Category: weather

Two go dancing – 9 July 2026

Posted on by Zogman

Today we drove to Glenburn for an hour or two’s dancing.

This was our first Tea Dance in about six weeks and we were rusty. Thankfully most other people were too or we may not have survived the comments. As it happened, we acquitted ourselves quite well. Not amazingly well, just enough.

I think we talked more than danced today, but most people were talking more than dancing. That’s what happens when you miss out on your dancing and struggle to remember what comes next in the sequence. At least, I felt that today. Of course, Scamp hardly put a foot wrong all afternoon.

We danced a few sequence dances and a few ballroom dances. No waltzes and certainly no quicksteps. We stayed for the entire class because the schools are on holiday for a month and the traffic is a lot lighter than usual, as a result. If nothing else, today was a good way of catching up with faces we knew.

I grabbed a few shots in the afternoon, mainly from the Schoolgirl rose in the front garden. It’s really past its best now, but it is still flowering. That made PoD. Scamp made a mixed salad for dinner with tuna chopped into it for some body. I was tested to see if I could spot the ingredients and I got them all with the exception of Oregano which was Scamp’s mystery addition. Of course, after she told me, all I could taste was the Oregano!

I have promised one of our neighbours that I’d keep her plants watered. The first couple of days were easy, because the constant rain did the job for me. Yesterday and today are different. The poor wee plants need all the liquid they can take, and that’s where I’m heading now, with a full watering can.

I need to see the vampires tomorrow to get bloods taken for my annual checkup. Oh what fun!

Portree and Buses – 3/4 July 2026

Posted on by Zogman

A mainly dry day with a few sprinkles of rain now and again.

I went for a walk “Round the Policies” as Colin C would say. I took some photos for a while. Later, in the afternoon, Jacki took us for a nice slow run around the top end of Skye and pointed out the changes that had been made in the two years since we’d been on Skye. It wasn’t just the slip that had been upgraded, the main port on Skye had been changed too.

After we reached the top of the island, Jacki drove us down to Portree on the much more drivable two lane road. She was going to meet a friend in the town and we were going for a coffee and a snack. We didn’t want too much because we knew we were going to The Gull later in the day. The coffee was a bit bitter for me and too strong for Scamp.

We were picked up by Jacki later in the afternoon and taken back up to Staffin. We got changed and met the family at The Gull and had a great night. To my delight The Gull sold Spidermonkey IPA. I’d had a couple of pints of it the last time we were on the island, but I limited myself to a pint and a half pint today. Mainly because my stomach was a bit upset. I blamed the bitter coffee for it. Certainly not the beer!

We watched the sun go down when we got back to The Cabin and started packing for the long drive tomorrow.

There wasn’t much to tell about the journey south. Except perhaps the fact that the driver looked very like one we’d met before, name of Popeye. I won’t say it was him bombing down to Fort William, but it did look like him.

The drivers changed at Fort William and I believe the new driver was Russian. Very aggressive stance, but with a soft side. He managed to squeeze a single girl on to the bus at Luss when it looked like she would be left behind and have to wait for an hour alone. Well done that man!

Got off the bus in Glasgow and walked round to the X3 stance and got that bus home, exhausted even if the hadn’t done anything but sit on our backsides for eight hours.

Would I do it again? I think I would. Scamp used my old ‘on ear’ headphones all the way down from Staffin and I was similarly wearing mine. I think we might get an offer of a stay-over some time in the winter, all being well. The Cabin is magical.

A room with a view – 2 July 2026

Posted on by Zogman

A much brighter day than yesterday. Still the occasional rain flurry, but just an all round better day.

We struggled with the fancy toaster cum baking oven cum roaster. A sort of jack of all trades orange box. Once we worked out where the bread went and how long we should toast it for, we managed three slices each of a wee loaf. I had blackcurrant jam on mine and it was delicious.

Later in the morning we walked round to Jackie and Murdo’s house and had lunch there and sat and talked for a while, enjoying the entertainment provided by Grian.

Murdo took me on a ‘spin’ to Staffin Slip. While he had a blether with one of his pals, I went for a walk and got some photos, mainly of sheep with their fleeces hanging off them. They didn’t seem to mind. Then I walked down the slip and got a few photos of the rusted cleats that could be used to tie up the boats. There were no boats hauled up today.

