But there ain't no cure for the .......... .....

From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/

Summertime blues? Not really, but I was a bit down last week - not quite sure why - perhaps a wee bug. I was certainly below par (figuratively, not literally unfortunately) on Wednesday at golf - quite my worst performance for many years. We had a beautiful day for our Midsummer's outing yesterday at Edzell, however, and that lifted my spirits a bit - especially as I played a lot better. So, do my moods simply reflect my golf performances - or is it the other way round?

Been busy updating my other blogs - golf, hill-walking etc - check them out - so haven't had much time to update this one(this blog has the links to the others on the dashboard).

It was a few minutes after 3pm when I picked up Luca last Tuesday so they'd already started their mid-afternoon snack when I got there - it was a lovely day and they were all sitting outside:



Of course, as soon as I got home, it was over to Granny Jo, who took him out in to the street in the little tricycle that Amy from No. 6 had loaned to us - but Jo had to do some explaining to their kids as to why Luca was using their toy - I was going to show yout the video but I've had problems uploading it, so it'll have to wait for now.

Apart from all that, had a nice Father's Day at Gary and Carole's yesterday - curry and trifle - not together, but very nice all the same.

Hot town, ...... .. ... ....

From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/

It certainly doesn't seem like Summer in the City today - at least not in my office - it's Baltic! I've even had to open up the box of the new heater I got and never used last winter. Apparently it's due to get warmer this week and the rest of the country seems to be getting a bit of it already.

Never mind - as long as it's OK for golf tomorrow night at Banchory and Friday afternoon at Edzell - our Midsummer Outing.

Been looking back at all the things I wanted to do over the last year - sporting events, places to visit etc. I've managed quite a few but failed to get to a number of events and I now realise that I was a mite ambitious in my initial plans. I've now even cancelled one of my future planned trips - to London in August to see the England - Pakistan Test at the Oval. The consolation is that we have now been invited to a BBQ that afternoon. I'd also originally put on my wish list the Scotland - England (cricket) match in Edinburgh this Saturday, but that's definitely a no-no now. I'll need to be a bit more cautious next year.

The other major planning I'm working on is the Fringe - we got the programme last week and I'm wading my way through it now to decide what and who we'd like to go and see - and when. It's heavy going - perhaps I should just stick a pin in?

I've also finally got back in touch with Meldrum House re rooms for relatives. No doubt it will change a fair bit between now and October but I thought it would be good to get some names against rooms at the hotel in case they were thinking of releasing some of them.

My GP phoned me back last night so he's arranging to have me referred to the cardiologist - Dr. Paul Broadhurst - at the Albyn again. I decided not to mention that I also want him to refer me to a knee specialist - I'll save that for later.

Just as I finish this, the sun's finally coming out - great. Off to pick up Luca from nursery in a couple of hours.

From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/

Here's a very short clip of Jo slug-throwing the other night - I pressed the off button too soon - the longer version would have been funnier:



(has to be viewed from blog)

I'd ordered some goods from Craghoppers and they arrived today. What do you think of the top and trousers?:



The trousers are two-part - there's a zip at the knee to convert them in to shorts - and they're permanently insect repellent apparently. Here's the fleece as well:



Do you think I should remove the tags now?

......, ...... can't trust that day

From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/

Back to work today - eventually. It was my annual Health Screen at Albyn first thing this morning so I had to fast overnight. They're very nice however - they do all your bloods first of all and then offer you breakfast before you do the rest of the medical. Fruit 'n Fibre, tea and toast - most welcome.

The nurse does the initial tests then you see the doctor, and they both commented that I had lost a bit of weight since last year (only a kilo) - was I dieting? The answer was, of course, not consciously - but, as Jo's on a diet, then I guess we all are to a greater or lesser extent - why, even Ross commented last night that he's losing weight!

The medical seemed to go OK, but I'll get the full report in a couple of weeks. I did mention that my Atrial Fibrillation seems to be starting to interfere in my life a bit more than it used to, so the doctor immediately said I should go and see the cardiologist again - and get some drugs to sort it! I have to do this through my GP however, so I've put in a call to ask him to refer me.

Still not sorted out what we're going to do for our holidays next year - there's been so many different suggestions now that I'm starting to think that perhaps we should go back to stage 1 and not bother trying to do Oz and USA in one round the world tour, but, instead visit Kelly and Lucy separately in their respective summers. Needs more thought.

So, I've been back to the gym today - first time for a while. I was passing on my way to the office after my medical and thought, why not? Only a short session then some lunch. Will try and go back tomorrow if I can - before I have to pick up Luca - Jo's car's in for its MoT.

So what delights are in store this week? The World Cup, of course - we watched a game down the pub on Friday night and Jo surprised me by sitting through the England - USA match with me on Saturday night. I've drawn Germany and Chile in the office sweep, which is a lot better than the miserable draw Gary and Carole gave me in their family sweep - Australia, who were trounced by Germany last night. Incidentally, don't understand why all 32 teams weren't included in Gary's draw - there's plenty of aunties, uncles and cousins around to make up the numbers.

England's next game is this Friday, so it'll be straight back to the pub after golf at Edzell - our Midsummer Outing - yes, it's that time of year already - next week the days get shorter!

We were originally planning to try and walk up Lochnagar on Sunday as our next training exercise, but there've been some cancellations so we've shortened this month's walk and we're now doing the route from Glen Muick to Crathie, so no golf again for me this coming Sunday morning.

Kelly tried to Skype us on Saturday morning, but her internet connection out in the wilds wasn't good enough to give decent reception, which was a shame.

I'll finish today's blog with a photo just to brighten it up a bit. Last Tuesday, Michael and I took our long-time secretary in Fraserburgh, Frances Trail, out to lunch to celebrate her 70th birthday. She only works a few hours a week now, but she's still bright and sprightly. We went to the Tufted Duck, St Combs, which has been smartened up a lot since I first stayed there back in 1985 when the Clarks had just bought MacFish in Fraserburgh and we used to stay there overnight in the early days.



That's Frances, obviously, sitting between Michael and I, with her husband Jimmy rear left and Dorothy McRobbie, Office Manager and Pauline Reid flanking young Zachary Clark.