A Conventional Kinda Gal

Top of the world...well Britain

2010-09-04T19:27:00.000Z

If you ever wanted to know what the top of Ben Nevis looks like - here it is...
...you're not missing much!!

Little dinner guest!

2010-08-22T19:09:00.000Z

Daisy kept us fairly amused this Sunday afternoon reading stories to Roan, trying on our shoes and generally keeping us on our toes!

A whole lotta cousins!

2010-08-06T19:23:00.000Z

This weekend David's family threw a Family Gathering bash - one not to be missed! I finally met the final 7 of his 34 FIRST cousins and numerous other relations. It was a brilliant night, everyone seemed to really enjoy being together. Here is a photo of all 90 or so of the family!

Patron Monty Halls talks about Dumfriesshire & Cumbria Greyhound Rescue

2010-04-29T21:15:00.001Z

Best mates!

2010-04-15T11:54:00.000Z

Roan had a bath tonight and Marly definitely approved of her new 'ode de coconut'! Here he is snuggling right up to her.

Running the race

2010-04-11T20:36:00.004Z

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12 v1

Here is one man in the public arena, doing just that. If you get time today, pray for prominant Christians in our country that they will withstand the temptations around them and they will be withheld by the grace of God for His glory.
Here is an interview with Euan Murray just before the France game back in February.

New SSPCA ad

2010-03-12T18:18:00.000Z

Many of Horror

2010-02-27T00:08:00.000Z

Loving this song right now.

Brilliant Night Out

2010-02-12T00:11:00.000Z

Superglue Incident

2010-02-08T16:44:00.000Z

Tonight whilst doing some DIY in my house I had an unfortunate accident which involved a burst tube of superglue, my hand and my wedding ring. This is what resulted.

Does anyone know of any jewellers who can remove superglue with some magic solution??

Decisions, decisions

2010-02-06T23:24:00.002Z

With less than a week to go til the Strictly Tour 2010, I just can't decide who I am most excited about...

Mark Ramprakash

OR Austin Healy

Any suggestions???

My new auntie

2010-01-29T23:45:00.002Z

We all thoroughly enjoyed another family wedding this week and welcome Amanda into the family. My uncle Robert married Amanda in Forres on Friday and all the family (minus two) were there to help celebrate. It was quite an achievement getting so many of us together after several failed attempts at other family dos. It's almost impossible to get everyone free at the same time.

When they got engaged just over a year ago they said they wanted a white wedding and a white wedding they got - the snows descended upon us once again and they even managed a few pics outside! This is the uncle who often pulled pranks on me, tickled me til I had no more tears to cry, told me stories about ghosts and monsters, locked me in the creaky old bird tower and just generally had a ball winding me up no end! On the other hand he was also the one who taught me how to catch fish, he told me where the best hiding places round and about my granny's were and taught me all the best cheats at Monopoly. These memories seem like they just happened yesterday, but somehow the year's have passed and now we've all grown up and gotten jobs, marriages, houses and all the rest of it! Congratulations to you both Mr and Mrs MacDonald. You are a great couple and I hope you always continue to make each other very happy.

My greeting card to the new Mr & Mrs

The happy couple

The Thomson tribe

The MacDonalds in all their forms

Yet another Connie-Michelle creation!

The first dance

Farewell big guy

2010-01-25T23:33:00.003Z

We had some very sad news this week. Both Calla and Kez went missing within a week of one another. With all the snow that's been lying over the past few weeks we were beginning to fear the worst when Calla returned after 13 days missing - he was trapped in a neighbour's shed, again! With his return we began to hope that Kez would also return home soon, but he wasn't so fortunate. We received a phone call from the vets saying that his body had been handed in, he had been hit by a car and found on the road next to my mum and dad's. Poor Kez, can hardly believe he is gone. Everyone is going to miss having such a big character around and Calla and Marly are going to miss their brother.

Night at Cameron House

2010-01-11T23:22:00.000Z

Enjoyed a surprise night at Cameron House. Very nice hotel!!

Chilling in Inverness

2010-01-02T23:18:00.000Z

This girl knows how to relax

Contending with the snow

2010-01-01T22:30:00.001Z

One of the best things about having days off over Christmas and New Year was not having to drive in the snow!! I love the snow when you don't have to drive in it, but after getting stuck in snow-induced traffic jams several times I am happy now that the snow has gone.

Here is the evergreen in our garden, not looking so green on Christmas morning.

Marly looking a bit fed up with getting his paws wet every time he steps outdoors.

Our journey north to Inverness was postponed on Hogmany because of the snow, so we decided to hit the road on New Year's day - here is a photo of the road just past Kingussie. Pretty dreary conditions.

Thankfully the whole journey North was not so bad and we eventually made our destination.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T09:00:00.000Z

Merry Christmas to you all! Hope this year you have a wonderful day spent with loved ones celebrating the day Jesus came to earth to be our Saviour.

A happy ending for a pretty boy

2009-12-11T00:08:00.002Z

Here is the most recent addition to the MacDonald household...
Gorgeous Scooter - named by the staff at the Scottish SCPA centre in Glasgow.

Scooter sat in the cattery for 3 months without being booked to go to a new home all because he wasn't selling himself to the public. This poor boy was so scared he was literally glued to the back wall and wouldn't come out to meet and greet all the eager potential new owners, so time after time people walked straight past his kennel without giving him a second glance. Scooter is one of the many scared animals that arrive on the SSPCA's doorstep daily, no history, no name, no place to call home.

