OUT WITH THE ODD AND IN WITH THE STRANGE?

Anyone who has been keeping up with this blog knows that I have done some odd things in ’06 but have had no regrets. ’07? well it is likely to be a bit peculiar as well, time will tell.

In the mean time, this is the way I got out of the old one and into the new one…..

As I was to be away from home over Christmas and New Year, I planned an extra celebration for my son and his girlfriend the week before.


As you can see, it was a very festive affair. I even decorated my Christmas 'tree'.

We opened our presents, had a lovely meal and the day after actually felt like Boxing Day, lucky me, two Christmas days in the same year!


Yet again, my journey up to Scotland went well and I spent a good couple of days with my mum in Paisley before we both headed up to Skye for the festivities.

This was the view at dusk looking out over Paisley and Glasgow Airport…. The same day that Heathrow was fog bound.

Our trip up north was, as always, breathtaking.

It doesn’t seem to matter what kind of weather the highlands greet you with, they look quite stunning in any. This day, there were patches of fog and as you can see, when we climbed high enough the mist lay way below us and filled the valleys, beautiful.

Christmas would not feel right without at least one silly gift.

Well, not that silly this time, this was a seriously effective little rocket which at no time looked to be going anywhere near coming straight down the chimney, honestly!

Boxing Day weather was kind enough to let us walk off our excellent Christmas meal.

Yes, it was that high and we had to get back up again as well!

The view, of course, was worth the effort. All in all a much better way to spend Boxing Day than in the queue for the DFS sale!

Geocaching? Yes it was new to me as well. In brief, it seems like a fun way to enhance a walk in the countryside or a ramble up a hillside, by giving the outing a firm objective. Worldwide, Geocachers are placing and finding, in secluded places, a little box with a little something inside. Just for fun, not treasure or anything of real value, other than the feeling of success when you find one. It’s all logged on the WWW and if you would like to know more try http://stats.guk2.com/ for info. I’ve ordered my GPS!

This was my first successful, if damp, Geocache find. Well done to Libby who led us to the right crevice in the rock where the target was hidden.

Nice to have a place like this on your doorstep to walk the dog.

Nice as well to have such a good place to wash the dog!

It’s hard to point the car south after good times like these. Thanks to all in Grianaig!

Back in the south I am, and looking the calendar, I see I have four short weeks before my big trip. That will mark my ‘strange’ New Year, let me wish you all a very happy one!!