Yet another picture of the Touch of Tartan evening. Derek, on my left, and two other Rotary members and moi spent most of today selling raffle tickets. In the Bon Accord Shopping Centre in Aberdeen. I hate cities, although Aberdeen is a very nice city, but not a few weeks away from Christmas. I couldnt face Primark even. Sneaky lunch in Macdonalds (sorry daughters, they do disapprove....) and then the marathon selling raffle tickets for a pound to win a white mini. We took over £600. Not bad. The selling of raffle tickets carries on till the 24th December when the draw takes place. This is called "Giving back", well this afternoon I really feel I have given it all back. And some. The most amazing experience was trying to explain to an Italian, someone from the East, and someone from Aberdeen, that the £1 they had paid for a ticket did not guarantee them being able to drive away said white mini. I am now getting something back i.e. a bottle of red wine.

Tis me again

Seem to have lost a leg. We have our lovely Rod Stewart in tonight. Tribute band I think they are called. But this one looks like Rod and more importantly sounds like him. He has just given me his latest cd. I have lost count of how many time he has stayed with us. Very popular at our village football club.

Also a couple - German - but live in Edinburgh, booked in for two nights, otherwise I would have said we were full, and guess what - they insist they only booked for one night. I write as I hear and its as clear as anything in the diary, but what do you do? Just feel the blood pressure soaring. And she announced as she signs in she is gluten free. We can cope with that, no problem, but why not tell us before arrival? She could have had her bedroom cookies that she could eat. Fed up.

A Touch of Tartan

My Touch of Tartan was a stole (hanging over back of chair.) This is an annual fund raising event for local charities. It was quite amusing that the last people to arrive were the two tables for the Alzheimer Society, and we were all being very cruel and saying perhaps they had forgotten.....
I think I had just had a swallow of red wine, hence the facial contortions, the wine matched the food - awful.
Our table was my Rotary Club - Central Buchan. Fortunately the company was better than the food and we had a good time. We left before the dancing, I am getting too old for late nights! The meal was supposed to be 7.30p.m. but didnt appear till 8.30p.m. so the dancing was just starting at 11.30p.m. If I had had another glass of wine I would have been on the dance floor - on my back!

A better day.

Still not as bright as one would like.
However, the cooker is fixed, £35 to local electrician.
Apology from Curry's. Money will be refunded in 5 working days. How come they take it out instantly, but cannot refund instantly?
Very, very windy here. Not complaining others in the UK suffering far more from the weather than we are. But I just find the wind scary.

Woody Woodpecker.

You have to really look closely! I have been trying for weeks to get a photograph. We have two visiting regularly now.

Not too happy at the moment. My cooker still isnt sorted out. The engineer declared it had corrosion and could not be repaired, the insurance company said they dont cover corrosion. We cannot see any corrosion. So we have a chap coming to examine it.
Meanwhile I had tried to order another cooker over the internet. And came up against "Craig - how can I help you - not," who shouldnt be employed by anyone, but is employed by Currys. Yet another company on my own little black list. Having been treated like a total moron by Craig, I cancelled the order, following which the money was taken from my account, and all I get are emails from the Customer Service Team (hysterical laughter) saying they will get right back to me. Ordinarily I would have been straight back on the phone but really cannot face speaking to Craig and his contemporaries.
We had another viewing of the house at the weekend. As they shot out of the door it was, "We didnt realise it was so big." Being advertised with its seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms you would think they might have had a clue....
So all in all not too happy.

Now sit up straight - and listen

I just love this picture! My youngest daughter reading to my grandson.
Well here on the b&b front my blisters from the (new) steam press seem to be proving its as good (?) as the old one, or is it the poor operator? The press was delivered this morning. I hadnt the heart to berate the delivery man as the van was crammed with parcels he should have delivered yesterday - the English do not realise how big Aberdeenshire is.
Next it was on to the internet to source a replacement cooker. All I need just before Christmas, everything going on the blink, and not best pleased to be buying a cooker for a house that is up for sale. Knowing our luck the house we move in to will not have a cooker fitted...... But fear not, I still have a cooker that was only replaced to fit the range cooker, stored away in the lumber room, I knew there was a reason for not getting rid of it.
We have two chaps in for the week next week who will be paying for most of the cooker. Not sure who is going to pay for Christmas..............

A Monster Day.

