Long journey home

This morning we all got up and ready in good time despite our late night. Chris’s came for us at 9.30 am to take us to the airport. So Tina and through check in immediately. There were some amazing pictures in the departure lounge, from. Distance they looked like paintings but on closer inspection they were like collage/marquetry with thin floor coverings!

Really lovely and so clever.

The plane this morning was slightly bigger and more comfortable, the flight is only about thirty minutes. Very cloudy today but I took pics anyway.

The first train was on time, we got settled into our seats and then I felt dripping! I was suddenly getting quite wet as the strip above the window was leaking. Quite a few other people were affected to. It ended up with us being moved to first class and being offered a free tea or coffee! Not a bad start to the trip.

We had lunch in Edinburgh and then went to the station for the second train. With only a few minutes to go they hadn’t announced the platform so we rushed along and it was heaving and there were people in our seats! It transpired that three trains had been cancelled due to a fatality on the lines near London, meaning people from four trains were crowding in. We did manage to grab seats but the people standing were packed in like sardines. They were told to move forward into other carriages or the train wouldn’t leave, but eventually we were on our way. It was late arriving at Doncaster but we still had fifteen minutes to get to the right platform for the last train. That was not crowded and all was well.

We were met by Andreas husband at the station and he drove us home.

No more tonight as I am off to bed soon, will write more about the trip tomorrow.

Another lovely and long day!

Very short entry as we have had a good day but haven’t been in long, it is late and I still have to pack.

We had a trip to the island of Hoy, didn’t see the Old Man but that is a story for another day. Had a trip across the island to a really remote village.

We did general sight seeing back here and had a lovely lunch. The we had a picnic on the beach and explored until the sun was going down, walked miles but didn’t find the puffins!

I doubt I will be doing much of an entry tomorrow as we have the long journey home and won’t be in until around 10pm.

Just going to post my final picture taken today, ended up with 175 in all!

Fabulous day on a beautiful island

Hard to know where to start the day has been full and so interesting. Lots of beautiful scenery and interesting places and the weather was lovely too.

Will start with the wonderful Italian chapel built by Italian prisoners of war.

Seals.....

And highland cows!

Skara Brae was just fabulous.

Writing this is taking an age and I am entering a bit at a time, so will try and add two pics of Skara Brae and then call it a day.

Third and last attempt!

I have completely written and entry twice today now and for some reason it is not uploading. 

We have had a good day, wandering round the town. Tina and one of the Andreas went to a tour round the gin distillery, we visited the cathedral and generally had a nice day. I will just put a few photos. The descriptions were more lengthy and more photos, but I have now been trying for well over an hour so a short version may appear!

Will try three more!

Sorry....

I have now spent two hours unsuccessfully writing an entry. If the problems carry on tomorrow the blog will be resting for a while, because the trouble tonight has spoilt my day!

Long journey to Orkney

We left home at 7.15 this morning and arrived at our digs about 8 pm, but a great journey, everything on time and no delays. I will just post a selection of photos as it is time to get to bed and get ready for a day exploring tomorrow.

First photo from the Forth bridge and a couple more from the final train journey then a picture of our plane. Only 34 passengers and it was almost full. We went for a walk this evening so will post a few more.

Seem to have a spot on some but not there, the lens looks clean to me! Tired now so more tomorrow.

Flower show!

I have had a busy but pretty uninteresting day. Did enjoy going to the boot sale and market with Darren as usual but the rest of the day has been taken up with cooking, gardening and watering, haven’t long come in and we are off early in the morning for our mega trip to the Orkneys. I took a selection of flowers from the garden, the foxgloves I only transplanted a week or so ago and they are opening beautifully.

When I came in I found I had a rash on both legs, not a good time to get the lurgi!

Don’t know if there is WiFi where we are staying, so if not post you will know the answer to that is no!

Short entry!

I need to say that at the morning meet the only activity that does not make my hands go numb is........gardening! There is an irony in that I think, but I am being very measured and doing a maximum of an hour at a time.

This morning I got some weekend shopping in and then went to a garden sale at one of th churches. I only bought a rhubarb plant Nd it is in a pot so won’t need me to do anything with it until after our trip.

I went out and managed to weed a lot of the beds in the back garden, not brilliantly but remove a lot of the biggest offenders. I went round to see 

Sarah and David for a couple of hours to catch up on news as I won’t see them for a while now.

When I got back my monopod had arrived, Mike had suggested that I might find it useful when taking pictures of the wild life.

The only bird about in the garden when I thought I would try using it was a tiny wagtail, and it was some way away. It was on the lawn behind the bird bath, not in it!

Darren took me for fish and chips and when we came out it was spitting with rain, so had a mad dash to get plants and removed weeds put away. I don’t think it will be worthwhile rain so will water everything well tomorrow. I managed to get an adaptor for the two extra hose so should be able to get most of the front garden watered without carting too many cans this time.

Improving mood!

I had a difficult night with the hands last night and started the day in a pretty negative mood. I went out into the summer house and took the big camera which helped my mood. But before those pics just a couple of pink sky shots from last night.

The metal fat ball feeder is quite a way from the summer house but the sparrows are enjoying it and I did manage to get some pretty good shots. One I missed the bird but it is flying out of the photo!

The staling s were around as usual these days.

The squirrel made an appearance.

And the wood pigeons were having a stand off!

A hot day and the bird bath got a lot of attention.

Had a brief trip out with Tina who had to drop some stuff off at Skipsea church.

I have done some gardening and watering. I drilled drainage hole is the little hanging planters and moved some sweet peas out of the greenhouse and into a tub.

Did some hoeing and watered both gardens. Hoping I haven’t done too much but gardening seems to be the only thing that doesn’t set the numbness off!