frayed at the edge

Blowing away the cobwebs!

The rain finally stopped and the sun came out, although it is still very windy (but we don't mind, as it is helping to dry us out!!)  I went for a walk after lunch and by the time I got back home, the cobwebs had been well and truly blown away!!  Everything looked clean and sparkly after so much rain and I took lots of photos. I am keeping some of them for Sunday as they are good Shadow Shots, but here is a selection of the others ......

 

a clean and fluffy sheep after all the rain!!

 

 

the Minto Hills in the sunshine

 

 

Ruberslaw, also bathed in sun

 

 

I know you've seen it before, but I love this tree!!

 

 

the damp conditions are ideal for mushrooms!

 

 

the rose on the pergola refuses to believe that it's winter!

 

When I got home, I took off my boots at the back door, and as I walked through to the kitchen to make a reviving mug of hot chocolate ......

 

oh the embarrassment - a hole in the toe of my sock!!

 

Tomorrow, we will gather with family and friends to say our last goodbyes to Malcolm's Dad.  Of course there will be lots of tears, but I am sure there will be laughter as well, when we talk of our memories ... like the time I was demolishing a cupboard for him, to allow for new central heating to be installed.  When a batten on the wall proved to be somewhat stubborn to remove, I did what any sensible person would do ... I hit it very hard with a large hammer!!  He laughed about the day for years!!  I just want to say a last thankyou to everyone who left comments or e-mailed.  It is a comfort at such a sad time to know that so many people have been thinking of us.

 

 

 

 

Thank goodness for archives!

We have been away all day, helping with the arrangements for Malcolm's Dad's funeral, so I haven't taken any photos.

So. it was into the archives for some photos of a walk round Hawick two weeks ago, when the sun was shining!!

 

this may look like part of a French chateau, but it is the Town Hall

 

 

I have no idea why this anvil is here!

 

 

abandoned steps down to the river

 

 

we got back home to discover these two beauties had moved into the field across the road - they have been entertaining us with their antics!

 

It's raining again!!

The weather really has been miserable, and one of the casualties was my bird table, which was blown over and suffered abroken leg.  This little robin was very unhappy this morning, as he can't quite manage to use the fat-ball feeder!!

 

 

This afternoon, however, was considerably brighter (except for the pouring rain!), when I went down to Chesters for the Christmas Fair.  First stop was at Lindsay's stall

 

can't tell you what I bought (it's for Malcolm's Christmas!)

 

 

Fiona's lovely felted things (again, I can't tell you what I bought!)

 

 

Alison's lovely kitchen accessories - I bought a towel to match the chef's pad that I bought from her at the last Woolgathering

 

 

Janet and her wonderful fabric creations

 

 

gorgeous jewellery from 'Beautiful Beaders'

 

 

Lorraine with her delicious Christmas goodies - beautifully iced cakes, jams, chutneys ..... and her award winning speciality, marzipan petit fours.  I don't like marzipan, which has presented a problem in the past when it comes to decorating the Christmas cake, but that has been now been solved!  I only put icing on the cake, then put the lovely marzipan fruits on the top, so that Malcolm can have some marzipan with his cake.  Did you notice the crutches beside Lorraine?  She went over on her ankle last week and has damaged the ligaments in her foot - which is a bit of a hindrance at this busy time of year!!

Hope to see you tomorrow for Shadow Shot Sunday - but after the weather of the last few days, I think it will be some archive shots!!

 

Does anyone know where Noah is .....

..... because we could do with building another ark!!  We have had rain, rain and more rain, and although we haven't been as badly hit as some towns, there has been some flooding.  I took these photos this morning, when the river had gone back down quite a bit, but some of them show just how high the water got.

 

the river here is feet deep, where it is usually just inches deep

 

 

these trees are normally at the water's edge

 

 

if you look at the centre of the photo, you can see debris caught under the bridge

 

 

there is a small island under these trees!!

 

 

you can see the line on the bank where the river reached its highest level

 

 

this is a large tree trunk, jammed against the bridge

 

 

the noise of the water rushing past is frightening

 

But of course it's Friday, which must mean it's time for Annette's latest masterpiece!!

yes, it was as delicious as it looks!!

