and a black coffee in a takeaway cup!!

So another laugh today was my new fleecy leggings…. I put them out without seeing a dog this morning… zero hair until I had to come back for my work phone of course!

They are a bit thicker than the ones I had last year so I want sure if it was cold enough… when I saw the frost I deduced that it was.

After my homemade soup for lunch I was ROASTING!!!!

This is not the best photo but I had bright red cheeks all afternoon until I finally took my long sleeved T-shirt off from under my T-shirt.

I sat outside for a bit after my soup as I clearly thought it was warm enough. Anything to try and calm the heat down in my face 😂😂 so I can highly recommend the leggings but I might have to wait a few weeks to really appreciate their warmth. To be fair it turned into a lovely sunny day.

After work I took another 3 bags to the charity shop and this time really struggled to leave some of the stuff. I’m at the point now where I’m giving away things that really do mean something to me but I just don’t have the space for anymore.

My sloth cushion was up for sale before I even left the shop… I wanted to buy it back!!

Here it is in Abbie the Campervan when I first got it converted….

It’s a lovely cushion but I just don’t have space for it in my life anymore. I was sad to let it go though.

Anyway that’s my day today. Sitting in front of the wood burning stove in our newly cleaned sunroom.

The kitchen and sunroom feel so good since they’ve been blitzed. I walk into the room and can breathe. I know that sounds daft but I say it like it is.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1286 a wobbly morning but off to have a lovely afternoon! 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦

Well the hormones have taken hold this morning for the first time in ages. I am so tearful. The tears are just streaming down my face and while they do stop, they’re back about 10-15 minutes later. This is ridiculous.

I’ve always said I want to tell the truth with this blog, no matter how uncomfortable it is for me to do that.

I’m so glad that Craig has been away this weekend as it wouldn’t have been any fun to be around. Let’s get one thing straight, it’s not being alone that has made me sad… I think it’s my expectations for the weekend…. The amount I wanted to do it needed to be a three week weekend! I was rebuilding the house while catching up with friends and family on top of dealing with the dogs.

I’ve been so impatient with the dogs, not had the confidence to walk the three at once so had to do separate walks where I berate myself all the way round for not managing the three of them… there go the tears again. I met a man with a two dogs off lead and the adrenaline that flowed through me was enough to choke a horse. (Poor metaphor but it did make me smile). Of course it was fine.

Wow, even as I write this I really how difficult my head can be and I bring all of this on myself.

Every step with the dogs was a drudge. Bhru and Freya first, then back for Calaidh. Half way through Calaidh’s walk I felt a surge of positivity and energy which was nice. I smiled, looked around and appreciated the moment.

It didn’t last…. Poor Claire asked if she could borrow two eggs… is there a way to say todays not a good day to be borrowing eggs 🤦🏻‍♀️😔 she spotted it straight away… more tears. Jeez….

I was planning to fast until I head over to Edinburgh this afternoon but I had a egg mayo bagel and it has helped. I’d already done 16 hours fasting so I thought some food would help.

I’m gonna put this out before I go. We have a family get together in Edinburgh this afternoon at mum’s cousin Joyce’s house. (Always call her mum’s cousin Joyce for some reason… smiled again!)

I was have a lovely afternoon and at some point normal Julie will kick back in and no one will ever know. 🤦🏻‍♀️😆😉

At some point I will feel completely calm and forget that this ever happened…. Except that I have written it all down. ☺️

I saw rainbows everywhere this morning.

Heavy overnight frost!

Then I spotted these really cool clouds on the way back down the hill. They made me feel a bit dizzy through the lens. (lens?!? 😂 iPhone!!)

So yeah… not the best morning. No real reason… all hormonal and I’m cringing like a cringey thing putting this out but if you met me on the walk I’d have smiled and you’d have had no idea.

You meet people like me all over the place. Everywhere. You have no idea how someone is feeling. So please always be kind.

I say that…… and don’t be too kind if you see me today as you might get tears 🥹🥹🥹😔😂😂 best just pretending none of this has happened 😂😂

So I’m off to shower, get dressed, hair and make up done and I’ll be fine. I’ll have a lovely day catching up with family I’ve not seen since February. I’ve arranged for neighbours to pop in and let the dogs out.

I have a busy week at work while half of Tartan take holidays at the same time…. But it will all be fine and I’ll wonder what all the fuss was about. Again.

Life with crazy hormones can be tough.. but I’m fighting it every step of the way.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1285 a lovely lunch out at Mocha Jak’s ☕️🍜🧁

Ooooh I am not in the best fettle today… I slept much better than last night but did feel a fair bit of pain in my knees, the tablets didn’t seem to do much to ease it. Got up the loo at 12.30am and took some more.

Got a woof woof woof at 7.22am so that we me awake. I decided to up and out with the dogs as soon as I could both to “get it over with” and to get me moving. I could so easily flop into a couch and not move this morning.

Turns out it will be at least another year before I can say I’m menopausal. That wonderful time of the month has returned so there’s the reason for my lower mood.

Everything I look at seems broken, messy, needs fixing, needs sold or given to charity and I can’t be bothered doing any of it. I feel overwhelmed with stuff and I just keep moving it from room to room…. We’ve been here a few times before haven’t we?!

I’m very irritable, so Craig is lucky he’s out the way on his training course!

