Picturesque Stobo Castle

The famously advertised Scottish Spa destination:

The monogrammed luxurious bath robe:

The Japanese water gardens well worth visiting:

Autumnal Stobo:

Above are some of the photos I took whilst on walkabout on the grounds of Stobo Castle - The Japanese Water Garden. Blissfully full of vibrant nature - Sooo Stobo.

Stobo Castle Treatment Oct 2009

Lounging around waiting to be called for our treatment sessions:

Breakfast time:

En route in our Stobo dressing gowns:

Evening time:

Oooh heck!!

I've been extremely busy since I passed my driving test plus having little spates of 'lost mojo' etc in the last couple of months. You crafty people will know what I am on about!! Having lost my mojo, has meant I haven't really been spending much time online either - not like me at all. I'm the woman who feels one of her limbs have been chopped off whenever I haven't had my daily internet fix. Hopefully my mojo is starting to creep back a wee bit.

Up until about 4 weeks ago, I'd not really had much opportunity over the last couple of months to put my new driving skills to practice. It had been 4 weeks following the passing of my driving test that I eventually managed to get out and drive the Mondeo of all cars. I must have taken my bravery tablets that morning cos it went from bad to worse on that maiden journey completely finished off with someone who overtook me at the entrance of the car park!! I had stopped to let the school kids cross the entrance as they had the 'right of way' only I hadn't moved fast enough for another female motorist who assumed wrongly that I had indicated to park up on the left which was all wrong as I knew I would have been too close to the car park entrance. It could only happen to me - if I didn't have any bad luck, I'd definitely have no luck at all LOL!! It would be another 4 weeks before I got to drive over a couple of days whilst the car was in the garage getting fixed.

So not too great a start to my driving career and a painful excess of £400 to fork out.

I've done it!!!!!

On Monday 24th August, 2009 - I sat my driving test and passed - YAY!!! It still hasn't sunk in - only due to the fact I haven't been able to drive at all :o( for the moment. I am gutted to say the least. Hubby enquired about getting me on the insurance to drive the Ford Mondeo we have and apparently even at my age [39 - gulp!], it is still quite a bit expensive to get me on the insurance - he fell at that first hurdle. I am not a happy camper! Even if I did get on the insurance, I feel it is just too big for me to drive in - I'm not quite 5 foot tall and to me this is quite a big car!! Hubby's 6 ft 3"

We also have a SORN Ford Escort sitting in the driveway. This I have had to push my hubby into getting sorted for me. Yesterday he actually got the bonnet open and charged up the battery! Today he started it up and it started 1st time apparently. That sounds promising or does it? LOL. Stewart says there is a lot of work needed to be done on it to get it back on the road. I'm kinda wishing I'd just saved up to buy a wee jalopy now cos it'll winter time before I'll probs get round to driving. I've been learning to drive since March this year so he's had plenty of time to tinker about on it - quite a sore point I've had to raise with him!

Anyways - you are never too old to learn to drive!!

Back to School

In our district, the kids returned to school yesterday. I think the kids were definitely ready for school with having the long school holidays [though appreciate the teachers won't agree LOL!!]. Marianne's now in 6th year, that's my son, now moved up to the big school, and Ali is now in P6. Where has the time gone?

Singstar vs Guitar Hero

Me:

Suzanne and Kerryanne:

Margaret and Karen:

Lauren, Margaret in middle [only just] and Sean:

Kerryanne and Christine:

Jude and Alan:

Fee V:

Cara Playing GH and Darren:

Ali playing Guitar Hero:

I had decided at the very last minute to have a get-together with friends and family before the kids went back to school. A wee social evening really. A few friends/rellies hadn't really been able to make it mostly due to it being such short notice - they were most definitely missed. It was a really good night anyway - with the entertainment being Singstar or Guitar Hero - what a hoot!! I seem to sing okay without the mikes - you know the sort of singing - the kind you do when preparing the dinner etc LOL!!! The minute I am on Singstar - skinned cat and screeches can only define my singing LOL - I was brave and so were the audience!!

Some 3x3 Notelets made

Just a few wee 3x3 notelet cards I've been making over last night and today at a leisurely pace ;o) More details here.

