Tuesday 31 January 2017

January days...

Normally I find myself furiously wishing January away, longing for the slightly longer days of February (well, March actually) and looking forward to the Six Nations starting as a distraction to these cold winter times. I find myself relieved when January is over, almost as if it has been a battle of survival to get that one step closer to spring.

But not this year. 2016 flew by so quickly, and I put this down to wedding planning. Being so focused on one date often meant I wished time away, eager and excited for the big day.

Now I find myself wishing time would slow down, and wondering how I can ensure 2017 does not disappear in the same way 2016 did.

I'm not sure this is possible, but it makes a nice change to be at least attempting to enjoy these January days rather than wishing them away.

Now, at the end of the month (wondering where it has gone!?!), I can reflect that January brought bright days, plenty of walks, haggis, and a wonderful trip to Skye.

The photos below include walks around Stow, St Boswells/Dryburgh, Abbotsford, and Loch Leven. January has brought almost 85 miles so far...
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
On Skye we enjoyed a real variety of weather (with wind being the only consistent factor!). We planned to walk out to Rubha Hanish on Wednesday but got absolutely battered by wind, rain and hail. We made it to the bothy for some shelter, and turned for home, walking into the wind on the way back which wasn't fun!

The contrast with Thursday was remarkable - the wind was still strong but the sun had come out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Well, there wasn't until we headed west to catch the sunset - sadly the cloud was on the west of Skye. However we went seal-spotting at Loch Dunvegan instead - until the wind forced our retreat that is.
 
 
 
Wednesday...
Thursday...

 
 
 
 
 
Battered by the weather on our walk to Rubha Hanish!

Thursday 5 January 2017

Goodbye terrific 2016, hello interesting 2017!

Wow, where to start with 2016?! (January would be an obvious place!). It was simply an incredible year, full of wonderful, life-enhancing moments. It has been tough to say goodbye to 2016 but I'm confident 2017 will be interesting, different, challenging and exciting - just like 2016 was!

After a great Hogmanay with our neighbours and friends from Skye, including seeing in the bells at the Stow bonfire and fireworks, Dave and I enjoyed a nice few days with both our families. Dave's brother Richard and family were over from Australia, so it was lovely to spend time with them and make memories. However I found myself extremely tired, and also had a few health-related worries on my mind. I therefore didn't feel very positive in the first few days and weeks of January 2016, despite having a lot to look forward to.
I was working up in Edinburgh, commuting by train, and struggling a bit. I wasn't seeing any daylight during the week. Thankfully I had a wedding to plan, so I focused all my extra time and attention on that - a positive focus at a dark time. I would read wedding blogs religiously on the train to and from work, write pages of notes in my wedding planning book, and spend hours at Hobbycraft at the weekend gathering bits and bobs. It was lovely to have this focus, and it certainly got me through the winter.

In January we said goodbye to our family dog Robbie, which was very sad.

When February arrived, the days were starting to get ever so slightly longer. Weekend walks kept spirits up, and Dave and I were joined by our four-legged friend Alfie, our neighbour's rather large dog. Having access to a dog made us realise how much joy we got from a canine companion. Walks were enjoyed, rugby was watched, work was consuming and wedding-planning was coming along nicely. Unfortunately February 2016 will always be marred by the tragic loss of Elliot.
It was a relief when March arrived. Spring had sprung, and work was very busy indeed. We collected our wedding rings, and my wedding dress arrived in store, so it really felt like progress was being made with 7 months to go. However, the month of March was most notable for two things - I conquered my 24th Munro, Meall Ghaordaidh (which turned out to be my only Munro in 2016!), and Dave and I rehomed a gorgeous wee Patterdale terrier called Tig! She has enhanced our lives so much over the past 9 months, and we can no longer imagine life without her.
The end of the month brought a new working pattern for Dave, and for the next 3 months our work schedules meant no days off together. It was tough going but we managed.

April is always my favourite month of the year, as it brings my birthday. This year was a bit more daunting though, as it was quite a big birthday! However we celebrated in the best possible way - a wonderful 13 mile family walk on the West Highland Way (which Tig loved!), then a trip to the Isle of Tiree. Dave, Tig and I loved the beautiful beaches, and the very fresh air.

 
Time was hurtling by, and soon May was here, with lovely weather and many dog walks. I was spending all my spare time doing wedding things, discovering my creative side with origami flowers, and starting to put our extensive invitations together. It was lovely to get a break from it all mid-month with a trip to Coldingham for Emma's hen weekend. The sun was shining on us all weekend, which made this part of the Borders look even more stunning than usual! I tried surfing for the first time, which I found a real challenge. I was determined to stand up on the board and refused to leave the water until I had...thankfully I managed it as exhaustion had long set in!
It was such a fun weekend, albeit quite emotionally tiring, and it made the approaching weddings seem closer than ever.

Time whizzed by so much that I didn't even manage to blog in the month of June. I finished the temporary contract I'd been doing in Edinburgh at the end of the month, and it was a relief to have a change. Since October 2015 I'd been getting the 7.40am train to Edinburgh, and usually the 4.50pm or 5.20pm train home. This made for long days, tiring days, and not a lot of daylight. Dave had a Thursday and Friday off work, whilst I had a Saturday and Sunday. We were knackered in the evenings. The end of June saw the end of that unhealthy routine, and although in July, August and September we only got one day off together - a Thursday - that was an improvement on no days together!

