Return

 

A return to drawing...wheat and barley.

Not easy after a break.

The weather is back to cold wet and windy..so I am kicking my heels around the house. 

So many things to do, yet I want to get the next Celebration done first, on the 21st of this month... July already...

I have written cards to a couple of old friends of Pirate's...one we stayed with in NZ the other an old workmate in California who used to live in Ayrshire.  Plus a card to the widow of a workmate of his..he lived five miles away from here and I'm glad I called past them a little while after Pirate died.  He was a lifetime smoker of cigarettes and it was obvious then that he was seriously ill and failing. 

This afternoon I get the second one of the two part shingles jag. I reacted to the first a little, which was ok...you don't want no reaction as you need to know that your body is working against something "foreign"...but you don't want over-reaction either.  It isn't a "live" immunisation which is good. Once you've had chicken pox the virus sits there in your system until you get over stressed. I had it 45 years ago and I don't need anything like that again!!

Return journey to Scotland

 

The Long White Clouds from above

That was our liftoff from Christchurch....

We didn't want to leave....but you can't overstay then return, so we had to.

Next stop Brisbane airport for a four hour wait.

Beautifully airy..not oppressive atall

I am not sure what the sculptures represent exactly..must ask our Brisbane friends...Pirate was gutted that having a stopover there wasn't possible

These are lovely!!

Glad we weren't there initially when it was busy

The sunset colours were fabulous....but the only way to capture that anywhere near closely was to photograph the side wall!..Imagine the sky that darker sandy orange...

Then, luckily with a seat at the front of a block..so more legroom...over 13 hours to Dubai...no photos from then on as no window seat and / or daylight!

We arrived in Glasgow to a dreich welcome....cold and wet....but at least the three bus rides were done with little waiting and over by mid afternoon.

24 hours total in the air. 8 hours waiting around before and during. ½ hour car journey before. 1 hour queuing to get out through security, then at last fresh air and 2½ hours bus home. 

Total 36 hours to get 24 hours ahead!!.....time travel!!!

Taking the Nojetlag tablets really worked.   Within two days my body clock had synchronised... Pirate's took a little longer...

Now we have to sort his medical problems.....it might not be very good news, but with past treatment he has had ten years of life that he wouldn't have had and we have had ten good years extra together.

Our house sitter has stayed on to help with sorting workshop and garden, thankfully and we are giving them a chance to finish fitting out their van conversion here. Self designed and constructed.

We had decent weather yesterday and much shuffling of wood happened, and I cleared the site for the pallet constructed compost bins. 

It isn't getting on with gardening weather..more wind rain and cold forecast for a week at least..but it is all looking in the right direction.