In the swim!

On Wednesday 16th February. Sam got his first swimming diploma. Well done Sam!

Minus 17 tonight...

I popped over to Inverurie at lunch time. The scenery was absolutely stunning - bright blue sky, wall to wall sunshine, the brightness of all the snowy hills - - and -12 at noon! Our temerature at home this eveneing was a balmy minus 17, and dropping!

See the garden full of sna


Click the pic to enlarge

More snow - quel surprise!

Another day, another heavy snowfall. We've currently got around half a metre of snow lying... digging out each day is not much fun but has to be done... the lowest temperature we've had so far was minus 21.

Click to see pics taken in the garden this afternoon

Food court choir

 go full screen... turn the volume up!

Keep digging...

I ain't never seen nuffink like it, 'specially in November!

Every time the wee footpath snow plough goes round, it leaves a foot high mound of snow in front of my parking space. Yesterday, I had just finished digging said space out, when round it came - again. "Ho ho ho!" I felt the driver chortle, as he kindly deposited yet another foot-high ridge for me to shovel away.

Then of course there's the big road snow plough, which leaves even bigger mountains - and more shovelling. We haven't seen him today - yet. I have to go and dig out yet again to take Paul to work - what's the odds on the snowplough going round just after I've dug out? Aargh....

It's been like this since Wednesday night - I am soooo fed up with shovelling.

Update 5 December: There are mountains of snow everywhere! Minus 21 on Friday 3rd. MINUS TWENTY-ONE! Four foot long icicles, two feet deep in snow.

Click to see pics of sub-zero Kembhill Park

Winter's back...

Our garden this morning - eight inches of snow in 24 hours!

Click to see more snow in Kembhill Park

Click the pic to enlarge

Simon's Cat 'Snow Business'

France 2010

New photo albums from my 2010 trip to France, with a few oldies thrown in.

Gardoussel - some new pics of the house, Skye and Gaia, and the donkeys!

St. Andre de Valborgne - Alex and Sharon's local village.

Les Cevennes - an ongoing collection of mountain villages and scenery

Skyscapes - some Ooh! Aah! clouds to go Ooh! Aah! at. (Kemnay and Gardoussel)

(click the pic to enlarge)

The alien ship approaches...

Spotted coming over the hill at Gardoussel.

More pictures from France soon.

Click the pic to enlarge.

You're never too old...

Five go mad in Orkney (the fifth took the photo)

See: the adventures of Dorene, Mike, Stu, Monique and Ewan as they visit Dunnet Head, the most northerly point in mainland Britain. Later, our intrepid troupe sets sail aboard the John O'Groats ferry across the notorious Pentland Firth to Orkney. There, they take a strange form of primitive transport to visit prehistoric sites. And there were lashings of yummy ice cream...

Read: snippets of fascinating info about a five thousand year old village, Skara Brae.

Hear: absolutely nothing. I don't do sound.

Link to Dunnet Head and Orkney album

It was totally fantastic to catch up with nephew Mike after at least two decades. Mike, you're a lovely person. You too Monique. I feel priveleged to know you both. God bless.

A drive along the Moray Firth

It was great to see my old mate Richard Dancey again! Richard came to stay in Kemnay for a week, and naturally we had to have a day or two exploring the north-east of Scotland.

Click here to see photos of our day out on the Moray Firth.

Click the pic to enlarge.

St. Andre de Valborgne

Another fine piece from Frances - - this is the very floral village square of St. Andre de Valborgne, nearby to Gardoussel.

Happy birthday Ge!

70 today, and you don't look anything near it!

I hope you have a really happy day today, and may you have many more in the future.

Much love from Stuart and Paul.

Now click this link

Vintage '51 Precision Bass

This is my new pride and joy - a Fender re-issue '51 Precision Bass. Thiis is s special edition of the world's very first bass guitar, produced by the great Leo Fender.

My model was made in Japan, and has that superior lacquer finish associated with Japanese Fenders, even on the fretboard. The body is made of alder, with a one-piece maple neck. The colour is "butterscotch blonde". It has the distinctive Telecaster-style headstock. And machine-knurled knobs!

When first introduced in 1951, the Fender Precision Bass received the following review in the Musical Merchandise Magazine:

Portable string bass really new

RADIO and Television Equipment Co., 207 Oak St., Santa Ana, Calif., announces a new "portable" string bass, which they say can be carried as easily as a guitar.