The engineer came to repair my range cooker today, the part required having been delivered, as promised - which is something - yesterday. This being the heating element for the larger fan oven. After about two hours he announced he could not fix it enough for it to be safe. So was going to condemn it to the insurance company. Reason being the fixing screws/nuts/bolts were rusty. "Why are they rusty?" I asked, "Its the condensation from the food you cook in the oven", he replied. The insurance company to the engineer and relayed by him to me, " We dont cover rust...." But if the rust is caused by the oven doing what it is supposed to do, cook food, why is it not then covered, surely this is bad design? Engineer holds his hands up, "I am just the engineer" Indeed. DO NOT EVER BUY ANYTHING MADE BY BELLING. I also not long ago had to get rid of a microwave made by Belling, because the area where the plate went round went RUSTY, making it liable to spark and go bang and probably kill someone..........I am really, really cross. This cooker is 5 years old, in that time I have had the oven seal replaced 6 times, the element for the grill replaced, the element for the small oven replaced (which we hardly ever use) and the fascia which had burnt, bubbled, due to the oven seal not working.
One rant over.
Next was a phone call from the people I have paid for a new steam press, delivery tomorrow being the latest promise, can we check your post code, oh dear we have that down wrong, meanwhile the old one has gone on freecycle, been repaired and is cracking away with someone elses ironing. The only reason I bought a new one was that I couldnt wait for a repair man and was promised delivery of this new one last Friday.
And the final rant. I have set up a guest room for booked lady for tonight. You guessed it - I phoned her to double check she was in for tonight not tomorrow (husband having a senior moment) "Oh, sorry, I was going to phone you, I am cancelling."
I went off to ASDA = some retail therapy, two jumpers, in the sale at £2.50 each, and a BOTTLE OF WINE.

Cait Sith (Fairy Cat) approves...

Normally Sith is on the cupboard, which is to the right of this one, it being the one that contains the boiler. It was, previously, almost impossible for him to sit on this cupboard as it displayed leaflets, RSPB badges for sale and the Visitors Book. Instead of a mirror to pose prettily by the walls were filled with all our framed certificates and awards. Leaflets and certificates now banished to the library.

The Atrium is now completely re-painted, Antique Cream, and the first visitor to view (after Sith) actually said, "Wow!" Which is just what I wanted.

Next task quite a lot bigger....

Brrrrr.

Its actually quite warm for the time of year! But it doesnt look it if you understand me.
Not long to Christmas now. For the first time in 60 years I am fairly well organised. Christmas Cake made and being fed weekly with booze. Tins of chocs stashed away and the Crackers. Presents for distant relatives parcelled and sent. Only the ones actually having Christmas here with us to stocking fill for. And halfway through writing the Christmas cards. There are some I always leave til the last minute, just in case I commit a faux pas and send one to someone who has died......
My steam press packed in giving me an enforced break from ironing! I have freecycled the press to someone who can repair it and am waiting for the new one to arrive. (Should have been yesterday.) So having nothing better to do I decided to re-paint the atrium/entrance hall. Mike asked what on earth I was doing, house up for sale etc.etc. I just said I would go mad if I didnt have something to do!!!! We then both realised I was probably already there.

Frozen North.

Our first minus temperatures of this winter. Good job I had plenty to do inside. Ironing and cleaning for guests arriving.
We had four lorry drivers and four lorries! I had been told they were only little lorries, and had visions of something of the Ford Transit size. They arrived in the pitch black and well I guess they were little compared to most, but we still had to sort the parking out. Charlie wasnt around who owns the land next door but it was the only place to put the lorries. I am just dreading him turning up to collect his stuff for his work and finding he has four great lorries blocking his access. Hopefully they will be gone before he arrives.

Ceilidh

What a fantastic evening - havent enjoyed myself so much in years. My only regret is that my dancing partner did not wear a kilt.

Hopeful...

That I will be feeling like this in a few hours time. Full of energy - I doubt it. My first Ceilidh.

Oh I do love having me hair done..

I have a lovely hair dresser. Ange does not ask me "Where are you going on holiday?" Or, "Any plans for the weekend?" All she says is "And now..." which is very much a North East Scotland greeting. And then she gets on with it. More often than not I sit with eyes closed, totally relaxed, blissful, apart from the awful music that blasts out. I can't see anything with my eyes open, as I have to take my glasses off. When the hair is being washed I am almost ecstatic as the girl who does the shampooing has obviously had some training in head massage. Yesterday I had my colours done, which inolves having bits wrapped in foil after whatever colour has been pasted on, then sit there for ages and ages, but I dont mind. This time I also had quite a lot chopped off.
Then it was home to get ready to go to the weekly Rotary meeting. On the agenda this week was practising for the Ceilidh on Friday. I got halfway through an eightsome reel before collapsing. Not bad. Also was truly thrilled I could remember so much from primary school days when we were taught these dances. Still not sure what to wear...
Oh - the other bit of news is that we will still be here at Christmas. Our second viewers are not in a hurry to move. I wish people like that would NOT come and view your home and go round planning which wall they are going to knock down when they have NO intention of making an offer.

Party for one wee boy.

Some of the family managed to be at Zac's birthday party. All his Aunties, who took lots of photos for Granddad and me.

We had to stay here for another viewing of our house. Lovely family looking for somewhere bigger, well Greenbrae is certainly that! Hoping we get an offer from them, as the other viewers obviously do not understand the Scottish system. Any offer below the asking price is treated with a smidgeon of contempt. Actually a whole barrow load of contempt from me.

We are still in business with guests trickling in.

Have to say I was not impressed with our local paper's headline on one page, "Christmas - only 7 weeks to go." Good job I havent packed the Christmas stuff yet.