I want to do everything today but my head wants me to give in and do nothing. Like later yesterday, every foot forward is a chore. Everything I think of doing is an irritant.

So back to the dog walks. Bhru and Freya first and lots of photos of the lovely but freezing morning!

FROST!!!!!!!!

I did forget to say that I needed my fingerless gloves on Thursday and the car beeped to say it was less than 4°C…. This is the first frost I’ve seen this year.

Thought this was really pretty…. Not often you see flowers at this time of year.

Rainbow at the end of the road!

Then turn into the lovely sun. It’s really cold and I know the rain is coming.

So no pictures of the dogs but hey, you’ve seen enough….. I have Calaidh now and the rainbow’s still there. We head up the hill so I can let her off the lead.

At the end of the rainbow!

It’s raining now but the sky is really dramatic.

So dark one way and so blue, the other.

Always loved these trees on the hill. The two tallest ones from the left were named by own dog walking group, Treesa and Twiggy but Oakley is now just a stump… the 3 trees to the right look just as dramatic on the skyline…. Looks like Twiggy is dead now too. I’ve watched Oakley die and be cut down since we lived here.

Stunning clouds.

So I’m back home with the wood burning stove on and I’m sat in a grump. The ivy is looking absolutely stunning in the now, bright blue sky. I had loads I wanted to do this morning but have sat and wallowed instead.

Some folk heading out to Turkey this morning, some out on the Waverley for her last sailings of the season and I’m sitting trying to make myself feel bad. I want all of that…. And yet rarely compare myself to anyone any more.

I’m giving in to my head. As I write that, the realisation dawns. Today is what I choose to make it. I have a lovely lunch planned with Evelyn after meeting her new puppy Betty! That will be lovely.

When it’s hard, you need to choose to give in and accept it or fight it and be proud of what you achieve. I’ve had enough wallowing…. Upstairs to hoover the bedrooms and the stairs, shower, changed and out for lunch. Just do it!!!

I did…

It’s 17.35 and I’ve had a lovely rest of day. I headed round to Evelyn’s to see her little Working Cocker puppy Betty. She is sooooo tiny!

What a little beauty!!

She’s in her crate as we are about to leave and it shows just how teeny tiny she is…

She’s such a good girl though and has some speed when she runs already.

We headed to Mocha JaK’s and had a lovely lunch. I had chicken and rice soup and a cheese and pickle toastie…. It was SO tasty!

We then had a wander around the Geilsland Craft Fayre….. and stopped for another coffee and Biscoff Rocky Road between us. That was even better!!

We had a great chat and she cheered my mardy face up.

I came home and finished off some cleaning before I sat down with come cheese and biscuits for dinner.

The day has turned right around. I feel brighter, my joints and muscles are less painful and I’m more relaxed. I feel calm. The drama has gone.

And relax. Just me and the 3 amigos tonight.

Candles on. It’s pretty.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1284 Friday 13th and I have an “empty” with 3 dogs…. Yeah I know… the house is never empty with 3 dogs!! 🐶🐶🐶

I did not sleep well last night….. the first day without full caffeine in weeks and I slept like I was still switched on. All night I tossed and turned like a tossy turney thing.

I felt pretty tired when I got up but wanted to head up to Braehead Shopping Centre early, to return clothes to M&S and exchange my Turkish Lira back.

For what it’s worth, my advice is not to take foreign cash abroad anymore. It cost a fortune to exchange and we hardly used any. The woman at the counter said to take English pounds as we all know our Scottish legal tender is not considered legal tender anywhere else in the UK. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂 that drives us Scots nuts….. but hey…. I also reckon paying by card abroad is more than enough these days.

So I had a quick wander round Braehead before heading to Aldi for a quick food shop, though I had bought tonight’s dinner from M&S. Well seeing Craig’s away!

He left after lunch to head to Glenrothes for a dog training weekend with Jo-Rosie Haffendon, Khaleesi’s previous owner. He’s taken Khal with him so she can see her.

So I headed off out on two walks… with hoddit and doddit first.

It’s been like April showers today. I was lucky enough to get out in between them.

Saw this lovely rainbow as we walked round.

I have to say that I am not feeling full of sweetness and light today. I’m not appreciating the present moment…. Each step was a struggle. My knees are sore, my right ankle is sore and I just felt generally ugh. I was fighting it all the way. I’m annoyed that I don’t drink, don’t smoke, take supplements and drink pretty much only water and the odd coffee and yet I still feel a bit rotten. How is that fair?!? I talked myself into accepting it was what it was and it wasn’t the end of the world. I managed to feel a bit of peace at that.

I came home to swap out for ploddit…

By the time I got back I have actually walked nearly 15K steps today so I’ve hardly sat down to it. Another positive.

I made my M&S stir fry for dinner.

Randomly with garlic and lemon prawns and feta to go with the pad Thai stir fry!

Then I had a wee 0% Guinness… again randomly… don’t have this very often and it’s really nice. A wee treat.

Finally look how pretty the ivy is out the back now.

Isn’t nature beautiful!

The moral for me today is to stop fighting how I feel. Acceptance is half the battle. I have my feet up writing this and I’m going to do some stretches to try and loosen off my tight muscles.

Then I’m going to get into a clean bed and have a lovely sleep.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1276 our last day soaking up the glorious sunshine in Turkey ☀️🇹🇷☀️our last day of summer!!

