First, I have to say that Malcolm thought of today's title (thank you, dear!). We left here early on Saturday morning to travel up to Stirlingshire. When we got to Stuart and Alison's they were out, so Malcolm dropped me off and went to buy the deck boards and screws. I was sitting in the garden reading the paper and enjoying the sunshine when Stuart arrived home, having dropped Alison off at the hairdressers. I then had a very strenuous day supervising the workers!
Malcolm took this scrap wood to make the legs of the deck
my supervisory station
ready to start
the framework being made
the first boards in place
Alison came home from the hairdressers, and took me for a walk to see a pair of swans and their cygnets
back home the boys were working hard
by the end of the afternoon, they had done enough for the table and chairs to be put on the deck
Stuart suggested that I take a photo from upstairs, and I was just in time to catch Malcolm having a very well deserved beer
leaving Malcolm to tidy up, Stuart headed to the kitchen to make dinner ....... chicken wrapped in Parma ham on saffron and spinach risotto - delicious!!
on Sunday morning Alison went off the visit her Granny, and I walked to the shopping precinct to buy the papers. It was sad to see the McCowan's factory boarded up ......
....... before we moved here, we lived about a mile away from the factory (in the opposite direction to where S and A live) and there was always the wonderful smell of toffee in the air when you went past. I think the toffee is still being made by another firm, but I'm reluctant to try it, in case it doesn't taste as good as it did in my childhood. When I was in New Zealand in 2001, I saw some Highland toffee in a shop. I remarked to the young man serving me that it was made a mile from my home ....... he gave me one of those "so what" looks, but given that I was halfway round the world from home, I thought it was interesting! A new shopping precinct has been built since we left, complete with these two magnificent beasts
by the time I meandered back (just over an hour later!), the boys had almost finished
the last board was fitted in neatly round the fence posts
a final check that it was level
we brought this garden thermometer from Majorca for them
the perfect spot to read the Sunday papers
could there be a better way to celebrate the new deck than tucking into sconnage?
yes! This is Alison on the right, with their friends Fraser and Lynsey. They are drinking a very nice bottle of Australian sparkling wine, which I had bought for them when I went to the shops in the morning
back tomorrow with the sewing update ...... and donkeys!!
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