Another Luca video

Sunny weekend

I meant to publish the above photo of Luca last week, but forgot. He's just starting to teeth and I took this shot as he was feeling very sorry for himself and his cheeks were red and there were tears rolling down his face - poor soul!

The weather continues to be excellent - an Indian Summer in fact. I didn't risk shorts yesterday morning but wished I had - I was way too hot - especially when we were sitting on the balcony at the golf club quaffing a beer.

Sunday was not as hot, but still beatifully bright and sunny - and, yes, I did wear shorts today. I decided to forego the pleasures of going to Pittodrie this afternoon, to welcome back AFC after their victorious trip to the Ukraine on Thursday - it still feels too summery to be going to watch football, which I still regard as a winter sport.

Bill and Sally and Ken and Irene have gone off to Spain this morning and will meet the rest of us at Malaga airport next Sunday. The Lesinas set off on Friday and arrive here Saturday morning. Lucy phoned yesterday and said that she was babysitting her friend's kids as she'd had a heart attack! Poor girl.

No cars in Irene's drive today, so still no time scheduled for our meeting.

Arbor Court stories

The driveway is complete and the tiler also completed the porch and vestibule yesterday (Friday) - see above. Irene had been quiet all week - in fact, Jo bumped in to her twice on Sunday and exchanged polite "hellos" and no more.

Jo came home early on Friday and was chatting to Trisha (no 5) in the driveway and Irene arrived and called over, asking for a meeting with us. Jo is very upset about it all, but I guess we've got to meet her and listen to her complaints and see if there's any substance and whether she intends to do anything further.

What else has happened this week? - well, I was down in Manchester to see the United-Roma match on Tuesday as a substitute for Michael, who's not well. I popped in to see my Dad on Wednesday - he seemed fine physically, although very confused. I told him that Scott, Lucy, Cade and Braeden were coming to see him soon and we went over old photos to remind him - hope it helps!

Luca's new trick (video)

Further ructions

In response to our placatory letter to all our neighbours and my attempt to make conciliatory noises towards Irene, we received the attached letter - by post and by hand! - on Friday.

We just don't know what to do now - I guess we've got to wait and see what her next move is.

We noticed a few of the edging blocks had apparently been moved over the weekend - or are we just getting paranoid?

Driveway developments

On the left is day 2 and day 3 is on the right. As ever, there have been delays - the blocks were late in arriving and then they didn't deliver enough of the kerbs, so it looks like the work is not going to be finished until the middle of next week now - and then we have separate contractors coming in to re-harl the dividing wall and put new coping stones on top.

Our neighbours, with one excpetion have been great about the disruption - especially considering we didn't really give them any notice about it - Everest finally told us last week they were coming in on Tuesday and, of course, we were down in Cornwall over the weekend visiting Kelly and Craig and never got back until Monday evening.

The exception is the new girl next door at no.3, Irene. She apparently confronted the builders on Wednesday after I'd gone to work and poor Ross also had to face her barrage. On Thursday morning, she slipped a letter through our door saying that she had "retained" solicitors.

After Jo, Ross and I had our supper at the golf club last night, I decided to type up a letter to all our neighbours apologising for our poor communications and thanking them for their patience and understanding. The one to Irene I personalised by adding the comment that we would ensure there was no detrimental effect to her property or driveway, and if there were any problems we were more than happy to sit down and discuss them. We'll wait and see how it goes!

Tuesday

Back to work this morning but I had to hang behind to see the contractors who were starting on our driveway today. Jo had dropped off notes in the neighbours houses to warn them there may be a bit of disruption and I wanted to ensure the workmen would minimise any inconveniencce to our neighbours.

I don't think any of us realised how big a job it was going to be - there were 2 or 3 vans plus one huge lorry and a skip plus lots of gear and men. When we came home in the evening, the drive had been cleared - what a sight it was - see above.

Cornwall (2)

It was dreich and drab on Sunday morning and golf was a definite no-no, so we all decided it was an opportunity to go to see the Eden Centre.

It's unique and we've all now got passes valid for a year, so Scott and Lucy will be able to go there next month too.

After lunch we drove back to St Ives with a brief pit stop at the house so that Craig could pick up his board and wet suit - he gets a bit stir crazy if he doesn't get in the water each day! We had a couple of beers then headed back to the house, with one car stopping off at Tesco to buy groceries for our evening meal, which Carole offered to cook. Disaster - all the Tesco's shut at 7:00 pm on Sunday! Back to the takeaway again - this time fish and chips, with a generally more acceptable DVD this time (K-Pax).