For those of you who know me well, you will know that I’m already pre-sad about having to head home tonight. Craig knows that I love him and knows that I am looking forward to seeing him, but I am so sad to be leaving this incessant sunshine. Wall to wall sun for 7 days…. It’s been glorious.

I am truly in my element in the sunshine. I’m vitamin D’d up to the eyeballs.

I love the clothes I’ve brought to wear, I’ve felt comfortable in everything, in fact I’ll go so far as to say, I’ve felt great in everything.

I usually spend a holiday over indulging and I feel fat and frumpy in everything. I’m bigger than I ever was on holiday, when I was younger, and I just do not care at all.

I love the sunshine, I thrive in the sunshine. I can’t get enough of the blue sky. I can’t get enough of the sea.

I’m not a lover of the beach as such… sand disturbs my need for cleanliness…. But I love the sea. A beach deck is my idea of heaven. We’ve been lucky enough to enjoy this beach deck for most of the week.

Yesterday was a lot. I chose it, I wanted it but even for me, it was a lot in one day. we had about 4 hours driving in Turkey before we even thought about the boat over the Greece. I’m still glad we went but I’m not sure I’d commit to that big a trek on a future holiday…. She says 😂 I just wanted to use two country emojis 😂🇹🇷🚐⛴️🇬🇷🚶🏽‍♀️🚶🏽‍♀️⛴️🇹🇷

We have another 9 or 10 hours of travelling tonight, which seems a lot after yesterday. We get home at 2am Scottish time which will be 4am Turkish time. Least we should sleep on the plane.

It’s lovely to be back on the beach deck today. I’m not reading, I’m not listening to music. We’re chatting but other than that I’m just listening to the sound of the sea under the deck…. And obviously writing this.

We’ve got on great. No hassle, no stress, very similar likes and dislikes. I wouldn’t have said anything if we hadn’t… but it’s important for me to say that we did. I’m not great in company 24/7…. I need my space. I think when you come in holiday with a husband or partner, you make assumptions about how they feel, what they like and dislike all the time. You put words in their mouths, you don’t always like to do the same things… we’ve just settled into a way of life here that suits us both. We had no pre-conceived ideas. We just went with the flow and it seemed to click. Overall you are probably way more polite to another person that you are with your partner. No snapping…. Note to self Julesie 😂😘

Being all inclusive was probably pointless but it’s allowed us to have what we want, when we wanted it and not had to think about paying as we go. It cost what it cost.

The hotel is beautiful. Big bungalow style rooms with a huge reception area, a shopping mall, 2 pools, flumes, huge restaurant (with outside balcony) and the one night a la carte.

The local “town” is not my favourite. It’s just full of shops with knock off sports gear. One is called English Primark, one of called TK Max and one is called JDe Sports to name a few. We don’t feel we need to buy anything as the world is smaller now and we can get things just as cheaply at home. I wouldn’t rush back to this area. We both saw what Bodrum has to offer, as we left the boat yesterday and Gayle reckons, any resort that has cruise ships is likely to have much better facilities. The restaurants were everywhere in Bodrum, with fantastic shopping scattered through them.

This hotel has done everything we needed it to do… gave us a chance for a relaxed week away in the sunshine. I’m so grateful to have been able to do this. I’m very lucky that Craig doesn’t fancy Turkey and allows me to come away with my friend.

We had to be out of our room by 12 and turns out our neighbours had organised a golf buggy for their luggage so we hopped on that!!

I’m pre-sad we’re about to go for our last lunch but I’m looking forward to a lovely salad.

And now we have precisely 4 hours left in the sunshine. Current view!

I’ve been in the sea and need to go in one last time!! I totally count everything down by “the last time”…. Torturing myself 😂😂

The last pirate ship parade….

It’s 3.15pm now and I feel I should put this out rather continue the countdown. I am looking forward to being back home. Once the sun goes down I’ll get over the fact that this might be the last heat I feel on my skin until March or April 😱😱😱

Turkey you have been everything I needed and more. Thanks to Gayle for coming with me as I’m absolutely certain I wouldn’t have enjoyed it anywhere near as much on my own.

Stay safe everyone 🇹🇷✈️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Day 1275 from Turkey to Greece and back 🇹🇷⛴️🇬🇷

It’s 5.30 when the alarm goes off but we were both awake earlier….. we have to be in reception for 6.15 as we’re taking a day trip to Kos, Greece 🇬🇷

It’s very early when you’ve not surfaced much before 8am but my sense of adventure is tingling. I’m excited about my day. Through tired eyes! 😂

A picture of a massive lake we pad on the way there taken through the bus’ very dirty windows.

The bus journey is almost 2 hours from our hotel to Bodrum. That’s why we left at 6.15am.

Bodrum is beautiful. Would really have loved some time to spent some time here. There is A lot of money in the harbour… some very expensive boats.

Craig’s says I’ve to bring this wee guy home!

He sat on my foot. 😂

Check the size of the Virgin Atlantic cruise ship in the background.

Kos. 🇬🇷

So the only negative of the trip was it took us about 1 hour 45 minutes between docking in Kos and actually getting out into Kos Town. I think we sat on the boat for about an hour before we got off as they said passport control had reached capacity. It’s a long day with a 4 hour bus journey, to be stuck for that length of time getting into the country.