There were a lot of boats that had been hauled out and left in the boatyard for cleaning and repair. They were a good subject, but I didn’t want to linger. Murdo was waiting, patiently for me to finish and a lot of the workmen were getting ready to leave after a long day I’d guess.

I walked back to meet Murdo and found him, still talking with his pal. He suggested we should go for a longer drive, and I asked if he’d take me to Duntulm Castle, which he did. The castle is really a ruin on a promontory that sticks out into the sea. It’s a fair climb out to it and an easy one to slip from, so I was being careful. A cold wind was blowing in from the sea and I was glad to have it at my back when I walked back. After that we went back towards the house for dinner.

I got out early and went to photograph one of Murdo’s old rusted tractors, lying on the grass beside the path. They looked great and I was pleased with the photos.

After dinner, we were driven back to The Cabin and watched the sun go down. Just over 70 photos taken.

PoD went to a view from The Cabin.

No plans for tomorrow.

Four days on Skye – 1 July 2026

Posted on by Zogman

Day 1.

As you can see, it was raining when we reached Staffin, but the scenery was amazing, the light, equally good and the Cabin was pure excellence.

The day began with a taxi ride to Cumbersheugh Town Centre then a bus to Broxden, outside Perth to change buses to the Inverness bus. Then the long slog up to Inverness. A fairly comfortable run up all things considered and with us wearing his and her’s headphones we just watched the scenery slide by.

An hour or so in Inverness with enough time to grab a sandwich each and a cup of coffee. Scamp had been there before, but it was a long while since I’d trod the Inverness streets, so I went for a walk round the narrow streets of Inverness. When I returned the old diesel carriages had just pulled into the station and we settled into our seats. It was a single track for most of the journey east to Kyle of Lochalsh, and some lovely scenery. It would certainly have been better without the rain, but we weren’t caring. Eventually we reached Kyle and met Jackie, Jaki and Grian who wasn’t sure at all who these strangers were, but was fairly happy to put up with them for the run back to Skye and Civilisation.

In Skye we were dropped off outside The Cabin. We had had a look in the door about a year ago, when it was still being tidied up, but today it was fully fitted and we were given free rein to go wherever we wanted. What we did most was just sit on the two seater sofa and gaze admiringly out to Staffin Bay. Even in the rain it was elegant and almost unreal. It took me a long time to realise there was underfloor heating and fresh roasted and ground coffee. No expenses spared!

TBC.

 

A lazy start to a warm day – 28 June 2026

Posted on by Zogman

Not nearly as warm as it was down south.

The weather fairies had warned us of gusty winds and they were right. I think Scamp did two lots of washing, something that wouldn’t be allowed on a Sunday in stricter times. We didn’t go far. One of those occasions when a walk in the park was made more pleasant with a bit of a breeze.

I went for a walk in St Mo’s in the afternoon not really expecting any insect life in the winds and wasn’t surprised. What I did see was a snail crossing my path. It seemed to lose the grip on the dusty soil and rolled over its shell, then just continued on its way, as if nothing had happened. There’s a moral for us all there somewhere.

At lunch we watched Victoria Derbyshire go full “Laura K” of a couple of unsuspecting politicians. That was a nice line in sarcasm, Ms D! Laura would be proud of you.

We had a single chicken thigh in the fridge, but with the addition of a handful of prawns, some chicken stock and and a handful of rice I managed to stumble through the making of a Paella that really did taste good. My best for a long time.

We watched the Austrian GP in the early evening and saw some crazy driving. Not the most riveting race we’d ever seen, but it had its moments.

Spoke to Jamie in the evening and heard about the ‘heat wave’ they had been having down south, and were glad we had that cool breeze keeping our temperatures down. Even poor Vixen was looking for somewhere to lie low and cool down.

I’m hoping to get a lift to Glasgow to get my hair cut, if Scamp will run me to the station. Other than that, no great plans.

Dancin’ – 27 June 2026

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For the first time in ages, we drove through some busy traffic to go to the dance class in Brookfield.

