Camping, swimming and Harry Potter!!

We picked Peter up from respite yesterday.
 Paul came along for the journey - he hadn't met Carol, Chris and Sara, so was curious and wanted to suss them out!!!!!


By all accounts, the weekend was great. The weather has been good - sunny and warm. No rain, so that was even better.
As usual, Chris and Carol had some good ideas and things to do for Peter. They went to see Harry Potter - Peter loved it. I think it was a late showing, which was even better - coming out of the cinema late at night when others are in bed!
They went to Heads of Ayr farm - a lovely day out - farm animals to see and things to do like trampolines, so all enjoyed that.


They also camped out one night!!! Chris put the tent up outside the house - there is loads of space and they stayed out overnight. Peter said he heard the owl who roosts in one of the trees! They had marshmallows toasted and then sausages for breakfast. I've asked Peter if he wants to sleep out in our garden with his dad in the tent. Emmmmm - NO!!! Like why do that HERE when all i could hear would be a number 62 bus go by!!!!!


They went swimming one evening and yesterday morning went over to Largs to check on some ponies. Peter told Carol where we had bought the chocolate that he'd brought down to share with Sara! 


After dropping Peter off with us, Chris and Carol were dropping off Sara at the ferry - she's going to her gran and grandad's in Dunoon for the weekend. Remember - the grandad with the 2 seater soft top MG sports car?!?!?!?
I told Carol she would make a fortune renting out to my friends for a few days. Log fire, Chris mopping the kitchen floor and his dad giving tours of the locality in his car. Would make a good few pennies to buy hay for Jinty the horse and keep Jemima the saddleback pig as happy as a pig in - well, muck, i suppose!!! 




Carol was asking if we could arrange for Peter to visit over Halloween - Sara wants to go guising and would love Peter to be with her. She said it would be to some of the local farms and they usually know who's coming. So i said i'd try and sort it. Peter does have a visit the last weekend in September.


We're also going to Skye for a few days next month. And Louise has booked tickets on the Caledonian Sleeper for her and Peter!! They are going down to London overnight, spending a day whizzing round the city and travelling back up the next night!! So Peter is looking forward to that!!!
Oh - i should have said that Peter and Chris went to the station one evening to watch the trains. One train that stopped - the driver asked if Peter would like to see in the cab and told Peter about all the buttons and stuff he has to push - so that was nice.


So for now, i just have to get the washing dried and do some ironing before i pack for Skye.
Somehow, i think it will take all reserves of stamina from the locals to cope with up for a few days!!!!

A weekend of peace!!

Peter is away this weekend - Hurrah!!!
He's gone back to the family in Ayrshire for 5 nights. And boy was he looking forward to it!!
But the lure of the log fire, the dad who mops the kitchen floor and the grandad who has a soft top 2 seater MG sports car seems to be luring more and more of my friends!!! They keep asking how they can put their name down for respite at the place!!!!
It's a lovely place - gorgeous surroundings. We went to Largs one evening this week and came back over the road near to Dalry. Imagine, said Lou, waking up the that view every morning!! A little bit of paradise on earth. 


Odie - you would love it!!!


So Chris met us at the Station on thursday afternoon. Sara, the daughter and two of her friend were in the car. Peter met Beth last time and as Chris turned into the car park, all i could hear was "HHHAAAALLLLLLOOOOO PETER!!!!!",
It was touching that he had made an impact on them in the last visit!.


I think the plans for the evening were to go and see Harry Potter. We had a quick chat, exchanged news - mainly about our kitten and Beth told us she had a kitten as well!!


We have no plans this weekend - taking it easy!!
I tidied the freezer out yesterday - while Lilo was running around the house - quite how Kitty didn't end up in the freezer, i'm not sure!!! And the bathroom got cleaned. I HATE cleaning said room. If i had money, i'd hire someone to do it. but alas, no - so it gets done by me. 


