The death of a mobile phone allows me to transfer lots of images old and new onto the laptop so….
Apologies for duplicates.

Back to school next tuesday and to say I’m dreading it is an understatement.
You see we have finally had one of those summers you dream about,
it has rained ONCE since December 20th.
As Scotland has shivered, here the days have been warm (20 to 25)with a few hot ones (35) but some of us can cool off………..

Far too few walks on the mountain, but we did get some in, even if younger family memebrs slept most of the way.

Too little time spent in the workshop making things

Hamish learned to use the potty and the next day abandoned it for the loo. (Picture censored)

A lot of time has been spent on the beach, digging in the sandpit, weeing on the lawn (H that is), generally causing mischeif and falling in love with “Barney the Bloody Dinosaur” not just any syrupy American Barney but the super slushy Christmas Special.

Ah well back to work, how would I cope with a real job and only 2 weeks holiday a year?

Hamish has been busy with a variety of tasks since 1/1/10

Digger driving:

Learning new skills:

Cycle touring

What’s next?

Jen’s brother married his Brazilain girlfriend Bruna yesterday.
The ceremony was in a conservatory at the Botanical Gardens then a two hour wait for dinner in a rather nice restaraunt there.
I was concerned that H might spoil the day with his first major tantrum.
So we arrived (barely two minutes before the bride) fully equipped for a days long struggle.
Jenny earned her real mummy stripes by admitting that in her “handbag” were: wipes, nappies, spare clothes and toy cars.
I was carrying a rucksack full of potty, treats, books, warm socks…. even pyjamas.

We needn’t have worried.
Our little attention tart was the star turn.
He had Bruna’s family eating out of his hand within seconds and of course three grandparents attending to his every whim.
He even got a mention in that Father of The Bride’s speech.
He really laid it on thick when leaving, he ran the length of the room to hug and kiss the bride and groom.

38 degrees and mounting humidity all day,
lightning storms and rain. Still 27 degrees even afterwards.
Graham Norton on TV camping it up… so no different from Scotland

My siblings are shivering in the snow in Scotland.

And here?
A certain wee man runs through our sprinkler to keep cool as temperatures hit the high twenties with even hotter to come.

or

Sorry about the logo on the video but I can’t afford a program to convert phone to WMM format and this was the only freeware I could find

Hamish has enjoyed the last few days.
Christmas Day was a blurr of presents and doting Grandparents

He evn made huge progress with his toilet training (with some help from mum)

We are now firmly in the grip of conversations about size and consistency of the contents of his potty.

Ho hum!

Not to mention his 2 conference calls to Family in Scotland, a round of BBQs and a hareem of 3 year old blondes he follows around.

Santa has just polished off the last of the whisky Maura and Jim brought me last year.

Potty fireman

Dad’s shoes

8 hours to go, and a very excited wee man will be visited by Santa, he comes to visit tonight in the fire truck and this year it is not me for a change!!!