Project 365 - day 57

It was easier said than done trying to get a photo of Lightning that was in focus - little bugger doesn't sit still long enough!!! This is the boys remaining dwarf hamster after the demise of Nutty - but a perfect little pet cos there is minimal mess and doesn't have to be taken out for walks!!!!

Project 365 - day 56

I bought these magazines on Saturday but have been saving them for a quiet moment (what are they??) So I have sat down for half an hour this afternoon before the boys come home from school with a cup of tea and a toasted teacake - and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Project 365 - day 55

Today I have picked one of the photos I took for Shimelles Scrap Your Day album - our brief was expressions. So I managed to coerce the boys into a mini photo shoot in the garden to pull some funny faces. Callum didn't need asking twice.

Pancake Day

I had completely forgotten it was pancake day today until one of the girls at work produced a packet of them at tea break. I can't make them so we had to wait for Andy to get home from work. We all had a go at tossing the pancakes - although luckily my feeble attempt wasn't caught on camera!!





















My only disappointment was the lack of Jif lemons (the ones actually shaped like a little lemon) in Asda today - a bottle of lemon juice isn't quite the same!





















And as for the conversations with my Scottish friends today - these are proper pancakes (and not the foreign muck you describe them as!!!)

Project 365 - day 54

Today I have decided to resurrect an old hobby - knitting. Its been many years since I did any proper knitting (scarves don't count!) but this time round I have 2 online knitting coaches Tash and Sarah - and if I get in a real mess then Sarah is within driving distance to get me out of a tangle!!

I am starting small with a hot water bottle. I really wanted to do an aran one with lots of cables - but think I should keep it simple to begin with.

Gorgeous colours - muted browns and blues.

My boys - as different as chalk and cheese

Both wanted something to do yesterday afternoon - so Sam did some baking and Callum was let loose with a power tool.

Sam made a chocolate sponge using my new cake tins - and apart from flower and cocoa powder everywhere he made a good job of it - including cleaning out the bowl at the end!!









Callum got his hands on the power sander and helped Andy rejuvenate our picnic bench in the garden which is looking a bit tatty. Its like one of those picnic benches you find in parks - a huge solid thing that will last forever - hopefully.

Project 365 - day 53

A self portrait today! This is my new bathroom mirror (up until today I have had to keep going into the boys bathroom to put my make up on in the mornings) that Andy and Trippy spent ages putting up yesterday morning. Everywhere in this house had those energy saving light bulbs - great for our green credentials - but you can't see much as they give out as much light as a glowworm in a jam jar!! Its a clever little mirror too - it demists itself when you have a shower so no more trying to clear a bit so you can see yourself clearly.

Project 365 - day 52

An action shot from one of todays game - took my life in my hands standing on the touchline!!

Its Sunday - so it must mean rugby!!

Kinloss Kestrels hosted a mini rugby tournament today against Moray, Huntly and Merchiston. Callum enjoyed himself - as usual (well there was dirt involved!) His team won some and lost some and Callum nearly scored a try. He wore his new gloves - and his head guard stayed on for a while. Another pile of mucky kit to wash!!

Project 365 - day 51

Inverness Castle. A day out in Inverness today - mainly to watch some of the best squash players in Scotland compete at the Inverness Tennis and Squash Club - they were playing for their ranking and for possible selection into the Scottish team. It was a good chance for Sam to see how the game is played competitvely - and to have a chat with one of the top Scottish coaches. He seems more keen than ever - and has come home with his own racket, balls and the right footwear!!

Callum, not to be outdone, came home with a rugby headguard (to protect his wee little ears) and gloves - ready to take part in a local tournament tomorrow.

Stunning TV

I don't watch much TV and very rarely watch a film. I think I can count on one hand the shows that I am watching at the moment - Natures Great Events, Bill Connollys Journey to the end of the World, Masterchef and Grand Designs.

The photography on Natures Great Events is stunning - even more so on HD - will have to keep on buying the lottery tickets as I would love to travel to some of these places - Billy Connolly was in Nova Scotia this week - another place to add to my list!

Project 365 - day 50

We are followers of Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall and his Chicken Out campaign so when I was in Asda this evening (doing my first big shop since Christmas!) I had a laugh when I saw these happy eggs. Sam insists we only eat free range chicken and eggs - and in his words this means happy chickens and happy eggs! These chickens are a switched on bunch - they even have their own website www.thehappyegg.co.uk

Some crafting - at last

This little maze book is the first crafty thing I have made in my new craft room - and it is destined for one of my Chocolate Buttons team mates over on UKS for part of a swap we are doing. I used up lots of odds and ens - mostly Chatterbox papers - cos I just love those colours.

Now why when I now have my lovely little crafting space do I not have the slightest inclination to start a LO or make a card??????

Project 365 - day 49

It doesn't have a name or any fluffy animals sitting on the parcel shelf - but I love my car. Took this photo after I came out of the car wash - living in the middle of a building site it doesn't often look clean and shiny.

Project 365 - day 48

I don't normally allow the boys to have sweets like Skittles - not after the dentist telling me that they are amongst one of the worst sweets you can give you child as the sticky goo stays on their teeth for several days even with normal cleaning. But Callum arrived at the checkout in Tesco with these in his sticky little hand - and it was too late to change them. Hope he enjoyed them as I won't be buying him any more.

Project 365 - day 47

Not a pretty picture today - but it is relevant to me. I have had what I thought was a verruca on the ball of my foot for a few months, gradually becoming more and more painful and is now affecting the way I walk. Finally got round to making a doctors appointment (luckily all of us are relative strangers to the doctors surgery) only to be told it was a corn and I need to see a chiropodist. Quick trawl on the internet due to a lack of Yellow Pages in this house and now have an appointment for Thursday to get it removed - but think it might hurt my wallet more than my foot!!!

Project 365 - day 46

I lacking inspiration for today's photo - till I spotted my bear who sits on the edge of my desk - keeping an eye on me! He is called Fergus and he came from the Bear Factory - I have to keep a close eye on him otherwise he ends up in one of the boys bedrooms.

West Beach

For a change we went for a walk along the west beach at Lossie - its usually quieter than the main beach. It was chilly and certainly blew the cobwebs away. Callum took along the obligatory toy rifle and played at being a sniper along the coastal path.

A rare photo of me - not something you see very often as I prefer to be behind the camera. Andy even managed to get one of Sam and I which is a miracle as he really didn't want to pose for it.


Sam caught unawares!

Where did you get that hat??
These boots are made for walking.
A dramatic sky.

Project 365 - day 45

A discarded lobster pot on the beach this afternoon.

Child labour

After nearly falling over this morning after taking Sam to squash I asked Andy to clear some of the ice off the drive. Callum offered to lend a helping hand - he did offer to clear the whole drive but seeing we could comfortably fit about 6 cars out there I suggested he just clear enough for just the 2. Otherwise I had visions of him being out there for the rest of the day!

Project 365 - day 44

This is the valentines card I made for Andy - very quick and simple using the scrummy BG Bitterweet papers and a little silver chatm.

Happy Valentines Day

This is the Valentines email I received from Andy this morning courtesy of the BBC Breathing Places website. We don't really do hearts and flowers and "cute" but I thought this was funny!!!




We did exchange gifts this morning - but they weren't conventional ones. Andy bought me a cushion that I had been coveting from John Lewis - featuring Betsy Bird - and she now takes pride of place on the sofa in the sunroom.



And Andy got some plants to go in the sunroom - on the proviso that he has to look after them and talk to them!!!!






















Meet Cornelius the money tree - Sam chose the name!!






















Even the tags on the plants get in on the act!