This afternoon my friend May is coming up - we're just going to chat and catch up - it's nice out, so i'm hoping Paul will put up the table and we can sit out for a while. I did get a long lie this morning, so i can't complain.


So i'm going to the shops just now to get some goodies for us to eat this afternoon!!
Enjoy the weekend!!

Peter and Paul's Grand Adventure!!

Look at me - i can FLY!!!

At last - i've got the photos from the boys week away on the laptop and i can post them.
The above photo is where they did the canoeing and sailing - looks lovely!!

and the boys getting ready to canoe

and the sail boat. the power boat is below and everybody got a chance to steer!!!!

biking Kielder style!!

I seem to have got the photos in a strange order. But i hope you like them - Peter is getting ready to so on the King Swing - you get strapped in, cranked up high and then you pull the strap and off you go - swinging your way to oblivion!!!! He loved it.

getting ready to fly!!!

 As you can see - no lumps knocked out of each others bodies or bones broken!!!!

Mind you - the midgies in Northumbria - mighty big, mighty hungry blighters!!!!! Paul came home chewed to bits and 2 weeks later still has some marks on his legs!

They definitely want to go back next year - maybe for 7 nights!!! THis is coming from the boys who was worried about going away for 4 nights.

More to see, more to do and worth every penny that Peter's budget spent on it

Day 5 in the quiet house..................

..................And it's not really quiet any more!!!!

The boys are HOME!!!!!!
The washing machine is going into overload and i am asking the weather gods for decent dry weather tomorrow so that i can put it all out and get it dried!!

Yesterday was a good day for them - they did some archery and some biking. The bikes they used were hand cranked bikes. Instead of you having pedals, you have the equivalent on the handle bars and you "pedal" with your hands!!
Later in they went bowling, which they enjoyed.

While Peter was watching a DVD, Paul sneeked off to pack the bags - he said it was good to get a bit of peace to do that. Welcome to MY world i thought!!

Today i got a call from Paul to say they were at the station, but the train was late. He said they'd phone again from Edinburgh. Louise and i headed into the station to find that the train was running 40 minutes late. So we waited.

The boys got off the train, both in one piece! Paul was a bit harrased - he'd asked for a little help from one of the staff in Newcastle and they rudly said "NO - i have to get this train away". So there was Paul trying to get Peter on the train, sort the bags, get to the seats (to find that someone had blagged them!!!) and settle Peter down. THankfully, the people who were sitting in the seats gave them up - don't think they wanted to argue!!!

So we got home - the cat was mighty pleased to see the boys - nose kisses all round!! Food and unpacking followed. And they've spent the evening chilling and showing us the photos. I will put some of them up when i  get organised!!!

So i'm going to chase the boys to bed soon - i think it has been a week of late nights and early mornings and sleep is needed!!!!

Days 3 and 4 in the Quiet house

Days 3 and 4 are getting put together - basically because we didn't get home till 10.30 last night and was too tired to do much but crawl to bed and sleep!!!

Our plans for yesterday were to go to Aberdeen and meet up with friends. Our friend Sue's daughter has been in Sick Children's for a while, so Lou and i thought it would be nice to visit - give them both a different face to look at.

So after phoning Sue to check what day was best for her and booking the tickets, we were good to go.
About 7.30 am i got a text from Sue. It said that Sophie hadn't been great during the night and could we leave off visiting - she was really tired. I replied saying yes, then we had to decide what to do.
We decided just to go to Aberdeen and have a wander round anyway. We had the phone with us and if Sue texted to ask us to get to the hospital, we could.
So off we went - 3 hour train journey, texting Sue and also Lynne to see how Jack was.

On arrival, we headed to Union Square and had a little wander, buying some Italian biccies and dried fruit from a stall. They looked yummy and we wondered how long they would last!!
Next off to the  beach - now, Aberdeen is on the North Sea Coast. Much as it was a nice day, there is a BREEZE!!! And even at the end of June it is a chilly one!!!! We sat for a while, texted Sue to see if she needed any supplies (no) and then went for ice cream.
After that, we walked back up into the city centre and headed for the Maritime Museum. We have been there before, but thought it was worth a quick visit again. To be honest, we ended up sitting on a seat looking out over the harbour and chatting. We decided to move before we got thrown out!!!