After hearing his plight from one of the vets I agreed to foster him for a wee while to see if I could take this boy out of his shell a bit. It did take some time but eventually Scooter began to play with toys, chase his tail, groom himself and become a little bit more confident. He never enjoyed being handled so we didn't push the situation and just let him enjoy his new surroundings. Thankfully Scooter's curious side got the better of him and we would often find him walking up to Roan, chasing Marly or sticking his head inside a mug of hot tea. The day finally came when we knew he would be ready to move into a place he could call home, so we put his details on the Scottish SPCA website and waited for the perfect owners. We received dozens of calls which the staff at the centre whittled through until eventually the perfect couple came forward and adopted Scooter.

We enjoyed the part we had to play in his journey and hope he has found his forever home.

Bonus Day Off

2009-12-10T00:09:00.000Z

I just found out this week that I had a day in lieu, so what better way to spend it than with my dear friend Catherine and her gorgeous wee boy Colin. Catherine and I had lunch, tea, coffee, lots of chat and even cake whilst Colin slept through it all only to be woken at the end of it all for a while cuddle before he went home!

We Will Rock You

2009-12-05T00:08:00.002Z

Went to see the West End musical We Will Rock You at the Edinburgh Playhouse today and it was superb. Whacky storyline with superb music, well sung and brilliantly performed.

A must see for all Queen fans.

2 out of 3 ain't bad

2009-11-28T23:09:00.003Z

This month Dave and I introduced ourselves to the world of international rugby. Dave, a keen follower of all and any sport, knew a lot about the game and Scotland's general performance over the years, but like myself had never attended a rugby match (apart from that Glasgow Warriors vs Edinburgh match Catherine, Kathleen McCallen and I went to many, many years ago!). So being new to the whole experience we booked ourselves 2 tickets to a couple of the Autumn test matches - vs Fiji and Australia. We were not disappointed!

Scotland's first game under new manager Andy Robinson was a cracking victory over Fiji. Scotland defeated them 23-10. The atmosphere was great, but nothing like what we were about to experience the following week when Scotland secured another win against the Wallabies. It was a dramatic 9-8 win over Australia at Murrayfield, Scotland's first victory against Australia in 27 years (a lifetime for some people!!). Leading 9-3 with only five minutes remaining, Australia just scored a try in the 80th minute of play. The whole stadium waited with baited breath as Matt Giteau took the final conversion. The tension in the air was actually electric, maybe caused by the freezing cold conditions of Scotland's finest November weather! Alas, Giteau missed the final conversion and the stadium errupted in a triumphant, ecstatic, celebratory cheer. Moments like this don't come along often, almost 45,000 complete strangers uniting together in sheer happiness.

Maybe in another 27 years time I will be able to say "I was there at Murrayfield the last time Scotland beat Australia." To think I had offered this ticket and moment of glory to Andy P...glad you were snowed under with the books that weekend!! Everytime I watch this video I still get goosebumps.

Despite Dave heading homeward bound the following weekend to Inverness, I decided to get tickts for the Scotland vs Argentina game!! Scotland were all over Argentina in the first half, but unfortunately let things slip through their fingers in the second half. That combined with Godman missing a couple of penalty kicks meant we lost 9-6 to the Pumas by the skin of our teeth due to their late and well placed drop kick in the final minutes of the game. Disappointing result, but great experience all the same.

So now that we are officially rugby followers, much to Al's delight!, anyone got available tickets for the England game in March??

Brilliant!

2009-11-28T00:13:00.001Z

I love this pair. This dance was brilliant, so much fun!

My new baby cousin

2009-11-17T22:37:00.000Z

Congratulations to my auntie Caroline and uncle Ali on the birth of their brand new baby girl Niamh. She is a wee cracker and I am delighted to welcome her into the family.

Poorly pup

2009-10-22T21:39:00.002Z

This week at work has been pretty sad with a variety of cruelty cases, nasty parasite bugs and lots of mystery conditions. I took this little guy home to get some fluids in him through the night. So far he is holding up, fingers crossed he makes it and gets a loving new home soon.

Shoebox for Romania

2009-10-19T21:19:00.002Z

Every year we fill shoeboxes for the Blythswood Shoebox Appeal with goodies to send to people in countries where they don't have money to buy basic items like soap or toothpaste and other similar items. This year Marly decided that he wanted to do something good and send himself!

Homeward Bound

2009-10-12T21:46:00.000Z

Poor little Calla had quite the adventure this past week. Last seen on Friday 2nd October we were beginning to fear the worst. Flyers had been sent out to through all the doors, the vets, rescue centres and chipping company had been notified and things were beginning to look a little bit bleak. But on Monday morning Calla appeared back home about half a kilo lighter, bones beginning to show, wood splints stuck in his paws and hungrier than ever. We can only guess that he has been locked in someone's garage/shed for the past 10 days, boy were all the Thomsons glad to see him home but none more so that Ace who has been missing his little bed buddy and slethered him in drool upon his return. It's good to have him home.

Oh baby, baby!

2009-09-26T21:33:00.001Z

Whilst Dave and I spent the summer being here, there and everywhere, my lovely friend Catherine spent the summer growing this little guy...

Introducing Colin Robert Pearson, a little cracker. Please note the woman holding the baby is Colin's mother 9 days after giving birth - I think she must have been hiding him up her jumper!! We've only spent a couple of hours with Colin and we adore him already. Congratulations A & C!

A BIG Summer Update!!

2009-09-26T19:17:00.033Z

Since I've been incredibly bad at updating my blog this year, I thought I would do a photo summary of what we've been up to for the past few months...

In July we helped Donna celebrate her graduation and now she is a theatre nurse at the Eye Pavillion. Congratulations to her!

We caught up with the Thomson crew in Settle and had a fun trip to Lightwater Valley Theme Park which brought back lots of fun childhood memories.

Marly turned 3 on 26th July. Sometimes I look at him and see that he's matured quite a lot in the last few years, but every so often he returns to his youthful ways and chases toys across the floor and spiders up the wall. We love him.

