Category: A Walk

A Day in the Toon – 5 May 2025

Posted on by Zogman

Not off the leash this time, but joining Scamp on a shopping spree.

Well, a shopping spree and a bit of window shopping too. Scamp wanted to look at interesting things, like Freezers (Brrr) and Fridges ( Just Cool). Me? I went looking for bottles of descaler for my coffee maker. I know it’s just about due a decoke, I just don’t know when, exactly, but it’s best to be ready for it when it occurs. I did have a look at a new coffee maker like Jamie’s, but the prices were just a little over the top.

I’d forgotten to take my sunglasses out of the car and was half way down Bucky Street when I realised. I thought I’d be able to buy a pair of clip-on shades now that I need a pair of distance glasses and also a pair of readers. A clip-on pair can be hot swapped across both pairs of specs although it’s a bit of a faff. Also I can flip up the clip-ons and give myself Mickey Mouse ears. Scamp always laughs at that. I’d have liked a pair of clip-ons, but nobody in the vicinity of Buchanan Galleries wanted to sell me a pair. Maybe they’ve gone out of fashion these days.

I got a couple of photos while I was wandering aimlessly down and around Buchanan Street. My favourite was a couple sitting eating ice lollies on the steps of the Galleries. That became PoD.

We drove home via Tiso where I was hoping to find a pair of trainers. Maybe found one pair of Scarpa trainers, but I was getting tired by that time and just wanted to get home. Maybe go back again toward the end of the week.

Spoke to Hazy for a while after we got home and heard about folk who can’t take a hint about over staying their welcome, even if they are distant relatives (not our side of the family, by the way) and that poor Tilly needs an expensive x-ray of her back legs.

Just had time to drive down to The Link to attend Kirsty’s dance class. Tonight was a full class. Six or seven couples gyrating in a Tango. We had missed last week, but enjoyed the class tonight. Some bits of it need cleaned up, but the general shape of the dance is ok. A much more compact routine than Stewart & Jane’s, but still with all the technical terms.

Tomorrow, Scamp is supposed to meet Isobel for coffee in the morning. I might go too.

May the Fourth be with you – 4 May 2025

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Just one of those days when we couldn’t wake up.

Eventually I opted to be the one who made breakfast, then after reading a new chapter in a very old Iain Banks book, Transition, a book I never read which I regret now, we rose and went to see what all the hullabaloo was, about with the Formula 1 sprint race in Miami.

It was actually quite an interesting race with crashes galore. Some of which were on the parade lap before the race even started. Admittedly, it was in the rain, but have these drivers never seen rain before?

With all the excitement finished for the morning, we watched Laura Kuenssberg rip a hole in Wes Streeting and Kemi Badenoch’s morning. Isn’t it great to see someone charge through politicians and get away with it? Don’t you sometimes think it would be good to do that too? It would brighten up any dull Sunday morning IMO.

Breakfast over, F1 GP over and politicians put in their place, I went out to plant two bags of potatoes. Can’t quite remember what they are, but they are purple skinned Arran something. If I remember, I’ll look the packet out tomorrow and tell you. I know you’ll all be dying to know!!

Dinner tonight was a tough steak for me with cauliflower and potatoes, but not Arran potatoes, and cauliflower with cheese sauce and potatoes for Scamp.

After that, I went for a walk in St Mo’s and got PoD which was some Hawthorn Flowers. Jimmy Mearns, my ex-headteacher once explained to me that the Scottish expression “Ne’er cast a cloot until May is out” had nothing to do with the month of May, but everything to do with the flowering of the May Blossom ie, Hawthorn Flowers. I’m not sure it really is the time to be casting cloots just now with the temperature local to us expected to reach 1ºc tonight. At least it’s not -1ºc.

No real plans for tomorrow, but Scamp wants to go shopping and I’m headed to the tip with a big bag of empty bottles to dispose of.

Remembering Dancin’ – 3 May 2025

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Today for the first time in ages, probably more than a month, we drove to Brookfield for a dance class.

Quite a big class. At least half a dozen couples ready to strut their stuff … and us, almost ready. Willing too, in as much as, willing the big hand to go round the clock one and a half times and set us free … or maybe that was just me. Ok, enough with the ellipses, lets get started.