Discoveries

Yep it really is after 1 am where I am at the moment!! This evening I had intended to do something crafty seeing as I have the table set up - I just did NOT get round to it! Why?! I thought I'd look through my folders in my 'favourites' on AOL - quite jumbled up I think. The short of it is, I've sifted through what I've wanted to keep, came across some broken links for some of the websites and some websites no longer exist LOL!!! That's how long ago I've probably actually used those websites. I've tweaked this blog a bit and sorted out a photography list, a downloads list for templates and ideas, quotes and verses list etc. I even came across blogs recently added to my favourites and now transferred them on to my follow list or blog list in the margin. It's been time consuming I hadn't even realised the time!! Discovering lots of bookmarked sites I want to keep, discovering lots of sites no longer in use, discovering internet housekeeping can be time consuming.

Anyways, another discovery I've made today along with the help of my eldest daughter and 1 of her best friends. Marianne had apparently asked me on a few occasions in the past whether I knew her chum's dad. She tried to describe him and I hadn't 'clicked' and said I didn't know of anyone to that description. Sunday night Marianne's friend stayed over. On Monday we got talking later on in the day and again Marianne said I should know her friend's dad as he worked in the Blood Transfusion Service. I had replied that it would depend when he worked there as I had left that employment a good few years ago! It wasn't until her friend said he was still working there and said his name. I about fell off my seat with shock and laughter LOL!!! YES!! I do indeed know her dad - in fact I had worked with him when I was a lab assistant and socialised on Christmas pub lunches etc!!! I even know her granny and grandad too!! I am already friends with said friend's mum whom I met through another friend and had even been to Stobo Castle with her!! Jeezo - a very small world indeed!!!

We humans are apparently separated by a distance of 8 people - at least that's what I recall - I would never have believed it in a month of Sundays LOL!!!

Holidaying in Aviemore - Friday

Tigress with cubs in background:

Ali looking particularly scared:

How beautiful?!:

Majestic deer out in the rainfall:

An arctic fox - tiny and fluffy!:

Wild boar:
Friday we went to the Highland Wildlife Park where we saw the new tiger cubs which were very cute but mum’s paws were huge!! Lots of other animals on site too. We were kinda gutted we missed the beaver as it had just gone into its hideout and never appeared again. The owls were magnificent. The arctic foxes look tiny and fluffy!! We went to the platform to see the wolves but didn’t see them. It wasn’t until we went round the main resort in the car when we saw them running about their enclosure just as we were about to exit the course! Again we finished off the day by having our dinner at the resort restaurant again. Bang goes weight watchers!

Holidaying in Aviemore - Thursday

In Carrbridge itself:

On Thursday we set off for the “Landmark” forest adventure park in Carrbridge just along the road from our lodge. Every time we’ve passed the park, the car park has been full to brimming and we hadn’t realised there was an over-flow car park to the rear of the premises. It was no different today as the adventure park was heaving with people again! We went on the tree-top trail, climbed the platform to see above the treetops and across a huge distance of land and forestry – amazing! There were plenty of activities for adults and children. Water slides, climbing. There are 2 large ‘arena’ type platforms complete with chutes to slide down. There are 2 suspension/tension climbing lines – 1 for a minimum height suitable for kiddies and the other suitable for the adults. People who took part in that were harnessed up and secured to a wire rope above them. Ali was desperate to go on the water slides so she went on with her dad and eventually with me – I can honestly say I am not all that keen on them - I screamed coming down the slide and then couldn’t stop laughing at the bottom of the slide which meant I couldn’t get out of the dinghy!

2 of 3 water slides:

[you can just about see Stewart and Ali between the slide and the dinghy ramp]

The viewing platform high up above the trees:

Big Stewart on the suspension/tension climber:

Yay - wee Stewart on same activity as his dad:

Ali coming down the tame slide in the 'playpark' area:

We entered “Micro World” which was okay but may have been far better had the magnifying glasses and some of the exhibits/microscope ‘slides’ were in top condition – most were all scratched and difficult to see and some of the equipment either wasn’t working or secure as it should have been. The ‘slides’ for the microscopes should have been secure and still be able to be turned to see under magnification.

We finished off the day by having dinner at the restaurant at the resort which was delicious. The kids eventually managed to get access to the tennis court as every time they wanted to use it, it was already occupied. The entertainment was from a chap who was apparently a “runner up” in “Stars in their Eyes” from tv. He was okay, not as good as the previous evening’s entertainment. I personally felt he was trying to sound all American with his singing.