Time flies ...

Time flies when you are having fun, or so the old cliche goes. Well I have been meaning to post on here so many times and then have gotten myself completely distracted by something else and just have not go around to it!!! Finally, I am determined to write a few lines. I had an e-mail from and old J'land (AOL Journals, now defunct) acquaintance and he has spurred me on to put something more on here. And thank you Natalie for complimenting me on the format I use here. Its nice to hear from you too.

We are through the winter now on the east Scottish coast and the weather has turned milder, although that could be deceptive and we could experience another cold snap before the end of March. That's Sarah and I last February when it felt like it would be cold forever. It was lovely to be outside without a coat today and the washing got dry on the line without freezing semi-solid.

The kids are doing fine. David is studying hard for his Standard Grade exams in May and miraculously he doesn't need that much motivation from me. He seem to know instinctively that his work will get the results for him and has planned his study for himself, and anyway, what teenager would want his Mum telling him what to do? Even if she is cool like me? (smile)

Sarah was bouncing on her trampoline in the garden when I came back from work this evening. She gave me a wave and a smile. At 'almost 8 years old now' (as she constantly reminds me), Sarah doesn't need to run to give me a hug every time she sees me anymore. Mind you, it is still lovely on the occasions that she does wrap her child's arms around my neck for a snuggle! But she does let me know that she considers herself a young lady now and is endearingly grown up in her own way.

I have been busy all winter long working and researching ideas for a doctorate. I have plans to return to university to study in the autumn for a doctorate in ancient Roman history/archaeology and I hope that I will begin in the autumn this year. I am snowed under with reading and researching artefacts. I have applied to the university of St Andrews, which is about a forty minute drive from here in Monifieth, and I am very hopeful of being offered a place. St Andrews university was founded in 1413 and is Scotland's oldest university. In the UK it was founded after Oxford and Cambridge Universities and it was one of the earliest universities to admit women students in 1892. Click on the link if you want to browse its website: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/

Back again!

Ok, I've been away for ages. I didn't mean to be away for so long, but LIFE keeps getting in the way of blogging. I can't believe its February already and the days are getting longer again. I'll be back soon (I hope) with a more interesting post.
Thanks very much to those who enquired about where I had disappeared to. Its nice to know that somebody notices when I go AWOL!!!

Kate x.

Panic (well a little bit)

OMG - I've just realised it is only two weeks 'til Christmas Day and there is still so much to do!!!And that is more than slightly ironic coming from a self-confessed aetheist!!! Well I am Irish and was raised very Catholic, so it is undertstandable if I take Christmas seriously. It's so culturally ingrained in me, that as a woman, a wife and a mum, and no matter how aetheist or agnostic I am now, there are still rituals surrounding Christmas that need to be conducted with dignity and calm - well I was hoping for that, but now with only two weeks to go 'til The Big Day, dignity and calm may have to be abandoned in favour of a more ad hoc approach and a scramble to make sure all is done on time. And it will be done on time ...

But do you ever wonder what would happen if we Women/Wives/Mums decided not to get our acts together in time for Christmas? Would anyone ever receive a Christmas card? Would anyone buy a Christmas card even? Would presents be bought and wrapped with appropriate bows and labels neatly placed under the Christmas tree? Would there even be a Christmas tree or decorations for that matter? Would the food be bought and prepared, the table set out in readiness for a feast?
I like to think that it would all get done, that the male half of the human race would organise everything should we females opt out ... but I do have my doubts...

Prove me wrong chaps and help us get ready for Christmas Day!!!

Friendship...

This pretty seabird was snapped during September by a good friend of mine who lives on the south coast of England. My friend and I share our love of the very different coasts we live by and regularly exhange photos of our local coastal environment. We also share our love of history and archaeology and get together to excavate once a year, even though we live 500 miles or more apart. In fact, it was by sharing the same trench that we have become friends. Our lives are very different otherwise, but our friendship is strong because of the common interests we share.

"With a fellowship the peak of perfection consists in friendship; for all forms of it which are forged or fostered by pleasure or profit or by public or private necessity are so much the less beautiful and noble - and therefore so much the less 'friendship' - in that they bring some purpose, end or fruition other than the friendship itself." (Michel De Montaigne, Essais)

I am in agreement with Montaigne, friendship for the sake of friendship, forged because of a meeting of minds, is preferable to associations made for advantage. I am fortunate indeed to have made such a friend, for they are truly few and far between...

Snow again ...

With whiteout conditions around Dundee this morning I had to abandon most of my plans to get my Christmas shopping done. However, the blizzards had cleared by early afternoon and here are some photos taken during an afternoon stroll around my local area...

The first is the view across the fields towards Roman Hill.

This snowly lane leads behind our house into Monifieth's housing estates and the local nursing home.

The sun peeping out through the trees ... just like a Christmas card.

The view south across the Tay estuary with Tentsmuir forest in the distance.

More snow and icy weather is forecast for the rest of the week. It is eight years since we had such a cold start to winter. It's time to crank the heating up and stay warm.

This Day in History...

November 27th 2008

1095: Pope Urban II announced the First Crusade which would be launched to reclaim sacred Christian sites from Islamic rulers.

1942: The French naval forces destroyed their own fleet of seventy ships and submarines which were at Toulon to prevent the Germans from getting their hands on them.

1967: The president of France, Charles de Gaulle, vetoes Britain's membership of the European Economic Community (EEC) for the second time.


There's probably loads more historic events associated with this date, but these three were easy to find.

A lovely day ...

The flowers above were photographed by me back in August this year at Barnhill Rock Gardens.

It was lovely here on the east coast of Scotland today, mild and sunny, if a bit windy at times. I dropped Sarah to school as usual for 9.00 am, took my usual walk from the Blue Seaway at Monifieth to Broughty Ferry Castle along the shoreline path, met my friends for a coffee and unhealthy bacon roll at Dobbies, the went for an afternoon work meeting in Forfar, before getting back home to make the tea and see after the kids at 5.00 pm.

I haven't had such a relaxing week day in ages ... I put it down to ignoring the housework and taking time out...

A Taste of Winter...

We had a great time outside our house on Sunday after the first winter snows fell ...
Sarah, on the left, and her friend enjoyed making snowballs and a snowman.
Our snowman is almost melted away now, but he was cute for a brief while ...

Our street looks lovely when it is covered in snow...

The back garden looks pretty too ... The snow hides a multitude of sins!