Skywatch Friday

A chilly walk through Roseisle Forest and back along the beach to Burghead - past the old World War 2 sea defences.

Pop over to the Skywatch Friday blog to see more skies from around the world.

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

Something completely different this week with the autobiography of Glaswegian comedian Kevin Bridges - We Need To Talk About Kevin.

I am only about a third of the way into it and there are some laugh out loud parts and as you are reading it you can hear Kevin narrating in your head.

The comic autobiography of 2014

A comedian's autobiography?

I wonder if he's ever used humour to deflect from his insecurities?

To avoid being bullied?

Is there heartache behind the humour?

I wonder if he's a manic-depressive?

Tears of a clown?

Yes, all of that.

Discover the hilarious life-story of one of Britain's best-loved comedians in Kevin Bridges' brilliant memoir.

'First of all, I have never written a book before, you probably haven't either, so there we have it; a connection is established between reader and writer . . .'

Aged just 17, Kevin Bridges walked on stage for the first time in a Glasgow comedy club and brought the house down. He only had a five-minute set but in that short time he discovered that he really could earn a living from making people laugh.

Kevin began life as a shy, nerve-ridden school-boy, whose weekly highlights included a cake-bombing attack by the local youths. Reaching his teens, he followed his true calling as the class clown, and was soon after arrested for kidnapping Hugh Grant from his local cinema on a quiet Saturday night. This was a guy going somewhere - off the rails seeming most likely.

Kevin's trademark social commentary, sharp one-liners and laugh-out-loud humour blend with his reflections on his Glaswegian childhood and the journey he's taken to become one of the most-loved comedians of our time.

'. . . Hopefully now you'll take this over to the till and I can accompany you for the next wee while. That's the benefit of book shops, reading the little bit and then deciding if the author deserves to be part of your carefully selected 3 for 2 deal, or part of your plane journey, train journey, your next bath, your next shite.'

Please pop over to The Book Journey to see what everyone else is reading today.

New project

I did say at the start of the year I wouldn't start any new projects until I had finished some of my WIP (work in progress)

Well it appears I have the breaking strain of a fly as I bought the new Story Time Sampler from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. Again this is another year long stitch a long - I have still to finish last years Once Upon a Time stitch a long from last year (and I bought the Woodland sampler from the year before!)

My fabric is the gorgeous Moondust opalescent from Crafty Kitten and I am stitching in DMC thread - I would love to try out the variegated Weeks Dye works thread but they are too difficult to get hold of outside the US.

Skywatch Friday

We spent last weekend up in the Highlands - braving sub zero temperatures - to watch the Strathpuffer 24 hour mountain bike endurance event.

We watched brave (and slightly mad) souls battle the snow and ice along with their copious quantities of mud along with their inner demons to ride round an 11k course as many times as they could in 24 hours (which meant almost 17 hours of darkness!)

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed myself - and managed to see one of my heroes into the bargain (I took so many photos which I will share later.)

I do hope some of the riders enjoyed the stunning views on their way round - but I fear they may have been concentrating on staying upright more than anything.

Please pop over to Skywatch Friday to see more skies from around the world.

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

I have just spent an unexpected weekend away - up at Strathpeffer in the Highlands. A large part of the time was spent way up in the woods watching the Strathpuffer 10th annual 24 hour mountain bike endurance event (pics to follow) in the snow and ice. Luckily the cottage had a woodburner so we were toasty and warm at night - but no internet. This meant I had to get cosy with my kindle.

I finished The Blood of an Englishman by M C Beaton. I then read a short story which made me cry - Christmas Gifts at the Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond.

And I am now onto the 2nd of the Ivy Lane series with Ivy Lane : Summer by Cathy Bramley.

Shame I have to go back to work tomorrow.

Please pop over to The Book Journey to see what everyone else is reading today.

Skywatch Friday

I never get tired of walking the coastal footpaths around Moray.

Looking out from Cullen Beach and Bowfiddle Rock in Portknockie.

Please pop over to Skywatch Friday to see more skies from around the world.

What a difference a year makes

12 months ago I started running.

12 months ago I could hardly run a bath!

Tonight I ran over 6k - without stopping.

Maybe I could manage that 10k in 2015?

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

I finished The Woman Who Stole My Life last night - over 500 pages so it took me a while especially now I am back at work.

I am now reading the new Agatha Raisin book -  the 25th in the series -  The Blood Of An Englishman by M C Beaton. I do enjoy these quick reads especially after one of her earlier books was turned into a TV programme over Christmas.

Fee, fie, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman! Even though Agatha Raisin detests Christmas panto, her friend Mrs Bloxby, the vicar's wife, has persuaded her to support the local amateur dramatic society in their festive offering. Stifling a yawn at the production of Babes in the Wood, Agatha watches the local baker, playing the ogre, strut and threaten on stage until a trapdoor opens . . . followed by a scream and silence!

Surely this wasn't the way the scene was rehearsed? And when it turns out the baker has been murdered most horribly, Agatha puts her team of detectives on the case. They very soon discover more feuds and temperamental behaviour in amateur dramatics than in a professional stage show - and face more danger as they get too close to the killer . . .

Please pop over to The Book Journey to see what everyone else is reading today.

Skywatch Friday

I have been missing for a few weeks but plan to play along again in 2015.

Blue skies in January - and a walk along the coastal footpath at Cullen.

Please pop over to the Skywatch blog to see more skies from around the world.

I did it!!

Finally I reached my target and I am now stone lighter than I was years ago.

And was it difficult? Not really once my head was in the right place (and I was attending the right group) to motivate myself. In the words of Katie Hopkins (who does say a lot of awful things) "it is easier to sit of the sofa with your fat friends eating doughnuts that putting your trainers on to do some exercise"

So my motto for 2015 is "eat less and move more" Hopefully I can achieve this as my goal for 2015 is to run a 10k - gulp!

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

Back to work, normality and routine today - which means less reading time :(

I am reading The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes. I have been looking forward to reading this for ages.

One day, sitting in traffic, married Dublin mum Stella Sweeney attempts a good deed. The resulting car crash changes her life.

For she meets a man who wants her telephone number (for the insurance, it turns out). That's okay. She doesn't really like him much anyway (his Range Rover totally banjaxed her car).

But in this meeting is born the seed of something which will take Stella thousands of miles from her old life, turning an ordinary woman into a superstar, and, along the way, wrenching her whole family apart.

Is this all because of one ill-advised act of goodwill? Was meeting Mr Range Rover destiny or karma? Should she be grateful or hopping mad?

For the first time real, honest-to-goodness happiness is just within her reach. But is Stella Sweeney, Dublin housewife, ready to grasp it?

Please pop over to The Book Journey to see what everyone else is reading today.