Soop's kindly kitcheners and pampered pets...

Nellie here's one who understands. I've spent two years with colds, bronchitis and finally this Spring, pneumonia so Im fed up to the back teeth with it all plus which I need to stay well for unwell OH! I don't blame you for keeping away from little one's cold and if you are under par that's quite a long journey to undertake. You obviously need to show OH where the plasters live so that he can get his own. Hope you have a better night's sleep and that tomorrow seems brighter. As you can see I'm still awake. This is fairly recent thing but I try not to let it bother me. If I'm still awake at 4 then it's annoying. Even my good book becomes boring. ?For a better tomorrow.

Thanks for the rant time. I needed to let off steam.

Now there's a B end to the day. B****y OH throwing a tantrum because he CBA to look for a plaster.

I had already made a decision not to go to the DGSs because the little one has a cold and I don't want to catch another one to irritate the one I have. I honestly felt too tired to get up early to go the 100 miles round trip tomorrow.
I keep making all the wrong decisions. I do think I should probably go to bed earlier. I keep falling fast asleep in the afternoon. The buggeration of a cough is still affecting me.

Haven't been to Scotland for about 10 years. Took our caravan a few times, no problems navigating, in fact seemed easier than the very busy South of England. Agree that magnificently awesome is a perfect description for the Glencoe Valley. Our time there reduced me to tears, an atmosphere I still can't describe. Would love to return but the distance is huge from our new location. You never know, I may get brave enough but suspect memories will need to suffice. So many beautiful places in the UK I would love to return to. Oh well, as I intend to live to be 110 there is time .

Thanks everybody for putting my mind at rest about the perils of Rest and be Thankful. I finally located it on Google Earth, which refused to accept 'Glencroe' and tried to send me to Glencoe instead. I found Inveraray and followed the road on Google Street view. So now I know exactly what the terrain is like up there. I could see big lorries and motorhomes on the road so we won't have any problems with our little van.

The route would appear to be popular with foreign tourists because the council have painted big direction -of -travel arrows on the road near the laybys to remind them to drive on the left.

The problem with holidaying in Scotland is deciding where not to go. I'm sure your family will be impressed callgirl 1.

Congratulations from me too N&G, all newlyweds photographs are lovely but that is one of the truly happiest I have ever seen.

When I was sixteen I taken on holiday to Scotland by my Aunt and Uncle. I think they wanted younger company for an Austrian student they had visiting. There were quite a few coach trips. I can still remember that twisty road up to Rest and be Thankful and the coach driver's obvious comment. And also going through the Glencoe valley. Magnificently Awsome describes it perfectly callgirl

Congratulations N&G, lovely photo.
Oldgoat, Rest and be Thankful is a lovely part of the route up to where you`re going, I said what I did because I`d be wary of landslips in wet or wintry weather. There are some lovely views from the viewpoint at the top. Make sure you take a drive through Glencoe whilst you`re up there, it`s magnificently awesome!
When we go up to Kintyre in April, it will be the first time for most of my family, I just hope that they see what we LOVE about the place.

Congratulatons N&G, hope you are having a wonderful day, the photo is just lovely. ,

That should have been Inveraray. Always a difficult one to spell correctly.

About to mount the portrait of the wee girl. I then have a British Blue cat named Piper to paint. should be interesting.

jollyg You are so right. Both routes are scenic. Inverarary is having a major face-lift. It is the family seat of the Duke of Argyll. One has standards to maintain.

Nellie Thank goodness for your dear son's assistance in sorting out the computer buggeration. We know that any time soon we'll need to invest in a new computer. Our re-conditioned model is well past it's sell by date.

oldgoat Put in Glencroe. It's isn't a scary pass. It is however prone to landslides in dire weather conditions.

cornergran Life certainly "sucks" on occasions. You cannot help but be concerned for your friend's welfare.
Monday and Tuesday's family treat, will hopefully lift your spirits.

NanaandGrampy Congratulations on your special wedding anniversary. The wedding day photo is beautiful. Enjoy every moment shared. and a glass of to you both.

DaphneB Flynn never ceases to make me smile. He's such a jolly wee man. I imagine he had great fun sitting in the suitcase. Did he manage to empty it? Torben would have.

anno I missed the rugby. Thank you for reminding me that our team continues to do well. Greig Laidlaw is a fine captain. He has a calming influence when required. He's also a very talented player. I love watching his expression as he prepares to launch the ball over the bar.