Craig had to go to work on Monday morning but the rest of us had ample time for a long walk over the dunes and the railway line to the beach. The tide was going out and it seemed like we walked miles just to paddle in the sea.

Eventually we headed off to the airport, with me driving Jo in the Beetle and Kelly taking Gary, Carole and Luca in the hired car. Our flight was delayed but we still got back to Banchory by 6 pm - and we were in bed before 9!

Weekend in Cornwall (1)

The lead up to the Aberdeen holiday weekend was hectic. Stan and Gary came round on Wednesday and did the final measurements on the planned back window and spiral staircase. Stan amazed me by telling me he would need a deposit for the staircase - fair enough - but he was also going to bill me for the new window he put in the front of our house either last year or the year before! He hadn't got round to billing me for it and only realised this when he received an invoice at the weekend from the window frame manufacturer!

Thursday was a trip to the dentist to look at a tooth I had been having difficulty with - she thinks there's no problem and went through the X-ray in great detail with me to prove it - we'll wait and see.

On Friday I took Ross to his work (2 days in a row!) and picked him up in the evening after a game of golf at Ellon.

We left Banchory early on Saturday morning to catch the flight from Edinburgh to Newquay. It was quite an easy drive down and check in was very simple. Gary, Carole and Luca arrived about 10 minutes after us - Gary looking very pale at the prospect of flying again!

Kelly and Craig met us in both cars - one of them hired after somebody ran in to the back of Kelly's. We stopped off for lunch at the Smuggler's Den. Kelly, like everyone else, was smitten by Luca, not having seen him for a few months - see above.

The house we had rented was magnificent, with a superb view of the sea and the bay - see the view from the lounge above. Craig and I went for a wander and popped in to see the pro at West Cornwall Golf Club, which the house overlooked - he agreed to let us have a game on Sunday morning.

We opted for takeaways in the evening and watched the Babel DVD - mixed feelings - everyone bar Gary either fell asleep or went to bed before the end!

The last 7 days

Happy to say I survived my comeback at 5-a-side last Wednesday - although with a bit of a dicky ankle.

Thursday was a slow recovery day until I made my annual trip to the optician for my eye test after work. As well as the usual tests for glaucoma etc, I wanted them to look at the reading glasses I had bought in USA this year - they had been fine for close up reading, but when I returned to work and tried to also use them for my computer, they were no use. Eyewise tested them and found out that the shop in Medford had, for some reason, fitted the wrong lenses - the prescription was too strong + 2.5, instead of +1.5.

What's worse, Eyewise didn't stock this range and I would have to go to Black & Lizars in Aberdeen to get them to replace the lenses - which I did yesterday. Have to wait 2 or 3 weeks to get them back, however - very frustrating.

I attended the big meeting in Banchory on Friday morning to discuss the future development of leisure facilities in Banchory. Everyone was there - councillors, council officials and representatives of most of the sports groups in Banchory. Bit of a talking shop, but it looks like our best bet is going to be the Hill of Banchory development.

The weekend was a bit of a wash out - got soaked twice on the golf course - pity - I was playing well. Rushed off from golf on Saturday to go to Perth to see Thistle play - lost 2-1 - same as the Dons. Colin and I took the girls out for a curry on Saturday night.

Gary and Carole had driven down to Glasgow on Saturday to see my Dad and they also popped in to Dawn's on the way home.

When I got home on Sunday, I saw Ross' car up on 3 wheels in the driveway. Disaster - he had taken it for a short run up by Craiglash Quarry and somebody had come round a bend on the wrong side of the road. Ross took evasive action and went off the road slightly but the underside hit a stone and bent the front wishbone. As I write this, he is still waiting for Derek Glass to come back and see what can be done with it. Fingers crossed!

Brett Nicoll was back round on Saturday and took down the so-called dward conifer we planted over 20 years ago and which was now about 20 ft tall!

There's a lot happening just now - Gary Grant is bringing Stan England, the builder round tomorrow evening to do the final measurements for the new stairwell and sliding doors to go in at the back of the house. Only been waiting 2 years for this!

Finally also got a phone call from Everest, who are arriving next Tuesday to start work on our driveway - this will also then allow the slate tiles to be finally installed in the hall and vestibule.

