Its been a while

Since I had a chest infection.  I was fooling myself at days of struggling to breathe. Appetite reducing.  Last night high temperature.  This morning I started the antibiotics.

My eldest daughter and 3 grandsons departed.  Lovely to have them but ...!!!  Before they left they both chose one of my paintings.

T chose this one of a Bearded Tit.  Z chose a very large painting of a Mountain Hare in Summer fur.  Sorry no photo.

After lunch the DP drove me to the Prom.  I managed to get to the railings and do some fairly deep breathing while directing him to take photos.

The Gull Gang.

Right side of the bay.  Sand dunes with Tiger Hill being the largest.

Lots of Gannets who then dive like an arrow, disappear into the sea, and hopefully catch a fish to eat.  Very difficult to capture on the camera as they are so fast.

Fishing boat leaving the harbour.

Isnt this fantastic!  An ageing hippy and his wonderful campervan.

So cheered up.  And looking forward to a night of uninterrupted sleep, apart from the usual trip to the loo....

Ah - almost forgot.  At 8.30 this morning with kids screaming round the house I had a visit from a carer who had come to wash me.  Had to explain I was ill, not ready to be showered.  Plus I had asked for this to be done at 10 a.m. a time when, even without a chest infection, I come round.  The bath was full of kids bath toys.  No way this morning, plus I had not been told that someone would be coming!  She said she would tell 'the office' who would phone me re getting the attention/wash/ at 10 a.m. as requested.  I hope they do as they certainly never told me this person was coming.

Its been a while since I have been this confused!

Where do I begin?

Where do I begin?  At the beginning of course.  5.30 a.m. the wee one awakes.  Shouting.  He has just discovered his shout and kept on practising.  At 8 a.m. I gave up and got up.  

The DP, the daughter and the grandsons went off to do things while I remained to wait for me to come round.

They went to Aden Country Park.

There is also a Farming Museum.  Where you can see a real cow and milk a pretend cow.

Photos via the DP.

After a while I realised I had not seen Sith cat.  Cat is not allowed in upstairs bedrooms.  But grandchildren have to be reminded to close doors.  Could he be up there?  

First I checked the shedudio. Nope.  So stairs then.  Now I havent been up any stairs for two years.  But I did it.  No cat.

Garage.  The wind was really strong and aiming for the garage door.  I could not open it.

Next problem.  I phoned the DP - the phone rang - I heard it - it was on the kitchen table.  I then phoned the daughter.  No reply.  

I had wanted to go down to the Prom today.  But had also discovered the DP's car keys hanging on the hook.  So how was he going to get back in the house if I had gone out?

Decided not to go out.  Daughter rang back and said they would be back at about 3.30.  This was 2 p.m. So I went down to the shedudio and loaded the chariot up with bird food to feed the birds outside.

A shout.  They were back.  And had released Sith from the garage.  I collapsed.

A totally s***t day for me.......

I then did more on the clock.

And Sith Cat by my feet, safest place to be!

Calmer now.

The one who woke us all up this morning, bathed and soon to be bedded.

Wanting to do a high five with Grandma.  I did.

The end.

Family time.

Eldest daughter and her three sons arrived today, from Edinburgh.

It has rained and been windy all day.

So glad we have the Shedudio.

The weather forecast is better for tomorrow.  So hoping for some fresh air and fun.

I am, of course!, totally shattered.  

Wet.

Rain most welcome for many.  But it went and on.  I am really struggling to breathe.

Managed the Prom.  But stayed in the car.

Hence the blur through the rain.  Stair rods!

The Gull gang were over by the Dunes.

Earlier our stove installer had been to put chicken wire or similar at the top of the flue to prevent any more birds falling down it.  I cannot believe they chose to go down there.  

He said he had checked the stove before leaving.  But when I went down later, after my Prom visit, I released two Dunnocks.  

Not helped in the slightest by Sith Cat.  

Lets hope that is it now.

Eventually the sun came out and dried up all the rain.  Whether Incy Wincy Spider climbed up the spout again I know not.  

But we did have a Roe Deer in the Barley field over the fence.

Tomorrow we have a family visitation.  Hoping to have breath back.

Completely forgot!  The moon!

Last night was so wet, thundery and lightning by the time the DP managed to get photos the eclipse was over.  But still quite stunning, dont you agree.

Thunder and Lightning.

I am having to do this blog rather quickly.  Since the early hours of this morning we are experiencing thunder and lightning.  Interspersed during the day of extremely hot, hot, weather. Internet has been switched off to stop it blowing everything.