There were only four couples taking part and the topics were mainly quite easy, easy enough for me to manage them. We started with House of Bamboo then the Feta Foxtrot, The Britannia Waltz, The Salsa Gibraltar (which was new to us and not a real salsa), the Electric Slide (which I ‘Elected’ not to take part in) and we finished up with the Bossa Nova. Quite a full dance card.

The heat in the hall was quite stifling for a while, even with the front door and back door open. The floor was a mess. It looked as if some folk had been dragging chairs and tables across it and leaving a bit of a mess. I’m sure the teachers will be putting in a complaint.

It as raining when we came out of the dance class. I was glad to have brought my rain jacket and Scamp had her umbrella. More busy traffic heading back to the city. It must be something to do with the school holidays starting. However, by taking a few shortcuts we managed to avoid a lot of the traffic.

The weather at home was quite clammy and generally uncomfortable. Hopefully tomorrow will bring a cooler breeze. Scamp was doing a bit of weeding in the afternoon and I took the opportunity to ask her how I needed to go about changing my old credit card for the new regime. The way she explained it, made it look simple. I expect it is in reality. I just need to put it into practice now.

I went for a walk in the afternoon and got a fair amount of photos. My favourite was a combination of three shots of wild geraniums, merged together in Photoshop. After a struggle, I got it working and it looks pretty good.

We have no plans for tomorrow as far as I know.

Weather & Friends – 26 June 2026

Posted on by Zogman

I said yesterday that were should expect ‘Thunderbolts and Lightning’. It arrived this morning.

I’d heard the rumbling in the morning and thought nothing of it because we often hear aircraft noise from Glasgow Airport which is quite nearby, but this morning the noise didn’t disappear, in fact it seemed to be getting louder. I didn’t actually see any Thunderbolts or Lightning, but the constant rumble of the the thunder coming and going wouldn’t let me get back to sleep. Then it appeared to go on its way and we heard no more … for a while. We had shopping to do and Scamp had lists to prepare, so we concentrated on that. We had guests today. John and Marion were coming to us for lunch which was the reason for the preparation.

It was a slightly cooler day than yesterday, but after we’d filled our shopping trolley, paid for it, driven back home and found places for it all to go, it didn’t feel all that cool. Scamp was in charge of the food today. I was doing the hoovering. Not so much skill involved, but a fair bit of work lifting rugs and moving the furniture as well as the hoovering.

By midday most of my work was done and although Scamp gave me an opportunity to have a half hour in St Mo’s if I wanted to cool down and get some photos, I didn’t really feel the need. I was sure I had a possible photo from yesterday that I could use, and that’s what I did. What I did want was a long cool shower and a chance to get out of my tee shirt which was sticking to me.

John and Marion arrived in the early afternoon and we had lots to talk about, especially our trip to the Queen Elizabeth hospital. There were children to talk about, young and old. There were photos to see. Where would we be now without mobile phones? Lunch came and went without any problems and we talked some more, although the thunder returned and brought buckets of torrential rain with it. Thankfully it didn’t last long. Then it was time for the visitors to leave and our time to start the cleaning up. The dishwasher did most of that work and we settled down to read for an hour or more.

PoD was yesterday’s photo I was re-using, of lunchtime outside the GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art) in Glasgow. We’ll let it be a secret between us. Nobody will know.

Tomorrow we return to dance classes and I know we’ll be jealous of the teachers’ tans after almost a month cruising the Mediterranean.

 

Out to meet a doctor – 25 June 2026

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Not just any old doctor, this was a consultant who worked in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

We had to be there for 10.00am this morning. To make sure we got there with some time to spare, we got a taxi from the house to the hospital. It made sense to us because we wouldn’t have to worry about connections and one less thing to worry about is a bonus.

He wanted to speak to Scamp, not me, although he was happy for me to be in the room. The last consultant we saw, in Dundee, was efficient, went through the tests and answered our questions.

Today’s consultant went into a lot more detail and explained everything we needed to know without talking in “Topsy and Tim” language but not using too much technical language. We had a chance at the end of his tests and note taking to ask questions and he answered everything well. We didn’t feel he was trying to bamboozle us which was a complaint we had about the Dundee doctor’s explanations. I think we both went away feeling much better about the whole thing.

