Summer snapshots - cycling to Rosemarkie beach

Cycling to Rosemarkie Beach - another summer snapshot.  It takes us only five minutes or so to get there......along quiet roads, past the golf course and campsite, with the sea in view all the way. 

Our silly Susie hasn't taken to running alongside the bike very readily.  She started off pretty convinced that the bike was out to attack her.  But after several more trips, and some patience and encouragement, she is steadily relaxing and beginning to enjoy the run.....and I can stop gritting my teeth.  I don't find it at all relaxing to have a reluctant dog beside me given that I'm shepherding the three older children and desperately trying to make sure I don't topple my bike with Katie on the back!  I think the perseverance is paying off though and I can see us making this trip often.  Katie and I walk along too Rosemarkie too, after the others have been safely escorted onto the school bus, but I think we'll cycle sometimes especially if we have less time and want to be sure that Susie has had a good run.

In other news, the sun has returned.  Not with quite so much heat behind it but it is certainly very welcome!  I hope you are enjoying a sunny Monday morning too!

Yellowcraig beach in haar

Yellowcraig beach in the haar - doesn't it look gloomy?  Actually, it wasn't so bad and, as usual, we all had a lovely time.  Our weekends are very precious just now as John is only home from Friday night until early Sunday early.  Gosh, it is good to see him when he gets home! 

In amongst all the many things being organised and sorted for moving we are trying to ensure the kids have lots of attention and time for us all to be together - life is a bit of a juggling act just now (I suppose it always is, only even more so at the moment) but we will hopefully be settled up north by mid June (either in our own house or a rental).  We're due to move out of here in less than three weeks...........sounds pretty scary when I put it like that!  My parents are a huge help and the kids and I will probably move in with them for a wee while before we all head up to the Black Isle.  We need a few more pieces to, hopefully, drop into place before we have firm plans.  I'm hoping I'll feel a bit more in control if and when those last bits of the puzzle are safely secured.  Fingers crossed and hold thumbs*.

Our Susie is one now and has grown into such a lovely dog.  She has a beautiful nature and can run all day - just what we were hoping for. We all really enjoy having her as part of our family - except perhaps poor Lily cat who doesn't get cross with Susie, so still gets chased.  It seems really unfair for Lily but I have no idea how to stop Susie - clearly a quick chase is a lot of fun.  And tips?

I'll try not to bother you too much with tales of moving but it is tricky not to mention it at all, it does take up rather a lot of my thoughts at the moment!  Thanks for bearing with me, and I do so much appreciate your comments and thoughts - they really do help.

* Hold thumbs - the South African version of fingers crossed, I always do both to be on the safe side!

A Husband's Boyfriend Hat

Following my success with the Giftie Slouchie Beanie I really wanted to knit another hat as soon as possible.  I had to bully poor John into looking at yarn and hat options with me - he really wasn't convinced that I could find a yarn that wouldn't make him itch (he's very sensitive, poor soul).  But I was hopeful (and determined!) that I would be able to find something soft enough - so that I could satisfy my knitting urge and hopefully make something that he'd like to wear.

We settled on Auarucania Puelo from Meadow Yarn.  John loved the variegated jade/royal/forest/denim colour-way and I was pretty sure that, being 100% llama, it would be very soft indeed.  I had imagined a more subtle colour than this (I was thinking of a rugged grey) but there's only so much persuading one can do with a husband who isn't convined of the merits of a handknit hat in the first place!  And, I did try to remember that he'd be the one wearing it (I hoped).

We went for the Boyfriend Hat, a free download from Ravelry. John asked that I make it deeper so that his ears would be well covered.  My first attempt was far too big and the actual knit felt too lose and not warm enough, not what I had been hoping for.  Next attempt I doubled the yarn and only cast on 70 stitches.  I knit for 7" before decreasing (rather than 5.5" in the pattern) - and it worked.  A hat that John likes, and will wear.  Doubling the yarn worked well - it is much thicker and chunkier and shows off the ribs better.  The yarn really is very beautiful and soft too - the very fact that John is happy to wear it means it must be very soft indeed.  Ravelled here.

And the rest of these photos are from a wee walk yesterday at my mum and dad's house (they are still in South Africa, but will be back in a couple of weeks.  It will be wonderful to see them again and to go back to just one dog!).  We went over for 36 hours just to have a break from the house and selling.  I had to pop back home for a viewing but it was still good to escape, walk and not think about whether the cats have been walking in the bath again (it is driving me nuts, I have had to add it to my list of things to do before a viewing.....check for muddy cat prints in the bath).  Two more viewings this afternoon.  We've only been on the market for 5 days so all is going well but I am thoroughly over the novelty already - and I suspect the dogs are going to get very fed-up of spending time in the car too.

I hope that you have had a lovely weekend and have had a chance to enjoy some sunshine too.

Me, Kate and Susie - on the beach

On Thursday I had just about the best weekday morning possible.  Katie and I walked the big kids to school, popped back home to collect the car and Susie and then set off for Gullane beach.  I had planned a wee walk and a play but we were having so much fun that it was well over two hours later that we made our way back to the car.  We started out with Katie in the backpack and went east along the beach and then around the headlands on the wee coastal path.  It was a mild (ish) day, with not much wind and I could have walked and walked.  Katie chatted and bounced and Susie ran and ran.  It would be hard not to have fun with those two for company.  Susie is a lovely wee dog - my mum calls her Scamp.  She has such a scruffy, happy, cheeky face, and personality, that Scamp suits her perfectly.  She's not dissimilar to Katie!

Much as I would have liked to have kept going we had to turn back in the end.  Once we were back on the beach Katie was freed from the backpack and had a marvelous time playing with Susie (they are such good friends) and playing in the sea.  Needless to say she finished completely soaked (actually, they both did!).  I ended up taking off most of her clothes and she had very soggy vest, socks and wellies by home time.  I did remember a change of clothes though, and a banana for each of us - sometimes being the fourth has it's benefits.....your mum, occasionally, remembers to be prepared!