June saw yet more progress on the wedding front, as we finished writing our ceremony, and put the finishing touches to our invitations. However the month is most memorable for a fantastic summer holiday we took, to Amsterdam to meet our dear friends Blair and Emily, and to France to see brother Colin and Emma. Dave and I haven't had many summer holidays together so this was a real treat - swimming in the Med every day whilst in France was truly wonderful. Spending time with 4 people very dear to us was the best of all.
We felt very refreshed when we returned from this special holiday, and the very next day we popped our wedding invitations in the post - it was starting to feel a bit real now!!

When July rolled around, I was back working part-time in the Borders, a decision that proved to be a great one as it allowed me time to crack on with wedding projects, now with only 3 months to go! Our one day off a week was often spent making progress on our wedding, whether it be brewing our own beer, looking for plates, meeting our celebrant, plus plenty of other bits and bobs throughout the month. We also discovered the beautiful Seacliff beach in East Lothian with our friends Gibson and Paula, complete with views to Tantallon Castle. Dave and I celebrated 6 years together with haggis fajitas and Prosecco, the only way :)
 
 
Wedding beer ready!
August arrived in blazing sunshine, and Tig and I made our way up Eildon Hill North, the perfect way to start an amazing month. The highlight was Colin and Emma's wedding in Ireland, a weekend with family and friends - both old and new. It was incredibly emotional, far more so than I could have imagined. There was just so much love going around!
I found myself quite tired and drained for the rest of the month, but it flew by with yet more boxes ticked off on my wedding planning list. I reflected on it being 10 years since I went to study in America - astonishing how quickly that time has passed.

September was a busy month with all things wedding, with dress fittings, trips to Costco to get the rest of our booze, meetings with suppliers, practicing our hand-fasting, sorting our music...It felt never-ending, and at times it was quite fraught and stressful. It was a real test for me and my anxiety - the whole year was. Now in hindsight I miss that build-up so much, it was a very exciting time despite the stresses!

We took a trip to Coldingham beach and Priory to give ourselves a wee break. At the end of the month Mum and I enjoyed a fantastic afternoon trying stand-up paddle boarding in East Lothian, followed by a fancy afternoon tea at Greywalls! 
 
When October arrived I was simply buzzing with excitement. Dave and I had both finished work by the time the month began, and were enjoying a bit more time together and with Tig, albeit extremely busy with wedding preparations! I couldn't believe our time was nearly upon us...we'd been building up to this moment for a year (well, for a lot longer really) and now it was a week away...a few days away...a day away.

I've recently been spending time writing about the build-up to the wedding and the day itself. I've written 12,500 words so far and I haven't even got to the end of the wedding day yet! I've found it really enjoyable. It's written for my own use, but watch this space for wedding blogging and perhaps other exciting wedding-related projects. I've found a real passion alongside writing and walking...

The week before the wedding was so much fun, with walks in/near the Pentlands, West Linton and St Boswells. Of course time flew by, and the 8th of October arrived with sunshine. We had an outdoor ceremony and walked to our own reception. It was an incredible day. I am still getting my head around it all. 
After the wedding we spent a wonderful few days on Arran, which was the break we needed. We went gorge walking in 9 degree water, jumping into pools in Glen Sannox! We ate and drank a lot, and thus had the following month off the booze! I also got a second wear out of my wedding dress, and it won't be the last...

 
We spent the rest of October re-decorating our house, which was much needed after 3 years since we bought. It was just so nice to have time together, the first time in a year (or actually a year and a half) we'd had proper weeks off together.

November was tough going. No booze, back to work, coming down from the wedding. A restorative walk round Loch Leven, going to watch Scotland v Australia at Murrayfield, and various dog walks lifted spirits.
 
But there was no stopping December arriving. We celebrated with a drink or two, enjoyed lovely walks around Stow and further afield, and geared up for a family Christmas.

Christmas itself was brilliant fun, with its usual one-club golf challenge, plenty of food, games and fun.
 
 
After being such an amazing year, 2016 fizzled out slightly as I got ill after Christmas and spent a number of days doing nothing at all. It has taken a while to shake off, in fact I haven't completely shaken it off. This meant we had to change our plans for Hogmanay on Skye, which was quite sad. It's the first year since 2010 I haven't made it up to Skye, but fingers crossed there's a trip early this year to make up for it.

Dave and I saw 2017 in with a small glass of red, after which I went to bed and he partied with our neighbours until the wee small hours! It was quite strange to feel ill on the 1st of January and it not be booze-related! 

I was sad to say goodbye to 2016. After a full-on, crazy, exciting, busy, stressful and fun year, it is slightly strange to be starting 2017 with a blank canvas. There are no big plans on the horizon (apart from hopefully a trip/honeymoon to America/Iceland!) but Dave and I need to make some changes in our working life in order to feel more fulfilled. That process is daunting but exciting. 

So I hope 2017 will bring plenty of walking, exciting trips, spending time with family and friends, and hopefully more Munros! I'm averaging one a year at the moment, so really need to change that. All being well I should be giving my 25th pint of blood this year, meaning I'll have donated more pints of blood than bagged Munros...I think that's okay!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2017 xx