Thank you, dustyangel. You are a dear lady.

Wobbly Us lot want to know the details of why you're feeling "down". I imagine that you are in pain. If so, we sympathise and send you a group (((hug))) with discreet kisses.

Bellanonna We used to make greetings cards using our photography. We managed to sell a number through various shops. It isn't exactly a money earner when costs of paper/inks/time are taken into account.

Happy Anniversary - Ruby wedding - and many more to come.

What a lovely photo N&G, lovely to have all of those memories. You must have been a child bride to be celebrating your 40th anniversary now!

Happy 40th Anniversary NandG .
What a lovely photo. You both look so happy.
Have a great day.

Ooh what a beautiful bride and dashing Granpy - Happy Anniversary to you both! ? ? ? ? xx

Morning all !!

Just popping in briefly .

Its our 40th wedding anniversary today - who would have thought it

Nothing special planned as far as I know but I shall be celebrating reminiscing with a million memories

Just to prove -we were young once I've posted a wedding picture xx

Rest and be thankful isnt that bad, except when the roads dept dont do a thorough job of deflecting the rain which scoots down the hills, and causes landslips. Cant remember when it was closed by snow, Soop will inform

Alt route is very scenic too, Tyndrum via Loch Awe to Oban, then down the coast road Lochgilphead and all parts south

Thanks bags . I'll see whether we have an OS map of the area and check out the contours! Hopefully, by May, the roads will be clear of ice and snow!

oldgoat, Rest and be Thankful is at the summit of the road (A83) that goes over the mountain passes between Loch Long and Loch Fyne. From Ardgarten it's uphill all the way to the Rest and be Thankful viewpoint at the top of the pass. Then it's downhill all the way to the head of Loch Fyne. The road goes round the head of Loch Fyne and on to Inveraray and beyond.

Nice philosophy corner (your last two sentences). I hope you do sleep well. Things will feel a bit different tomorrow. Hope there's a resolution even if it takes a while.

Evening All. Should be asleep but too wound up after visiting our unwell friend. There are non-health issues to add to the equation and we are very worried about her. It would be wrong to say too much here but like wobbly I'm a bit down and very concerned. Life just stinks sometimes.

Hope you can see some brightness soon wobbly, gardening is good therapy. I may go on a pruning spree myself tomorrow. Either that or retail therapy. The pruning would be better for the budget .

Flynn's photo certainly lifted the spirits daphne, he has such an expressive face. The farewells to your friends sound very different soop, but each gave that all important chance to celebrate life well lived. You sound to have had a wonderful catch up with bags, so pleased you all (including mcs) had safe returns. Those photos are just good for the soul. The rainbow particularly caught my attention.

That blanket will be treasured, if likely to become a bit battered with use, n&g. Oh dear nellie. Doesn't the technology trip us up sometimes? Wish it behaved better. That cough has been hanging around, it's horrid feeling so low.

Very little I have to do tomorrow, so will go with whatever feels right, no pruning if the sun isn't shining! Monday is bound to be good, a day with the littlest and then a family tea on Tuesday, so much to give pleasure and be grateful for. A good thought to sleep on.

Help please, soop and callgirl 1.
I thought I'd have a look at the dreaded Rest and be Thankful on Google Earth but it doesn't recognise the name. As we are planning to bring our campervan up that way next year I wanted to see what was so scary about it. Did you ever take your caravan that way cg ? Please, could one of you tell me exactly where it is. It's nearly time to make next year's bookings so I'm trying to get my route up the west coast planned. Something to look forward to on foggy winter days, like today.

Hello I have just snuck in before bed. I had a Facebook crisis on Friday when my Firefox browser lost all my pictures.
(I might have been going into systems where I should not have gone but it's a bit of a mess.)

I spent ages on t'internet trying to sort it out. Dear son suggested a semi solution by closing down Firefox and changing to another browser. The Firefox problem is not fully solved so I have had to go over to Google chrome. I can now get all my pictures but I can't organise my bookmarks.
I hope all of you are ok. I am still suffering from that buggeration of a cough and I have pulled out of choir concert number one. It is getting better but I just keep coughing to much to sing.
Fed up with feeling rough.

Thanks Guys, Did manage a short session in the garden today, cutting down raspberries and winter pruning roses, perked me up being outside for a while.