Thursday morning

Let me share yesterday with you.
I was at the dentist!

I had not been looking forward to what I was sure would be a back sweating, armrest gripping session!
But yesterday was the day arranged to have my broken tooth repaired.

Remember, part of the tooth had broken off while Ian and I sat in London Airport waiting for our flight to Sydney.

A dental check up last week revealed the extent of the damage; root intact, large metal filling present, not a lot else.

My very cheery and upbeat dentist had smiled at me through his enormous goggles and surgeon's mask,
"Ooh yes," he said, "well, this isn't too much of a problem! We'll rebuild the tooth . . . and I think we'll get rid of that nasty metal filling and replace it with a nice new white one!"

He always speaks to me as though I was five.

And so as I walked home yesterday, with a mouth that no longer followed commands, and a numb left nostril that made breathing just a touch difficult, I thought about what had been achieved and I was happy.

It's amazing how dental technology has progressed since I last needed any work done.
I felt nothing - literally : ) For several hours afterwards as well. But Drinking my coffee through a straw, having spilt it down my front is a small price to pay.

And, I didn't know you could get your fillings matched to the shade of white of your teeth either!

Incredible!

Maybe I could get the dentist to remove that 'nasty metal filling' you can see when I smile? And replace it with a white one that matches my teeth.
Hmm. Maybe not.




Nice flowers?
I thought so when I saw them in Morrison's.
They only cost £2.00 and I've had them for a week already!

Wednesday

Have just watched 'Heir Hunter' while having breakfast.
Vera from the wedding, eats cake for breakfast! She says that most Italians eat cake - not gooey gateaux - more like fruit loaf style cake.
Why not? Eat the bulk of your calories early in the day gives you the chance to burn them off, right?
So I've finished the boiled ham that was in the fridge instead of my usual Ryvita. Let's see how long it keeps me going!
Yesterday was the doctors for me.
Doctor Henderson - who is probably young enough to be my grandchild had I started my family as early as possible and so had my daughter, his mother!
His mother isn't actually my daughter, you realise. I'm just surmising. OK?
He has ruled out my heart and lungs and has now ruled out my pancreas, seemingly you can tell by having a good feel to see if it's swollen.
I suggested it might be skeletal - from carrying heavy bags home from work every night and he thought it was a possibility. So, he's given me a painkiller gel and said to use it for a month. If it works, great, just phone in and they'll add it to my prescription. If not, come back and see him!
Luca came over here after school. Gary had texted in the morning to say he would come over here to pick up Luca since both he and Carole were going to be late back.
I sat having tea at the kitchen table with Ross, Gary and Luca! Wasn't that nice?
We had chicken breasts and homemade chips . . . and Luca ate it all - plus three peas! Brilliant - things are looking up!
The rain is still raining here and Luca had an indoor play, yesterday. So he coloured in a picture of a crab for his mummy and he drew a picture of his family for me.




Gary said, "You've put hair on me!"
"No," Luca replied in his condescending manner, "That's your spikes!"
Silly Daddy.
Two episodes of 'Silent Witness ironing' yesterday. At least the same to do today! I hate bedlinen!!
And today is also the dentist. . .
Not looking forward to my session of back sweating, armrest clinging agony on the dentist chair. The old filling is coming out and the brand new larger version is being inserted.
OK, that's all for now : )
I'll let you all know how I get on at the dentist next time ; (

Monday morning 23rd April

The house is quiet again : (
Ross went out to work this morning at the back of eight but it was after ten before anyone else got up.
They left after breakfast to head back down the road. Glasgow first to drop off Tigg, then Edinburgh where Vera and Peter are staying tonight before they catch an early morning flight back to Tuscany in the morning.
Been swimming, have had my tea while watching 'Montalbano' and am now kicking my heels wondering what to do with my evening.
I could watch another episode of Montalbano, but that would be overkill.
I've finished my Sister Fidelma book - you know the seventh century Irish nun who solves murders - I know, it sounds ludicrous. But the author, Peter Tremayne is actually an historian called Peter Berresford Ellis who is seemingly a well known authority on the ancient Celts.




It was actually quite informative!
Did you know for example that the Irish Celts used what was called the Brehon Law system, the basis of which was to allow someone who has committed a crime to make atonement to the family in a practical and/or financial way, and be given the opportunity for rehabilitation?
Your parcel arrived today, Lucy. Thank you
Ross wonders if the food you sent will last for three months which is the amount of time he reckons it will take him to lose the remainder of the excess inches around his waist : )




And these photos! What a good idea to make them magnets!
Ok, all done for now : )

Sunday 22nd April

Sunday morning. I got up about eight to an eerily quiet house.
The doors to every room, apart from the kitchen, we're closed!
I knew who were in the bedrooms but who were in the other three rooms?
It transpired that another few friends from the wedding had come down here after the wedding finished. Ross lost his bed to his pal Thomas and ended up sleeping on the couch in the workroom downstairs. The wife of another friend fell asleep on the couch in the back room so her husband just covered her up with a blanket and went off to sleep on the couch in the good room!