We started with Scamp’s absolute favourite, the Tina Tango danced to Shivers by Ed Sheeran. That was us hooked. From there we went into a Foxtrot, not just any foxtrot, the Gershwin Foxtrot. The one we both liked. Much better that those chopped up foxtrots Jane invents in an attempt to make things ‘easier’. This was the full strength one with the “Continuous Hover Cross”. Don’t let anyone convince you that it’s a ‘lot less bovver with a Hover’. It isn’t, at least not with this one. However, after two lessons from Jane and one set of instructions from Stewart the whole thing was becoming possible. Not every time, but at least half the time. It’s a really elegant dance and one both of us like.

Next up was a Blue Angel which we first learned with Kirsty, in fact, one of the first things we learned from Kirsty. Now it’s just a wee easy dance, then it was very complicated.

Next was a Viennese Waltz. You know the one it’s just continuous spinning, first one way, then the other with a bit of straightening out to prevent the participants throwing up or spinning into a wall. What one of the dancers a long time ago called “A Burly Roon”!

We finished with a Mayfair Quickstep danced to “500 Miles” by The Proclaimers, which was appropriate because it felt like we’d danced 500 miles today!

Drove home and risked the lengthy roadworks at the Barrs factory, but we didn’t have to wait too long to get through, then we found a parking space outside the house. How convenient.

Scamp wanted part of the old blackcurrant bush chopped down, so I took a saw to it and cut out a fair chunk of the diseased bush. Hopefully that will open the bush to the air and possible encourage new growth. Later in the afternoon I planted three potatoes in the fancy two part pot. I’m intending to plant the remainder tomorrow or maybe Monday.

PoD went to a lovely pink Aquilegia flower I photographed, growing beside the path when I was going over to Condorrat to get dinner which was a Special Fish Supper with two Pickled Onions (one each).

No plans for tomorrow, but temperatures are set to fall. There is even a chance of snow in the north. Brrr!

The first of May – 1 May 2025

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We really should have been up early and washing our faces in the dew, but we’re probably beautiful enough and it would only make everyone else jealous!

Instead of an early morning face wash, Scamp drove over to the dentist for her six month checkup. I read more of Tainted Cup, a very twisted tale with the most complicatedly named cast I’ve ever seen. I wonder if Mr Bennett made up the names of all the places or if they have some meaning.

After a wash and brush up, it was time to go over to Glendale for the Tea Dance. Sitting with David and Carol and hearing about their adventures with their grandson from Kingston on Thames. In exchange we told them stories about the roads on Skye and the beautiful weather we’d had for almost a full week.

Dances were the usual mix of latin, sequence and ballroom and although we both struggled to get it right sometimes, for the most part we managed to cover the floor quite well.

Lengthy roadworks near the Barrs factory in Cumbersheugh meant a detour to Tesco on the way home to get dinner which was Bacon, Cabbage and Potatoes with Scamp swapping Black Pudding for Bacon. We’ll need to remember that if we’re going to Brookfield on Saturday.

I went for a walk round St Mo’s in the afternoon and got a photo of a wild flower that I couldn’t name, although I knew it. Finally I resorted to looking it up and it was a Plantain, but not the Plantain they have in Trinidad, the one they have in Scotland. Allegedly it is very effective at dealing with insect bites and stings. It is also much better than dock leaves to ease the discomfort of being stung by a stinging nettle too, but don’t quote on either of these remedies.

The Scottish Plantain made PoD, there being no competition for it here today. Note the bonus spider in the photo!

It was a fair bit cooler in the afternoon, compared to the last few days. The weather fairies were at pains to confirm that for the next day or two, the weather will stay cooler.  We’re just hoping for rain.

Scamp is hoping to get to FitSteps tomorrow and then I might go and collect my new glasses.

A day for sitting in the sun – 29 April 2025

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I did go for a walk today, but didn’t find any damselflies. There wasn’t really all that much to see, but it was good to be out in the sun.

Later in the afternoon I walked down to the shops to get some peas for Chicken & Pea Traybake for dinner. I also brought back a box of ice lollies, just for fun. Scamp and I had nothing much to do, so we sat in the front garden and enjoyed the sunshine and the lollies!

PoD was a dandelion with half its parachutes blown away. Spreading the seeds for next year’s flowers.

