End of another week

It's Friday evening and it's been a pretty lazy day for me. Jo went on her usual swimming trip to Westhill this afternoon, but what did I do then? Work, that's what. I definitely haven't cracked this part-time thing yet.

I have a Board meeting on Tuesday morning and I had to do some preparatory work for it, so that's today's excuse. Of course, I still have the same responsibilities and duties, and others - colleagues and business contacts alike - still have the same expectations of me, so it's no surprise that I'm feeling a little put upon - same work, 40% less pay.

I did take a couple of tiny little steps today, however. First of all, I have opened a new e-mail account, which I'm currently trialling - it could become my personal e-mail address, but I need to be sure about if first of all, and also register it with all the sites that currently send everything to my work e-mail.

Secondly - a little cheekily - I switched on Automatic Reply on my work e-mail so that everyone who sends me an e-mail gets the message that I'm now only a part-timer and there's a chance that their e-mail won't be read until Tuesday morning. Of course, that's not going to happen and I did add the rider that if anything needed an urgent response they should phone or text me. It's a start anyway.

Virtually all of my working week has been spent with various banks. We had visitors in Fraserburgh on Tuesday and another lot on Wednesday, and on Thursday it was another bank corporate day out, although this time it was golf at the Duke's course, St. Andrews. The latter one should have been the fun occasion, but after a promising start, it simply tipped it down and we got properly soaked. So much so that we walked off after 13 holes.

That was really disappointing, particularly coming immediately after what was the warmest Wednesday evening golf we've had at Banchory this year - we were playing in shorts then. The Duke's is a huge course for walking with long distances between green and tee. My Jawbone Up band told me this morning that I walked as far at the Duke's playing 13 holes as I had done the previous evening at Banchory playing 18 holes - over 15,000 steps.

The soaking we got yesterday just compounded my miserable mood. I had been feeling a bit poorly earlier in the week - at first I couldn't tell whether I had a cold/flu coming on or whether it was hay fever - they both have similar symptoms. The last couple of nights have convinced me now that I have some sort of bug - I can't sleep for coughing all night - and it's not very pleasant stuff that's coming up. Glad I could share that with you.

Hence the relatively lazy day today - at least physically - I cancelled the planned golf this afternoon.

We did manage to have a few quiet words with Kelly this morning. Quiet because Miller was fast asleep on her lap and we didn't want to waken him. We'll try again early tomorrow morning before we head to Inverurie to pick up Luca, who we're looking after for the next 2 days whilst his parents have separate sporting events on - Carole horse-y of course, and Gary taking part in the Edinburgh Marathon. Good luck to both of them.

My next golf is a tie at Banchory on Sunday morning and I've also now been called in to the Seniors team at Deeside on Monday. My golf is disturbing me a little - I was never a big hitter, but I've lost my timing and am slicing the ball as well - I hate doing that. I always used to be able to draw the ball, but I'm struggling to get back to where I was. Do you think it's something to do with my knee - either physical or mental? Answers on a postcard please. Perhaps I need to go to the range and do that one thing that I hate - practice.

Ballater - The Reunion

We got the call mid-afternoon yesterday and Jo and I drove down to the Craigendarroch to meet up with Sadie & Brian Traynor, last seen 40 years ago.

It was a lovely afternoon and we sat on the terrace and had a beer, followed by afternoon tea. I got one of the waiters to take a photo of the 4 of us:

Penultimate day of long weekend no. 7

It's Monday and I've been sucked in to work again. I haven't got this part-time thing cracked yet - will need more discipline - and more understanding from my colleagues.

I'm a little tired and run down after a fairly hectic period. Fraserburgh on consecutive days then golf Wednesday night, cycling, work  and a gig on Thursday, golf again on Friday and Saturday and then a late night as we entertained the Kilgours and Masons.

It was Airdrie on Sunday for the informal BBQ at Dawn's to celebrate Meghan and Ellis' recent wedding. We - Jo, Gary, Carole, Luca and I - all went in my car, but Gary drove there and back, so I was at least able to read the papers and snooze a little. I've got a bit of a chest and head cold now and my voice is croaking - I hope it's OK for tomorrow - I've got presentations to do to the banks the next 2 days.

The little garden patch at the front of our house is blooming just now:

Now for the photos from yesterday:

Dawn had literally rolled out the red carpet for everyone

Meghan, Carole & Gary

Helen, Jo & Barry

Some found it a trifle cool on the decking and preferred to sit in the conservatory:

Sheila, Lauren, Dawn & Jordon

Nancy & Sheila

Carole was starting to feel a little sleepy

Kieran, Julie and her sister

John photographs Jo leaving

Dawn waves us goodbye

That's it. We're just waiting for a call now from Sadie and Brian for our reunion down at Ballater.