exhaustedThe important thing is though that they enjoyed themselves and loved the area and our home, they even thoroughly enjoyed the holiday cottage in which they stayed. It was on a working farm and as my mother is a great animal lover she loved waking up to the sound of cattle and sheep, and also being able to look out of her bedroom window into the fields where they were. Weather-wise, it couldn't have been better. In fact we had the best week of the year, warm enough not to need thick jumpers or heavy coats, but not so warm it was unpleasant. It was like the little bear's porridge and bed - just right.
We took them to various places and they couldn't get over how nice everywhere was, how clean it was, how friendly and helpful the people were, and generally how the whole standard of living and pace of life was better and slower to what they are used to - and they don't live in a large city. Both of them said how much better they felt being up here, and certainly Father looked a lot better as the week went on. We took them to the coast twice - different towns - once to Cullen which is apparently famous for its ice-creams, so naturally we had to sample some, and once to Banff.
We went out for various walks, and to a local garden centre for lunch and to look around. We also went to our local town as well as the coastal towns, and I did some Christmas shopping. Yes, Christmas shopping in September. For me this is shockingly late, I've usually done the vast majority, if not all, of it by June at the latest. Having my wheelchair makes so much difference, more so than I'd ever imagined. It's been many years since I was actually able to go shopping rather than rely on hubby or doing it on-line, and it made a nice change. Ditto, it's been years since I was able to actually go out for a walk - Tansy in her usual brainless way still doesn't seem to understand that the wheelchair will hurt her if she gets under its wheels, so I'm getting quite adept as emergency stops or swerves.
So now comes the recovering and catching up. I can honestly say that I don't remember what I did yesterday; other than remembering just before supper that I hadn't wished someone a Happy Birthday, I didn't go near LJ all day. On the agenda now is catching up on my very full in-box (please bear with me folk I'll get to the emails as soon as possible); finishing my Gibbs/Ducky essay for
ship_manifesto; staring my Pros Secret Santa story for the_safehouse; finishing various stories; beta reading a story that I promised to do a while back (I haven't forgotten, One of my closest friends, the lovely
caffyolay, is off on her holidays tomorrow. Have a super time, Caffy, I'll miss you, and I look forward to hearing all about it when you come back. I'm really jealous because she gets to meet another one of my closest friends, the equally lovely maubast. Have a wonderful time together, my friends, and do give one another hugs for me. I know that londonronnie is having a week to herself, so good luck with all the cataloguing, and we can always keep one another company whilst our playmates are off together.Maybe by this time next week I'll actually have caught up - or maybe that should be this time in two week's time!
Note to self: Do not do any more challenges until you have caught up.
maubast, please hold me to that. 