We took our first 2 week holiday in 2 years and it was brilliant, here's what we got up to...

Roan and Ace had the time of their life on Coll beach.

We took a day trip to the enchanted isles of St Kilda. It was a very special treat for my dad's very special birthday and we loved every moment of it. If you ever decide to visit, go with Sea Harris.

My birthday twin and I had a wee bounce on the trampoline in Barvas.

My dad checking his croft in Garrabost.

Dave and I went bodyboarding in South Uist,

Close encounter with my uncle Iain's bull in Stilligarry.
The scenery surrounding my granny and grandad's house. My favourite place in the world!

Roan soaking up the rays whilst we caught some fish and eels - eow!
One of Bellac's ponies at Loch Skiport.
A beautiful sunset over Geirinis

The latest member of the MacDonald clan - Pussie Wussie.
At the end of the holiday we joined Mr and Mrs MacRae's wedding celebrations in Inverness - congratulations to them.

We turned two on the 24th August. There are many wonderful blessings being married to this man and I am loving every minute of being his wife.

Eilidh and Mark got married and Dave and I got to enjoy Blaze in the Bothy one more time. It was a lovely evening for a super couple.
We are getting another sister!! Graeme proposed to Rebecca and she said yip! Another girl in the family to bump up the numbers.

So that is a brief round up with lots of other bits missing, all in all it was a terrific summer and we had lots of fun!

Miss Ava Douglas

2009-09-24T22:25:00.000Z

In June we had our friends Iain and Fiona round for dinner, Fiona was 7 months pregnant and we spent much of the night discussing their plans for the next 2 months before baby's arrival. You can imagine our surprise when Iain phoned the following Monday to say Fiona was taken into hospital for an emergency c-section and was requesting our prayers for her. We are delighted to say Ava Ruth arrived into the world safely later that day and is now a beautiful, healthy, bouncing baby. Here she is at 4 months old and only 9lbs later!!

Look what's coming...

2009-09-10T18:07:00.000Z

Day 1 at the new job

2009-08-24T21:43:00.000Z

Help us find who dumped Chipsie

The Scottish SPCA has issued a fresh plea for information after an emaciated dog was found dumped by a busy road in Glasgow.

A member of the public found the female German shepherd cross wandering next to traffic in the Carmyle area of the city on Friday 14 August.

Sadly in the past week the condition of the dog, who was given the name Chipsie, deteriorated to such an extent that a vet had no option but to put her to sleep.

Scottish SPCA Inspector Gillian Dick said, "Chipsie was in a terrible condition when we picked her up and we later discovered that she was suffering from severe arthritis which she is likely to have had for quite some time.

"The vet who examined her concluded that her condition was so advanced that there was no way of treating her symptoms and the kindest thing to do was to end her discomfort and pain.

"Myself and the staff who cared for Chipsie at our Lanarkshire animal rescue and rehoming centre are all very upset at the loss of such a sweet dog.

"We are even more determined to find the person who allowed this poor girl to get in such a state and then dumped her in the street weighing only half her normal body weight and struggling to stand."

Anyone with information relating to the dog should contact the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline: 03000 999 999. Information can be left anonymously.

It Means Nothing

2009-07-15T00:03:00.000Z

Greyhounds Chillin

2009-07-13T15:16:00.000Z

I found this on YouTube and love how like Roan it is.

Pretty in pink

2009-07-10T10:05:00.005Z

I finished making these invitations for Caroline and Paul last week, thankfully they loved them. Now onto the next ones.

Our little Scrat

2009-07-09T15:05:00.006Z

Whenever I look at Roan and all her quaint little actions she always reminds me of some Disney character but I could never quite put my finger on which Disney character she was most like, well now I know...

Scrat from Ice Age

What do you think?

How could they?

2009-07-08T21:41:00.000Z

Greyhound just 'days from death'

Bleu, who carers say was starved for two to three months, weighed just 18kg instead of the average 30kg he should have weighed

A greyhound is being cared for at a rescue centre after he was thrown over an 8ft fence into an abandoned factory, imprisoning the dog on Fife wasteland.

Two-year-old greyhound Bleu was just days from death when found on Sunday by passers-by.

Bleu, who carers say was starved for two to three months, weighed just 18kg instead of the average 30kg he should have weighed.

Now, Bleu is recovering at Langdyke Boarding Kennels near Kennoway in Fife.

If it lay on its side and shut its eyes you would think it had been dead for a couple of weeks, it's that bad

Sylvia Pass
Langdyke Boarding Kennels

Kennel owner Sylvia Pass said: "When the dog was brought here it had a 50/50 chance of survival.

"It was malnourished and dehydrated and we found it covered in fleas.

"It has no muscle, no flesh. If it lay on its side and shut its eyes you would think it had been dead for a couple of weeks, it's that bad."

Bleu was taken to the kennels after a Kirkcaldy couple saw him inside the former Nairn's linoleum works.

The eight-acre site effectively imprisoned Bleu.

The greyhound did not break any bones but damaged his left shoulder.

Medical treatment since his rescue has increased Bleu's chances of survival.

Ms Pass added: "I would give Bleu a 75% chance of surviving now after being just days from death."

He is being fed six to eight times a day with a small amount of high-protein and high-fat food soaked in water.

Mr and Mrs Meredith tie the knot!

2009-07-03T11:07:00.003Z

Our second wedding in two days brought us down from the North to Edinburgh to join Iain and Fiona become Mr and Mrs Meredith in Buccleuch FC. The Meredith boys all looked striking in their highland regalia and Fiona looked like an absolute princess in her beautiful wedding gown. The ceremony was very touching and personal as both their dads Rev David Meredith, Rev Prof MacKay and Rev Alex MacDonald took part in getting them wed. David and I particularly enjoyed David Meredith's application of the 4 'C's' - Christ, Commitment, Communication and Craziness! We were thrilled to see such a wonderful, well grounded Christian couple become Mr and Mrs and wish them every blessing for their married life.