That said, Kos Town is beautiful and I’m really glad I got to see it.

We stopped for lunch straight away as we hadn’t eaten much. We were in a lovely, leafy, roadside cafe bar.

Check the sign I’m pointing to!

We went for a walk around the old town. It’s really pretty with quaint wee shopping streets.

We wandered round to check the beach…. It’s tiny pebbles but really clear water.

Passport control was so much faster when we left. Only took about 10-15 minutes to clear. We were on the boat about an hour early as a result.

Our Turkish boat leaving Greece 🇬🇷

The blue dot shows where we are in relation to home!

Sailing back into Bodrum.

That Virgin Atlantic cruise ship is enormous!

After cleaning passport control in Turkey in about 20 minutes, we are finally on our way back to the hotel. Don’t think we’ll be there much before 9pm. A long day. I’m glad we got to see Kos but with hindsight it really was a bit too much of a trek in one day. I’d love to go back and visit sometime.

Thanks so much to Gayle for indulging me on this trip.

I’m too tired to spellcheck so sorry for any errors 😂😂

Stay safe everyone 🇹🇷☀️🇬🇷

Day 1274 really could get used to this life!

I had the best sleep!!! The neighbours still came back in at 2.30am and put the tv on but I went straight back to sleep. It was soooo good.

There was another lovely sunset last night.

We had a lovely Chinese meal at the pre booked a la carte restaurant last night. The food was amazing.

I tried to get this selfie standing on a hill but I look tiny next to Gayle, it would have been a lovely photo if we could have been at the same height! 😂

We were lucky enough to have this stunning view from our table.

The restaurant was lovely too.

And the food was just so good.

Chinese prawn crackers, Indian popadoms and several dips

We both really enjoyed it… it was much cooler last night and we could have done with a jumper. I think the summer season is ending now as it was much cooler this morning too….. yet back to scorching as I lie here on my sunbed writing this.

Here I am this morning in my lemon loungewear…. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂😂😂 sweatshirt needed outside this morning.

We had a slightly later breakfast… this is the spectacular view.

and a pirate ship from a different location 😂😂😂

So we had a different morning today where we sat by the pool. It’s a completely different dynamic and a new view!

The pool was FREEZING. I didn’t expect it to be so cold. I had a good swim round it though.

We had lunch in the snack bar today but headed back down to the beach for Gayle’s favourite waffles and my favourite chocolate wrap thing…. Here is the lovely lady who makes them for us every day.

Her face lights up when she sees us. I would like her to be my Turkish gran…. So rude of me to believe she is old enough. On the first day we ordered way too much and we all laughed and she zipper her lips as if to say, telling no-one. 😂

View from the beach snack bar.

I had a lovely float in the sea after that. It’s so lovely in there. Then some woman went and fed the fish and I had to keep treading water until she was finished. Didn’t want to swim right though a fish feeding frenzy!!

Then there was a wee bit of drama as clouds of smelly, black smoke billowed out of the kitchens.

It went on for a wee while and was really smelly. So lucky it didn’t get any worse than that. Everyone was watching, even those in the sea.

It’s half 5 Turkish time so it’s a bit cooler now.. I may not have applied the sun tan lotion as liberally as other days oopsie. The sun is beautiful.

These pics were taken just outside the most scenic toilet I’ve ever been to 😂😂😂

Bored yet?!? 😂😂

Snapped at work!!!

Stay safe everyone 🇹🇷🌅🇹🇷

Day 1273 what a lovely way to spend a Monday! 🚶🏽‍♀️☀️🇹🇷☀️🏝️👙🌊☀️🇹🇷☀️

We were in bed early last night with a plan to go for a long walk this morning. I couldn’t get to sleep for the Turkish women chattering next door 😂😂 (we actually think they might be German!£ then got woken at 2.10am by the folk coming back on the other side! Then wide awake reading at 5.30am. Just as well I could sleep all day if I had to. 😂 I then heard the 6am Islamic call to prayer! The hotel is really quiet to be honest and I’ve slept through every other night. 😂 could have been the late Turkish coffee 😂

We were in breakfast earlier than usual. a lovely view from our table.

Now that we’ve found out you can sit outside, our meals have a much nicer ambience than sitting in the huge, bright canteen style restaurant. I managed some food snaps!

I didn’t eat breakfast but had some lovely Turkish coffee.

We sent off into Didim Altinkum for our walk. It was still nice and cool to start off with. It’s lovely to walk to where we have been looking over from our beach deck out in the sea.

The flag is MASSIVE!!

None of the shops were really open and the cafe bars were just starting to open up. There were gardeners out ripping all the marigold flowers out of all the flower displays all the way along the front. They obviously think the summer season is over! There were Turkish people walking with handfuls of marigolds as they could see they were all being pulled up.

The end of the street still has some flowers.

Here’s the very marbley hotel reception!

Then we went for a seocndlate breakfast as by this time I was STARVING!

It’s been lovely to do something a wee bit different this morning. We’re back in our usual spot on the beach deck for the rest of the day.

We did have ice cream and booked a wee trip for Wednesday!

The temperatures at this time of the year are just perfect for me. It said 23°C when we came up from the beach just now. I don’t need much hotter than that to be honest!

