Saturday snow

The first snow of the season has arrived. We had a few flurries last night and woke up to a light coating on the ground this morning, which you can just see in this photo - the latest in my series from our bedroom out to the trees in front of our house:

I've got a bit of a head cold. Today might have been a day for us to start distributing the North Sea Ales to the local pubs and do the annual surveys as well but I just couldn't be bothered. A short stroll to the shops then a spot of lunch in the Douglas and now I'm settling down to the usual Saturday afternoon football-fest. I've cancelled golf tomorrow as well.

The new large round mirror in the hall downstairs has been lowered a couple of times since its initial siting, but I suspect Jo's still not happy about how it looks - watch this space.

Ross and Lizzy popped in to the Douglas last night when I was there, so we've arranged for them to come over for some supper next Thursday.

Manchester United won at lunchtime today and are now, temporarily at least, top of the table, so that's a good start for one of my 3 teams. It would be nice to have a hat-trick with wins for Thistle this afternoon and Aberdeen tomorrow. That might cheer me up and stop me from feeling a bit sorry for myself.

Thursday blog

It's Carole's birthday today - happy birthday, girl! Here she is, doing what she loves:

Well, I've got my car back finally. The BMW computer didn't detect any faults either, but the mechanics noticed a bit of wear on the drive shaft and the ABS sensors had to be replaced - and moved slightly. A bit more expensive than I would have liked but a lot cheaper than totally replacing the drive shaft. Now the decision I have to make is do I keep the car and just run it in to the ground, or should I replace it now? It's 6 years old and has done 105,000 miles - but a 2 litre BMW diesel should go on for a long time yet.

I've been thinking about my bike as well. The one I bought second hand recently is a step up from my old 40 + year old bike - better brakes, more gears, front suspension - but it's got fat, really heavy duty tyres and the type of cycling we do is partly off-road but also on tarmac on quiet country roads and lanes. I'm wondering whether a hybrid with narrower tyres might be more suitable for some of the rides - perhaps I'll pick up a second hand one somewhere - ideally one a fraction larger than the one I have.

Yesterday the weather forecasters got it wrong and the threatened rain never appeared. Having spent the previous 3 or 4 days in the house, I was getting a bit stir crazy so I took the opportunity to go for a solo cycle, with a little diversion down by the Dee:

I finished Ross' book - "The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared" - better than the film. Talking of Ross, he's bought himself a little car to get back and forward to work during the winter. Hope he doesn't abandon the bike altogether.

Got the CAMRA quarterly newsletters to distribute - that'll get me out of the house if the weather makes cycling more difficult - as they're forecasting.

Series we're watching now - London Spy and The Last Panthers - and we've now started with House of Cards as well. Also recording the latest series of Homeland, but Jo's lost interest in that now - and also the second series of Legacy, which has been lying in our Sky Planner for months now - along with several series of The Sopranos and Mad Men. Need to get them watched soon. This is the time of year for watching TV.

I have also completed what may be the penultimate episode of my Chronicles - it would be good to finish it before Christmas - it's taken me four and a half years already (http://renshawschronicles.blogspot.co.uk/)

Tuesday's tales

Monday was a bit of a dead day. We drove over to Inverurie to look after Luca for a couple of days - it's mid-term at school. Gary asked if we wouldn't mind waiting in for the BT engineer who was coming along to upgrade the internet/phone line. No problem we thought, but, typically, he wasn't there until after 5 pm so we never got home until nearly 7 pm last night, having sat around the house waiting.

Luca slept here overnight and Gary will pick him up this evening. When Jo went to Tesco this morning, I took the opportunity to walk Luca along to the barber for a haircut - as requested by Gary.

