On your bike

The sun! It seems so long since it shone. The morning was chilly with a light covering of snow on the hills, but the sun didn't give in and fought back and the day got better and better. Knitting needles and paint brushes were abandoned and I got on my bike. My knees have been creaking lately, hence no long walks, but the lane from our house is perfect for bike riding. Whether we are going to Ullapool, London or Land's End (though probably not on my bike!) the lane is where we begin our journey and in all weathers it's quite lovely - but especially lovely when the sun shines!

an anniversary of sorts

This was the piece of land we bought to build our house on. Five years ago, almost to the day, we came up with Robin to survey it

We stayed in The Ceilidh Place in Ullapool 

and practised in the hotel bedroom! Father, Son and the Total Station! I think we stood it on bits of cardboard so we didn't damage the carpet.

There was lots of  twiddling and tweaking

and standing about pretending to be a fixed point

and analysing readings and numbers on the computer 

and finally getting to do it for real 

Beware of old men in raincoats carrying poles!

and nine months later all the fiddling and faffing and numbers and analysing and calculating paid off and the land was excavated using Hoffmann & Son calculations. With a structural and mechanical engineering background between them they were, more or less, confident they could get it right 

- fortunately they did!

The early part of this blog contains nothing but the house building, and should you wish to look back  there are masses of photos showing the ups and downs and highs and lows of which there were many! The highs today though are

the finished blinds, painstakingly cut to size and slats removed by the husband and wife team who never argue or get cross with one another (if you believe that you'll believe anything!) 

and the cupboard under the stairs (no, of course I'm not opening the door, I need to tidy it up first!) Niels put up the cladding and the chief painter and decorator  painted it.  

Here one minute, gone the next

Some Days start with a wonderful promise - then quickly deteriorate..!  

I was leaning out of the upstairs window at the gable end of the house this morning caught up in this beautiful sunrise. I've caught the edge of the satellite dish too. I should have removed it in Photoshop but decided to leave it for its realism! 

Down to the shore and back

The sun continues to shine. We haven't had the snow that the south has had. Time to take a walk to the bottom of the garden. I haven't been down here for many months. The old ruin that stands down near the shore is even more ruinous this year - if that's possible! More trees have fallen onto the already fallen roof. It's so quiet down here, but however silent I think I'm being, one click of the camera shutter frightens much of the wild life. A heron takes off. I can see a duck but it's too far out on the water to see what it is.
Back in the garden  a tree stump slowly evolves into a jigsaw puzzle and I can see the damage done by some of the ferocious gales we had in December. It must have been an incredibly forceful gust of wind to split the tree trunk. Back to the house. We have finally, after three years of contemplation and procrastination, decided to put white wood Venetian blinds up at the windows. We've cut them to size ourselves. It's time consuming but cheaper than getting them made to measure. One down nine to go! 

sunshine, a finished cosy...and an award!

The sun is shining, the tea cosy is finished and I've been given an award! (Not for finishing the tea cosy!) I was given the award back in December by Dan over at frogs, dogs & ferns. Dan and her husband have worked tirelessly on renovating an old cottage.  I was truly touched to receive it, thank you Dan very much. 

The Liebster Blog Award originates in Germany. Liebster means dearest or beloved, and Liebe is love. In accepting this award, the recipient agrees to:

*Copy and paste the award to their blog (I have to say this bit took me for ever, I had to enlist the help of Dan!)

*Reveal the 5 blogs they have chosen to award, commenting on their blog to break the news!.....and, this is where the panic set in!

Like everyone else I dip in and out of  many different blogs. I simply can't choose five! Up until yesterday I didn't think I could choose even one. There are just so many talented and amazing bloggers out there. So, I'm taking the coward's way out.  I've only chosen one blog, but there are five contributors to it - that's cheating just a bit I know. But the five contributors are very well deserving. They battle on against life's many and varied challenges. They're often misunderstood, but remain stoic and resolute throughout. They already have an award, but I think they deserve another - for carrying on in the face of adversity and for not moaning.....too much!

Isn't it dinnertime yet?   

This is the blog I've awarded. I should also say that the award is only supposed  to go to a blog that has less than two hundred 'followers.' I'd better hurry over and let them know then - before they become too famous!