insignificant ramblings of a 50-something woman
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On top of the world
We’re in Braemar for the weekend but were unable to get any accommodation because the Braemar Gathering is on and so we decided to book a 1974 VW campervan and take our own accommodation. It has been a bit of a disaster so far. I had a lot of problems shifting gears. I learnt…
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I’m on TV!
This morning I was interviewed by John Parkinson from WordPress TV about what WordPress means to me. Is this my stepping stone to a part on Doctor Who? I probably should have brushed my hair a bit better first. John interviews people who attend WordCamps. He has other great interviews on the WordPress.tv site.
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The mighty huntress
I have just finished this rather wonderful crochet head of a stag. All he needs now is a name. I got the pattern from a fantastic book called Animal Heads by Vanessa Mooncie. All the patterns look terrific and I fully intend to make more of them. I have never understood why people kill animals…
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The BBC made my daughter cry
I’m so cross with the BBC today. For the past little while we’ve watching the BBC TV series, Merlin. It is a wonderful, family-friendly production of the King Arthur legend but told from the point of view of Merlin and starting from before Arthur becomes king. It’s got funny bits that appeal to all ages…
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Kildrummy Castle
There are so many castles in Aberdeenshire and I’m still discovering ones we’ve never seen, like Kildrummy Castle, which is where we went today. It’s a ruin but in its hey-day it was known as the “noblest of northern castles”. I’m not exactly sure what is meant by that but one thing is certain, Kildrummy…
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Cauliflower cheese without cheese
I’m not that into cooking however I like eating and I know I need to eat more fresh vegetables and fewer processed vegan meals. Last night I made a vegan version of cauliflower cheese that tasted wonderful and was very easy to make so I thought I’d share it. Someone at the allotments gave me…
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Aggressive vegans
Apparently 26% of British meat-eaters claim the attitude of vegetarians and vegans has put them off considering a plant-based diet. I think that’s a bit silly. I’m sure there are some aggressive vegans with a bad attitude just as there are some aggressive motorists with a bad attitude and some aggressive police officers with a…
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Castles, seals, and Spiderman
Yesterday we checked out Knockhall Castle, the doer-upper which is currently for sale at £130,000. I think it’s over-priced because there’s very little land with it. The surrounding fields are all owned by someone else and not for sale – although I have heard the owner is open to the possibility of selling them. However…
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A harvest of four carrots
I was horrified last week when one of the other plotters at the allotments told me the growing season is almost over. We really haven’t got very much food from our plot. Today I harvested our carrots. All four of them 🙂 You may be wondering why we only got four carrots and I’m embarrassed…
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The ultimate doer-upper
I tried to convince Ben last week that we should buy this doer-upper: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63319526.html It was built by Lord Sinclair in 1565 and Ben’s mother’s maiden name is Sinclair. Maybe it could be our bach (bach is the New Zealand word for a modest holiday home near the beach). It’s true that we’re the most…
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Vegan ice cream for dummies
I adapted this recipe from one I saw in the August edition of Britain’s Vegan Food & Living magazine. It is possibly the easiest, quickest, healthiest, and yummiest vegan ice-cream you will ever eat. Ingredients 3 large bananas 300g frozen black currents (or berries of your choice) 1 tbsp maple syrup 100ml soya milk Two…
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A weekend of vomit
I cleaned up lots of vomit on the weekend. On Friday night I was woken by the sound of Elizabeth wailing from the bathroom. I found her sitting on the toilet surrounded by a pool of vomit. Why couldn’t she have vomited in the toilet rather than on the floor next to it? I suppose…
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Is there anything kale can’t do?
The author of the book, How not to die, has some terrific lectures online. He’s very entertaining to listen to and knows his stuff. This particular talk is about the best way to avoid death. It goes through the leading causes of death starting from heart disease and by analysing the latest research demonstrates how…
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Mr Lemon and Mrs Egg
I did a terrible thing last night: I sliced Mr Lemon in two. Elizabeth likes to draw faces on lemons and give them names. Last night I needed a lemon for my pasta dish and I saw “Mr Lemon” in the fridge and assured myself that she’d never know. My mistake was to leave his…
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A £6,000 Highland Cow
After a very soggy weekend Edinburgh put on a splendid day for us yesterday. I took lots of lovely photos from high places: first the ferris wheel and later the Scott Monument. Starting with the ferris wheel: This is our view at breakfast. We stayed at Motel One on Princess St. There are two Motel…
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WordCamp Edinburgh 2017
I’ve been in Edinburgh all weekend for the Edinburgh WordCamp, which was hands-down the best WordCamp all year so far. It rained all weekend but that didn’t make the city any less beautiful and nor did it dampen the spirits of all the attendees. The venue was right beneath the castle and it was inspiring…
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A new Doctor Who and speed tourism
The 13th Doctor Who was announced today and sadly, it’s not me. I suppose this shouldn’t come as a surprise since I didn’t audition for the part but just in case Jodie Whittaker changes her mind, I’m available. If there are any BBC casting people reading this then this is a FYI. Today was so…
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Rocket seeds and stick insects
I’ve been waiting for my rocket to produce seeds for months and months and months and finally some seed pods have emerged. I’m not sure how or why it took so long because it has been flowering for ages now and I just assumed the seeds would be in the flowers but they weren’t. Today…
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Born to ride a Pashley
Penelope – that’s her name. My new Pashley is called Penelope. I think I emerged from the womb riding a Pashley because it feels so natural. When we’re cycling I’m not sure where the bike ends and my body begins. The men in the bike shop laughed at me when I said I got her…
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My mid-life crisis Pashley
For more than half my life I have wanted a Pashley. When I lived in Cambridge as a 20-year-old I saw people cycling around on these magnificent-looking bicycles. I couldn’t afford one myself back then and later I became a parent and needed the station-wagon equivalent of bikes, a Bakfiets. I still love my Bakfiets…
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