Renault Scenic

My new pride and joy!

Who's the bloke with the white hair?

It was fantastic to catch up with my old mate Snowy after a decade or so. His latest band, the Blues Project, played the Inn at Lathone, by St.Andrews. Great virtuoso blues music played in a very intimate venue, the band really connecting with the audience. I just loved every minute of it!
A walk around the beach and streets of St. Andrews on Saturday gave us the opportunity to remember old friends and swap a few war stories. Leek and tattie soup in a wee side street cafe, and a stroll around the botanic garden, topped off an entirely enjoyable day.
Nice to see you again Snowy, it won't be too long before we do it again.

Paul's exhibition

Students from Gray's School of Art are currently holding a four day exhibition in the Academy shopping mall in Aberdeen. I went along to the opening night reception tonight - very impressed by all the art on show, but I must say (even though I am totally biased) that I thought Paul's work stole the show. Well done Paul!

Click the pic to enlarge, or see more photos of the exhibition by clicking >here<.

Paul's exhibition

Let it sna...

Snow comes to Kembhill Park again... Paul is the "Soup Dragon" as he makes his way to granny's with a tubful... I snapped a lady making her way across the park on cross country skis... Jim comes face-to-face with a snowplough... all in a single afternoon! See all this lack of excitement by clicking >here<

Prior to this afternoon's pasting, we've had snow for a couple of weeks now. I can live with the snow, but it's the ice that I find terrifying. And we've had lots of it - I had difficulty crossing the road to the kirk the other day, and my sister on the north coast has been unable to leave her house for twelve days now because of the ice. She has good frineds, tho, that see that she's alright.

Link to Snow in Kembhill Park
Link to Stu's photo albums

Red Funnel boogaloo

Well, what a wonderful weekend I had in Leiden. Thanks Gary, Caren and Sam, and Jan and Ge, for making it a truly memorable weekend.

I've uploaded a whole heap of photos, just click >here< to see the new album

New fence

Turmoil at chateau stu this week, as John the joiner erects a brand new fence, and installs new upstairs doors and frames. John brought a fencing guy, Ian, with him, and Dave helped enormously: digging holes, roots, helping erect the fence and clearing the garden. Thanks to all for such a fantastic job. The fence really will improve the garden by letting in so much more sunlight. A working party of four - Neil, Debbie, Dave and I finished it off on Saturday morning with a coat of paint. Photos of new doors to follow. (they're not painted yet...)

River Don floods

View from my front door, Thursday 22nd October. The River Don is flooding and flowing at running speed. The black "thing" in the river is actually the bench on the footpath. Click the pic to enlarge.

Dave also took some really good pics.
>Dave's pics of the flood<

I drove over the bridge at Inverurie, and it's very flooded there too. Further downstream at Kintore, a farmer was tragically lost today when his tractor submerged in the river while he was trying to reach his stranded cattle.

I've also uploaded some new "Around Kemnay" pics
>Around Kemnay<

Donkey riding...

Skye and Gaia, October 2009

John Lewis gets value competitor

Operator Sam...

...learning the trade early!

(click the pic to enlarge)

Coo-eee...

Frances, September 2009

Three go mad in Kemnay

See Adele, Maggie and Janice have a swinging time in Kemnay on their tour of the North.
Click the pic to enlarge, or >link to the album<

Pay attention Debbi :-)

Just jokin'...
Thanks Julie-Ann for making the incredibly fantastic chocolate cake (mmm...), and a big thanks to all my wonderful friends and colleagues at Aker Solutions for making my 60th birthday just the absolute best. You are a truly inspirational bunch!

Another of Julie-Ann's masterpieces

...the cake says it all really!

(click the pic if you want to see a really HUGE chocolate cake!)

early September

Looking west across the Pleasure Park in Kemnay, on a fine Saturday morning in early September. This is the view from the new Barratt apartments currently under construction. Click pic to enlarge.

Lights, camera...action!

Paul appears in Aker Solutions' office with Bluestone Film Productions' film crew. He had a short assignment as a runner on a promo video.

Amanda's adventures in Aberdeenshire

We had a great day out - lunch at Gaddie's restaurant, Oyne, followed by a visit to Huntly Castle and the shortbread factory. Click the pic to enlarge, or click the link to >view the album<.

My living room, August 2009. Clck the pic to enlarge.

  I've had dozens of butterflies visit my buddlea, and fortunately managed to snap some of them during an idle moment in the garden this morning. Click here to see more pics

T in the Pleasure Park

Kemnay kirk yoof eating. Nothing new there then!

Happy birthday Alex!

I hope you're having a whale of a time!

The boys are back in town

New Isle of Wight photos, taken June 2009.

21 today!

Happy birthday Paul... you've got such a good future in front of you... go for it!

On the beach...

...digging for gold?

Sam and Gary, May 2009

Springtime in Kembhill Park

Outside the house. The River Don is visible behind the tree. Click the photo for a fantastic enlarged view.