Luca loves climbing up the former "Bonnie Banchory" railway embankment hill and that was where he dashed off to:

 From there it was round to the golf club:

Finally the barber's - and a pre-haircut photo:

and here's the "after":

 Nice and neat and tidy - but 10 minutes later, after wearing his bobble hat:

 The other thing I did today was go to Taylor's and pick up the mirror we had ordered. It's pretty big and it took a fair bit of measurement and discussion about where to place it on the hall wall on the ground floor. Eventually we settled on a mid-point above the radiator - but at what height? Mid-point between the radiator and the ceiling I was told, but, of course, you have to allow for the string-stretch factor - I think I erred a bit too much on the high side:

Don't worry, Jo - it'll settle at a lower level eventually!

Tomorrow morning first thing, it's off to John Clark BMW. Fingers crossed - 3rd time lucky?

Having completed two more episodes of my Chronicles (http://renshawschronicles.blogspot.co.uk/) in the last couple of weeks, I can now see the end in sight, and I'm now already halfway through yet another episode - one that I think will probably be the penultimate one.

Dull Sunday

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Yesterday's sunshine turned to a dreich, drizzly Sunday so I decided to cancel golf and just lay in bed for a little longer. This also gave us the opportunity to FaceTime with Kelly. Miller was very excitable and talkative - his vocabulary has increased a fair bit since we last spoke to him. Kelly sent this photo of him on Chris' shoulders at Saturday's Christmas Pageant:

Tomorrow morning we head to Inverurie - we're looking after Luca for a couple of days during half term, and also house sitting whilst their broadband gets upgraded tomorrow afternoon.

Yesterday's local CAMRA AGM predictably re-elected all office bearers - including me.

I'm featured in this weekend's Deeside Piper:

Compare and contrast with the original of this photo:

Jo thinks the Piper's printer has run out of ink!

Oh - and I've completed another chapter of my Chronicles - http://renshawschronicles.blogspot.co.uk/

Saturday sunshine

Another bright start to the day, but chilly - like you would expect at this time of year. The leaves are almost gone now. Here's the last 3 days:

The morning news from Paris is also chilling - is nowhere safe?

I went down to Taylor's this morning to collect the mirror we are buying but I was too early - I have to go back on Monday.

I forgot to post these two signs from the Gents' loo in Krakatoa Bar:

You can tell what a classy place it is!

So I'm off to the local CAMRA AGM this afternoon. Jo is catching the same bus in - she's going shopping in town.

Friday 13th - winter's coming

No mishaps yet. Today is what they used to call Black Friday, but that phrase has now been pinched by the retail sector for the annual shopping bonanza that falls on the day after Thanksgiving in USA - i.e. 2 weeks from now. We'll be in Edinburgh then - hope it's not too frantic there.

The first ever named UK storm (Abigail) has seemingly passed the North East of Scotland with barely a passing glance. We had a little bit of rain last night but nothing like what was feared.

Having dipped out of yesterday's cycle, I thought the bright sunshine today might have enticed me out on the bike again, but a short walk along to the shops with Jo soon put paid to that idea - the temperature has dropped and they're forecasting snow on the hills - it certainly feels that way now.

Jo had her hair done this morning but she didn't want to miss out on her usual Friday afternoon swim, so that's where she is now. I've just stayed in, catching up with some stuff - trying to book my car in to John Clark BMW, paying our Marriott maintenance fees, booking some golf for the spring, and trying to arrange for my new pair of driving glasses.

I had my eye test locally yesterday - no problems with the glaucoma pressure tests etc - and got a new prescription. She told me my eyes had actually improved a little over the last year, although I still have a slight astigmatism:

Not sure what it all means, but I'll take it to Costco on Tuesday anyway.

I also tried to pop in to Taylor's this morning to order the mirror we saw, but, would you believe it, they were closed for staff training! I've e-mailed Dick now to order it.

After my eye test yesterday, Jo and I took the bus in to Aberdeen to go to M & S. It was a very short shop and there was nothing on at the movies at that time, so, what to do? We popped along to Archibald Simpson's for a couple of beers, and, as it was Curry Club night we thought we might as well eat there as well. We walked back to the Union Square bus station and had enough time to spare to pop in for a quick half at CAMRA's Pub of the Year, the newly re-named Krakatoa (formerly the Moorings) - a cultural experience for Jo.

