What are you all up to

WN a lovely sunny day here about 20C so perfect for doing  a bit of gardening and listening to the birds singing.

Kitchen cupboards are now been refreshed and look good and lighter in the kitchen as it is not a big kitchen just off the dining area but enough for us.

We have got a very warm Saturday to come but strong winds and storms from Sunday just as we are going to see friends who we have not seen for 5 weeks as the travelling restriction has now been lifted but still have the nightly curfew from 7pm to 6am but that will change over the next 6 weeks to 9pm and then 11pm then that will be lifted.

Do you feel France is improving on the Covid front RedKite, it's interesting to hear about the different systems and what you are able to do.

We're at home today, very strong winds but not too much rain...yet...

The snooker is on.....why did I think it was ending last night?! (I even asked hopefully who'd won...) 

Nice to see all the photos, at least people are getting out and about. We need to do some work in the garden this week, get plants in and sort things before we go away. Have agreed to open the garden next year so that will keep us on our toes, I'm pleased to have something to aim for as well.

Yesterday should have been the Setter Rescue walk, sadly, cancelled again this year. It would have been a perfect day for it too - warm and dry for most of the day though a coolish breeze in the late afternoon.

So we did our own "solo" sponsored walk  along Long Dale and Gratton Dale - 8 miles with a fabulous stopping off point for a picnic lunch.

Started disastrously though - when we got to the start of the walk we discovered that "I" had left Ralph's lead back in the cottage  - so that meant driving there and back again, luckily not too far to get it. Definitely wouldn't be risking him off lead with all that livestock around.

Along the walk route there were various rock carvings - the one with the two faces was inscribed with that William Blake quote about "to see the world in a grain of sand ...." . Not quite sure if there was any particular relevance to its position at Dale End?

And today,  at least this afternoon, true to Madame Kirkwood's prediction, has been truly awful with heavy rain and very strong winds. But we planned to get out early walking direct from the cottage and had a very pleasant walk through the next village, Elton, and across to the rock formations known as Robin Hood's stride - the legend is that he could straddle the two rocks, though they're actually 15 metres apart!

Got back just before the worst of the rain started so time to catch up on a bit of reading I think.

WN - hopefully there will be some more good weather later in the week so please don't feel too guilty! 

Lovely photos moulesy. Glad you are having a good time despite the weather.

That’s us home now after a wonderful first trip out this year. Got packed up and the van hooked on this morning just before the rain started getting heavy but the tow home wasn’t the most relaxing terrible conditions lots of spray and surface water on the road and constant heavy rain plus the section of road between Killin and Callander isn’t the best for towing it is narrow and twisty in parts and was made worse today with the rain. Also had a bit of scare when I realised that the car had used more diesel on the way home than usual probably because we were going a lot slower anyway got to our usual petrol station just off the M77 when the mileage gauge was saying we had 5 miles left but it was so busy we couldn’t get in and had to go to the next one 8 miles further on got there and the mileage gauge was reading zero miles left got in just in time and filled up. SWMBO was not happy as she did tell me yesterday to fill up and I said there was no need so the last 20 mins of our journey was in complete silence she is just about talking to me now but lesson learned. Got the van back in it’s space in the drive but got absolutely soaked can’t believe how bad it is like a winters day out there so won’t be out far for the rest of the day although SWMBO has her 2nd jab later on so will need to take her for that but then it will just be an evening of snooker and I may buy a take away to try and get back out the dog house lol. Home until Friday then away again just for a couple of nights to one of our local sites 

I was down to about twenty once on a tow home, having decanted my spare 10L can into the tank in a lay-by. The other time I suffered "range anxiety" was one Sunday driving down the A7 in Spain when a succession of fuel stops were closed. I try not to go below about 30-35% when abroad.

The weather here, north of Glasgow, has been miserable since early on.......heavy rain and gusting wind.

DD gave us a day off the house and asked if we could work on her curtains instead.  Her OH had a day off school so they took Callum for new shoes......a quick £40+......then came on up to us with some garden waste as our bins are collected tomorrow.

Callum was very excited to be in our house.....a rare treat as Mummy says it is not suitable for a toddler.....stairs.....many "breaky things".....etc etc!!

We had coffee and chocolate biscuits then they headed home.

We now have both curtains ready for attaching the header tape, so progressing slowly.

Rain and wind hit us around midday,  so glad we came home yesterday,  the wind was terrible wouldn't  have liked crossing the Forth bridge in that.

Managed to get out in the garden for awhile this morning, bit of dead heading done.

OH, went up to our eldest sons house while I  was in the garden. OH and sons FIL are stripping out thhe kitchen and fitting a new one. Son still in Texas waiting for the  RAF to bring them home. All those in isolation now tested negative.  They will have to do 14 days in isolation at home now and 2 more tests before release. I think he will just be glad to get home, he has got the whole of Line of Duty waiting for him 

Glad to hear you got home safe Francis,  did the take away do the trick

Still lashing down here

Hope it won't be too long before your son touches down in the uk TG!

KJ I'm sure Callum will enjoy your home as he gets bigger, sounds like there are lots of climbing opportunities. 

Francis we had a problem on the M5 yesterday, although our EV has a tiny fuel tank to boost the battery charge OH hadn't bothered to top the fuel up (all 8 pints of it...)  and a warning light came on just when he switched the fuel on....so we didn't know if the booster system was working. We did the 120 mile round trip to my sister on electric, so not bad but the car will have to go on the BMW computer tomorrow. So a somewhat fraught journey, glad you made it home ok! )

I have been watching our very tall birch trees bending in the strong winds today, leaves, catkins and small branches scatttered everywhere but the trees themselves have hung on for grim life. I never like windy weather, what a start to May!