Scotland and South Africa United

2009-07-02T20:29:00.001Z

On Thursday Dave and I had the privilege of witnessing Miss Catriona Forbes and Mr Rory Gafney tie the knot in a beautiful Christ centered ceremony. All throughout the ceremony we were reminded that Christ is Saviour and King of all the universe and all things are in His control. It was a beautiful ceremony and the bride's sister Martha Middlemiss concluded the ceremony with her own arrangement of Psalm 84 - I would definately buy that album!

The sky stayed bright and blue until after the ceremony when a thunder and lightning storm decided to descend. That didn't put a dampener on the couple's day and they continued to smile to the very end. Congratulations to a super couple, may God bless their marriage.

Mr and Mrs Gafney

A vintage bride

Love the polka dot shoes!

The MacDonalds

My Sister's Keeper

2009-06-29T15:43:00.000Z

Watched this tonight and shed a LOT of tears. Apparently it is nothing like the book and a huge disappointment to those who read the book - so I am just happy to have watched the film for what it was.

814 mile round trip

2009-06-22T19:22:00.003Z

Dave and I drove to London this weekend to visit my brother and sister-in-law. It took us 6 hours and 45 minutes to get from East Kilbride to Lewisham, the weather was great not a drop of rain in sight and the roads weren't too busy at all which made the driving conditions perfect. We shared the driving and relied heavily on our TomTom to navigate through the streets of London. Thankfully Al and Pauline waited up for our arrival at 130am.

Rather than head into the city centre for the day to visit all the usual spots we decided to head for the coast, a rare opportunity for Al and Pauline to get away from the hustle and bustle of city living. After watching The Apprentice candidates try to re-brand Margate we knew for sure that we didn't want to go there, so we drove to Whitstable instead, a picturesque seaside town famous for it's oysters. The sky was a wee bit overcast, but other than that it was a lovely day for a seaside stroll.

When we reached back to the flat Al, Pauline and Dave watched the 1st Test match of the Lions Tour, a reminder for me that there were 2 more test matches to get through. On Sunday we went to Grove Chapel where we were looking forward to hearing Rev Mark Johnston, but unfortunately he was away preaching for the weekend, we were however re-acquainted with familiar Free Church faces - Ali Oli and Rev Malcolm MacLean.

The drive home was slightly slower as we hit traffic leaving Silverstone on the M1. All in all it was a fun road trip and definitely one we would do again to save all the hassle of getting connecting flights, tubes and trains.

Puppy Sitting

2009-06-11T18:50:00.000Z

Every now and again I get the chance to bring home some work - not spreadsheets or power point preparation but rather work of the furry, four legged variety! This little guy was one of five who were dished out to the willing volunteers at work. Not everyone was as happy with the new arrival, Marly and Roan were quite put out and did their best to avoid him, he on the other hand did his best to chase them but would often fall fast asleep mid-quest. He was mega cute but after 9 sleepless nights, I was quite happy to hand him back.

Entertaining everyone at the Sunday School BBQ

Those last 3 steps were just too much effort for this little guy

Phase 1 Complete!

2009-06-08T20:48:00.012Z

So we've been in our new home for almost two months now and we have just completed the first phase of our home-improvements. Here are some before and after shots from our bathroom.

Progress

2009-06-07T19:13:00.002Z

We always knew getting a 'cat-friendly-greyhound' was going to be a struggle if not impossible, so when we took Roan home we were happy with our 'cat-tolerant-greyhound'. You can imagine our delight when Roan let Marly share her bed today. Knowing Roan though, she was probably just too lazy to move!

A day of firsts

2009-05-30T21:10:00.010Z

Today we took a drive up to the Trossachs to climb Ben A'An. It was a cracking day so we took our time and managed it up and down in about 2 hours. For Chantelle, Dylan and Roan it was their first hill walking experience.

The peak of Ben A'an in the distance

Stopping for lunch half way up

One happy dog

We found a reason

2009-05-30T00:00:00.000Z

I is for Irn Bru

2009-05-29T17:32:00.002Z

Hailed as Scotland's national drink, this ginger thirst quencher is definitely my fav and is so packed full of e-numbers that i usual spend all my time giggling after consumption - brilliant!

Run baby run

2009-05-25T17:04:00.006Z

Dave and I took Roan for a wee jaunt off the lead today at the doggie area at Bellahouston Park. It was perfect, there were no other dogs so Roan just relaxed and ran like crazy.

First bath

2009-05-11T16:58:00.000Z

Ta da

2009-05-11T00:35:00.002Z

So much to say, so little time, but just wanted to introduce you all to our beautiful girl...

Another 1st Birthday

2009-04-03T17:33:00.007Z

Just finished another project last night. Had lots of fun making them.

H if for Home

2009-03-31T15:17:00.000Z

Two and half years ago, almost to the day, Dave and I purchased our first home together. The market was booming, house prices were high and property was selling like hot cakes. We were only meant to be having a look, but 5 flats in and we fell in love with the wee flat we ended up buying. We got the keys on my 24th birthday, best present I've ever received, which gave us a whole year before moving in to do as we liked.

We always regret not taking before and after pictures of our peely-wally pastel coloured flat which soon transformed into a flurry of bright red and other natural colours. We spent a year choosing out colours, materials and patterns which is a privilege we realise we will never have again, so we relished the time we had to put it all together. Home is my favourite H, we have been blessed with a warm little home that is open for friends and family to come visit at anytime. We have been further blessed to have found a buyer who wants to buy our little home. So it is time for us to pack up and bid farewell to our first home.

