Op +2 days

 I didn't do much this morning...tidied up the kitchen after marmalade making...I usually clear up every night to have a fresh start in the morning....but....

I did steam clean the kitchen floor....always a good idea after preserving!! And did our small bathroom floor too because..well, can't waste all that steam!!   And push the carpet sweeper round the living room.

Down to the garage to check with Davey about the car..it needs a wheel bearing, which he can do next week. He is up to his ears this week, so it is good he could check what needed doing and how urgent it is.

Then off on the bus again to see Pirate. I was lucky to catch the bus as it went up to the next smaller village..saved me standing on a cold and windy pavement for at least twenty minutes! Then back down and over to the hospital.

He hadn't been feeling too good this morning...you can't expect a constant improvement and it is early days..but was out in his chair. So a positive.

It is great that the staff like chatting to him ( and vice versa!) and he has a place that he can people watch all that is going on! 

Now he has his books, a Cycling Weekly magazine and a book of poems that his younger daughter published...and I have a list of what is needed tomorrow.

Off on the bus again, into town...and I am looking for more good signs...

Scotch Pies anyone😎?!

A walk over to Lidl for some bits and bobs... keeping up the exercise as it must be nearly 1 km...then back home on the bus.

I haven't done much since getting back home..but you can't dash around every day!  

Clear morning

 

Look between the houses and in the distance you can see the Clyde. Then on the right in the distance you can see the steam from the paper factory near Irvine.

That photo was taken with my tablet..the other one I took with the phone..

Near enough, but interesting.

 

The phone is different as it has three different lenses I think it is, and of course a more up to date brain! I like looking at them on the larger tablet though, easier to spot details.

We went to Glasgow yesterday for Pirate's hour on the Velodrome and the roads and fields were snow free until we reached the point where we leave the A77 by Ayr. 

Then the footpath had snow and the roads clear until where the bus route leaves our road, 100 metres from our door. Dry powdery snow. No more fell overnight but it is cold.

Time ...

 One jeans patch done, two more pairs to save from their doom!!

This has taken an hour....enough time for sitting. I enjoyed the hand work though.

That was after doing the washing up and a bit of tidying and sorting..preceded by half an hour on Duolingo.

It would be so easy to sit here all day!!

I was hoping for a little more sunshine after a break in proceedings yesterday afternoon, but we are back to rain and wind.

Nevertheless it is time to venture out!!

There is paint for the workshop on the shopping list and delivering the huge suitcase filled with surplus clothes and bedding to a charity/"op"  shop.  I think Shelter Scotland, as all over the world people need homes and help.

Unfortunately this means using the car...but as I haven't used it for a week it probably is a good idea to give it a run. I don't want it sulking when I do need it!!

Using the car also means making a list and a route plan to save time and fuel.

I like going by bus, but carrying heavy things to and from town, plus the fact that it would take several different buses in and out of town in various directions to the edge means that the car has won the day.  Shops moving out of town has a lot to answer for. Yes it takes car and lorry traffic out of the centre, but it also kills the centre, and all the closed shops in many towns evidences that.

Getting on with it

 

The delivery arrived...how he managed to get the ton bag and two small pallets of slabs down perfectly in the 40+ mph gusty winds I don't know!

 Very skillful.

I have been listing more items on Etsy...my work this time.

The red dumpy candlestick is on, the small biscuit jar..for small biscuits?!..will go on tomorrow.  Just like fleabay, little and often works better than a huge number at once.

This afternoon we had a birthday present to send to a friend, so that was the first job on a trip to Ayr. Then banking followed by a cuppa in our favourite bookshop...and  an up to date map..and a book of course!

A quick hop to a local supermarket for food shopping and then fuel from Sainsbugs....£1.48 a litre, not so bad as some places.  We decided that from now on we will shop more often and travel by bus as we won't be able to carry so much. We have been doing a main shop once every fortnight..but that is only possible when using the car.

So unless we have a journey that has to be done by car, bus it will be...and bike once more pleasant weather arrives.   It certainly hasn't been pleasant for the past couple of days. Strong and gusty cold winds with rain sleet and hail.

