Friends . Day Out

 No photos today.. mostly I was too busy driving!

Pirate couldn't get himself up and running properly, so despite being up at 6.30am we didn't leave until two hours afterwards...but it did mean that we heard our favourite Radio Scotland programme "out of doors  " which runs from 6.30 to 8am!  

We didn't guess this week's Mystery Sound....it was the sound of underwater noise pollution that fish and sea mammals have to endure....

Off into the dawn..I wish we had one of those pull down visors on the car that busy have! It was a beautiful sunrise and sky.

A quick stop in Castle Douglas to post my NHS "poo test" sample..quick and painless every couple of years...and worth doing. We get these automatically until we are 75, and can request them after that with no bother.

Then on to Southerness for coffee with a friend and his son. They have a cottage they rent out for holidays next to theirs, and Saturday is Changeover day...except that this week the annual Council checkover will take place, so that they can stay on the list of arrived properties.

Then Kirkcudbright to buy a present for a special friend...and we went around the coast road for a nice change.

A quick stop in Palnackie on the way there to eat a sandwich near the harbour..where construction work is going on...a good sign....and the small tall ship was in the wee harbour too. Her name is La Malouine.

Then back to Castle Douglas to meet another friend...he is a forester and tree feller, but also makes things in wood!

Several seasonal and anniversary presents sorted....then lunch in our favourite cafe, a wander around the high street and home as day faded to night.

Windy dawn

 

Early out this morning..the wind is fairly strong, but it is dry so far...off to see a couple of friends today, as the forecast looks even less friendly tomorrow..as if we hadn't had enough rain!!

Damp walkies

 Evidence of Dippers! But no bird to be seen

A camouflaged gate

Drips

No surprise that the dippers weren't around, the river has been really high

Just a brief walk to get some air... between showers...

Last night's supper....

All these from the garden,..plus a couple of poached eggs each. Simple, but satisfying in many ways.

A weekend spectating

 Sprinter/coach friend showing that he can still do it!

On the Saturday my bike did well...good to see it helping someone who has come into track racing and joined the team we are in. 

In the morning she had ridden a team pursuit and they won bronze.

On Saturday night after the finish of racing we went on up the road from Glasgow to Dundee..the nearest budget chain hotel South of the race on Sunday. Two hours in the rain....

We were aiming to see our friend ride the last of the Scottish Cyclo-cross series, in Brechin, one that had been postponed due to bad weather...

On the Sunday morning we woke to fog.....up the A90 with hardly any break in the weather...on arrival at the course we had to go further along the road to park at an industrial estate, or go on the field and risk getting stuck.

After a very good quarter mile walk in our wellies back along the road we reached the Equestrian centre where the racing was being held, going mainly around the woods at the edge of the fields.

We missed the beginning of his race, but while watching in the rain I got some decent photos as they lapped...the aim is to have a course that is ten minutes around, then the riders do (for example) 40 minutes and a lap...

Then more photos of the women racing as we had a clubmate in both races, as well as our friend, who won on the day as well as overall in the series.

Then back down the road, still misty until Dundee, refuelled the car and ourselves and back to the Velodrome in time to see our clubmate finish the last ten laps of her points race, sprints and points every ten laps...bronze medal again...after riding an individual pursuit in the morning..silver for that...a hard three days racing for her against girls and women far younger.

A nice touch...the medal winners insisted on the fourth placed rider being in the picture..as she is about three times the age of the winner....who is on the Alba development squad.(and who lapped the field twice....)

Great to see all doing well and catch up with friends all weekend.

Now back down to earth with a bump and catch up on washing and cleaning!

By Jupiter...

 At dawn this morning 

Snow

 A chilly dawn...just an inch of snow. Not as much as friends north and south of us, so enough to scupper weekend plans.

So much to do indoors and out...not doing much of anything.  When I do try and get on with something it just doesn't turn out right.

Every time we go away I think I'll be fresh and get on with things...just hasn't happened this year, time and time again.     Meh!!!

Slipping away

 John Byrne, Artist

He of the portrait of the Big Yin.

Shane of the Pogues.

Losing friends too. 

I can see changes in Pirate too..but he is fighting and working hard to stay here.

They won't give us a prognosis...in case they get it wrong. We can understand that.