Hello you lot...here we are again...happy as can be...all good friends and jolly good company...
Good Morning all !!
Can I tempt you to join me in a little glass of bubbly ( even though its early ).
We have woken to the news of 2 new arrivals for friends of our daughters. Firstly, Sophia Grace ( I am in love with her name) arrived weighing 5lbs and then even smaller William Sean at 4lbs 9 ozs arrived to the other couple.
Luckily , I hedged my bets last week when making new baby cards and made a pink and a blue one so they will both be used !! Today I shall be popping out to buy an outfit for each - exciting times. I love a new baby cuddle .
Charley argh !!! Don't you hate it when that happens. We have a series planned for the week after next, decorating, carpet laid as that finished, new furniture arrives....it can't go smoothly !!
soop I'm sitting here quietly chuckling at the saga of the sofa ! Poor MacS bet he still has nightmare moments about that one. But what great service from your delivery guys.
Well, I hope you all have a little more sunshine than us...its a grey wet day today. DGD and DGS1 are camping with their Mum this weekend so I hope the weather is being kinder to them, although whilst they were eating breakfast yesterday they were joined by 2 ducks !
DGS3 is off to his first football match at a local teams grounds. Himself and I have had a side bet on how long he will last .... 
annsixty I sympathise with you if you have problems with both knees. Do you need a elbow crutch to assist with walking. I would be lost without mine. Thank goodness that your son is able to take you to the eye hospital in Manchester. It would be very stressful (and costly) to have to undergo such a journey on your own.
Yes, the trip to Oban hospital, which we shall be making early next week, is approx. a 140 mile round trip. The road is both scenic and tricky to negotiate in equal measure. Our reward - a fish and chip lunch. Not forgetting a wee dram when we return home. 
I'm pleased to hear that you have sunshine. It remains grey in bonnie Kintyre.
Once again I need to hasten away from the computer and attend to some serious cat-feeding duties. 
It is grey. Rain is forecast. Rory and Tortoiseshell are adventuring in the garden. MacS is dozing. All is well with the world.
Good afternoon dear Kitcheners. We're home at last and enjoying a reviving cup of coffee together with a spiced-stem-ginger biscuit.
Tizliz Mountains are marvellous. We would very much enjoy revisiting the Grampians. When re-locating to Scotland, we fully intended getting oot and aboot to enjoy the wonderful and varied scenery at first hand. At first we did manage a number of weekend get-aways, staying bed and breakfast and having a perfectly wonderful time. There were a number of major hitches that scuppered our initial intentions to purchase a plot and build a wee house. Twice, we were let down big time. We therefore needed to dig deep into our funds in order to get our plans back on track. That we did. The on-going adventures we had planned, had to be put on hold. What we do have is a delightful small home beside the sea. We live close to a lovely village and have many good friends. We are blest and very grateful for the life we share.
NanaandGrampy Your colour scheme is both tasteful and restful. You've given the matter serious thought. I'm sure that you will feel totally happy when everything comes together and the furnishings are in situ.
Nannylovesshopping I have put a few spiced-stem-ginger biscuit on a dainty porcelain plate for when you return.
I can understand how you will have felt when your friend officiated at his mother's funeral. It must have been very difficult for him to remain composed.
Charleyg Why is it that carefully made plans manage to unravel at the last minute. Well...the chairs will go. You may need to borrow a couple of garden chairs (as did we)...Tara will have to understand (cat's are good at that!)
Do you remember what happened when our corner sofa unit was delivered?
For those Granspals who haven't heard the saga...here goes.
MacS was out at the time. Two men arrived in a large van from Oban. They could NOT budge the sofa any further than the small hallway. For over 30 minutes they struggled, and one became extremely flushed as a result of the effort. I was concerned for his wellbeing. I made refreshments. They had a break. They backed out of the front door and attempted to re-enter from a different angle. Result - stuck part way in the bathroom. One man stuck behind the sofa, with a foot in the shower. 