A coffee in the visitors’ cafe helped us get things sorted out in our heads and also gave us time to discuss between ourselves what we thought of the morning.

The hospital is a beautiful building, but we were both amazed at how noisy it was. Maybe I should rephrase that to “The hospital will be a beautiful building once it’s finished” It made us wonder how staff could work in a hospital that felt as if it was still under construction. It’s 11 years old and still needs maintenance.

We got a bus from the the hospital to Glasgow Central Station which is looking a lot better than it did a couple of months ago. Than we wandered along to Paesano. Since I wasn’t driving, I could have the luxury of a glass of wine with my lunch, Scamp had Prosecco instead.

We walked up to Buchanan Street Bus Station and after a few minutes wait, our bus pulled in.

All together an interesting day. I think Scamp is feeling better about the whole thing and will be looking forward to see what is going to happen in the next month or so.

PoD is a view looking up to the ceiling of the hospital and hopefully will give you an idea of its complexity.

Tomorrow we are expecting John and Marion for lunch. According to the Weather Fairies, we should expect Thunder and Lightning (“Very, Very Frightening) too. Oh yes, and rain!

A Sunny Day – 24 June 2026

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Another day of blue skies that belied the heat that would come later.

Scamp was out at midday, meeting the witches. I don’’t know why we men can’t do the same thing. Cup of coffee and a blether just to set the world to rights. It shouldn’t be difficult, but apparently it is.

Later in the afternoon I did as I had told myself and drove up to Fannyside looking for some flying beasties, but there were none to be seen. There were, however, a herd of Highland Cattle in a field next to where I stopped. They really are scary beasts when you see them up close. Thankfully there was a strong fence and gate that separated them from me. I got a few photos of their shaggy faces and one of them made PoD.

As I was driving home, I got a message from Scamp, telling me that the Witches Coven had flown home on their broomsticks. That was perfect timing as I was just heading down the motorway and home.

By the time I got home, Scamp was already settled in the folding chairs in the garden, soaking up the rays. It was that time of day when the sun is sinking a bit, but the air is comfortable enough to wear Tee Shirt and Shorts. We sat in the garden discussing our day and making plans for what we should to the garden. As I’ve said before, we need to move some of the heat loving plants to the front garden and the ones who prefer shade, to the back. Scamp is an expert at this.

Tomorrow we are hoping to go to the Queen Elizabeth hospital to find out if they have any suggestions for a cure for Scamp’s problems.

 

It was a HOT one – 23 June 2026

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There was a blue sky with gentle mist running across the Campsie Fells this morning and that usually means it’s going to be hot.

And, it wasn’t wrong. The temperature was rising all morning with a great many warnings being issued to stay indoors if you can. That’s what we did after we’d opened all the windows..

Later in the afternoon, I drove down to Tesco to get some fruit and to pick up the meds for Scamp and myself. By then it was lunch time and we watched more horror stories splashed with red to impress upon us that it was going to be hot. We weren’t at the actual Red Warning and, spoiler, the temperature didn’t actually reach the Red Warning level. I think the weather fairies were a bit disappointed.

While Scamp was doing some washing, I was hanging pictures. About a year and a half ago we painted the bedroom and this was us just getting round to putting the paintings back up again. Sometimes life does seem to go quite slowly when you’re both retired!

Photos back in their places, I went for a walk in St Mo’s, looking for dragonflies because the heat really does bring them out. It was definitely Shorts and Tee Shirts weather. Got quite a few dragons soaking up some rays while Scamp sat in the garden and read. I was exhausted when I completed my usual circuit of the pond and a couple of beers helped cool us down.

In the evening and after dinner we took turns at watering the garden. One doing the front garden and the other doing the back. It’s a really relaxing task, watering the garden with a hose. Something to do with the susurration of the water hitting the leaves of the plants, I assume.

PoD went to a dragonfly which clung to a dried reed and stared straight at me, or at least that’s what it felt like. As is often the case with dragonflies, I wonder if it’s sizing me up or I’m sizing it up. I really don’t want to know the answer!!

Scamp’s hoping to go out with the Witches tomorrow. I may find somewhere calm to go.