Oh just remembered that I saw the strangest thing on our walk last night….. a row of stars that seemed to be following each other and gradually one by one disappeared. It was the strangest thing! I looked it up when we got back to the room.

Who knew?!?!

I’m still loving the no stress, no worry, no drama, just relaxation….. and of course, the beautiful blue sky and sunshine. Missing my boy and the puppers though. 🧔🏻‍♂️🐶🐶🐶🐶

Stay safe everyone ☀️🇹🇷☀️

Day 1272 a lazy Sunday by the sea in Turkey!

It’s been another beautiful day in the life of a sunbather. Nothing else for it but to lie by the sea, watch the Didim/Altinkum pirate ships sails by and read.

It’s been a bit more cloudy and windy today but it’s still scorching. Factor 30 is doing a great job and despite 2.5 days out in the sun, neither of us have burned.

We caught a lovely sunset by the pool last night.

We went out for a walk into Didim Altinkum last night. The hotel looks lovely.

The streets are pretty quiet to be honest. It must be the season, suits me obviously but even I notice it was quiet.

I think this is us looking back to the lights of the hotel and the beach deck! Lovely moon too.

We had breakfast on the Panorama terrace and headed back down to the beach deck for the day. This was our home for the day!

We had a fancy bed decoration when we got back to our room!

Coffee (not decaf! 😂) and chocolate for a pre dinner snack, showered and back down for sunset. We literally made it with about a minute to spare. The photos don’t do it justice at all. It was absolutely stunning.

The sun was actually a giant, blood red ball in the sky.

Just had dinner and went for a walk…another lovely end to a lovely day!!

It’s so good to have nothing to think about, nothing to worry about, I’m still fasting, I’m eating plenty and having the best relaxing time…. With a very lovely friend….. While talking the hind legs off a donkey. 😂

Stay safe everyone ☀️🇹🇷☀️

Day 1271 in and out the sea all day… it’s a hard life 🏝️☀️🌊🏊🏼‍♀️👙🤿🇹🇷☀️

I slept like a log last night…. My head hit the pillow about 10.30 and didn’t waken until the incessant Turkish chatter kicked in from next door at 8am. 😂😂 I’d love to see how long I would actually have slept, if I hadn’t been woken up! The women next door obviously want to be first for breakfast 😂 they are very loud first thing in the morning!

This is my current view.

Dinner last night was in the Panoramic restaurant which is MASSIVE. Unfortunately they have created the image of a large university refectory which wasn’t the most intimate of surroundings. It was Turkish night and there was a huge selection of food!

The main pool looks lovely at night.

We were going to head into town but in true Julie fashion, headed back to our room as we were shattered from the day.

It’s been a scorcher all day today. We went for breakfast and I had Turkish coffee which was really lovely. I thought it might be a bit strong but it really hit the spot. I don’t eat anywhere near as much as I used to so I was still full from dinner last night. I managed a 16 hour fast. I know I’m on holiday and won’t an age that every day but I’ll do it when I can. The view from breakfast is beautiful.

The restaurant is a little bit nicer during the day. A little less stark and bright white.

On our way down to the beach deck.

This is how we get in and out the sea. Now interestingly enough, the tide does not seem to come in our out here. I’m not sure how that’s possible but the sea is at the same level every time we go in?!?

We sat here for the morning, our on the beach deck. It’s very sheltered.

The pirate ships all head past just before 11am. They must leave Altinkum at 10 or 10.30.

I am that sad that I counted 11 of them heading out this morning.

There are loads of wee fish in the sea! I’m writing this in the sunshine so not sure if this photo shows them or not!

Very random arty shot trying to catch the stunning view from the mirror passing the gents toilets 😂😂 then realised I’m actually in it 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Current view watching the pirate ships heading back in. We had a lovely chocolate waffle lunch in the beach cafe. We swim, chatted, read, chatted, more chat 😂😂 it really is the perfect chance to relax.

Loving the windswept photoshoot!

A perfect end to a sunbathing day. Back now to get ready for dinner!

Stay safe everyone ☀️🇹🇷☀️

Day 1270 Turkish massage day! 🇹🇷💆🏻‍♀️💆🏻‍♀️

We didn’t get to bed until after 1am Turkish time. We had the air con on…. As you do. We both woke up about 3am absolutely freezing!!! What a laugh trying to get the aircon to go off. The remote control needed the batteries reseated before it would switch off. I went back to bed in joggies and a sweatshirt with a blanket over me too!! Woke up at 8.30am to very loud Turkish chatter next door and lashing in sweat! Air con back on. 😂😂

By the time we got up and moving it was 11am. We had tea and coffee on the balcony.

And we did a first round of the hotel complex. (I know…. Never start a sentence with and!)

Gayle outside our little bungalow garden room.

We found the Turkish massage place straight away and got that booked for 12.30pm. Best to have a good body scrub before you get any sunburn.

So the Turkish massage was out of this world. Gayle went first though, we went in together. Firstly we were in the Hammam, the Turkish bath. You lie on a hot marble table in the middle of the Hammam and they rinse you with water from the sinks that surround the room. Then they scrub you with a scrub mitt and then with Turkish coffee…. Which smells amazing!!!! Then rinsed off again and they soapy suds you with the soapiest soap suds ever. It was so silky smooth… you just lie there and they run it all over your body and gently massage it in. A full rinse again and then you stand up for a full rinse down. Then towel off.

