JULY 2009 and more visitors....

Kath, Chris and Maia having a walk with us along the river.....

Maia making a cheeky break for freedom up the stairs

Sands social day June

With June being a special but sad month for us and it also being baby awareness month, our Sands group decided to have a picnic and balloon launch. We had a great time, but also lots of rain....thankfully Ian brought the gazebo. We also played football, rounders and went for a walk. A fun day was had by all.

MAY 2009 and more visits

I took some holidays and Sandra M from Cumbria came for a visit. Had a lovely time touring all the cake and coffee shops and did lots of walking. Even managed to go to a Highland Games at Blair Atholl. All those men in kilts was almost too much!! Felt very chilled out as always with Sandra.

Marg and Peter arrived from Oz on their UK tour. It was fab to have them here. We toured Perth, Dunkeld and Birnam, Aberfeldy. We went to the theatre to see 'All the good things' a play about love in a charity shop, very appropriate!! They even managed a ride on Ian's train which is progressing......Took them up the mountain to see Ian's work and to drive around the beautiful Glen Lyon. Sorry but Peter and Ian have all the best shots!!!

APRIL 2009

We had a visit from the Aberdonian Hughes. The boys had fun on the train with Ian and climbing trees. It was one of the few hot days we have had and we enjoyed some iceblocks!

Suzy and Sharon came for a visit and we went for a walk around the Birks of Aberfeldy. Famously known as a Robert Burn's poem, it has a spectacular waterfall and is very scenic.

April was the month of our 11th wedding anniversary. Had a peaceful weekend in Cromarty a wee fishing village in the Black Isle. Hoped to see dolphins, but instead saw seals.

Catching up on life

Dear Folks

Been ages since I've updated the blog so thought I would start today. Had a hectic time over

the last year so now will attempt to fill you all in via photos of what we've been doing, where

we've been going and who's been visiting us here. Stay tuned...

Kitty Lane

Sadly on the 22nd January this year our grandmother, our beloved Kitty died.
She will me sadly missed by us all. She brought sunshine and laughter to everyone.

The Clarke's final visit!

We were lucky to have the Clarkes for one last visit before they headed back Down Under.
If any of you visit us you will also recognise some of the sites that we have visited!!

Castle Menzies
The whole gang

Ian's and my birthday celebrations

The purple ladies

The Clarkes at Tay Bridge Aberfeldy (after our lovely bracing walk in the cold)

Bye till we see you in Brisbane next xoxo

Christmas

For Christmas we had a quiet day with Mike and Megan which

was lovely and then Suzy and Sharon came up just after and we

had another Christmas and a little birthday celebration for Ian.

PJ girls

Ian's birthday

Christmas Day

Christmas Day

yet more snow!!!!!

Christmas 2008 Mel and Jas visit London

We had our other dear friends Mel and Jas over too..yeah. For their honeymoon.
So we met up in London and went to a photographic exhibition, checked out the
Christmas markets and ate lots of food!!

November 2008 Italy

Our dear friends Loretta and Bill, Sophia and Leo once again made the long trek to Padova for Bill's work. This means we were lucky enough to see them 3 times this year. In London, in Padova (with a side trip to Rome) and finally they came to us in Aberfeldy...fabulous.

Trevi Fountain Rome

The Colosseum Rome

Bill and the kids with the Irish guard (near Buckingham Palace) London

Loretta and I and the Clarkes Trafalgar Square

October 2008

Our mate Tim turned 40 so we went to visit for his birthday and have a little holiday....

Our friend Lana married Ray and I was her witness. We all wore purple...excellent!! and had a lovely day : )

The service

New House

We bought our lovely house in September and are very, very happy here. We have also experienced all weathers....as you can see from the photos.

Come and visit so you can see for yourselves!!

Sands fundraiser Sept 08

I quickly got involved with the Sands group up here (Dundee) and am now Befriender
and Secretary. Here we all our on our Why 17 walk where we walked 17km and raised
£5000...half way break

The start and balloon launch

Farewell Cumbria March 2008

The work crowd at Penrith Library After 7 years in Cumbria it was difficult to say goodbye to the many good friends we had there.
They had been through much with us. Will miss all the chats, walks, coffee and cakes, nights out.... the list goes on and on
Lana from Down Under

Joanne and Gary our old neighbours..will miss our walks with Monty....

The neighbours and our local!!!!.....then we headed North for Ian's new work at MI Swaco

in Aberfeldy, Perthshire. Rented at first and ended up minding Mike and Megan's whilst

they were away and finally bought our new house in September.

Playing catch up!!

As many of you know we have had a busy year with leaving Cumbria
moving to Scotland, buying a new house and both getting new jobs.
So this is my attempt to show 2008 the year that was and what
we've been doing recently.....here goes.....

Andy's 40th

As you may know it was our cousin Trina's husband Andy's 40th a few weeks ago. It was a fantastic night as we also got to catch up with our cousins Brad and Leith and their kids who are no longer so small. The last time I saw them was when they were all around 6 years old!! Now as you can see they are beautiful young adults.

Elspeth, Brad and Susy having a catch up

Some of the cousins....Bonnie, Brad, Elspeth, Leith, Susy and me

The birthday boy and his beautiful wife