Fort William to Inverness in 4 days

2009-03-26T20:33:00.010Z

Setting off from Fort William in the rain

Great Glen Way this direction

A pretty duck on the Caledonian Canal

Dinner at the Station Restaurant in Spean Bridge

Simba the obese cat from Gairlochy

The end of day 2 - a long painful walk to Fort Augustus

Body fuel to keep us going

One of the views of Loch Ness

A much needed change of footwear on our way to Drumnadrochit

Andy's prawns from Applecross at the Loch Ness Inn in Drumnadrochit

Fresh faced starting out on the last day - before the snow came!

And then the rains came

Taking a break from the rain

Mother's Day

2009-03-20T23:03:00.000Z

Although we loved Strictly Come Dancing the Live Tour it was missing two main ingredients - Anton and Erin! They've been working on their own tour since January called Cheek to Cheek, a show full of classic ballroom and lively latin. So we took the mum's out for dinner at One Ten Bar and Grill in Glasgow and then went the Royal Concert Hall for some ballroom action. So that was Mother's Day sorted for this year.

A helping hand

2009-03-17T20:27:00.001Z

Here is Marly helping us pack, or so he likes to think!!

A lovely video

2009-03-16T22:00:00.003Z

Back in 1971 two men called Ace Bourke and John Rendall wrote the book A Lion Called Christian , the story of a lion they bought in London and later returned to Africa.

Ace and John were two young travellers from Australia who had just arrived in London, and unexpectedly bought a lion cub from Harrods and called him Christian. They lived with him in London, then in the country, until he became too big to keep in their flat and it was arranged for him to be returned to Kenya and rehabilitated by George Adamson of Born Free fame.

You may have heard about their story in the papers or on tv chat shows, but basically they have re-released a clip documenting their reunion with Christian a year after he went to Kenya in 1972. It's really quite moving, here is the clip.

One good deed leads to...£20!

2009-03-12T09:55:00.004Z

On Valentine's Day I was walking down Sauchiehall Street when I spotted someone's Drivers Licence on the ground, so I picked it up and posted it back to the owner on the Monday. Take note - always keep the address on your licence up to date!

Not thinking much more of it, i opened the mail today and much to my surprise a £20 note slipped out of an envelope!! Here is the note enclosed...
It made me feel all warm inside!

Marley and Me

2009-03-12T09:26:00.003Z

Watched it, LOVED it and definately recommend it. This film is good fun family entertainment and stayed pretty close to the book. I can't wait for Dave and I to get our first dog and hope it will bring just as much love to our family as you'd expect a dog to bring.

Tears galore

2009-03-05T11:41:00.006Z

Anyone who knows me will know that tears do not come naturally to me and I rarely cry over things in life - this has led to many comments from my family over the years that I have a heart of stone etc etc. Well this week I have cried not once, but a record breaking TWICE!

Shortly after we got married I started watching my Friends boxset, which Dave gave me a few years before but I was waiting for the right time to start. I started watching series 1 in December 2007 and before too long watching Friends whilst doing the ironing became a weekly routine. I laughed over many of the shows I had no doubt seen numerous times before. The show served as a tonic to get me through my ironing pile a little easier. Well, as with all good things, it had to come to an end and I watched the final two episodes on Monday night. I wasn't sure what started it, if it was Ross and Rachel finally admitting that they love each other, or Chandler and Monica completing their family with the arrival of the twins, or seeing Pheobe finally in a normal relationship or perhaps it was happiness at Joey getting a chick and duck back in his life. Whatever it was, I cried. Here is a recap of the final show...

So that was the first time this week, then this morning I cried for the second time using up my year's quota of tears in one week!!

I'll start this story from the very beginning. On 8th September 2006 a very special little guy entered our life - Marly. After days of trying to choose names for Calla (Marly's brother who arrived 2 days before Marly did), we almost instantly knew that we wanted to call our cat Marly. This was obviously not a name I shared with my mum when she was trying to name Calla! So fast forward a year later to Gatwick airport on our way to our honeymoon destination. Dave and I were having a look at books in WH Smith when I came across Marley and Me a book about life with the world's worst dog. I pointed it out to Dave and he bought it for holiday reading and ended up loving it. After hearing Dave laughing out loud at some of Marley's antics, I always planned to read it and only got round to it now.

I finished reading the final 6 or so chapters this morning and cried for almost a full two chapters. Not so easy to read when your eyes are all welled up. John Grogan gave an accurate and heart rendering account of Marley's last years and indeed days before he had to be put to sleep. Much of what he said brought me back to the last days of my beloved cat Cheeky. Over Cheeky's 12 twelve years with us we grew up together and it was him who got me through so many of lifes experiences as a teenager, never questioning me, always listening and loving me unconditionally. Cheeky sadly had to be put to sleep on 1st April 2006, I remember vividly our last journey together from our house to the vets where he lay in my arms the heaviest he had felt his whole life. I knew that this journey was probably the last, after all how many cats can survive overdosing on tick-treatment for sheep, weed killer poisoning, a fox attack and a stab wound and still keep escaping death. I wasn't with him at the very end, but I knew that leaving him there that last time, there would be no more goodbyes. Somehow I find myself wondering why we put ourselves through it, knowing that our beloved pet will inevitably have to die sometime, and yet we do it time and time again, but then I remember the amount of joy and happiness they bring to our lives and somehow it's all worthwhile.

Just incase you didn't know, Marley and Me is coming to a cinema near you next week and will be well worth the watch.

A weekend in Liverpool

2009-03-02T21:43:00.010Z

This weekend Dave and I went to Liverpool to visit the Macaulays. We had a fun time exploring the Liverpool Docks, spending time with wee Daisy and walked for miles and miles along the beach at Crosby. It was great to get away from the hub-bub of busy life and spend some time catching up with friends.

We took a heap of photos!! Here are a few...