You then sit out on a lounger and have a drink while your “bather” gets rinsed off and changed herself.

The massage is something else!! That wee girl was up on the bed, totally astride me at times and, with the tiniest of hands, delivering the most powerful massage.

We had a full body massage, there were hot stones half way through and a facial with a mud mask to finish off…. With Turkish Apple tea. It was sooooo lovely!

So we are all scrubbed up and ready to go for some sunshine!

I love the decking out into the sea. You can get in and out of the sea without having to fight your way through the busy beach. The hotel has a private beach but it was very busy when we got down to it at 11,30am. The decking has had empty beds all day.

Sitting on the balcony now about to get ready for dinner!

It’s a hard life 🇹🇷

Stay safe everyone ☀️🇹🇷☀️

Day 1264 a lovely day in Exeter with Helen & Mike

23,620 steps!! That will raise my average for the year 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Someone slept in until 9.06am precisely this morning. It wisnae me.

I did have another great sleep though and managed 8am.

We decided to head into Exeter today on the train. It was lovely and warm and calm when we left, after yesterdays breeze.

I took these from the train window! What a lovely track!

We had wander round the main shopping street and then walked as much as we could around all the attractions. This is the Guildhall.

Exeter Cathedral.

We had lunch in Pizza Express after we met up with Helen’s partner, Mike.

We then took a walk down to the Quay area. What a lovely space next to the river and the canal. Highly recommend a visit here!

We went on the canal boat trip!

These cygnets put on a great display.

We got off the boat and walked back up the side of the canal. The reflections were stunning.

We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting by the river in a lovely antique cafe.

This little guy had some water out the dog water tub. Loved the colouring.

This was our view.

Mike headed off back to Plymouth and we got the train back to Exmouth. We didn’t need to eat again as we’d had such a big lunch so after a big drink of water we set off on another big walking tour of Exmouth.

The perfect end to a perfect day.

It’s 9.33 and we’ve been in bed since 9pm! 😂

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1251 a lovely morning canoeing with friends 🛶🛶

Ok so yesterday I had 3 caffeine coffees, 3 alcohol free beers and a 0% gin and slimline tonic…. And I slept like a LOG. Go figure?!?

I had the best sleep. I went to bed really early, about 9pm and read for a bit. Maybe that helped. Who knows?!?

So up and out early with the OG3 this morning. Still resting Khaleesi’s injuries after a couple of big walks earlier this week.

It’s still hot but no sun this morning. interesting cloud cover.

We met Lindsay and Euan at Kilbirnie Loch at 10am this morning. We are so lucky to have this within 10 minutes of the house. We are even more lucky that they have leant us their lovely big, red canoe.

They both had kayaks and Craig and I shared the canoe. 🛶

Now I’ll be honest and say I’ve enhanced this photo a bit but Kilbirnie Loch has blue/green algae at the moment. If it wasn’t so dangerous to dogs, it could be considered quite pretty!

Ready for the off!

I love the luminescence of the green against the water.

At precisely this point in time my Co-pilot (who am I kidding…. Pilot!) reminded me to put down my phone and start paddling 🛶

It was SOOOO calm. Just the most peaceful thing in the world. Out there on the water having laughs with Lindsay and Euan.

They are excellent kayakers.

We are so grateful that they have lent us their canoe 🛶 to try.

Seeing the loch from the water is really lovely. Opens up a whole new world. I have always wanted to kayak around Scotland and Craig is loving the canoe.

Too much chat, not enough paddle 😂

I think these look like a heart beat!

It was so calm, still and peaceful. Just the paddles splashing and the chat and laughter.

Next thing we know, we are heading in here!!

This was just so beautiful and so unusual for us, we’ve never done anything like this before. It was so much fun!

We all have to turn round as the river got shallower further up. I have to say that Craig did all the pilot work and just told me what to do and I actually listened. Check me!

It went surprisingly well considering we are novices.

A wee bit too much photography again 😂

The sky is really moody.

There is a heron flying through this shot but it’s too dark and moody to see properly… the sky that is, not the heron!!

Then we pulled into the waters edge and had tea, coffee and cake!! Lindsay was super organised with her Jetboil, even had a choice of teas!

It was so lovely to stop and look around for a bit (as if I hadn’t been doing that already!!)

Here comes the train!!

Lindsay and Euan swapped kayaks out in the middle of the water. Super impressive.

Euan then did some spinning!!

Craig and I just kept on paddling 😂🛶

Some more of the blue/green algae.

This old walkway has mostly disintegrated now, really sad it wasn’t looked after.

And back to where we started.

Such a lovely morning and still had the whole afternoon to write this!!! That’s how long it takes sometimes when you have so many lovely photos 😂

Hope you’ve had a great weekend and all the best for another lovely week ahead!

Stay safe everyone 🛶☀️🛶

Day 1249 a gorgeous day off work! Even hotter!

It’s been a scorcher today. What a truly beautiful day. ☀️☀️☀️

I’m so lucky to have had the day off work to enjoy it.

I had a dreadful sleep. I was going to call the blog… “can Tiramisu really keep you awake?!?” 😂

I have no idea what did keep me awake. I had half a bottle of alcohol free Kopparberg and some Tiramisu with dinner last night. This was me for most of the night….