Weight

Jo's been trying to lose a bit of the weight she - and me - gained in USA, and this morning, she was pleased because she passed a significant threshold. Good work girl!

Measuring your weight can at times be a difficult - and occasionally depressing - thing. Depending on which day, and which time of day, and what you've done before it, the results can be confusing. I'm not consciously dieting but I am aware I have lost a bit of weight - a bit more than a stone - since I stopped working, simply because I'm not as sedentary and am taking a lot more exercise - especially cycling.

Already this week, my weight has apparently varied by as much as 6 pounds. I recorded a high of 13 stones, 1 pound (183 pounds or 83 kgs) on Monday morning but after yesterday afternoon's cycle, the scales showed just 12 stones, 9 lbs (177/80). The truth is somewhere in between - all you can do is watch the trend.

I could do with a some new trousers now. Funnily enough we're heading in to Aberdeen to do some clothes shopping for Jo - after I've had my eye test. Don't think we'll be going to the cinema this time, however - there's nothing decent on at a suitable time.

I'm having a morning of rest - I was too tired after yesterday afternoon's cycle and I didn't have the strength to join the other guys on their usual Thursday morning ride - they're heading for the Tarland Way and the Tarland Trails again, whilst I'm sitting here watching The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number Ones which was transmitted last night on ITV. The results are not what I would have chosen - but then aren't all polls like that?

Talking about music from the '60's, there's a new one in London next April - https://www.facebook.com/AllOrNothingAMusicalAboutTheLifeOfTheSmallFaces/. I've always been a fan - I have virtually every record of theirs. Might have to arrange another trip down south some time between our Australian and American holidays next year - not to mention squeezing some golf in as well. We only have the months of March, April & May between our visits to Kelly and Lucy and I've already doubled up on one of my regular trips - the hill-walking weekend, which is happening towards the end of May, unfortunately coinciding with the week of our local CAMRA Beer Festival where I'd already said I would be working next year. I missed this year's festival as we were in France and, as a Committee Member, I felt guilty and that's why I committed early to be there next year. Ah well, can't have everything I guess.

It's our local CAMRA branch's AGM this Saturday. Unless opposed, I'm happy to carry on as Membership Secretary - it helps keep me busy. I like retirement - not having to commute to Fraserburgh or Aberdeen - but I also like to have something to do, so long as I can do it my own time.

Midweek mumbles again

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It's Wednesday already and what have I done? Not a lot, that's what - and, guess what? - my car's back in the garage again. We left early for Inverurie yesterday - this was the first time we'd given the car a run since it was back in the garage last week and we wanted to give ourselves time in case it let us down again - and it did.

Just a mile or so outside Banchory, the intermittent fault with the traction control started again, so we took the car back to C & D and drove off to Inverurie in Jo's car instead. At the time of writing, I'm still waiting to hear from the garage, but I fear we're going to have to take it in to John Clark BMW in Aberdeen.

Anyway, we had lunch in Anderson's in Inverurie yesterday - dangerous really - Jo was attracted to this chair - check the price:

Just £1,300!

We also saw a mirror we liked in Taylor's last week:

Since my last post, I was out cycling on Friday and Monday - and I'm planning to go out again this afternoon - and the builders have finally started on the old filling station site:

Went to see the Jags in Dundee on Saturday as well, and had a game of golf on Sunday. Tomorrow it's my annual eye test - and I spotted a pair of glasses that I like in Costco yesterday and I'll go back and get them some time soon - for driving only.

Friday greyness

It's looking a bit dull outside again, despite another weather forecast that said the North East would be sunny - at least this morning. That's what they said about yesterday as well - I had cycled through to Aberdeen, fully expecting the usual North Sea haar greyness there, but expected to be greeted by the sunshine when we got back to Deeside, but it wasn't to be.