Addicted to...Kings of Leon

2009-02-20T10:26:00.000Z

Since buying Only by the Night a couple of months ago I have not been able to stop listening to it. Brilliant album, well worth buying.

What a groovy chick

2009-02-19T21:48:00.002Z

Today I went through to Edinburgh and had a lovely day catching up with a few of my friends. It was a pure joy to spend the afternoon with little Lizzy who is now all singing and dancing - literally. This funky little chick doesn't stop jigging around for a second and has fantastic rhythm for only being 20 months! Here she is flashing me her smile.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T22:13:00.001Z

In keeping with our normal Valentine's Tradition (see last year), it was Dave's year to make dinner. So he packed me away to the cinema with Mairi for a special Valentine's treat to see Funny Face whilst he spent the afternoon preparing a scrumptious meal!

Funny Face is a story of 'ugly-ducking' Jo Stockton, played by none other than the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn, turn into a swan! Jo's love interest is played by Fred Astaire ensuring plenty of singing and dancing along the way. A feel good, easy to watch musical set on a backdrop of Paris - 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous!

My favourite thing about the movie was definately the outfits, make-up and hair - if only things today were kept as classic.

During my trip to the movies, Dave had cooked up a storm in the kitchen and what followed was a 3 course feast starting with Oriental Duck Salad, followed by Chilli Shredded Beef and completed by a baked Raspberry Cheesecake - perfect!! Dave also bought me a bouquet of grand prix roses - my absolute favourites.

A night at the castle

2009-02-14T16:48:00.004Z

This weekend we decided to take a trip away from the hub-bub of town life and head to the country for a relaxing Valentine's stay at Barony Castle. We took the scenic snow-clad route through the Clyde Valley which eventually brought us to our destination.
It was a lovely hotel and certainly very relaxing. Here is a the only photo of us - a 'wee' bit out of focus!!

Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2009

2009-02-12T16:20:00.004Z

Well, that time of the year finally came round again when Strictly takes to the road and comes to a city near you!! We bought our tickets over a year ago, so it seemed like a long time coming. This year was full of winners, runners-up and generally good dancers and we loved every minute of the show. As usual the dancers performed their legs off, the band sung their hearts out and the judges just generally gave lots of criticism!! Kenny Logan and his dance partner Ola Jordan were very well received in Glasgow and even went on to win the show, much to Craig's horror! Here are some of their moments.

The highlight for me for me was getting to see Jill Halfpenny and Darren Bennett perform THAT winning Jive!!
And that's after having a baby..!

The nice end of the Clyde

2009-02-07T21:09:00.001Z

This weekend I actually had a Saturday off where I could kick back at home and enjoy the snowy weather. Dave was on call, so we decided to stay local and take a walk along the Clyde - not quite the way we usually see it. We drove to the Heritage Village in New Lanark and started our walk from the Old Mill. It was a gorgeous, crisp, snowy afternoon. The pictures don't really show just how nice it was.

Corra Linn Falls

The RSPCA won't save Rosie

2009-02-03T21:04:00.002Z

The Scottish SPCA has challenged the RSPCA to stop stealing food from the mouths of Scotland’s defenceless animals and tell the truth to the Scottish public.

Scotland’s animal welfare charity has launched an unprecedented campaign calling for the English and Welsh charity to admit it can’t save a single animal in Scotland.

Chief Executive Stuart Earley said, “Many people do not know that the RSPCA does not rescue or rehome any animals in Scotland and by advertising here it has been intentionally adding to the confusion to make money.

“The RSPCA is in breach of Institute of Fundraising guidelines it helped draw up which require charities to be explicitly clear about where they work. Occasionally using small print to tell the Scottish public it is registered in England and Wales is in no way explicit.

“We are a completely separate charity and have asked the RSPCA to make it clear it does not save animals in Scotland so people can make an informed choice about who to donate to. However, after six months of talks we are no further forward.

“This has been increasing the huge pressure on our resources for many years and enough is enough. It’s time the RSPCA told the truth.”

Research has demonstrated that 70% of the Scottish public believe the RSPCA saves animals in Scotland. High profile RSPCA campaigns in Scotland last year included a membership drive in Scottish supermarkets and adverts on Scottish radio stations.

“The RSPCA seems determined to portray itself as a UK charity, even if it is at the expense of animal welfare in Scotland,” said Mr Earley.

“Further RSPCA advertising has included television adverts on UK channels. While these particular adverts cannot be restricted to England and Wales, they should not deceive the Scottish public.

“We are therefore calling for the RSPCA to be explicitly clear in its advertising that it does not rescue or rehome animals in Scotland.

“This could be by explicitly stating where it works or even describing itself as the ‘RSPCA for England and Wales’. Either would clear up the confusion almost immediately.

“We are also calling for the RSPCA to at all times make it clear to anyone donating from Scotland that their donation will not help animals in their country.

“This should extend to any legacies it receives made out to the ‘Scottish RSPCA’ or ‘RSPCA Scotland’. We believe these should come to us and be used to care for animals in Scotland but even this basic and fair principle has been rejected.

“It is impossible to quantify how much we have lost to the RSPCA but any loss is damaging because we receive no government or lottery funding and rely on public support.

“While anyone can of course support any charity they wish, we know the majority of the Scottish public would prefer their donations to help charities in Scotland and it is on this basis, in defence of the abandoned and neglected animals in need of our help, that we are taking this stance.

“We did not want to have to campaign in this way and very much hope this brings about a change in RSPCA policy.”

Mr Earley continued, “People will ask why we don’t merge. The answers are simple, the most significant of which is the Scottish SPCA is subject to Scottish law and, like the police in Scotland, is a reporting agency to the Crown Office, a status far greater than that afforded to the RSPCA.

