Nae a bad day.

A sunny day!  Yes it was still breezy, but so good to see the sun.

My walk on the Prom .  This is much shorter than I have done before.  I do hope to make it longer when I am fully better!

The sea was wild.  Huge waves and the wind whipping up the surf.

The Surfers made the most of it.

Black Headed Gull having a paddle.

Redshank.

Back home.  The DP has a new friend.  This is Hoover.  A wild Pheasant.  A clever Pheasant.  As most Pheasants I have come across wait till a car is coming and then cross the road I have never applied the adjective intelligent to any of them.  But there you go!

Afternoon in the Shedudio as always.  Finished Black Headed Gulls.  Ongoing Grey Seal.

Evening, out of the Dining Room windows.  Beautiful evening.

Cait Sith giving me the look.  I am doing what I am told.  But not happy.  I like the chair without the blanket......

The DP is away at another photographic society - a competition.  Sith's routine has been upset.

I have been watching a taped Virginia Wood -with an invited celebrity audience -
with tears of laughter rolling down my face.  Interspersed with amusement how young the celebrities look, some of them dead now too.  She was brilliant.

Nae a bad day.

Mother Nature Triumphs again.

No more snow.  Bit frosty first thing.  Otherwise fine.

I must be getting better.  Instead of washing bits of me at the sink I managed to perch on the bath shelf and do the whole body in one go.  It did take me a while to get my breath back to normal......

This afternoon I was off to the Prom and got out of the car.

The high tides recently, wild seas and strong winds have reshaped the bay at Fraserburgh.

These rocks have now covered the beach where most of the pushchairs go down onto the beach.  No go now.

The sand has been moved onto and off Dunes.

Sand also on the grass areas .

The Gull Gang were paddling .

Do not often see Oystercatchers swimming, but these had no choice as the waves came in.

A more 'normal' picture (and one to paint!)

And a wee Redshank.

Back home and into the shedudio.

Sith cat who is a male by the way!  Watching the birds.  The sun is on him showing his 'rusty' bits.

A painting begun of Balaclava Bill, the Grey Seal, who lives in the harbour.  Well fed by the fishermen.  Yawning.

Nature provides us with such wonderful sights.

Technology again aaaargh.

Strikes again.  The DP and I eat in the evening at the dining table.  Very civilised.  He sets the table cooks the meal and serves it.  I open the wine and set up the music which tonight was sounds of the 70s or some such.  It started with John Lennon and Imagine.

At the end of the meal the DP was getting ready for his Photographic Society evening when the phone rang.  One of the daughters announcing that he was taking part in a group video thing on his phone.....which he had started?  He must have sat on the phone or more likely pressed something as he put it in his pocket....

Mike started a group video chat Mike joined the group video chat.

Emily joined the group video chat.

Emily joined the group call.

Group video chat has ended

Ignore dad, he's gone way beyond a pocket phonecall and pocket video called everyone.

We hope the rest of the daughters and their families did not hear our usual, " Got your phone, wallet, camera, something to write on, stick (for the computer) and car keys?"

Reply, "Will you stop telling me what to do? Where the f*** are my car keys?"

Which so reminded me of this.

A new series of Ladybird Books. Many of us who are around my age will remember these books which we shoved at our kids. This is for us!

This book is hilarious. But I do not want to spoil it for you - or the retailers/publishers who all want their cut. Please look out the whole range of the new Ladybird books. And enjoy. I am not on any commission....

What the DP and I actually did today was have lunch out. During which he got a message on his phone so after lunch we went to a field near where we live. Yes a field. Every year there are thousands of pink footed geese come to stay for the winter.

There are occasionally rarities in amongst them.

And this was it. White fronted goose. (White above the beak.)

I then went down the shedudio and painted.

I am playing about with canvasses. You have to prepare with a substance to take the watercolour, then varnish when its finished. But no framing costs involved so you can offer an original at far less. Yes there is still a lot of effort - how do you price that fellow artists? Here you see work in progress.

And a 'normal' watercolour painting of Oystercatchers and their reflections. Well thats the plan.

AA

Also work in progress.

No technology required.

New Year resolutions - bit late in actioning.

Finally got round to make telephone calls from a list made on the 1st January.  As you do.

Chimney Sweep.  Been trying for two, possibly three, years to get him to come and sweep the flue and clean the cowl on the woodburner.  Spoke to someone who knows their stuff but is miles away and can't come, but at least he told me.  So it was back to the one who hasnt got back to me in two, possibly three years  "I will get Alan to phone you in the next few days......."

Double glazing firms.  We need a new front door, replacement pane in a window and trims or whatever they are called.  These are wood. So its either a painter goes up a ladder, comes down shakes his head, or just get them redone in upvc.

