Crinan

I love this place - Crinan - it's something about watching the boats go through the locks at the end of the Crinan Canal and sail away into the Atlantic.

Mum and Dad and Rosie came to stay

We havd a lovely few days all together showing Rosie a few of the places we like.

Tarbert

Helen's Party

My summer trip to Scotland started off with Helen's party in Lenzie which was lovely and she looked stunning. On the Sunday she went off to Las Vegas with Al where he proposed (properly) at the Bellagio. Wedding set for 2008!!!

Going away for July...

Today I drive the 330 miles to Glasgow for my friend's 40th Party tomorrow. It will be a fun night. I get to spend a few days with my mum and then I move to the west coast of Scotland where I spend July looking after some holiday cottages. This sea view is the one that will greet me every morning while I am staying there and this wonderful house is where I get to live while I'm working there.

The ferry boats pass the house several times a day and are fantastic to watch as they cruise off to the islands.

The nearest shop is 7 miles away so you have to be a little organised. Last year I had to deal with 2 bats in the house which wasn't so pleasant but apart from that it is a wonderful experience. I get to cook on an Aga which I adore and the local people invite you round for cups of tea and "a wee scone" Perfect. In the evenings I climb the hill at the back of the house to get views across to the peninsula on the other side of the loch.

Mike will come and join me there for a week. Last year we took a trip to Colonsay which was great. Over 3 hours sailing time and then you feel like you are in another world - it's so remote. The hotel there is fab and whilst we didn't have time for a meal, having walked to the beach and back in time to get the boat home, we had a drink and I had a look at the menu which was great and of course there was a Kiwi working behind the bar which amused me in such a faraway place.

It really is an idyllic area and far away from the hassles of airports and motorways.

Wolverhampton & The Queen of Sweden

I had to visit Wolverhampton twice this week for business. I really dislike going there. I get lost every time, my sat-nav doesn't have any of the roads listed even though they were constructed over 3 years ago. The traffic is always terrible, queuing on slip roads, queuing on the motorway, going in circles on the ring roads. And it is always raining.
While I was in the area though I did treat myself to a trip to David Austin on Wednesday. It was fabulous. I didn't even get to the tea-shop such was my all-consuming need to touch and smell every rose they stock.
Much as I would have loved to really go crazy in the shop I restricted myself to one purchase. Buying plants right now is not a good idea since we are on the move so all I brought home with me was the Queen of Sweden and she is gorgeous.

Family BBQ

We had a family BBQ in the garden and enjoyed watching our niece demolish a mini-Magnum!

The next day we enjoyed watching the cat who visits us looking to see if there was anything left for him!