Western Isles

So the first half of our trip was spent in the Western Isles (or Outer Hebrides) - I'd been there before, in the 1990s, on a sailing/walking trip with school and remembered it vaguely but fondly. More or less everyone else wanted to go because they'd read the Peter May murder mysteries set on the islands. So we left on Thursday and flew to Aberdeen, where we met Uncle Nick (in a minibus), and Andrew. We stayed overnight in Aberdeen (it was good to be back where I grew up). Then early Friday we drove with Gina to Inverness, where we picked Debbie and Wayne up from the airport.

Ilona, in Aberdeen



(I was also happy to relocate my best ever Xmas present.....)






Then onwards! To our Island paradise and home for the next few days. Now, rumour has it that it is cold and rains all the time in Scotland. This could not be further from the truth - it rains only some of the time, and when it rains, it isn't the monsoon you get in other countries, more a light, pleasant drizzle. As you will see in the photos, it was actually very sunny*

Our early Saturday morning constitutional



We also had time to visit the Blackhouse, and see how and where people used to live. Here, Bluet tests out the bedding, whilst everyone else experiences the joys of the peat fire.





Then later on Saturday, Steve, Dorthea, Caroline and Madeleine arrived all the way from the greater Swindon area....more of which later

*Some of the time. It was also very windy, but this is good because wind can be used to generate clean electricity - the windiest place in Britain is actually at this light house at the top of Lewis, which we got to visit. Which is something, as most people cannot claim to have been to the windiest place in Britain

Trip to Scotland: Bluet's Birthday

Today we returned from our trip to Scotland (incorporating Aberdeen and the Outer Hebrides). So, more details to come, but let us start with Bluet's Birthday 2017, which she got to celebrate with (in no particular order): Andrew, Maria, Wayne, Nana, Steve, Dorthea, Caroline, Madeleine, Uncle Nick and Gina at our lovely Hebridean rental home. Uncle Nick kindly made her a cake and decorated while we were out, whilst Andrew and Maria provided pizza (Bluet's choice of birthday meal, narrowly beating out spaghetti). Before the birthday meal we went into Stornoway and visited the museum inside Lews Castle. You can tell it was Bluet's birthday because she is wearing a birthday crown in most of the pictures

April arts and crafts

I think we may do more in April than March, in the end. So far its been pretty quiet. Bluet has been spending most of her time either drawing or constructing things from card, paper and lots and lots of sellotape (so much so that she is now working her way through our parcel tape as the regular sellotape has all run out (except, I hope, for my secret supply. NB I must go check that once I finish this)).

Last week she set up her easel in the garden and drew the house opposite (pictured in art and in real life):





We also had the neighbours over for a BBQ on Saturday (the first of the year), and more art ensued



On other days the blankets are all off the beds and out in the garden, again to provide the perfect locale for some art. Hungry work

Marching on

Hello again. Not much has happened in March, TBH. Even as I look at my photos to remind me, there really weren't any events of note. So for the Missourians out there, here is what Ilona found and chose to wear the other day:



And here is Bluet's choice from yesterday:


& Ilona in a different outfit, I think also yesterday


& Bluet's painting clothes from Saturday


& Ilona's too small raincoat to take Bluet to kindergarten last week


Yesterday at the animal playground (Wipkingen)


& last weekend riding bikes at the school playground

back to the pirate playground

The weekend after Della, Gus, Simon and Angela left, Bluet needed a stapler. As we knew of a stationary shop near the house we stayed in when we first moved to Zurich, I decided to take Bluet there on the Saturday to buy one. We then stopped by the English language bookshop, and I showed Bluet where our house used to be (not surprisingly, she doesn't remember). However, she does remember the pirate playground next door, and there she happily played for an hour or so, as you can see. It's a great playground, but unfortunately it is about as far away from our house as it is possible to get in Zurich, so we don't go often.

More visitors

As soon as Emily's Mom and Aunts had left, we had more visitors. This time it was Simon, Angela, Della and Gus, all the way from York, as that week happened to be a holiday in both Switzerland and the UK. Obviously the kids loved having their cousins around, not only because they got to go to the dinosaur museum and Spaghetti Factory, and do many art projects