My MacSporran is a lovely man. He's a retired architect. He had measured the space in which the sofa was to live many times over. Had he measured the narrow inner passage? No! Both men said that they could not leave me with a partly parked sofa. They felt bad about it. Bless! They had further refreshments. One remembered that a joiner was working on a house about three miles away. He said that he would stop by and ask the joiner if he could help get the sofa through to the sitting room. How? By taking out the large sitting room window pane...and feeding the sofa through the opening.
MacS returned in due course. The joiner and the two delivery men also returned. The window pane was removed. The three men pushed and shoved and the sofa came into the sitting room. The window pane then had to be replaced. 
it cost us, naturally. We also gave the delivery men a well-deserved bonus. We wrote to Oban Express to say that they were a credit to the company.
MacS looked a little sheepish. I kept my mouth shut. End of saga.
Good Morning all.
Its leftover fairy cakes for everyone today after a visit from our little bakers yesterday! They DO have little Mickey Mouse's on top so they have to be good I'm assured by the bakers themselves !!
Oh Tizliz I chuckled at the picture you painted of you defrosting your freezer. We had a huge old chest freezer for many years and I loved it. I could have stored a dead body in it - it was so huge [wink} our upright one isn't anywhere near as flexible.
* Auntieflo* we too have a large and small freezer packed to the gills - and there are just the 2 of us. I cant seem to empty them out !
soop sorry for the coffee splutter. We just fancy a change, the hall and stairs are a lovely delicate aqua shade now with crisp white( suits our Frozen themed Christmas decorations no end ) .The lounge will have two rich teal alcoves either side of the fireplace, and the palest grey walls ( a blue grey) , a new very pale ( we're mad) grey carpet , with pewter accessories and maybe a hint of dark plum in there. Not sure yet. The new kitchen is a palette of lush cream, pale blue and stone tiles with a wooden floor. Somehow it has a seaside feel.
But it has been a trauma getting the colours right and magnolia is sooooo much easier, get that right and everything else follows - we may yet hate it but as we only plan on another year here we will live with it. It will be fresh anyway .
soop what a lovely place to live. It looks so peaceful. Rory is lucky to have such a lovely home.
Water bottle idea is good one tizliz I used to put loaves of bread at the bottom of mine.
Welcome to the kitchen auntieflo did you bring any cake nice to have some more company 
Charleyg It is big enough for us and the cat. Open-plan sitting room with steps that lead up into the kitchen. I can see right through the kitchen to the sea beyond. A good size utility room holds the usual clutter and it also doubles up as an airing cupboard. MacS put a lot of thought into the design. The bathroom can be accessed from both the bedroom and inner hallway. Our second bedroom serves as a computer/music/art room. Compact but not claustrophobic.
Whatever happened to my good intention to paint a wall (Magnolia) in the kitchen. I am really cross with myself. However, it's almost certain that I shall begin the decorating (bit at a time) after tomorrow's visit to the care home.
The sun is shining. I need to "service" Tortoiseshell cat's lodge. The mat needs beating with a stiff brush. Fresh newspapers laid at the entrance. MacS has constructed a door that we use whenever it rains. The inside therefore remains dry and snug. Tortoiseshell uses it from time to time. Last night she spent a quiet hour inside. Rory remained po-faced on the outside. Her proper home is in the forest. That is where she was born...it is where she returns at the end of the day.
I shall say farewell for now. Tomorrow will find me peering around the kitchen door, and hoping to catch up with the latest news.
Our home is built on "raised beach. The garden is on two levels with a deep rockery in between. At the side of the plot are rocks and thicket. At the rear we have a coppice of ancient trees. The ground rises steeply beyond the fence. Our private water supply comes from high on the hill where there is a large holding tank.
The road isn't very wide (or busy) and almost the entire drive between here and Campbeltown, is beside the sea.
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