So off we went in search of somewhere to eat. We ended up in Frankie and Benny's - more because even tho it was 4.30, they still had a lunch deal on. After, a wander, then to the station for the train home. I texted Sue and found that Sophie was asleep and reasonably comfy.

Got home - loads of nose kisses from the cat then bed!! It had been quiet,

Louise had gopne back to my friend Donna's where she's been cat sitting this week and said she'd be up and we would go to the carers group in the morning. About 7.30, my phone beeped. It was Sue.

Sophie had died peacefully not long before, holding Sue's hand.

My reply was to send our love to her and hubbie and that i would write.

Not much more that i could say really.

I messaged a couple of folk that i wanted to tell, grabbed the cat and told her i needed a hug and waited for Lou.  As soon as i said that Sue had texted me, she knew it wasn't good.

So my mood was a bit down. We went to Carers - long enough for a cuppa and a chat and then headed off. I wanted to go to Hobbycraft to buy some stuff to make a card for Sue.
Got home - tidied, put out washing, Lou back at Donnas and i had lunch. I'm going to go and make the card now. And write them a letter telling them of our memories of Sophie. Like how in a photo i took, it looked as if she was putting 2 fingers up at me!! My kids tell me it was Sophie telling me to get lost with the camera. Or like Peter and Paul fighting over who was to push Sophie's chair. She had them round her little finger!!!

She is a lovely, gorgeous girl who will live on in our hearts and minds.
And i  am so glad she chose us to be our friends.

Day 2 in the quiet house.................

Well, it's still quiet!!
I had a peaceful morning, footering about, tidying up, having a shower in peace with no demands from others to get in to the bathroom. Hung out some washing and then went to town to pick up out tickets for tomorrow.
Normally, it would be a rush to get in, then back home, but since i don't have any bodies to worry about, when they'll be home demanding food and clean clothes, it was nice to just t ake my time. I went to the bus station as well to book our tickets for going to Skye in August.
Went to M+S and bought some goodies for our train journey and headed home..

Louise was in, so we caught up and made our arrangements for the morning. THen she headed off for work.

So it was Me, Matthew and the cat. We did our things and chilled.
Till Matthew and i realised that we didn't know where Lilo actually was!!
Last i'd seen she was on the window sill in the living room.
Matthew had gone to the shops and was thinking that maybe Lilo had xlipped out.
But this is the cat who runs a mile in the opposite direction when you open the front door!!! She is a big fearty about the outside world unless she is in the comfort of her carrier!!!!

We called her name.
We rattled her dish.
We YELLED her name.
We looked in the washing machine.
the cupboard under the stairs.
In the washing basket, behind the couches and just about everywhere else.

We left her for a while thinking she'd come pattering in to the living room.

No.
Nothing, zich nada.
Not even a whisker or a hair!!!!

Eventually, i went back upstairs to look. I KNEW she couldn't have got into the rooms, cos all the doors were closed. I called her name again and heard a faint sound.
Mmmmmm methinks.
Now - Matthew said he had looked in the part of the hall upstairs between the bathroom and the cupboard. To be honest, this is a bit of a dumping ground and even tho it does get tidied, it's a job you start, then think, ach, hell, this'll do.
So it still looks like a dump!!
after a few seconds, i saw this pair of eyes peering out at me!!!
MATTHEW - I've found her!!!

Lilo was sitting in the huff under a box!!! We think she is missing the boys and cos Matthew and i don'tplay with her like they so, she took the huff and hid!!
We do play with her, but it's not the same.

Oh, man - i was nearly in tears!!

Mind you, by the time we got her outta there, i could have strangled her!!!!

