Roses and the Wall

Its been a really quick week - both in and out of work. My trainee is on holiday so I've been running the station myself, which makes the day go by much faster bringing my working part of the week to a close. For my weekend, which is 4 days, I spent the first day having a quiet one to recharge and then went out to see my mum on my day two.

After the success of the last visit to the Saughton Rose Gardens I decided to give it another go and my mum was very impressed at the changes they had made since I was little. We both lamented the loss of the greenhouse and fish pond, but agreed that in general, it was looking far prettier than it ever had a decade ago. She was particularly taken by the physicians garden, and we spent a lot of time reading all the little signs and discussing how this was a lost art, most of the plants being toxic in the wrong doses or preparation.

And that was that. Yesterday was the start of a actual weekend off with the hubby, so yesterday we decided to walk Missy around Beecraigs and stop in at Dobbies on the way home. Beecraigs was heaving. I've never seen it so busy. We had to park in a different car park from usual and then we went in the opposite direction of the crowds to find a quit place to walk.

Ice creams in hand, we met some lovely collies who were of the mild mannered sort and we briefly traded dogs with their owners, cooing over the fluffy dogs whilst they cooed over Missy. All was set to right when we went our separate ways again and Missy spent the rest of the walk seeking small furry things.

Our Dobbies stop was successful as we picked up two reduced price black current bushes. I was given a garden voucher for Christmas and finally got the opportunity to spend it. The bushes are looking much happier today having been repotted, and I plan to relocate them at the end of the season into the planter the leeks are currently growing in. My neighbour (who calls us The Good Life) was laughing as we explained the plan with them and we spent a while complimenting one another's gardens. Whilst we are officially drowning in kale and I had a moment of sheer joy at finding a pair of teeny tiny courgettes, my neighbours garden is awash in colour and flowers. We both lament that we'd love to have a garden more like the other, but at the same time, like our own too much!

Today was another revisit, this time to the Antonine Wall. We wanted to go somewhere we hadn't done in a while and, I'll be honest, it was a shock when I checked and realised it was November 2016 when we were last in the area! Needless to say, they've done a lot of improvements to the area about the Falkirk Wheel, and the advertised "Selfie Trail" to the Kelpies has us planing to return another day. As it would have been an 8 mile circular, we stuck to our original plan and managed a lovely picnic in the sunshine.

On the sewing front, I completed my second quarantine quilt. Missy approves, as you can see! It's a scrap buster as well, and I have officially made a debt in the scraps. They no longer overflow from their bag in a messy tangle, they are neatly packaged up in size and look lost in the bag. 

I'm sure it won't be long until its overflowing again! 

Onwards to Adventure!

I'm feeling a bit more upbeat about life in the pandemic this week. We got out and about on some adventures, saw family and friends and life is slowly getting a little more normal. 

We started my four days off by finishing Jupiter Artland. The weather was much fairer for us and we enjoyed a picnic at the Lovebomb art piece. Whilst it as good to finish the works of art, it was also fun to redo some of the other sculptures and see how they changed with the different weather. I particularly enjoyed the Cells landscaped sculpture (above, with Missy), in the better weather. The contrast of the green grass and deep blue water was more profound, and it was nice to see kids playing about on them, enjoying their early taste of freedom.

After that my days off were spent on my own as the hubby was called into work to get the store set up and ready for Mondays opening. I spent a day in to myself, which was a real novelty, and then spent my last two days going out. I met my brother at Harperrig Reservoir one day (Maisie has now been groomed and looks much better for it, though wouldn't sit still for a photo for me!) and then I met a friend at Harlaw Reservoir.

We got lucky with the weather at Harlaw. It was bright but not too hot and sunny. Proper Missy weather! She was on form posing for me and we spent two and a half hours catching up and making plans for life after lock down. 

Sewing wise its been a bit slow. I have a few projects running in tandem but they are all at that lengthy assembling stage. Perhaps next 4 off I'll finish one of them!

Jupiter Artland

With lock down now easing, some Scottish venues are begining to open. The zoos opened on last Monday (and I would definitely have gone except that they've been fully booked out!) and other outdoor places including Jupiter Artland.

Set across 30 acres, this outdoor art installation has been on our radar for years, however, they didn't allow dogs. There was an annual "Dogs love art too" day where they were permitted, but guaranteed we were working, so had never been. It was actually an article in my works weekly cares pamphlet - a guide of ways to keep good mental health across the pandemic, with resources for things to do and places to seek help and reassurance, it coined a phrase I have used often during lock down which is "that it's OK, to not be OK" - that put me onto it. The article was about what was starting to open, and there it was in print, dog memberships. Instantly taken by the idea of Missy ha ibg her own membership to a place, we looked into it and decided to risk it and get ourselves passes. We are resigned to the fact that day trips will be restricted for a while to come yet, and that any holidays we take will be last minute staycations.

And I am pleased we took the risk. We prebooked our time slot, checked in at tge gate and arrived to find 2 other cars in the car park. Despite the dull drizzly day, we spent almost three hours there and only managed half of it - and boy did we have a laugh at the notice that said it would take 2 hours to do the whole thing! We have booked in again next week to finish it!

Some exhibits were visually stunning, like the Living Cells (first photo), some are emotive and are designed to create conversations and others are quirky and fun. The Dr Who-esque weeping girls gave us the heeby jeebies, but the kids seemed to love them. 

