Distracted

Life has the odd habit of getting in the way of blogging. I think that's perfectly ok as life is really probably (note only probably) much more important.

The last 2 weekends have been full of friends visiting and parents near by - first, Silvio and Anne from Milan, then Barry and Eva from Basel and finally Isobel and Derek from Worcester. It has meant much socialising and eating and not a whole lot of crafting.

After spending a relaxing day in Pittenweem I decided to return last Tuesday evening - it was a beautiful night, is only 40 minutes from Dundee and so a perfect bolt hole from daily life. My mum and I walked the coastal path to Anstruther, the neighbouring village, looking for cowrie shells (always the most treasured shells as a child - read the link for more on the allure of the small white shell) on each little sandy cove and enjoying the bright spring evening. On our way back we watched as the 9 fishing boats from Pittenweem harbour headed out for a night's fishing and the next morning I got up to watch them all coming back and unloading their catch of langoustine onto the quayside.  Certainly a relaxing start to a working day.

Today was a public holiday in Scotland and it was so nice to not have to go to work, particularly since it was gloriously sunny!  I went hiking with my friend Jennifer and her daughter Charlie to Ben y Vrackie (Speckled Hill in gaelic) near Killiecrankie. It is not a particularly long walk, 5 miles there and back, but it climbs 640m in a very short distance, climbing steps for about an hour. The view from the top was spectacular, down the valley over Pitlochry and Blair Atholl, over the hills to Beinn a Ghlo, Glen Tilt and the Cairngorms beyond  and it was followed by lunch at the Moulin Inn where this time it really was warm enough to sit outside!

I promise some form of crafting will return to this blog shortly.