We didn't see the dolphins from Torry Battery and Girdleness Lighthouse - another time perhaps. Jo and I decided to go to the movies yesterday afternoon. We used our free bus passes to get in to Union Square, then paid the discounted Seniors' rate to get in to see Spectre and had a couple of pints of ale afterward in the Justice Mill for just £3 in total, using our CAMRA vouchers. A cheap date.

No discounts at the Ashvale afterwards, but the haddock, chips and mushy peas was excellent.

The James Bond film was the usual spectacle - predictable and ludicrous, but well made. I preferred Skyfall.

This morning, after 4 days of laziness, not shaving, I'm now back to being clean shaven again, but before I took it all off, I wondered what I would look like if I grew a goatee? This photo confirmed to me that it wouldn't suit if I let it grow any more:

My car is still at Caldwell & Dempster. I told them there was no rush, but perhaps I'll give them a call today to see what's happening.

When we left Inverurie on Tuesday, I noticed this on the front door:

says it all really

Tomorrow, I'm planning to go and see Thistle for the first time this season. They're playing at Dundee - apart from Aberdeen, this is as close as they get to us.

A tale of 2 cars

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It's Wednesday morning and the brilliant weather has gone for now - it's a grey start to the day - in more ways than one. Yesterday we drove through to Inverurie as usual to pick up Luca from school. We left Banchory a bit earlier than usual as we had intended to go via Costco, Westhill. It was the first time I'd driven my car any distance since it was "fixed" last week.

Jo's worst fears came true when we got to Garlogie - the traction control warning lights started flashing on and off again, causing a loss of power. "Why didn't we take my car?" says she. We decided to abort the Westhill trip and head back to Banchory to change cars. I disabled traction control and we made it safely back to Banchory in good enough time to drive over to Inverurie in Jo's car.

So this morning, I had decided to take the car back to the garage but I thought it would be a good idea to give it a run first to check it out again, so I drove to Aboyne and back. Sod's law, the car behaved itself - no warning lights, no loss of control and no hot wheels. Mmmm..... What to do?

I know - it's time to put my winter tyres on - get the garage to do that and check out the car at the same time. So now, we're a one car family - the garage is short-staffed this week and they probably won't be able to complete the work today.

Grey days like today make me think about holidays next year. It's just over 10 weeks until we head Down Under again. Earlier this year we visited the Clare Valley area of Southern Australia, so it was nice to notice the origin of the wine we opened last week:

Two years on ....

Greetings from another beautiful day here on "Royal" Deeside. The light is stunning - everything is so clear. Looking forward to this afternoon's cycle.

It was 2 years ago yesterday that I had my knee replacement operation. I don't awake every morning now thinking whether it's going to be a good day or a bad day with my knee - it seldom causes any issues now - although the other knee can still occasionally be troublesome - as it was yesterday at golf.

I've just posted another chapter of my Chronicles - the 42nd. This one takes me up to 2003 so there's only 3 years left now - my diary blog (this one) started in March, 2007, so that's a natural point for the Chronicles to finish. It's taken me four and a half years to get this far.

This diary blog is now approaching a total of 400,000 viewings since the start. Readership has dropped off in more recent times from its peak when there was over 2,500 viewings for each post and almost 1,000 viewings per day. Now it's just 10% of those figures. (Of course, those who read the blog by e-mail rather than on the blog page, don't register in these stats).

We had a long FaceTime chat with Lucy last Tuesday when we were in Inverurie. Luca was initially reluctant to take part but before long he was hogging the call! We haven't had a chance to FaceTime with Kelly recently, but she sent Lucy a photo from this weekend, so we'll finish with that:

Whoops - sideways again!

Car Fixed?

Put my car in to Caldwell & Dempster again yesterday morning and explained what happened on Tuesday. Left the car there and went out for a cycle in the afternoon, picking up my car on the way back. New caliper, brake pads, warning wire and brake fluid and they cleaned the discs and bled the brakes. Hopefully it's now OK - £300 - 2 hours' work @ £52 per hour - a bit dearer than Harlaw Garage in Inverurie who only charge at £40 per hour.

