Life at the Gables

With packing up and moving half way across the world I haven't really been thinking about the Scavenger Hunt this past week.  I did remember that one of the clues was a sign and look what I found today whilst doing the laundry?

No16 ::  A sign in a language other than English.

It's the instructions on how to use the washers and dryers.  I took it off the wall and got John to hold it for me :0)

Relaxing by the pool.  Sorry!  :0)

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He needed to get it out of his system!!  The teenager went shooting with his dad today at the Athena Gun Club, Houston!!

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My first purchase maybe?   I don't think so :0)

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There she is.  The lovely Boeing 747 that's taking us to our new home in Houston.

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The packing is finished and there isn't a lot of room for anything else in that container!!  It's now custom sealed and on it's way to the port before spending a few weeks on a container ship.
It's weird to see your whole house on the back of a lorry.

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Whilst the packers finished off the last of the packing the Teenager and I took a walk up to Christie's Garden center for a coffee and stopped in the Christie museum on the way back.  It's a good 15/16 years since I was there last as the Teenager was still in the pram at the time.
I spotted a photo from long ago that showed the garage that used to be next to our house (on the left hand side next to the bike).

The packing has started!!

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Cleaning out the kitchen cupboards.  Not my favourite job but needs must.

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The Gordon Castle cafe has only been open a few days and I have to say, is still having a few teething problems.  We popped in on Sunday afternoon for a coffee and a cake and the cakes were that bad we only paid for the coffee!!  Hopefully they will learn from the customer comments and all will be well as it's a lovely place.

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Wine tasting.  My friend Joanne kindly offered to host a wine tasting at her house.  Tony from Pieroth Wines came along and told us all about the wines and let us have a wee taster.  What a brilliant night.

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Selfies on a Friday!!

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Well I've managed to get a few more pictures this week whilst out and about.

No1 :: A sign welcoming people to your home town.

This is the new village sign that was put up once the bypass was finished.  The salmon represents the River Spey.  The Spey is fished every year by people from all over the world who come to try and catch a Scottish salmon.


No7 ::  A Rural landscape.

This was taken when we were coming out of the Women's Rural Institute.  Just a gorgeous sight.


No8 ::  A Tattoo on a person

The lovely Rebecca, who did my nails today, had this tattoo on her arm and I asked if I could take her photo.  She was only too happy to let me!!  :0)  It says "Everyone has beauty but not everyone sees it."

and Ruth I know exactly what you're going to say!!!

No18 ::  A Waterfall.

Not your average waterfall but falling water all the same.  This is the welcome sign outside the local Garden Centre.

I had my nails done tonight and decided on a French polish instead of a colour.

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Patriotic dishwasher tabs!!

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Mum and I went to the Rural tonight for the last one of the session. It was a cooking demonstration on how to make Foccacia bread.  I should now be able to go and rustle one up in no time :0)

I got given this lovely posy on the way out.

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Love a bargain!!

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Mum and I went to Christie's this morning and treated ourselves to breakfast.  Again I was the youngest one there!!

Looks like Mum's in her ancestral home with that woodwork :0)

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Managed to get another one today....

No 5 ::  A rack of postcards

Here's mum in Johnston Woollen Mill buying a few cards to send to the folks back home :0)

Caught up with Trooping the Colour today.  Unfortunately, unlike 16 years ago we had to watch it on TV and not from the gardens at Clarence House where the Queen Mother was living at the time.

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Mum came to visit today.  She's here for 10 days.  I so great to have her here xxx

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Popped into the Haven after work today to get two eye brows!!

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Feeling human again now :0)

Another few ticked off the list today.

No 2 ::  A Garden Gnome
Saw this little fella in the local Garden/DIY centre this lunchtime.  He was just sitting on a shelf near the entrance.

No 4 ::  A Group of tourists OK so it's not a group but it's more than one!!  I saw these two people outside the cathedral today.

No 19 ::  A Public Garden. This is the Biblical Garden in Elgin.  It''s a lovely peaceful place next to the old cathedral and the local park.

Peace and quiet at lunchtime.  The Biblical Garden in Elgin.

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Downpour!!  There was torrential rain when I left work today.  I was soaked just running to the car.  Thing is I left work to drive through flooded streets with the wipers going extra fast to drive the 9 miles home and be greeted with a few spots of rain!!  Good old Scottish weather for you :0)

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It's that time of year again.  Time for Rhinda's Summer Scavenger Hunt.  I had such a good time hunting down the things on last years list I thought I'd join in with this years too.

This year we have to take photos of
SCAVENGER HUNT LIST1. A sign welcoming people to your home town (or a nearby town)
2. A garden gnome
3. Birds on a wire
4. A group of tourists
5. A rack of post cards
6. An urban street scene
7. A rural landscape
8. A tattoo on a person
9. A bakery
10. A photo bomb (someone found lurking in the background of photo; the lurker may have intended to disrupt the picture or may be doing it unintentionally, but the background lurker is a surprise to the photographer)
11. A horn
12. A mascot
13. A sunrise
14. A parade
15. A juggler
16. A sign in a language other than English
17. A lamp post
18. A water fall
19. A public garden
20. A bus (not a car, truck, lorry, camper or RV) with a picture painted on its sides.
21. A photograph of you with something representing the season (recognizin…

Getting to grips with Gum Tree.  What a great idea this is.  Got old stuff to sell?  Stick it on Gum Tree...... and you know what it works.  I've sold a few things already :0)

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Today was the first day this year that I've worn my sandals.  The sun was out this morning but unfortunately it rained this afternoon.  Maybe I've jinked the weather!!!  Let's hope not :0)

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It was Ladies Day in Inverness today with the ladies from work.  What a lovely day it was too.  The sun was out, the weather was hot, the company was great and the meal was delicious.  What more could you ask for?

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Just look at the temperature at 3.30pm today.  Long may it last :0)

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Carol and I decided to do lunch today and went to the Glen Moray Distillery just along from school.  It's the first time I've been to the cafe and the lunches were lovely.

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It rained all day today so that put paid to walking at lunchtime.  This is the view from the staffroom instead!!

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The Teenager started his last year of school today.  I managed to get one shot of him before he went but he will probably hate me as he hadn't done his hair before I took the shot!!!!!

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It was a sad day today.  We lost Moss.  He hadn't been well over the weekend and when I took him to the vet this morning the vet said he was really poorly and it would be best for him if we put him to sleep.  It was the most hideous thing I've ever had to do and I spent the next 12 hours crying.

We will miss him dearly as he has been part of our family for 11 years.

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Photo taken on Saturday 31 May 2014

Today I did a sponsored walk for the Friends of Bellie Churchyard.  They are raising money for the upkeep of the old burial ground.
It was a beautiful day and we headed off just after 2pm.  There were all ages, from wee ones in buggies to older folk.  It wasn't a long walk (approx 3.2 miles) and we had a treasure hunt on the way round.  We had to follow the clues and find 8 letters to make a word.  Once we had the word we had to make up a rhyme with the word in it.
I can't remember what my friend Karen's said but it won 1st prize :0)
We finished the walk at the Gordon castle where the Fochabers Fiddlers were playing and the Village Association had refreshment for us.  Mr Gordon-Lennox, the owner, gave out the prizes and the sun was shining.  What more could you ask for?

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 We got piped to the first clue.  How cool is that?

 Back at the castle for music and refreshments.
 The boys relaxing.  Dougie (in the hat) won the prize for the most money raised.  Well done him fo…