join me for a week of pottering

I mentioned previously that I have a lot of annual leave left to take in a short time. We are not encouraged to take time off during term but the beauty of running online programmes is that my learning resources are ready well ahead of time and all communication coming from me can be written and scheduled on our online learning environment. I usually keep on top of urgent messages but I also have a couple of colleagues that can pick up the slack. I return the favour of course. I got leave approved and here I am, at the end of a joyful relaxing week at home. 

Let's start with Sunday, a quiet day with a dog walk and a late family lunch with Sammy, whom I haven't seen for a while. I always enjoy the company of my older children when they visit and this occasion was no exception. Sam is excited about exchanging contracts for his rented flat, which the landlord to sell. It is not in a great shape but having lived in it for two years, Sam knows what he is getting. The flat is a good deal as it needs some work. It probably hasn't seen a decorator since ca 1998. It is also in the up and coming Govanhill area, so a good investment. This is a vibrant neighbourhood, multicultural and still affordable. Those who gentrify urban areas (formerly known as hipsters, or maybe creatives) have moved into the neighbourhood and there are trendy cafes and bakeries and the local primary school was recently completely refurbished. It is still a bit rough around the edges but in that Glaswegian charming way that is so endearing.  Sam will pay less mortgage than rent, an additional bonus.

On Monday, Jack and I did our Saturday loop, a nice walk along the river Kelvin. I love walking with Jack and he was good; he did not roll around in decomposing rodents or fox poo, nor did he run away. Then I made a chickpea soup for my lunches this week. In the afternoon, I cut out fabric for a new denim jacket, a medium weight animal print. This took some time because there are a lot of pieces in a denim jacket. I have enough fabric left to make a new cushion cover for Jack's floor cushion that loves sleeping on next to Richard's desk. I went to ballet in the evening, an unset class because the studio is also on break. 

On Tuesday Jack and I drove up to St. Andrews to catch-up with Annie. I don't like driving much but it was uneventful and time passed quickly with BBC Radio 4 entertaining me. I picked Annie up at her house and we went to the beach for a long walk. Jack was beside himself because we found a stick. Not many of those on the beaches in St. Andrews. We went for lunch and a spot of shopping at Balgove Larder farm shop. It was warm enough to sit outside, with coats on! Then we strolled up and down the three main streets in St. Andrews (South Street, Main Street, North Street). I then helped Annie with her CV and a couple of internship applications and before driving home, we went for another lovely walk in the local woodlands. I really enjoy Annie's company. We talked about maybe volunteering for Floating Doctors in Panama together. We also talked about life and stuff and her upcoming trip to New Zealand via Paris and Shanghai (the cheapest route). I'll miss having Annie here at Christmas but I am excited for her to visit her Kiwi roommate, whom she spent a semester with in Bergen. 

On Wednesday, I felt lazy and spent some time listening to a book in bed, and IG scrolling. Richard and I went to B&Q for compost and topsoil and a new ironing board. James broke mine. Indeed! Upon our return, I unpacked the ironing board and I decided I couldn't use it because it was wobbly. I offered it to Sam, who wanted it but Richard was quicker with returning it. I started sewing my denim jacket using  the broken ironing board, which is not wobbly but can no longer be folded up, or have its height changed. This is essential because it lives in my office and an ironing board on Zoom calls does not give a professional vibe. I usually lower it to below visibility for work. I think it will have to go to Richard's work shop (the garage) for an attempt to fix the broken mechanism and bent steel rods. I then spent about an hour worrying about the overlocker thread colour to finish the seams. The best match was black but the animal print is dark brown and I felt annoyed. I very nearly bought four cones in a dark brown, on express delivery but thankfully, I got distracted. The denim is a printed fabric and the wrong side is entirely white, which strangely, I had failed to notice. So white overlocker thread was perfect. 

On Thursday, I had another lazy morning, then continued working on my denim jacket project. I walked to Byres Rd to get my steps in and ended up buying a pair of jeans and a warm green jumper in Oliver Bonas. The jeans were on sale, always a bonus and my current pair of jeans is worn through. I only ever have one pair on the go. I like denim with a small amount of elastane but it is not as durable as non-stretchy denim. There was a nice rainbow at the top of Byres Rd. Then I worked on my denim jacket project again. I had to dash out to John Lewis to get thread for the button holes, just before closing time. While there, I looked at ironing boards, which I was allowed to open the test for wobble. Not good. I then spent the entire evening sewing and catching up with ancient Star Trek episodes. I have seen those so many times that they make good background entertainment. 

On Friday my friend Jo and I went back to Fife, Dunfermline. We had planned to go to Culzean Castle in South Ayrshire but the forecast for the West of Scotland was for rain and strong winds and we headed East. We spent a few hours walking the paths in Pittencrieff Park, which was nice. The colours are beautiful just now. We had a picnic on a bench with a particularly good view. We also explored the town for a short while. It has some nice architecture but felt a bit neglected, like so many towns now. 

On Saturday, Jack and I went for a pleasant walk and then I indulged in a bacon/potato scone morning roll with ketchup. I attached the collar to my denim jacket and planted tulip bulbs in the big whiskey barrel planter. Richard replaced the soil for me (I am too lazy to do it myself) because this had not been done in a few years. The barrel is now covered in chicken wire to stop Ricky, the resident squirrel to dig the bulbs up. We left him some puny ones that were buried in the planter from previous years. He can also eat peanuts in the bird feeders. I harvested my three tiny quince. I also spent some time tidying up my blog reader list. Some I followed haven't posted since 2017 and it is probably fair to assume they won't come back. Others post regularly but there posts don't show up on my reading list. That is disappointing! If you have any tips, that would be great. If you have been wondering why I never comment, this might be the reason. On some blogs, I can't comment, or if I do, the comments don't show. I also found the spam folder, which contained quite a few comments that are not spam. I have published these all. I also accidentally washed my bone conduction headphones. Don't ask, a result of doing too many things at once. I noticed 15 minutes into the wash and retrieved the headphones. I hang them to dry over a radiator and to my delight, they still work. 

Back to Sunday.... I tidied and cleaned our tiny utility room which doubles as Richard dark room and beer brewing room. The clean laundry is sorted (but not tidied away). My walk took me to Queen Margaret Drive and back. I stayed dry but my hair is a mess. It is very stormy here today. 

 

I really really needed that break! I am already feeling a bit anxious about going back to work tomorrow... but it will be ok after a few days. 

Thank you for visiting 😊