Got a strange message from Adobe, telling me I had some illegal software on my iMac. I can’t see how that could be, since I have a subscription. Must investigate.

No plans for tomorrow, although Scamp has a lunch date with Annette.

Gettin’ New Glessies

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Off to Larky to get my eyes tested. Just a normal routine eye check.

I was a wee bit apprehensive about having my eyes checked after being told the during my last test that I was borderline for being able to drive. However, that was before Mr Sharma gave me the two magic bottles and instructed me with “This Bottle ONCE a day. This Other Bottle TWICE a day … This Bottle ONCE a day. This Other …”
Y’see Mr S, I did remember it. Your repetition method worked for me!

I needn’t have worried though, it was Euan doing the testing and I trusted him. As it turned out he hadn’t met Mr S, face to face, only corresponding through emails. Lucky man.

Long story short, I did need glasses, actually two pairs of glasses, one for reading and one pair for distance. At Scamp’s insistence, I ordered scratch resistant lenses! They should be ready tomorrow, or by Wednesday at the latest.

I couldn’t see well enough to drive after the eye dilation drops Euan had used and although it wasn’t really bright sun outside, I was glad I’d remembered to pack a pair of sunglasses. Because of the drops, Scamp had to drive us to Brookside garden centre on the outskirts of Larky. Just outside the wall if you know what that means! A flat white of decent coffee and a roll ’n’ link sausage for me, a latte and a roll ’n’ scrambled egg for Scamp. Now that we were fed and watered, we went for a walk round the plants and magically we walked out of the shop with a big box full of roses and other flowers. How that happened, I do not know.

I felt happy enough with my eyes, so I drove back home Scamp got busy planting all the new stuff we’d bought and I put my boots on and walked over to St Mo’s. I managed to get a Large Red damselfly. My first this year and unusually early in the season. It was earmarked for PoD, but was beaten to the line by a wee Amber Snail. Tiny thing. It was crawling down a blade of the now sprouting Flag Iris plants that abound behind St Mo’s school. The iris leaves are an almost luminous green in the spring.

It’s Monday and that means Pasta. Today’s pasta was Carbonara, and it was a good one. Plenty of taste from chopped up bacon and lots of Parmesan in the sauce.

Scamp’s smart watch is proving to be less intelligent than its name and has been playing up for a while. Now it seems that Google who now own the license are closing down the FitBit side of things completely, so she’s looking for a new watch. I’ve made suggestions, but she really wants to see what she’s buying, which makes perfect sense. We may go looking later in the week.

No plans for tomorrow.

Your own bed – 27 April 2025

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There’s nothing like it.

This was a day for catching up. I feel I’ve been harnessed to this keyboard since I woke up yesterday. Organising, copying and pasting. There must be an easier way to do this, but I can’t find it tonight.

The furthest I went today was a walk around St Mo’s, once the rain had e stopped, and the only photos I got that were worth posting were of a wee black fly sitting on a branch of gorse. I think it was the pretty yellow flowers that drew me to it. Anyway, that was PoD

Dinner tonight was a slice of salmon each, pan fried with a few peas, carrots and potatoes. (No tomatoes, Scamp!).

A bit Thank You to Scamp for planning the previous week’s holiday and for coaxing me into it. (I didn’t really need very much coaxing!)

Tomorrow I’m booked to see the Optician in Larky. Oh what fun!

It Rained! – 26 April 2025

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The last day of the holiday and it rained.

We amended yesterday’s plan and drove down through Glencoe to the Green Welly at Tyndrum. Stopped there for a late breakfast / early lunch in the restaurant. Scamp had a Roll ’n’ Scrambled Eggs and I had a Roll ’n’ Sausage – Lorne sausage to be precise. Both were rated excellent. Mine was thick and cooked medium rare, just the way I make it myself. Obviously a classically trained chef, like myself. Then it was back in the car and on into the rain again.

I remember a teacher at school telling us how he always drove through Glencoe with the Speed Limiter set to just below the legal limit because near the ski lift there are so many places for polis cars to hide. With that in mind I did the same today and found it’s much better than having Cruise Control. I’ve never liked the SL, but today it worked for me. I think CC works for motorways, but SL is better for normal roads.