As a critical worker in the water industry, the above 100 years of water tickled me. Each volumetric and flask is from a different river in the UK, we'll, apparently. They were very clean rivers otherwise, most in Scotland are brown from organic carbons and humic acid! 

A grand day out! 

Do You Suppose she's a Wildflower?

It's been another topsy-turvy week for me with me working the weekend and my days off seem so far away now! We did manage to see some family and friends during the days off and the highlight was most definitely the Saughton Rose Garden. 

I have fond memories of the Rose Garden, we used to run round around the maze like paths as kids and watch the fish in the greenhouse pond. Afterwards we would go to the big play park and play on the orange monkey swings. 

As with all these things, it got shabbier and shabbier as we grew up and was eventually written off by everyone as overgrown and unloved. Last year however the decision was made to get it sorted and return it to its former glory. 

With life the way it is, and Missy being a dog who loves the wild places most, we just never got round to visiting after the grand reopening. It was my friends suggested meeting spot and we found a quiet corner where we could safely chat at a distance and enjoy the escape from the city. 

There is now a skate park, and the play park has had a revamp too, so the area is looking lovely. 

After that the weather turned, and its been threatening lightning storms since. I won't complain, its good to have an excuse to stay in and craft. 

I did manage to get my latest dungarees finished in time to enjoy the sun. Another varient on my Rosie the Riveter pattern, this purple linen outfit was meant to be another disney bound (Gadget, from Rescue Rangers), but I have held off the goggle/mouse ear combo that's to go with it until we know for sure when we are next at Disney. 

My adventures restart on Tuesday, so that's all for now! 

An Upside Down Kinda Week

Today is officially the start of my weekend, so I'm a little bit all over the place as to what day of the week it really is and how quickly 45 hour working weeks can go now I'm getting into the swing of them.

Missy has been enjoying the cooler weather, and all the rain has caused my plants to shoot up and grow ridiculously! The young animals are all out and about so she's enjoying sniffing out and chasing after things.

When working, things are mostly quiet, when not doing lessons with my neice I'll manage the afternoon dog walk which is nice, otherwise it's straight from work, to the lesson and then dinner and some TV.

I managed on my last 4 off to finally finish this lovely sewing project:

The pattern for this lovely vintage themed camera bag by Swoon was given away free at the start of lockdown and I'm absolutely delighted with it. I find some PDF patterns difficult to follow but this came together nice and easy and, whilst I would do some things differently next time, I'm super pleased with the result.

Just a short post today, I have a weekend to grasp ahead of me, after I spend today curled up with Missy and eating all the cake. Gotta recharge my batteries! 

A Very Merry Unbirthday

To who? 

To me! 

Yes. It's officially happened. Lockdown has driven us all mad. My hubby and sister decided to join forces and celebrate my unbirthday on my day one off shift rota day. I was treated to tea and cake in bed and was then given a jigsaw and:

Go give my sister some love, she deserves it far more than I do! Here is the blog of this cute little critter and his amazing cake, and she also details why an unbirthday intervention was deemed necessary. I'm not one to really admit when I've overstretched myself, and truly I don't mind helping and supporting everyone I can, but I may have got just a teeny bit happy-tears over her kind words and those of my husband. 

I really don't deserve such wonderful people in my life! 

I'm now on day 2 off and, having had a quiet day where I was allowed to indulge in simple easy hobbies and not worry about anyone else, feel far more refreshed! 

The parks are still super busy in afternoons, so we made an early start this morning to Oakbank Woods, a favourite walk of Missys (if her content snoring is anything to go by). I've erroneously called this woods the "Calder Wood" in the past, but we saw a sign hidden amongst the bright green trees stating Oakbank. Missy was too busy hunting rabbit and deer to pose for me, and I was happy to let her have fun. Her knees been bothering her with the muggy weather of late, but she was fine this morning and it seemed cruel not to let her enjoy herself. 

I was pleased to manage some sewing too. These projects are always faster when rested! Above are two little playsuits for my youngest neice who has been outraged at the overly hot spring down south. I made her a koi print one that matched the shirt I made for her dad and brother and she's never out of it. Whilst fish are cool, cats are way more her thing, and I had some purrfect fabric in my scraps stash that was just big enough to complete the project. I also added pockets because girls need pockets! They're important for putting lost things in.

Hmm. I feel a need to learn hat making after yesterday...

Although personally I am probably far more like the white rabbit than I would care to admit! 

A Change of Routine

It's been a very strange week. The weather has gone from 25C+ down to 14C, my shifts have changed to 11 hour days and and I'm still trying to get into the swing of things.

On my days off, we've been following lock down etiquette and seeing only one other family household at a time, so its taking us a while to get through them all! The main thing we've been enjoying is being able to go out and take Missy somewhere nice to walk. After months being stuck to the same busy little park, she is keen to get out and stretch her paws and explore again!

Today we revisited Harperrig Reservoir and had a lovely morning enjoying the place to ourselves. Missy hunted voles and rabbits whist we watched birds. Its much cooler today which suits Missy better, she can chase and run and not overheat. After a lovely walk where saw a pair of hares run by and a kestrel pass overhead, we called it quits and decided it was time for a cup of tea.

I've been getting in with a lot of sewing, but thought I'd share this cute upcycle. This collar used to be a lovely pink tartan design, but has now well and truly been too loved. There was huge holes in the fabric showing the webbing underneath so I decided to celebrate the incoming summer with this fun ice cream print! 

That's all for now, the sun is out again and it's time to get back in the garden and repot some plants!