 

Finally, we just want to say a very big thankyou to everyone who has left comments and sent e-mails.  There have been tears reading them, but there has also been laughter - Malcolm hadn't ever thought of his Dad as a handsome man, but of course he thinks so now, when several people also said he looks like his Dad!!

Have a good weekend, love, Anne

 

What a beautiful baby .....

...... and Mia is gorgeous too!!  Yes, I know you can't really call a six-foot tall young man a baby - but he will always be my baby!!  Emma took these photos last night when Stuart called in to give Mia her quilt and shawl and forwarded them today so that I could pop them on the blog

 

Stuart, Mia and cute quilt

 

 

Stuart, Mia and her shawl

 

 

the two gorgeous babies!!

 

 

Sad, sad news

Malcolm's Dad passed away late last night.  Malcolm was with him at the end.  I thought I would share some photos of happier days......

 

 

 

 
 
 

Many, many thanks ....

...... to everyone for all the kind words for Malcolm - it means a lot to him to know that so many people are thinking of him.  He went down to Ashington first thing this morning and is staying overnight in the hospital with his Dad, who unfortunately is still very, very ill.  Malcolm and I had a chat last night about writing about his Dad, and we came to the conclusion that I would tell you what was happening, but I won't say much more for the moment - we just didn't want you to think that I was posting my usual nonsense regardless of the turmoil in our lives.

So ..... I didn't go with Malcolm today as I had a major appointment at the dentist!  I know, it's all been going on for months, but another two appointments and it should all be over - but then comes the real pain - the BILL.  I took the opportunity of a day in the house to get on with domestic things - doing the ironing (my least favourite job) and cooking for the freezer - I still have a big pot of bolognese simmering!! 

During the day, I had an awful thought - when I did the post about the sticky toffee cake, I had a whole packet of butter in the photo - but I didn't say how much to use!  Please don't put in the whole packet - I used about 60g.  I have now amended the post - I just had the most awful vision of people melting a whole packet of butter.....

Of course, I have still been knitting, and the first little Christmas gnome is taking shape

 

I'll finish his beard tonight, and get started on number two - I think I will do him in green!

Stuart was planning to visit baby Mia tonight, so hopefully he will phone later with a full report!!
 

Bad news

Hi everyone

Just a short note to let you know that we have spent the day visiting Malcolm's Dad in hospital.  He is very poorly indeed.

Love, Anne

Colour in the sky

Yesterday morning there was a wonderful rainbow in front of the house.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get far enough back to get all of it in one photo!  (I suppose I could have climbed the fence into the field behind the house and run up the hill .....)

the left hand side

the right hand side

the centre!

 

This afternoon, there was a dramatic sunset .....

...... but this isn't it, this is the reflection of the sunset on the clouds in the east .....

....... this is the sunset!!

 
 
 
 
 

Cute baby quilt warning!!

Get ready to say awww - the baby quilt is finished!!

 

There was some feverish sewing after dinner last night, so that it would be ready for Stuart to give to Emma (along with the shawl) when he goes to see baby Mia next week.  He had some photos to show me - she is absolutely gorgeous, with a fantastic head of dark hair!  Watching while I stitched was Stuart's amazing fish, Charlie - he posed beautifully when he saw the camera!

 

Today I shopped...... but not quite until I dropped!!  Of course before indulging in a serious bout of Christmas shopping, you need the have a decent breakfast, which can mean only one thing - a trip to Aromas for possibly the best bacon roll in the world..  You can see a photo of the last one I had (and read about my last trip to Falkirk) here ( you'll have to read almost to the end of the post before you see the bacon roll - but it's worth it!!) 

After a successful bout of retail therapy, I headed off for lunch at yet another garden centre (delicious cream of broccoli and sweet potato soup), stopping along the way in the town of Bo'ness to take this photo of two very famous bridges

 

You can just make out the Forth Road Bridge (to the left of the lamppost), with the Rail Bridge behind it.  Next time I go up to see Stuart, I will have to make sure I have time to go along to South Queensferry for better photos.

To finish, I have some photos which I took yesterday when I was at the Falkirk Wheel.  Outside the Visitor Centre, there were some large lumps of rock ...... but then I looked more closely ......

I was going to say which one is my favourite - but I can't decide!!