The boys phoned just after tea time. Paul sounded a lot more relaxed than he did yesterday. They went canoeing today and on the big swing.
THe swing looks good and scary all at once - you start off low down and it can be raised up high and you SWING!!!!! Peter stayed on right till the end!! Paul came off before that.

Tomorrow they are going sailing and on the power boat.
Tonight was karaoke - i could hear the music in the background - it sounded good!!!

COntrol freak worry wart mum has still been locked away and has been told she's not getting back out till friday evening!!!

So now i'm going off to sort a few things for the morning, then to bed - have a long day tomorrow!

Day 1 in the quiet house!!

It's early evening in the quiet house - and all is........... quiet!!!!
The boys went off thos morning. Arrived bright and early at the station and waited for the train to be displayed.
Eventually it was - the final destination of the train was................. PENZANCE!!!!!
Now, for those who are not sure of this island we call home - Penzance is so south and so west, you will fall off Britain if you go much further!! And float around in the bit where the atlantic hits the English Channel!!
And to make it even more confusing, the boys are heading to Newcastle - it's in North east England, jsut below Hadrian's Wall and the Scpottish Border. We joke that those who live north of the wall and south of the border are almost scottish anyway!!!.
Me thinks this train travel lark could be confusing - Glasgow to Edinburgh to Newcastle i can get, but to cross back over going south west, thru Bristol onwards to Exeter and almost to Lands End!!!!

I explained to the train manager that they were travelling alone and even tho they are both 18 + it's the first time they have travelled alone - so he made sure they got to the right carriage and got the bags on for them  - nice man!!

Got the boys to the seats and Paul pulls a biggie.
Mmmm - Mum - i'm a bit worried about this.

Like - WHAT????? 5 minutes before the train pulls outta Glasgow Central you land THAT on me. Talk about laying on the guilt with the biggest trowel you can get!!

I quickly told him that things would be fine and he'd have a great time and Peter had been told to behave. I said that i'd need to get off the train soon, else i'd be going with them, but i'd wait on the platform till the train went.

As i waited this guy passed me and looked - i told him i felt a bit like bad mum and told him what Paul had said. He asked where the boys were going and i explained it was a place near Newcastle that was an outdoor adventure place catering for folk with learning/physical disabilities and the people who support them. He told me that the staff were probably well used and well equipped at dealing with people who were doing the caring and a bit nervous of being away.
He made me feel a lot better and he's prob right - they'll go and have a blast.

Off the train went and i waved.  Then went off top loo and promptly texted Paul to say that all would be fine and the staff would be used to helping deal with Peter if he went on a strop!!!!

I went off to buy a bag a Percy Pigs to take to my friend on Wednesday, then to the Disney Shop to buy something for her daughter - i've bought a Tinkerbell doll, which is cute! Sophie is in hospital in Aberdeen just now, so Louise and i are hitting the 9.41 train to Aberdeen on wednesday morning to go and visit. We're coming back home that evening, but we reckon we'll have a few hours to sit and chat.
Mind you - the laptop played up last night and wouldn't let me pay for the ticket. So Louise went off to our friend's house and used her (lou's) LT and she got them done. Will need to pick them up from the station.

Lou stayed at Donna's last night and is staying tonight. She's popping in and out of here as she chooses. She's working tomorrow.

So it's me, Matthew and the cat. And the cat is asleep on the table just now!!! Paul has assured me that all sharp or blunt objects have been removed from the house and the insurance documents hidden, so Matthew and i can just sit and chat - like old fogies should do!!!

Paul did leave a comment on FB to say that he wanted to shout FREEDOM á la Mel Gibson in the station!!! And he phoned to say that they were waiting for the pick up. Heard nothing since, but i'm not too worried. I'm sure the centre would have phoned if anything had gone wrong. The girl said it's a bit hit and miss for the mobile phone signal, but they do have a payphone. I've told the boys just to phone if they have time - i don't want them to miss out on something good cos they are waiting at a phone to phone home.

More adventures as i get wind of them!!!!