insignificant ramblings of a 50-something woman
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Fed up with hot and dry
I miss winter. I truly do. Yes, I like watching the garden come to life in spring and the buds blossom but I love the muted lighting of winter more and feeling the cold air on my cheeks. It has been hot and dry here. It has been the driest first half of summer for…
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Balmoral Castle
I have had the best four days. I can’t even begin to describe how fantastic it has been. Friday was Dunnottar Castle, Saturday was a cycle ride to Newton Dee & Shakespeare at Drum Castle in the evening, Sunday we went to the Moscow State Circus, and today we visited Balmoral Castle. My sister has…
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Shakespeare at Drum Castle
We saw the Merchant of Venice at Drum Castle last night by Illyria. It was brilliant and the acting was superb. The cast of just five meant they all played several roles and the changing of costumes and accents was flawless. We saw them once before with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and as then, we…
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A medieval castle
My sister is visiting us which gave me an excuse to go to Dunnottar Castle. I never tire of the dramatic coastline around the castle with its precipitous cliffs and rocky islands in the sea. The castle itself is a medieval ruined fortress with some exciting history. The Scottish crown jewels were hidden there in…
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Why do they get all the space?
At the Sustainability festival last weekend I received one negative comment that has been on my mind ever since. Overall the community was very supportive but one person approached me and said indignantly, “Why do they [cyclists] get all the space?” I was unsure how to respond because all I could think of was this cartoon.…
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The pear tree: one month on
The pear tree I planted a month ago that looked rather dead has sprung back to life. In fact, all the plants in the whisky barrel have changed dramatically in just one month. Here’s how it looked at the beginning of June: Here’s how it looks today: That’s a single spinach plant in the front…
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But I once saw a cyclist go through a red light …
Why do people feel the need to tell me this? It’s not my job to defend cyclists who go through red lights just as it’s not my job to defend motorists who go through red lights. Or motorists who drink and drive. Or motorists who speed. Or motorists who go the wrong way down a…
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Recap of the Sustainability Festival in Aberdeen
I had a great day at the Sustainability Festival in Aberdeen yesterday. I was there with Hoss, my new e-cargo-trike, and lots of literature from Cycling UK. The very lovely Fiona from Cycling UK also came to lend a hand. I was amazed by how many people had not heard about the campaign for a…
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Aberdeen Sustainability Festival
I’m representing Cycling UK at the Sustainability Festival in Aberdeen on Saturday. The festival is a celebration of sustainable living and a first for Aberdeen so I’m not 100% sure what to expect. There’ll be lots of wonderful produce from local farmers and also green community organisations like Aberdeen Climate Action and Cycling UK. I’ll…
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Why I dislike weed matting
I dislike weed matting and here’s why. The following photo is one I took at my allotment on the weekend. As you can see, a previous plot holder as put down weed matting at some point and then placed stones on top. I’m sure the weed matting held back the weeds initially but eventually they…
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Surrey Police supporting cycling on Twitter
I was really happy to see this Tweet from Surrey Police on Twitter. https://twitter.com/SurreyRoadCops/status/1012659090391273473 I went for a bike ride today and I was thinking about how the act of sitting on a bike and pedalling makes some people hate me. For no rational reason other than being on a bike, I am hated. What…
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Vegan BBQ
Argos are selling a vegan BBQ. The vegan industry is growing rapidly in the UK and I guess there’s money to be made by using the v-word. Obviously vegans can use any type of BBQ because all BBQs are vegan. Maybe I should start selling a vegan bike? The supermarkets here are ramping up their…
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Prioritising people over cars
Have you ever wondered why pedestrians have to push a button and then wait at intersections before crossing the road? Why isn’t it the other way around with cars having to push a button and then waiting before driving through the intersection? It was a question that popped into my head after reading a recent…
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The Highland dancer and inside Hoss
Elizabeth had a Highland Dance performance on Sunday afternoon. She was wonderful! I enjoyed watching this show immensely. Highland Dancing is so different to the dancing I’m used to and I love that they get to dance with swords. Luckily the swords are not sharp otherwise a few of the children would be missing toes…
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Crying through My Fair Lady and Hoss
I think I have a name for my new bike: Hoss. People under 40 probably won’t understand the reference. It’s even old for me except that I watched too much TV as a child. I blame my older sister: she was a TV addict and refused to play with me. We couldn’t have survived without…
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The Beast
A few months ago I bought another bike but didn’t tell anyone because I’ve been too scared to ride it. However necessity prevailed today because we had to be on the other side of the city centre in a time too narrow for walking and so with trepidation I took the Beast out. The Beast…
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Sustrans Cymru criticised for active travel scheme
This appeared in my Twitter feed yesterday: Great to see new @WG_Economy funded #activetravel schemes in #aberystwyth @CeredigionCC pic.twitter.com/faLRnRIcbW — Walk Wheel Cycle Trust Cymru (@WWCTrustCymru) June 20, 2018 It generated a lot of discussion on Twitter. Can you see what’s wrong with the photo and the accompanying text? Sustrans is a national sustainable transport…
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Desk cycling
I recently noticed that my scales are telling me I’m heavier than I really am. It’s like the problem of clothes shrinking while hanging in the wardrobe. I think it’s because I’m not cycling as much as I used to. The kids are too big for Busby and we walk most places now. This is…
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Aquafaba
I learnt a new word on the weekend: aquafaba. It’s the leftover liquid from cooked legumes which, when whisked, becomes white and fluffy just like egg whites. I tried it on the weekend with the liquid from a can of chickpeas. Instead of tipping it down the sink, which is what I normally do, I…
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Meet Rambo
I just finished Rambo, the latest addition to our household. He’ll be proudly joining Wishart on one of our walls.
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