“Animal welfare is also a devolved issue in Scotland and the Scottish SPCA is in effect a legally recognised defender of animal welfare on behalf of the Scottish Government, which again is a status the RSPCA does not have in England and Wales.

“Indeed, we are extremely proud of our influential role in the development of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act of 2006 and subsequent legislation, which is a reflection of the excellent reputation the Scottish SPCA has with MSPs.

“The Scottish public have their own animal welfare charity in the Scottish SPCA and it is essential they are aware of this fact.”

Watch the video!

Picture purrfect!

2009-01-30T21:05:00.000Z

I couldn't resist this photo.

Melody the Tour

2009-01-27T14:55:00.000Z

Tuesday night, Dave and I went to the Carling Academy to see Sharleen Spiteri, it was a brilliant night. Sharleen was on top form, belting out many of her new solo songs and old classics from Texas. She looked amazing, sounded amazing and did an amazing job of entertaining us all for a good hour and a half!!

Here is an acoustic version of my favourite song from the album - All The Times I Cried

Motherwell were held to a draw by Falkirk on a frustrating afternoon at Fir Park.

2009-01-24T09:27:00.002Z

As the title suggests, we were at the Motherwell vs Falkirk game at Fir Park on Saturday. Dylan managed to get 4 complimentary tickets from his school and Dave, Scott and I were only to happy to bring him along. Admittedly, the 3 of us were more excited about getting to see Neil McCann play for Falkirk and I was just generally excited about getting to see Stephen Pressley again. Manys a freezing cold Hearts match I watched at Tynecastle cheering Pressley all the way during the Jim Jeffries days, chanting
"H-E-A-R-T-S
If you cannae spell it then here's what it says
Hearts, Hearts glorious Hearts
It's down at Tynecastle they bide
The talk of the toun are the boys in Maroon
And Auld Reekie supports them with pride.

This is my story this is my song
Follow the Hearts and you can't go wrong
For some say the Celtic
and Hibees are grand
but the boys in maroon
are the best in the land"

The match tied at 1-1, making it an incredibly frustrating game. One of the most entertaining bits was when one of the Motherwell players (whose name I didn't catch) but his foot through the pitch side advertising, knocking the plastic into the unsuspecting crowd!!
I even managed to get a few close ups of Pressley himself, much to my delight.
Who says football is not for girls!!

Contented Poody-cat

2009-01-20T17:26:00.000Z

Marly, who usually lives at my mum and dad's, has been staying with us since Christmas and has officially taken over our home. Here he is reclining on our computer chair. We just love having him here.

G is for Greyhound

2009-01-19T19:49:00.006Z

Since i started work at the SSPCA's Lanarkshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre I have come to learn that greyhounds are one of the gentlest, friendliest, cuddliest, most affectionate breeds I have had the pleasure of working with. This might sound like a very generalised statement, but one that has been proved to me time and time again by the various greyhounds and lurchers I have worked with.

Greygrounds are a gentle and intelligent breed that become attached to their owners. It is the fastest breed of dog on the planet. A combination of long, powerful legs, deep chest, flexible spine and slim build allows it to reach speeds of around 40mph!

Two things that put people of rehoming a greyhound is the way that they look and the misconceived idea that they need a lot of excerise. Although greyhounds are extremely fast and athletic, they are not high-energy dogs. They are sprinters, and although they love running, they do not need loads of exercise. An adult greyhound will stay healthy and happy with a daily walk of as little as 20 to 30 minutes. One of the most rewarding things I can do at work is to re-home a greyhound. I am looking forward to the day that I get to bring my very own one home.

Here a few of my favourite greyhound photos, showing their gentle nature and their ability to reach high speeds.

A film worth blogging about

2009-01-09T21:35:00.001Z

In the past I have spent a lot of time blogging about films that really weren't worth mentioning, so a few months ago I decided to stop blogging about every film I ever watched and only to mention ones that were worth the time watching and recommending. Here's my first one in a long while. Dave and I went to see Australia on Friday night, we didn't know much about it pre-visit, but we were not disappointed. Brilliantly funny, beautiful cinematography and gripping storyline. Well worth the watch.

Brandon Walters who plays Nullah is definately the real star of Australia with his brilliant local lingo and gorgeous brown eyes he definately makes the film what it is. Here he is in the lastest Tourism Australia advert.

Cutie pie McDonald!

2008-12-27T13:37:00.000Z

My cousin Jan gave birth to a beautiful wee baby boy in August this year, but with one thing or another we didn't get to meet him until today. It was well worth the wait, Aidan is a beautiful content wee boy and we had lots of fun playing with him and coo-ing over him this afternoon. Looking forward to watching him grow up over the years to come.

Phase 10

2008-12-26T13:27:00.000Z

Graeme introduced us to Phase 10 this Christmas and after winning the only 2 games I have ever played I don't think I can ever play again for fear of loosing!!

Here's how it works...
* It's a rummy-type card game with a twist
* The challenge is to be the first player to complete 10 phases
* The twist, however, is that each phase completed is specific to each hand
* Those players that complete the phase advance to the next
* But, those that fail must try again

Highly recommended for anyone looking for a new card game to try out.

Christmas MacDonald Stylee!

2008-12-25T13:17:00.004Z

So 6 Christmases along the way, it was now my year to join the MacDonalds for my first Christmas away from home. It was absolutely brilliant! We had a fun morning opening pressies with a glass of bubbly before more of the family arrived for Christmas dinner. After dinner we had a mass game of Cranium which resulted in lots of laughter and chaos! A most enjoyable Christmas spent with family and friends.

100th Celebrations

2008-12-20T13:30:00.000Z

This weekend we joined Dave's family to celebrate 100 years of living on a farm just outside Inverness. It was lovely to meet more of the extended family and catch up with the rest.
The original MacQueens on a yummy cake!