The thunder and lightning have returned this evening.  Our electric has gone off about three times but fortunately come back on fairly quickly, although one fuse has had to be replaced.  Plus we have had to find where we were on the programme we were watching, which was taped and we put back to the beginning.  Twice.

This picture was taken in Edinburgh earlier, but it is similar to what we have had.  Then the bangings of thunder, then the downpours of heavy rain.  But it is a bit cooler now, 9.44 p.m.  But still rumbling around.

Earlier.  The DP and I were at a meeting of the Fraserburgh Art Group, at Dalrymple Hall.  Planning the annual Visual Arts Exhibition.  So hot.  I did not even stop to go to the Prom on the way home.  All the parking spaces were filled anyway.

Into the shedudio.  I heard noises.  Opened the door to the woodburner.  Out flew 3 birds.

This is the first, which landed on the rafters, then out the door.  The second one came out onto the floor and then off.  The third one came out and straight out of the door.  My stove installer is coming tomorrow to net the gap.

Between the flue and the cap.

There is Sith cat waiting .

Not sure for what.  Global warming big time.  We have already and I really do not like it

Enough already.

So hot today I did not go out to the Prom.

I had my feet done by my Foot Health Practitioner.  Cut me toe nails and massaged some oil into me feet.  Not sure she is that impressed with me walking around barefoot.  But as I cannot get any shoes on, or even flip flops, I do not have a choice.

So to the  Shedudio.

We are providing lots of water around the garden for the birds, and anything else that need it.

And they do.  Plus the pleasure for us of watching them.

I now have four Oystercatchers on the Shedudio clock.  One more to do.  Still trying to work out  quite where to put it.  Then the whole thing has to have the background finished, then varnished, clock hands to be fitted and then up.

Outside is now totally pale grey.  No wind.  And still warm.  Tomorrow the forecast is for rain and later in the day thunder and lightning.  Really not enjoying this weather and fully expecting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Before that.  This was last night at Peterhead Scottish Week.  The Red Arrows.  And a seagull.  In perfect formation.

Photo by Paul Kennedy.  Ace capture.  Hope it makes you smile as it did me.

Can somebody turn the heat off?

It is cool now.  Evening all.  Last night, once the smoke had cleared, nature showed it can do mist far better.

And more beautiful.

Today was hot - again - and breezy - again.

I got to the Prom.  Got out of the car and to the railings.

Swimming, without a wet suit, in the North Sea.  Must be hot.

Fishing boat.  I got back in the car then , and came home.

More on the clock.

Hoping to get 5 Oystercatchers on the clock face, but there may be just a bum of the fifth!

The baby Robin or another visited.

As did a young Redpoll.

And a Willow Warbler.

Really likes the Angelica.

Tomorrow it will be hotter than today.  I have my foot lady at 2 p.m. so may give the Prom a miss.  Or go later.  Can't decide.  The heat which no-one can switch off has switched off my brain.

Thanks Vic - the yellow flower is indeed Coreopsis, one of a shed load of perennials I bought as plug plants and nursed them into the garden but forgot which was which despite labelling.....

Tuesday twittering.

Like everywhere else in the UK it is still hot.

So down the Prom where it is usually fresher and was.  Tide going out.

Home and the grass cutters had been.  Strimmed to death in some places.  Oh to get a proper gardener......

Into the Shedudio.  Looking out I could see what appeared to be mist.

Look through the trees.  The smoke filled the fields.  My neighbour across the road decides to burn things.  When some people might be out sunbathing, no not me, but neither the sun bathers, nor me with a lung problem, enjoys being swamped with lots of smoke.  So I had to close the doors of the Shedudio and got cross.

Later, having dinner, this bird flew in.

Remember our pair of Grey Patridges?  Well obviously they were successful as this is a young one.

And a young Robin.

Our garden is looking good , so long as you squint and ignore any weeds, of which there are many.

Ignore the football.

The 'centre' bed.

Hostas and  ? in the 'centre' bed.  

This messy looking thing is the work in progress and will be the Shedudio clock.  Ha ha.

Meanwhile the DP has been toing and froing to see a Sooty Tern, which is a very rare bird to these shores.

And at last there it is.  Black and white effort in amongst Black Headed Gulls.  Now losing Black heads as breeding season over.. B****y confusing isnt it.  

Thats Bird watching for you.

Good night.  Twitters over and out.