Wide awake!!!!

The bedroom was hot which didn’t help. Someone may or may not have been snoring but shall remain nameless 😂

I moved downstairs at midnight and tried to sleep under a crochet blanket. It was much cooler and I did sleep, I know this because I then woke up cold! Figures.

So traipsed back upstairs to bed for a few hours. Eventually got up at 7.

Check Craig’s new T-shirt that says MAL-IN-WAH (Khaleesi is a Malinois in case that doesn’t make sense to you!!)

Safe to say that’s she’s settling in great.

We had some freshly ground coffee(it sounds so lovely when you say it like that!) and then decided to take the FOUR dogs out for a walk.

FOUR…..

For the first time.

And it actually went very well.

As I said, it’s a beautiful morning, it’s hot. I have shorts and a vest top on at 8am. That doesn’t happen often up here. (Sometimes I write like we are in the North Pole… 😂😂)

I should say here, Craig was with me. No way on this earth I’m doing 4 by myself.

Khaleesi thought it was cold and wet when she heard she was coming to Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 it’s almost been the best weather all year this week. What a great way to get her used to the climate.

Here she is looking positively tropical on her outdoor bed!

When I got back I crossed lots of things off my list.

Called to reschedule my Breast Screening Clinic appointment which is the day before we go on holiday, right in the middle of the day and in the opposite direction to work! I changed it to the same day at 9am so at least I’m not out of work for a huge chunk of the day.

I hung out the washing.

I sorted all the stuff that I took out of Abbie the Campervan and decided what will go back into Bertie Beeetle…. Which is precious little to be fair 😂😂 tried to find a home for the rest.

I picked up my HRT prescription, ordered in the nick of time as I’d used my last patch.

I posted jeans I sold on Vinted.

I went to the little gift shop to see Gayle and bought ANOTHER Christmas present.

Who actually am I these days?!?

I went to Tesco and did a food shopping to cover the weekend.

Spectrum Windows came to have a look at the patio doors at the back of the house as the locks are being temperamental.

Craig came home at lunchtime and suggested Mocha Jak’s with Khaleesi. Now I should say that I bought plenty for lunch but I am NEVER gonna say not to a coffee shop!! Also think that he likes the fact that Khaleesi was found at a coffee shop. (

Actually I’ll do a link to his FB post from yesterday, telling her story)

Khaleesi of the Unbreakable Spirit – Scottish Dog Behaviourist

I ordered a halloumi and pesto salad bowl. I am OBSESSED with salad. I also ordered a Strawberry cream brownie. 😋

Oh my actual word it was exquisite and I only managed a tiny bite sized piece and brought the rest home. My stomach has shrunk!!

Phew, as I write that down I feel quite justified for sitting out in the sunshine. It’s still only 4pm. The day is yet young.

Have a great weekend y’all!

Stay safe everyone ☀️☀️☀️

Day 1248 a hot, hot day!!

Phew what a Scottish scorcher!

It feels a lot hotter than this to be honest. There’s not a breath. We were sitting outside after work and had to come in as there are midges in our back garden?!?! We NEVER get midges!!

So yeah…. Didn’t have the best sleep last night. Woke at 4am and couldn’t get back to sleep. I stopped eating too early yesterday, after a big fast the day before so I think I was hungry. I still managed through until lunchtime but I’m having dinner tonight. You can’t survive on nothing. I’ve lost 3 lbs this week thought!

I had such a lovely drive to work today.

Being in a Beetle will take a bit of getting used to as I’m so close to the ground, I feel a bit vulnerable. Also at some junctions I can’t see over the long grass!! I used to see over everything!

I also filled up with fuel and it only cost me £75 to fill the tank. It used to cost me over £100 to fill the van so I hope I start to see a difference there.

Work was busy but we got a lot done. It was a good doing day.

There not much else to report really…. Khaleesi is settling in well. She’s sitting beside me just now.

That’s me at the weekend now, woop, woop!! 3 days off. Despite a wee wobble on Tuesday morning, I’ve had a really good week. I can see myself letting things go that would usually be a trigger to worry.

I feel very laid back and calm. This has been a week filled with huge changes and rather than fall apart, I have embraced them all.

Check. Me.

Khaleesi sporting her new collar. Makes her one of the gang. Calaidh’s is purple and pink, Bhru’s green, Freya’s is grey but they’re all the same style.

Matchy, matchy.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1246 a crazy busy day at work and Khaleesi’s 1st full day 🐶🐶🐶🐶

We were in bed for 8.30pm last night!

We were all knackered. We had Khaleesi and she didn’t crack a light apart from breathe all night. It does wake you up having a second monster in the bed every time you roll over though.

I am still shattered today and I’ve yawned a lot. Proper non stop yawning. Energy changing.

It’s been a stunningly beautiful day. Pure blue skies the whole time. And hot. It was so lovely to sit outside at lunch.

I was a bit emotional before work today and there were a few tears. Can only think it’s the hormones and the changes that we are all going through at the moment.

I feel anxious that I just want Khaleesi to have the best life as she’s been through so much but rather than me assuming it will be easy, my head looks for all the reasons it might not be. Four dogs is a huge commitment.

We will all get used to each other. I’m just worried I do the wrong thing or say the wrong thing to them.