The third and fourth (!) generation cousins and siblings

The second generation cousins and siblings

Christmas Gingerbread Men

2008-12-19T13:40:00.001Z

I decided that instead of writing out Christmas cards that will go in the bin in a couple of weeks that I would make everyone at work a gingerbread man! I had lots of fun decorating them for everyone.

I want to share a secret...

2008-12-13T12:29:00.000Z

On Saturday, Lou Danni and I went to try out the tapas at The Secret Garden in the Trongate. We ordered 9 tapas between us, let me tell you they were 9 little bowls of mouth watering deliciousness. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a new place to try out.

White Christmas

2008-12-12T12:23:00.000Z

For Mairi's birthday we went to the GFT to see White Christmas. A romantic, musical comedy to put you in the mood for Christmas.

Farewell

2008-12-10T13:14:00.001Z

This week my family lost a great man, a much loved father, grandfather and my great grandad. Never would you meet a man so sincere, courteous and humble with such a quick sense of humour. He will be sadly missed by all those who loved him.

Banana Curry in Fife

2008-11-30T12:09:00.000Z

Today we went to Fife and spent the afternoon with the Pearsons and the Laird. We had good chat and yummy curry.

In the evening we went to Kirkcaldy FC and saw their new developments, it's all looking good. Check out the Kirkcaldy FC website for more information.

Dinner at the Nixon's

2008-11-29T16:23:00.000Z

Tonight we had a fun night at the Nixon's. We ate great food, watched some funny wedding moments and we even let them beat us TWICE at Friends Scene It!!

I got the Friends version of Scene It from Scott for my birthday, so we decided to take it with us seeing as Wendy is just as big a fan! They pretty much beat us hands down both times...
For any other Friends fans out there, this is trivia game with brilliant clips from Friends. It tests how well you know the characters, the cast and the show itself. The idea is that it tests your knowledge as you answer questions and the first to get round the board wins!

1st Birthday Celebrations

2008-11-15T17:54:00.001Z

Just like a fairy princess. Daisy with grandad Macaulay.

Proud big brother brings the cake to Daisy and her granny Hughes.

Celebrating with mummy and daddy.

Unfortunately I missed out on the birthday celebrations due to work, but my hubby went along and made sure he got plenty photos of Daisy's 1st Birthday Party. Congratulations little lady!

Cake decorating fun

2008-11-13T17:47:00.001Z

I can hardly believe it has been a whole year since this little lady was born! Tonight Daisy's mummy and I decorated her birthday cake for her party - here is the finished result.

A pretty cute cake for a pretty cute girl!

Happy 30th Birthday Auntie Fiona!

2008-11-12T18:05:00.000Z

Fiona is on the right!

A Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Kinda Night

2008-11-08T18:11:00.000Z

Went to watch the West End production of hit musical Mary Poppins at the Playhouse tonight, my wee bro-in-law got me the ticket for my Christmas - it was a Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious experience!

Quantum of Solace

2008-11-06T18:22:00.000Z

More satisfying Bond action from Mr Craig. Picking up from exactly where we left of in Casino Royale, we see Bond tracking down and destroying some of the world's biggest terrorists. Loved all of it.

Highlights from this week

2008-11-01T21:18:00.000Z

A definite highlight for me...mmm!

Lots of fun from Vincent and Rachel

Dances with Wolves

2008-10-18T15:10:00.003Z

Haven't watched this movie in years, watching it again made me remember just why I love it. Beautiful soundtrack and scenery. The Indians really are an amazing people.

Tourists in N.Ireland

2008-10-15T19:00:00.001Z

On Tuesday morning we bid our farewells and made tracks back to N.Ireland. This was our chance to be tourists for the day.

We left Killygordon and headed for the Giant's Causeway via Derry and Coleraine. Once we left Coleraine, we stayed on the Coastal Route right through to Larne, via Belfast and finally ended up at our final destination in Lisburn.

Last picture from Donegal

The Giant's Causeway

Dave up a stack

Having a rest on the Giant's Boot

Crossing the water at Carrick-a-Rede

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

Red cheeked from the open fire

We ended our day in Lisburn where we received warm hospitality from an old friend. Sarah and I went to Uzbekistan together for a short term mission with OM back in 2002. We've managed to see each other a few times since then, but it's been a while since our last rendezvous. It was great to catch up in front of Sarah's open fire.

Breach

2008-10-15T15:03:00.002Z

Breach is based on the true story of former 25 year veteran FBI Intelligence agent Robert Hanssen and the greatest security breach in US history. Interesting story, quite a slow film though. I definitely wouldn't describe it as a suspense thriller.

Family Holidays

2008-10-15T14:25:00.004Z

Going to Ireland and spending time with the family brought back lots of happy memories of family holidays in the past. As our family continues to evolve and expand, I hope we can always take some time out together to have a little holiday.
Having fun at the beach!

Our wee Irish housie

Taking Ace home from his overnight stay at the kennels

Hours of amusement from a plastic cup

The Kingdom

2008-10-13T15:02:00.001Z

Brilliantly told story, not overly dramatised by Hollywood. Worth watching.

Farewell

2008-10-11T13:00:00.000Z

First dance

2008-10-10T20:59:00.001Z

I still don't know what your first dance was to, what was it??

Bestman's speech

2008-10-10T19:00:00.000Z

Scott doing a rare job with the microphone! Well done for getting Al back after all these years of having our sweets stolen and bones broken...

Paparazzi moment

2008-10-10T18:30:00.000Z

My new sister!

2008-10-10T18:00:00.000Z

Welcome to the family (officially), you've known us all long enough now to know what you've got yourself into!

Proud Parents

2008-10-10T13:30:00.001Z

Us two

2008-10-10T13:15:00.003Z

Dave wearing his official duty cravat, later to change into his dazzling blue!