After driving at a maximum speed of 50mph, when we reached the M9 motorway it felt illegal to be travelling at 70mph! It was a drag of a run down from the Green Welly. Not a lot you can do but keep in the tyre tracks of the car in front. At least Glencoe has an interesting backdrop.

Today there was the Devil o’ the Highlands Footrace, a challenging 42-mile trail ultramarathon along the West Highland Way in Scotland, from Tyndrum to Fort William. The race features a scenic route with 6,500 feet of ascent, mostly on trail. At least that’s what it says on the Running Life blurb. I don’t have a clue what all that means. Scamp watched them running their races while I tried to keep the Wee Blue Car on the black and between the white lines.

PoD was a last look over the Caledonian canal to the Nevis Range. Hopefully we’ll be back again, some day.

Things I’ll remember:

  • The number of bends from Crianlarich to Callander.
  • How slow it is to to drive at 20mph through Callander.
  • How scenic Scotland is when there’s nowhere to stop and take a photo.
  • How miserable it is to drive in drizzle
  • How good a roll ’n’ sausage or a roll ‘n’ egg is when you’ve had nothing since yesterday.
  • How great the feeling is to come home to a warm house.

 

The start of the long drive home – 25 April 2025

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A great week of weather and family had almost come to an end. Jaki had brought Grian to say bye-bye before we left. One last wave from the end of the drive and we were off. Heading south on a cooler day than the last ones, but probably better for that. Scamp filmed the hoards at Store and I tried to avoid most of the potholes. You can never avoid them all, but if you miss the majority, you’re doing well.

PoD was a photo of Ben Nevis from Neptune’s Staircase.

Things I’ll remember from today:

  • Feeling that summer was over when the clouds rolled in.
  • Filling the tank at Portree almost to overflowing.
  • The drive over the Skye Bridge, feeling like we were flying.
  • Climbing up the hill after Cluanie with no cars in front of us.
  • Going out for a walk up Neptune’s Ladder with Scamp before dinner.
  • Disappointment with the Chicken Tikka Masala served to us by what might have been an Indian family.
  • Wishing I’d had Scamp’s Fish ’n’ Chips!

Tomorrow we are intending to have breakfast in Morrisons, do some shopping in Fort William and driving home.

 

Is this summer? – 24 April 2025

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It certainly feels like it. Long may it continue, but the weather fairies say the weekend may be wet. We’ll see, they’ve been wrong before.

Today we decided on a less stressful morning. I quite fancied driving a couple miles north to Loch Langaig. It’s more like a lochan, than a loch. It sits high above the road and collects water from the surrounding hills then passes it through some gentle falls down to the sea. It’s position muffles the noise of passing traffic with only the sound of the burn breaking the silence

When we got there, today, a girl was erecting a bell tent beside the loch. Then she started carrying seats, tables, a cake tin and a bottle of champagne. I wandered off to look for possible photo opportunities round the other side of the loch. While I was away, the girl told Scamp that she was building a picnic for a couple who had been married today at daybreak on Quiraing. She asked Scamp if she was “ ‘One of the ‘Easterhouse Girls’ ” I could imagine Scamp’s hackles rising and her replying “Provanhall, if you don’t mind!!” However, Scamp kept her cool and Alex, the girl, explained that she knew Jackie.

While I was off scouting out potential photos two French (?) blokes appeared one with a camera taking the same photo you see here, the PoD. I won that game, because I had already taken the shot and I had a bigger camera. They wandered off round the loch and started climbing up to the rock face at the top.

Then the wedding party arrived. Man in a suit and lady in a floaty white dress followed by a photographer who beat both the French bloke and me, because he was toting about four cameras on various slings over his shoulders. Some folk just like to show off.

At that point, we headed back to the house because we were going to Hungry Gull for lunch; Scamp, Jackie, Murd, Jaki, Mairi and me. Star attraction though, was Grian the smiling boy. Food was great and the draft Spidermonkey IPA I had was lovely, and so was the Kombucha drink Scamp had.

With lunch over we went back to sit in the sun in the little sunspot at the house. Soaking up every last minute of a busy, but also relaxing day. While we were there, I say the first two swallows this year! I’d already heard the first cuckoo earlier in the week.

Tomorrow we’re homeward bound.