The week so far

It was a lovely day for our annual Challenge match on Sunday - and shorts were duly donned. Scotland soundly thrashed the Rest of the World and we had a nice meal afterwards. The winning team (minus 1) are shown above.

I managed trips to the gym on Monday and Tuesday and also a bit of racketball on Monday evening, followed by a beer with Ken Page, who flew back to Abu Dhabi on the redeye on Tuesday morning.

I got home last night to see that Ross' old brown Saab was no longer in the driveway. Surprise, surprise, he had actually finally got it through its M.o.T. - and what's more, it had passed! I took him up to pick up the car and, to celebrate, I filled his car with petrol and then tried to get his insurance renewed online (fianlly managed tonight - Weds). Just the tax to be done now.

Ross has sent off two job applications as well - I posted them tonight - good luck!

No more evening golf now (dark too early), so I'm making my comeback at 5-a-side tonight - hope I survive OK!

Saturday

The weather continued fair in Banchory although it was a litte cloudy when we went to Kemnay to play in the Texas Scramble there - didn't do too well - we were last when we left the clubhouse! Watched the first half of the Scotland match at Kemnay and caught the end of the game back home with Gary, Ross and Luca.

Carole came over later on and we all walked over to the golf club for Ross' birthday tea. We sat on the new balcony for a drink first of all and then went through for dinner.

Another bright start to the day (Sunday) - I might get the shorts on for our annual Scotland v Rest of World Challenge match.

Thu/Fri

Rested from golf after 6 consecutive days, but did a brief (and light) stint at Bannatyne's on Thursday - my only visit this week.

I caught up with a lot of stuff on Friday in the office and went home and had tea with Ross - macaroni cheese - made by Ross - on his 24th birthday too (Jo had a ong-standing engagement and was out tonight). Kelly phoned and I chastised her for not reading my blog and knowing what was happening! She spoke to Ross, who was going to stay in, but when I returned from the golf club, there was nobody in the house - I guess he must have changed his mind.

Ross isn't getting enough hours at his IT job in Aberdeen and as he's no longer at the garage, he needs to find something else. There were a couple of potential jobs in the papers today, but I've also suggested he starts up on his own as as an IT service - hope he gives it a go.

Great weather - hope it continues all weekend!

August/September update

Been a busy period and I haven't been able to keep the blog up to date - partly due to technical problems - Office 2007 was installed on my laptop and since then, nothing but problems - but hopefully sorted out.

Since my last posting, there's been Kieran's 18th birthday (had to miss the party which was arranged at short notice); we've had a weekend in Edinburgh at the Fringe with Colin and Johanne; the squash club's AGM - which resolved to wind up our existing legal entity and start again; and lots and lots of golf! The season's fast coming to an end and the nights are noticeably drawing in now, so it's been cram it in time. Here's my schedule for the last couple of weeks:

Fri 24/8 - outing at Blairgowrie - organised by Peter and played in brilliant weather this time.

(Sat/Sun - no golf - at Fringe - see photo of Jo and Joanne above)

Mon 27/8 - semi final of Learney Cup at Torphins (won)

Weds 29/8 - last night of our Summer Quaich competition, which is followed by a slide show presentation I give reviewing the season.

Fri 31/8 - Aboyne for the Terry Edmonds Memorial trophy

Sat 1/9 - Banchory medal (69 after a disastrous 7 at the last!)

Sun 2/9 - Grantown Open

Mon 3/9 - Boat of Garten - the second of our biannual trips there - came 2nd overall - just missed out to Les. Headed down afterwards to Glasgow to have supper with Barry, Helen and Dad - see photo above taken in the Three Craws.

Tue 4/9 - HSBC Corporate golf day at Gleneagles - our team won! - Scotty Cameron putters as prizes!

Wed 5/9 - Torphins - final of Learney Cup - which I won!

I'm resting today - no more golf - at least not until Saturday when we're playing in the Kemnay Texas Scramble Open. That's followed on Sunday by our annual Scotland v Rest of World Challenge match - we're all having lunch down at the golf club afterwards - it's usually a good and sociable day.

What else has happened recently? Well, we've rented a big house for the coming trips to Cornwall - Gary, Carole and Luca are coming down with us in September and the same house will be used by Lucy and Co when they travel down in October.

Gary and Carole are delighted that they have finally got a house - in Inverurie - haven't seen it yet, but entry's next month.