Then the hospital to tell them not to ask me to come mid February for the cataract pre -op.  Tried on numerous occasions but I couldnt be connected as they are very busy.  Obviously I am not......

Hearing Aid Hospital.  Do they still want me to come and be assessed - no.  As I am having no problems - no.  Well, just remembering to put the damn things in is sometimes a problem.

A joiner, recommended by a friend, to come and quote for lining the shedudio.  Hopefully that will make it a proper studio where I can hang paintings.  Promised to phone me next week.

I was totally exhausted.  Gone are the days when I was a high flyer spending all day on the phone and telling people what to do.  But then I had a bit of authority - and a title.  Not just Mrs.

So I was glad to be out on my walk after lunch.

It was sooooooooooooo cold.  The railings and I got together like old friends.  Damaged lungs do not work when it is that cold.  So a mere .59 of a mile once more.  Few steps - and breathe.

The boats were swinging from one side to another as well.  So quite a breeze.

Leaning starboard.

Still the Redshank.

And today some Turnstones.

Here is a painting of some Turnstones I have on the drawing board.

Also on the drawing board a frequent garden visitor - Sparrowhawk.

And finally. A finished painting of a Hobby.  This bird landed on a boat way out in the North Sea for a rest, and was photographed by a crew member who is also a keen birdwatcher.  So I had a happy late afternoon. 

Tonight the wind is blowing and will become stronger overnight and during the day tomorrow. Plus heavy rain.  So no walk.

I am way overdue visiting one of my best mates who also mounts and frames my paintings.  So tomorrow thats where I am heading.

This will be after sorting out my gardener who is to remove a bush at the side of our parking space, laughingly called a drive.  I and many visitors including our oil delivery man have visible scars of what this Berberis can do.  I dont care that there is an old nest or two in there.  Thats why that was another phone call this morning to get the damn thing gone -now - before any bird thinks of nesting.

Rats - or mice?

For some time there has been a scrabbling in the wall cavities.

Sith our sole cat ( we have had up to 7 in a past life)

Who is now 13 and has always been a wimp takes little notice.  So there is no point shoving him into the cavity.

The scrabbling is usually around 5.45 p.m. and then 6.45 a.m.  The DP maintains that rats are nocturnal.  So last night we blocked the holes, when it was dark, that he found in the garage.  Then I panicked as I heard scrabbling in the sitting room, after the blocking of holes, so it obviously could not get out.  I detest rats but do not want it to die a lingering death, there is the smell.....

So we are not sure what to do next.  The DP wants me to get a Rentokil company or similar.  Huh.  We have got rid of rats before without paying. This was in a previous house.  But that did involve blocking every hole and then the DP killing with a 4x4 plank the one that appeared drinking out of a toilet in the early hours.  No more rats but the DP took a while to recover him being a pacifist.

Today I took myself off as the DP had done the same.  He was off North with a packed lunch.

I did my usual .67 of a mile on Fraserburgh prom.

No surfers today.

Low tide in the morning.  The Kessock Burn doing its own sculpting as it enters the North Sea.

And lots of sea birds having fun.

I had a delivery of some mugs for my shop (Buchan Birds and Beasts.)

These are done by Photoshop.  I get nothing from them - but they are an ace company.  My original paintings on to a mug which is dishwasher and microwave ok.

Did some painting.  So much to do.....

Then went back to the beach to chill.  Beautiful sunset reflected on to the beach and the real thing on the way home.  Makes you forget you are old, stiff, and have an infestation of some sort of rodent.

Now I am having a glass of wine.  And hoping all is silent from whatever it is.

Onward into 2017.

My first walk of 2017 was today.  I watched this fishing boat rocking and rolling as it advanced towards the harbour.  So windy !  In my back as I set off and then it dawned on me it would be in my face as I returned - tired.  So I turned before the full 59 of a mile.  But I missed the rain.  Which has crashed down since.

This is an aerial pic of the Path of Doom that I hope to walk every day.  The red dot is where I turn and go back.

Yesterday was strong wind, rain snow, hail and bitterly cold...

A whole set of weather advances and warns me not to venture out on New Years Day.

Our meal on New Years Day was superb.  Cooked and prepared by the DP and for once I had a pud.  Well who could resist Cranachan?

As I was incarcerated inside yesterday I finally got started on setting up my shop on my facebook page Buchan Birds and Beasts.  I had not realised quite how many paintings I had.  With being ill most of 2016 I had not managed to exhibit or have my own studio open days as part of North East Open Studios (NEOS). 

It takes quite a while to put up one virtual shelf in the shop.  I managed 7 paintings yesterday.  So I better get on and fill the next 'shelf' with a selection of sea bird paintings.