It's supposed to be spring!

As forecast, today is bleak and freezing cold! The sun was out this morning, but we only had to step outside to walk up to our Saturday morning breakfast to know that the second cold front is almost here. It's Grand final day (Australian Rules Football, folks) in Melbourne, and the weather will be lousy. Snow down to 500 metres, rain, hail and wind. two days ago it was in the high twenties (Centigrade) and we were in short sleeves. We were in Melbourne, and yesterday morning when we ventured out to catch a tram, it had rained and as we sat on the tram there was an almighty crack of thunder and down it came. Ah, raincoats in our case back at our accommodation! Things were being set up for the AFL football parade. Normally players sit in the backs of utes or sporty cars but they were inside this time. We weren't interested as our team didn't make it to the Grand final.
Tomorrow is my Mum's birthday. She would have been 88. I still miss her.
Here's a piccie of her from the 1970s.

Spring is in the air at last!

Spring really is in the air.  It's going to warm up towards the end of the week. We will be in Melbourne for a couple of days which will constitute our 'holiday' for this term break. Oh well. Before we know it we'll be into term 4 and rushing towards the end of the year. We are hanging off making any bookings for our UK trip next year until I get the go-ahead for my long service. Don't you love bureaucracy? In the meantime I've juiced (with the help of Laird Peter) a pile of our lovely limes and we've frozen some as iceblocks, I've cleaned out cupboards in the bathroom and I've washed a large collection of old plain pillowslips to use with my students. It's a good drying day.Nice to do those sorts of jobs.
Enjoying a sit down and have been chatting to a friend who is in hospital in Ballarat. Isn't technology wonderful?

September is almost over and officially it will be the end of the Highland Titles blog competition. I enjoy doing my blog, and will be continuing it. I don't get to do it as much as I'd like, but it is nice to do and to reflect on what's going on.

I might finish this one with a pic. Haven't got a lot, but let's see...

A Sisters' Lunch

The weather is trying to decide whether it's still winter or should it be spring. Nice to go out though. I had lunch today with my two sisters - something we don't do often - nice to be girly and talk about girly stuff. We had good food and coffee then went for a bit of retail therapy. Inevitably we ended up in a dress shop where things were 50% off so of course we all bought something!

Last night we saw one of Gryff Rhys Jones' programs on Rivers. Just happened to be on the River Tay in lovely old Scotland. Ahhhh!
It was filmed in autumn and the colours were glorious. We're just under twelve months off our trip to the UK, where we will be spending more time in Scotland, and of course visiting our wee plots! There are always programs on TV to tempt us further and if you read this blog regularly, you'll know that I spend a lot of time writing 'AAAAAHHHH!'

Gosh, it's already September and nearly holidays. Oh to be in Scotland now! (midges and all).

Almost time for Milo and a good sleep

We are busy making plans for our UK trip next year. It might be twelve months off, but we are happiest when planning where to go and what to do. We've already booked some accommodation in Scotland, including two weeks in Edinburgh, during the August festivals, and a place not far from Fort William, which will allow us to visit many places, including our wee plots in Glencoe Wood. Maps are endlessly fascinating, as are using google maps with street views. A friend recently took part in the Sting in Stirling, an incredible adventure race in which teams ride, run, canoe, climb, canyon and scramble over five days of competition. We were able to keep an eye on his progress, through the incredible website, and also through the dear old facebook. Sometimes our modern forms of communication are really sensational. Of course, the incredible views and footage of Scotland made us really homesick. Yes, I said homesick.

Life is as usual challenging, interesting, exciting and never boring. There are lots of things happening, and Spring is nearly upon us. Well, I must stop here, but with promise of more reflections about the places we yearn to return to.

Let me get a cuppa and I'll tell you something

Had a lovely weekend in Melbourne with friends, going out for coffee and cake, lunch, the theatre and a movie. Since being home again, watched a program called Three Men go to Scotland - the Welshman, the Cornishman and the Irishman - and oh what views of lovely Scotland! Worth watching: http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/24970
Apart from wonderful seaviews and aerial views of Mull, Skye and the Small Isles, the trio's visit to Fingal's Cave set my heart racing. The aerial views also took in the country where we have our precious little plots, and we can hardly wait to get there!

Even the shots of the Caledonian McBrayne ferry got us going. We spent a lovely day on one visiting Rhum, Eigg and Muck, and even saw some dolphins close up. We then got back on the ferry at Mallaig and did the crossing to Skye. Ahhh, the Cuillins!

Nearly time for a Milo

The evening is fast becoming night-time and therefore nearly time for a Milo. I have a lovely pic of my Mum-in-law Monnie beside my computer. It was taken at her 90th birthday last year.

The funeral was on Thursday, and it brought many family members together. The weather was fine, but very cold. Many words spoken about Mum's faith and belief in people and her boundless love. I managed to stand and read my small eulogy (with Peter beside me) and felt good about doing it.

Today we visited Dad, then went for a visit to the graveside in the sunshine.
Mixed feelings there, having Mum in a grave - so different from being able to spread/place my parents' ashes in places they loved. Saw a doco tonight about Orkney, and the amazing archaeological dig there. So much to think about. Neil Oliver presented the program, and we were truly transfixed.

Now, for that Milo...

In memory of two mums

The holidays are over, we went to Orange, had a lovely time. But all the time we were away Peter's' Mum was in hospital, slipping quietly from us. When we arrived home and went to see her, she was asleep and had been sleeping peacefully for a couple of days. We visited her again last Wednesday morning, saying our usual soft goodbyes and stroking her hair. In the late evening neither of us wanted to go to bed, instead staying up to watch the Tour de France. The phone call came just after 12.30. When we saw Mum, she looked just the same: peaceful and relaxed in deep sleep.

We are so thankful that she didn't suffer. I think I said in my last post that she was 92. She was 91. She had been married for nearly 69 years. She loved her family - everyone - without limit or prejudice. Long ago, Monnie and my Mum were very close friends. Their friendship remained over the years, occasionally declared afresh by the giving of bears, especially angel bears. A little Eileen angel bear watched over Mum before she died.

Love you Mums.