This photo is of Tigg, who fell asleep on my couch : )



And this is Kyle, her husband. He and Ross have been buddies from school days.
Of course, true to form, I hadn't thought ahead.
Too late I remembered that I had no access to all my clean tops and trousers etc which were in the spare room with the sleeping beauties - I should've gone in yesterday evening when they were all at the wedding! : (
So I ended up going to mass in my old tatty jeans and a shirt of Ian's.
It's the dark blue shirt with the rather jazzy leaves all over it, Ian. Actually, I think I quite like it on me : )
Back from Mass, it was impossible to get near the kitchen for all the tousle haired, crumpled folk having breakfast!
Aberdeen was supposed to be the destination for today. Vera had never been, but Banchory was as far as they all got. If you stay up till all hours, what do you expect. They're none of them still in the first flush of youth. OMG, these were children to me just yesterday!
Fish suppers from the chippy and a few beers - my bottle box is full to overflowing - for tea.
Then about elevenish, Ross told us he had to go to bed as he had work in the morning!
I hadn't realised it was so late.
It was really interesting spending time with them all but especially Vera. D'you know she likes 'who dunnits' and the Sardinian police detective, Montalbano, whom I've just discovered and watch with subtitles, is one of her favourites!

21st April

Today is Dan's and Jen's big day! The wedding is taking place in the Tor na Coille right next door.
Ross had asked me ages ago if Peter and Vera from Italy could stay with us when they came over. I hadn't met Vera before - Ross had gone to Italy a couple of years ago when Vera and Peter got married but there had never been any photos so I didn't even know what she looked like!
Here she is. She's a lovely girl. She told me this morning that they had finished their evening out, last night at The Nile. "They were buying chips with cheese," she said with a look of horror on her face! What kind of impression has she got of us :(



Remark as they left, "We'll try not to disturb you when we come back in."
Right : )
Ross and Thomas are ushering today. And here they are just before they walked up to the hotel trying to get Thomas's laces tied.



Ross had to take his kilt back to the shop this morning because he's lost so much weight. Four inches less in the waist! Brilliant, huh?
And there they go!




Tigg, Kyle's wife has taken her camera with her so hopefully there will be some wedding photos to follow.

Nairn April 14th

We set off from Banchory at about one. Two hours forty minutes was what the computer told me was the time it would take to get to Nairn but we weren't going directly there.
We had a stop to make in Brodie first. At the old Mill Inn. To witness the presentation of an award for the landlord from Camra . . .
I am now officially a face in Camera since my face appears in the official photo taken to commemorate the event!
Our plan - which we did indeed implement - was to have lunch there.
And what an unusual lunch it was - Scottish tapas! I'd never heard of such a thing before, but what a great idea! They came to the table on a cake stand - three tiers. Top tier - liver and bacon in gravy, middle tier - smoked haddock and pea risotto and bottom tier - wild mushrooms sautéed with onions tucked inside pancakes and topped with grilled cheese. Yum : )
Just like tapas elsewhere, you can eat as many as you like, but we knew we had a high calorie day in front of us so we stopped at three between us. Sometimes you just have to be sensible : (
And so onwards to Nairn. I had pocket sized memories of Nairn. You know the kind - they sit in your memory with just one scene but attached to an emotion - and Nairn was a very happy image of water and red sandstone.




So having booked into our wee hotel, we took a walk along the coastal route to the hotel we stayed in on our first visit.
Here we are. . .




This is the outside of the Golf View.




And here's the inside.
Ian says he remembers the swimming pool and leisure facilities while I remember sitting in the dining room, eating and drinking. Hmm. What to make of that?
After the hotel, we meandered further down memory lane and visited the Nairn golf club. No, nothing there triggered memories for me but Ian was happy to be photographed with the clubhouse in the background.




A few beers sampled and dinner eaten, we took ourselves to bed. Fresh air always makes me sleepy and we both had rosy cheeks from our walk . . . or was it the beer? : )
Today, we had breakfast and then took ourselves in the other direction along the coastal walk towards the harbour where we came across this life sized statue of a fishwife!




And enjoyed the blow as we walked out to the end of the pier.




After walking up into the town to get the Sunday papers we set off home.
First stop Brodie Country Fare for coffee.
Then on an impulse, Ian turned off at the entrance to Brodie Castle.
Too early for the tour, we sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine where we were joined by. Collie dog. It had been lying in the sun at the corner of the building but on seeing us sit down on the bench, it came over and plonked itself down beside Ian. There was no invitation to pat or stroke it. It didn't even look at us. It was as though it just wanted to enjoy the sun with like minded folk : )
Our last stop on the journey home was at Findhorn. Neither Ian nor I had ever been there before so we thought well, why not? We're in the vicinity!
And here it is. . .
















This last photo is the place where we had lunch. Fish chowder with bread from the Findhorn Community bakers. Let's put it this way, it was good bread but possibly a bit too much of a good chew. Our own Balmoral is more to my liking.
And so here I sit. It's now half past seven. We're going to have crackers and cheese for tea. Nice and simple!

Easter pictures. . .
Carole's Easter cheesecake is finally no more. Finished it today, when we got home from Uncle Dan's funeral. And it was delicious!

OK, so here goes. . .
Luca the artist creating his latest masterpiece, 'Doughnuts with Sprinkles'










Ross's skills honed at the coffee shop came in very handy as he acted as waiter and coffee maker : )



And Gary and Dad refused to create a jolly holiday photo for me so this is the best I could achieve without co-operation.