I was going to turn back. In fact, I had. I was waiting to pass some people on the narrow clifftop path when they asked me if I’d seen puffins. No, I’d replied slightly disappointed that I hadn’t. But they had just seen some flying past. That was all I needed to hear, I turned and hurried back to where I’d been waiting and watching for the little birds with the orange beaks.
Those two monkeys never fail to make me laugh. I think I appreciate them even more when I’ve been away, and all their funny little quirks. This Easter we did a lot together- Holland, with Suzi lying on my lap and Prune resting her head on her in the car. Exploring the dykes, watching boats at the marina. Redwings, Suzi’s first time meeting the horses. Enjoying the garden and the new patio- sunny spring days meant the three of us could be outside often. And of course, drives in the Mini- those two love leaping in for an adventure.
The seal spat out the fish for the third time. Patiently and resignedly, the lady netted it out of the water, reinserted a tablet into another fish and tried again to feed her difficult patient. He had half his back scrapped clean off, perhaps from a run in with a boat’s propellor. Lucky he was here, I thought and could one day be returned to the wild. We were in Aseal, a sanctuary for our flippered friends who need rescuing. And visitors can see how the staff are looking after these creatures and preparing them to be released as soon as possible. I wasn’t expecting to find such a place here, in Holland. But then, I had a lot of surprises during our week in Zeeland.
I had been waiting for this for ages. Three months is a long time when its your first year away from home. We were heading up the driveway, lined with daffodils, my favorite flowers. The trees were still bare-leaved and glistened with raindrops, legacy of a cold, wet March. I headed straight for the kitchen and was soon being smothered by two bundles of wagging tails and jet-black fur.
Perhaps not where someone who adores walking barefoot and bronzing in the sun should be this time of year. Truth be told, in the last two years I have found myself in Thailand or Miami in February. But this year, Aberdeen. Up in the frozen North. I remember mum told me before I moved here that Aberdeen is inline with Russia. It is a cheery thought that is hard to forget. But being here has shown me that the Scots are made of stronger stuff, and during the last couple of weeks in between school placements and with a bit more free time, I’ve learned a lot from them and their hardy spirits.
Since the kids had Japan as their topic in school, origami was obviously on the menu. You all know what an arts and crafts nerd I am so I wanted to practice before showing my class how to do the folding. Needless to say, I got addicted to this seemingly simple art form, which I found is very relaxing. I thought I’d share some of my favorite things to make in a few of my posts, starting with some animals. Here they are, from the easiest to most challenging. If my P7s could do it, anyone can. Trust me.
I was making myself a sandwich and it got me thinking about bread. In particular, the bread Grandma baked when we visited recently- a country style fluffy white loaf. And thinking about that made me think about grandparents, and how special they are. I’m lucky to have such amazing grandparents. There are countless memories since I was young…
Tranquil. Not a word we normally associate with India. But beyond the often discussed hustle and bustle, chaos, dust and noise there is indeed a laid-back side to the sub continent. I came to India this year to unwind having had a stressful few months and found that even in Bangalore, the hectic hub of a city that seems to grow by the day, it is possible to relax.
So its almost 2018. I’m not sure about you but I feel like it was just New Years. 2017 needs a speeding ticket. I didn’t do a post to mark the occasion last year but since my site turned a year old this month I thought I’d do a roundup of some of the highlights that have featured here, from the last two years. Naturally, many of them are places visited. If you were part of them, laugh, cry or both. If not, I hope they remind you of some of your own.