Should have been cycling this morning, but forecast put me off - plus the fact that I cycled yesterday. I may go out again tomorrow afternoon - need to build up a level of fitness again. It's amazing how quickly you lose any level of fitness you strive so hard to attain.

The changing seasons are all too obvious now. I started taking photos of the trees out front from our bedroom back in April - I'm now on number 57. Here's the last 3 - the first was early October, just before we went to Spain and the next two were taken on Sunday and this morning:

Car trouble

Now that I'm back in Banchory, I had to get my car seen to, so I took it along to Caldwell & Dempster on Monday morning - with the bike in the back so I could leave it there and cycle home. I joined the other guys for the Monday afternoon cycle - to Torphins - then cycled back to pick up my car and get an update on what was wrong with it.

It seems they couldn't detect anything wrong - either when plugging in to the computer or when taking it on a test drive to Crathes and back. I was assured it was OK to drive the car so we took it to Inverurie yesterday to test it. It was fine for the first 10 miles or so, but then the traction control lights started flashing on and off again. I disabled this facility but soon the warning light was flashing again and by the time we got to Luca's school, the car was barely driveable. The rear nearside wheel was red hot.

We found a small garage - Harlaw - not far from Gary and Carole's and they said it was probably a brake caliper sticking. Half an hour later it was fixed. That'll be £20, sir - bargain!

We drove home later in the evening and again things were fine for the first 10-12 miles then it started all over again. We limped home and now this morning (Wednesday), we're about to take it back to Caldwell & Dempster for another look.

Got to pick up my monthly drugs order from the pharmacy too. I saw our Doctor on Monday and we agreed that my one month trial with Rivaroxaban should be extended by another two months. It's been generally OK so far, although I've noticed more episodes of light-headedness recently. You know that feeling when you get up too quickly? - well, some of you may do - that's what I've been getting. If the frequency becomes too much, then we'll have to think again at Christmas. It has to be something stronger than baby aspirin - possibly Warfarin again? The problem with that is that it needs so much monitoring - not easy when we're travelling so much - but at least there is a known antidote. Much thinking to be done.

The other big issue this week is our boiler. It's about 12 years old and approaching the end of its normal life - although it's got a few years yet. A new combi condensing boiler would undoubtedly be more efficient, but when to do this? We signed a contract and paid a deposit with Penicuik, but they blotted their copybook when they came to install it and we took a step back and saw Scottish Gas on Monday.

Our preference would be to go with Scottish Gas, but what premium is OK to pay? Penicuik were £3.5K but Scottish Gas is £5K - quite a difference. We need time to think.

Today our thoughts are with Carole. She has finally - and very reluctantly - taken the tough decision with Isis and the deed will be done this afternoon. The poor dog is suffering from so many ailments now and is over 100 years old in human terms.

Back home again

The journey back from my golf holiday - the second of my 2 weeks on Costa del Sol - went smoothly enough and I got home about 3 pm - just in time to join Jo in a short walk round Burnett Park. She had agreed to take Trish next door's dog, Barley, out whilst she was at a wedding reception.

Of course, the clocks went back - twice for me - yesterday. They say the change back to GMT gives us an extra hour in bed. What they mean is that it gives us a chance of an extra hour in bed - there's only so long you can lie there anyway before nature insists you get up.

It was nice to sleep in my own bed again last night - not that there was anything wrong with the beds at the Marriott resort or the Hotel Andalucia, although I do find that the pillows are always too soft.

The first thing I noticed when I got home was how many fallen leaves there were. It's definitely Autumn now. Glorious colours - who needs New England in the Fall - Deeside is lovely:

So this week I have to get my car looked at. It went wonky the morning we drove to the airport. Ross now thinks it might be the suspension and not just a software fault. I haven't driven it yet, so I'm not sure how safe it is.

We've also got Scottish Gas coming tomorrow morning to get another quote for a new boiler. Wish us well. I hope to get out for a cycle after that - I need the exercise.