The new bass is styled similar to the Fender "Telecaster" Spanish guitar, but has only four strings which are tuned the same as on a conventional string bass. The instrument is fretted and includes a built-in electric pick-up.

Obviously, the new bass is a big departure from the standard type of bass, as it is only one-sixth the size and is played in the same position as a guitar, with a neck strap. The body is thin and solid and the neck is slender, the design permitting not only comfort but also ease in playing difficult chords.

Playing is done in "finger style" similar to clasiic guitar, rather than slapping or jerking the strings. It is said that not only can the bass player play difficult material much easier than ever before, but also that he would be less tired after a night of playing, as it requires very little string movement to produce full volume.

(click the pic to enlarge)

Stu finally gets it...

After many years of seemingly intelligent conversations with Sally and Snowy, it dawned on me that, actually, they weren't as knowledgeable as I believed them to be. But, in all their outpourings, they do at least have a consistent message: "feed me... feed me... feed me..."

I've also noticed that Sally has developed a strange drinking habit.

Click the pic to enlarge.

Isle of Wight road trip

Well that was just the best holiday I've had in ages. A road trip to the Isle of Wight, starting with a stopover at Dave and Debbie's in East Kilbride, then two fantastic days in Liverpool at the Albert Dock. A long drive south and I'm on the Island for seven nights at the Hermitage, Totland Bay. Thoroughly recommended, especially the full English breakfast! And then some great days with the family, just fab! Click one of the links below for holiday pics.

New photo albums:
Pictures of Liverpool
Isle of Wight pictures
Family photos on the Isle of Wight
Isleof Wight steam railway
At the Needles
The Wheel of Liverpool

London Marathon

Joan shows off her medal for completing her fourth London Marathon. Well done Joan, we're all really proud of you!

Joan ran as a celebration of her 75th year and for the Isle of Wight Hospice. You can still support her and make a donation to this very worthy cause by visiting Joan's "Just Giving" page and getting your card out!

Click the pic to enlarge

New Keylight website

Gary's new business website is up and running, and jolly whizz-bang it is too!

Click >here< to visit Keylight

Have your sound switched ON

Corniche des Cevennes - the road to Florac

Frances' latest landscape painting.

I recognise the location as being the road between Saint Andre de Valborgne and Florac, high up in the mountains of the Cevennes National Park.

I think it's a delightful picture, reflecting the soft shadows of the easterly morning sun.

Superb Frances - - more like this please!

Trainspotting

What a way to spend a Sunday afternoon. This is the locomotive Oliver Cromwell hauling the "Great Britain" steam train as it passes through Inverurie station on its way to Inverness.

More photos >here<

The Railway Touring Company

Now, where's my anorak?

Click the pic to enlarge

Emily Smith sings "Caledonia"

;;

Toot toot - happy Easter

Stu goes into train spotting mode as he relishes the prospect of a Thomas the Tank Engine Easter egg. Perhaps he'll become the fat controller!

Happy Easter all, and thanks for the egg JA.

Sam's the man!

I wish I had been there to take the photo!

Sam and his classmates put on their show at Sam's school in Leiden.

Pirates of the River Don

Mad as March hares? Our intrepid mariners Paul and Tim take to the water and chance their luck at rafting the River Don from Monymusk to Kemnay.

Click the pic to enlarge

Three brass monkeys...

Stan, Tony and Stu wander the streets of Edinburgh, which, as we all know, are paved with gold.

Click the pic to enlarge.

Thurso again

It was great to see my big sis Dorene again, on a brief visit to the frozen North. (Actually, it was a wee bit warmer than Aberdeenshire.)

I took loads of photos, naturally, mostly of the train journey, which you can see by clicking on the link below.

Great British train journeys!: Inverurie to Thurso

The train journey itself is fab. Inverurie to Inverness takes two hours, passing hills, mountains, castles and rivers as it winds its way north-west into Moray and beyond. Time in Inverness then for a strong coffee and a Danish in the splendid Highland Hotel, right next to the station. An hour later and we're on our way seriously north, passing through Easter Ross, round the Cromarty Firth and into Sutherland. South of Helmsdale, the train practically travels along the beach before reaching Helmsdale itself and turning north to cross the bleak moors into Caithness and finally to Thurso. The four hour journey from Inverness just has to be one of the most spectacular in Europe.

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.