Craig is so brilliant with them. Khaleesi now wants to play and be a part of the gang.

Craig took her to Mocha JaKs today. She met some cows and sheep along the way. It gets her used to different sights and smells and Scottish coffee shapes. She used to go to the Bhuddist Temple coffee shop in Spain. She was found lying outside a coffee shop when she was rescued.

Work was so busy I felt a bit out of control. Constant yawning didn’t help.

I’ve been to the Kinisi-flow class, with Gayle, in the village hall and I feel so much better after it. Much more relaxed. I’m still yawning!

Here we are bonding just now.

All will be well.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1245 another whirlwind of a day but Khaleesi is home ♥️

What a day. I am shattered!!

I was up at 5.20am. Showered, lunch made and out with the dogs by 5.45

A last pose in the garden before 3 became 4.

Holly next door kindly let them out mid morning and Craig was home with Khaleesi by 12.30pm. He made great time having left at 5am.

Work was crazy busy. The sun brought everyone out. At one point we had 4 lots of people waiting to speak to someone. I sat down outside for lunch and was interrupted twice! Don’t get me wrong, that’s what we’re there for, I’m not complaining it was just THAT busy.

So virtually no work done today other than to add to the list of things to be done.

In the background…..

I’ve almost run out of HRT meds so had to call the doc re a repeat prescription
The company I’m buying the car from hasn’t sent through the paperwork so I had to chase that
When they did send it through they then chased me twice to sign it, don’t they know how busy I was!!?
When I finally tried to sign it a bit wasn’t right so had to get them to change it
They chased for the payment again
Then I had to try and change my existing van insurance over to the car and their system was done so I had to call back
All the while Craig is travelling home with Khaleesi and sending me photos and videos of their progress

As I said, what a day!

We are all out in the garden, it’s been a scorcher!!

We are watching the dogs find their way around each other. Here I am saying hello.

Calaidh and Khaleesi are starting to play together. Bhru and Freya are more wary but that will come.

She loves Craig!

He’s been working relentlessly with the 4 of them. Integration into a pack of 3 has to be managed.

So not as relaxed an evening as it could be but I’m managing things way better than I would have in the past. I’m letting things wash over me in a way that makes me very proud. Despite the chaos of the day, I’ve laughed at it and things have fallen into place.

I love the calm when it comes to stay.

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️

Day 1244 a very early rise, dog walks, shopping and lunch with Gayle

Another busy but lovely day off. Craig actually had to wake me and ask me to roll over last night which suggests I may have been snoring?!?

Moi?!?! 😳

Couldn’t possibly be true.

His alarm went off at 5am. I knew I wouldn’t get back to sleep so got up about 5.30 and made coffee. The grindy bean kind ☕️

We sat and chatted for an hour or so then Craig set off bound for Potters Bar, north of London.

It’s a long drive.

He was meant to be meeting Tito The Transpawter between 3 and 5pm so he had to be down there for 3pm, just in case, which he was.

Unfortunately, due to delays in France, they didn’t make the ferry, from France, until 3pm so they are now meeting at 8.30pm.

Thankfully Craig has checked in to a hotel so he was able to get some rest and a shower. It does mean he’ll have to drive home in Monday morning traffic.

On the plus side, it gives him time to spend with Khaleesi as she’s been travelling since Friday morning. Poor little poppet. I feel so sad when I think what she’s going through. We have to make her stay here extra special for the next few days to make up for it. Here he is saying goodbye to the pups!

I set off with hoddit, doddit and ploddit at 7am when Craig left.

Love this tree 🌲

Something serious to sniff here!

It’s much cooler than yesterday.

Bhru looking for sheep 🐑 😂

Lots of cows this morning instead! Finding cows instead!

Gateside village was looking lovely in the sun this morning.

I really loved this next shot.

In our excitement leaving the house this morning, I had forgotten poo bags…. I had to retrace my steps to pick up two poos… not a lovely subject but important to say that I did retrace my steps when I’d forgotten to take them with me!

We passed this next field twice this morning and it’s never cut for silage…. It has been this year. This is about 500yards from the back of our house. I did wonder what the noise was yesterday…. They must have been cutting this field.

I did two loads of washing and hung it up and got showered and ready to head to Braehead Shopping Centre with Gayle.

I forgot to get a pic of us!

We tried on lots of trousers in M&S! I didn’t buy any of them.

It’s fun trying them on though!

We had a lovely lunch in Starbucks and a good wander around the shops until we both hit a wall. I was shattered.

Oh I got some magnesium for my aches and pains. The really helpful guy in Holland & Barrett said it would start working in a couple of days. Fingers crossed as I feel really stiff and sore just now… probably lack of exercise, I know!

When I got home I took the dogs up the hill to the field for a big run about.

That back fired as the farmer was hay baking…

They only got one big run and I had to put them straight back on the lead. Was fascinating to be so close to the baler though.

Since then I’ve made a lovely salad for dinner, thrown balls for the dogs in the back garden and read a magazine that Holly next door gave me.

I’m determined to stay awake to see that Craig has Khaleesi.

Exciting times!

I need to get a lift to work tomorrow as I’m van-less and car-less and husband-less in the morning. I need to be up and out with the dogs and potentially starting work by 7am. I might be asleep at my desk by 11 😂

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️