Tomorrow we have bricklaying and oggin spreading to do... hopefully there will be pictures!!

What we saw....

 On the way to stay with youngest son, The carpenter and family.

And, of course, there were three of them......how they got through some of the villages on the A76 I don't know!!

We arrived safely, very tired after nearly 400 miles....but happy...and well greeted by all including Frank The Dog....who is not supposed to be up.....

Too busy!

Guess what...I'm wallpapering...in the kitchen!! 
The paint used in April was not right, although it did need to be lighter there.
I've picked up a bargain in paper, tiles, MDF windowsills for shelves in the shallow cupboard and on one wall.
The idea is to have a tidy,sorted,kitchen and storecupboards.   if a son,or two,will be coming to house-sit, they have to be able to find things,and have room to use them!

Meanwhile the gales are roaring outside, and North West Scotland has had up to 95 mm of rain in a  couple of hours. Luckily we haven't had quite that much, but there are plenty of flooded fields around here.
We haven't been able to finish the lawns we've promised to do...which has given us a little more time..but on the other hand getting work done in our own garden has been a problem!  Garlic is in, but the beans and onion sets still await dry weather...which we are promised tomorrow.

We're working on keeping the car legal before we go, if not completely mended..this is taking even more time out of each day.

Arrangements have been made for our camper car for our first two months of travel, internal flights bought....
Its beginning to feel real....

and on...

I haven't taken many photos on this trip..and when I did I found that I hadn't brought the right lead to get them on here.

The tour has continued, to Yeovil for one short night...too short...but we'll return.
The road to Bristol led through Street. There we found a very interesting cider barn thanks to the potter I caught up with.
It was a worthwhile visit.
Much kiln advice, perry bought and his verdict on the Pirate ? "He's a good 'un"

On to Bristol for a couple of days of dog walking with more family, on to Warwickshire for yet more.
At least today we've had a gentle ride around the lanes between Henley in Arden and Alcester,before tomorrow's journey back to Scotland.

carrying on...

Saw friends in Epsom, staying with rellies in Kent...now for foraging damsons and a bike ride on flat roads...before we head off west....pictures will wait!

car t.l.c. and ideals

We took the car over to the garage that used to care for my old 405 estate...
They don't mind working on old cars, they listen...and they talk to me as well, not just the Pirate!! After all,it is my car.....

It's getting a secondhand rear axle ("beam") as it has rather sick bearings on one side. Apparently its a known fault of psa vehicles like mine..I'd hoped that The Oily One would have been able to do it, as he knows how to recondition and replace the offending bits, but time hasn't allowed that. The bearing worsened so also I wasn't going to drive it 400 miles to get it done, even though we will be heading south soon anyway.

As we delivered the car two days early...they're going to start work on it tomorrow!!

Back to bus travel, no complaints. I much prefer to use public transport whenever possible, if not bike or foot.  Luckily we can go by bus for free in Scotland, both of us being 60+ years old...however going to see family is a problem as the car works out cheapest financially.
Ideally one lives near enough to family...but which bit?!! and why would we ever leave Scotland????

celebrations ,the wanderer returns

He's back from Brisbane and Noosaville !

We went far a walk...now, after supper the Pirate has "crashed"..working on getting his body clock to Scots time rather than Oz time.

packing

Pirate is busy packing his bike for a month's trip to Brisbane...he has been gifted a ticket to go with a friend.
They'll stay with friends of Vic for awhile, and visit others who'll never travel again..so perhaps the last chance..

The kiln shed is practically done, and one of my jobs this next month is to clear out non-workshop stuff from the workshop....as well as 1001 other things...

snow..and slow progress

 So long as it is safe to travel next week...and hopefully our coughs/colds will be gone as well...not what we needed before a long journey.

The boiler has been serviced and a neighbour will be keeping an eye on the house. So all will be well.

 The centre panel of Woodchip's quilt is done

I don't think I'll be able to finish and quilt it before we head off.