St Kilda day

It's a long time I've blogged, for a variety of reasons. I decided St Kilda Day would be a good time to restart - with some photos from my visit to St Kilda a few years ago. It's an amazing place and I'd love to go back sometime....

There's several interesting looking programmes on TV today, tomorrow and Monday to celebrate St Kilda day. Sadly, they're on BBC Alba so most of Scotland can't see them!

More photos on my website at http://www.orcadiaimages.co.uk/

At the races

I've wanted to go to the races for years and years ... in fact, probably since I read my first Dick Francis book about 25 years ago. I finally made it yesterday!

It was a 'Summer Fun Raceday' at Ayr - £5 advance tickets for the grandstand - so even though I didn't get out of uni until almost 4pm, at £5 a ticket I didn't mind missing some of the races, and this was my last chance of going as I'll be back in Orkney by the time the next race meeting is on.

I quite enjoyed the experience - it was definitely interesting to see what went on, watch the horses parading before the start, the jockeys mounting, down to the start line, the race, then back to the winners enclosure and weighing in. The lack of atmosphere surprised me - there wasn't really any. Too small and unimportant a race meeting I guess. I can imagine that for something like the Scottish Grand National there would be a good atmosphere.

It was difficult to find anywhere to watch where you got a really good view of the races. I think most folk probably go for the atmosphere, the betting and the beer! The bars were busy and have lots of screens in them so you probably get a better view of what's happening in the race from there!

I'm glad I went anyway, something else ticked off my list of things to do someday.

KKC or KKC?

As I had a lot of work from the placement to get written up and handed in this morning (first day of induction week) I couldn't go on the KKC (Kyle Kayak Club) weekend to Tayvallich - so I went to see KKC (Kirkwall Kayak Club) instead. KKC had an Orkney team in the Scottish Canoe Polo Championships at the Falkirk Wheel.


I had a great time - I'd never been to the Falkirk Wheel before so I found that really interesting, and I really surprised myself by how much I enjoyed watching the polo. Orkney won every game I watched which probably helped! It was a gorgeous sunny day as well (I think a lot of people would have got a bit sunburnt if they weren't very careful!).


I've still to sort the photos properly - that'll happen when I have more time - but here's a wee taster for just now.

Orkney scoring a goal

Another Orkney goal...

Lack of updates

I've been far too busy and stressed during the last 2 weeks of my final placement to post any updates here. However, that's me now finished the placement - and I passed!!!! Passed the final hurdle and galloping down the home straight now .... just some pieces of work to hand in today and that's pretty much it - a newly qualified teacher!!!!

We've got Induction Week now - a full week of lectures, workshops, etc getting us ready for having our own class in August.

I'll be returning to Orkney in 2 weeks - with mixed feelings about that - and am getting an operation on my right wrist in 2 1/2 weeks - so this next wee spell is still going to be busy as I've got to get everything packed and get the flat totally cleared out.

Off to uni for the day now, will post some more later.

You win some, you lose some...

After my last post about the cheese, here's another about food. I was horrified tonight to discover that Walkers have started adding MILK to their salt & vinegar crisps. They were my favourite flavour - and about the only crisps I could eat. And I loooove crisps.... Definitely not amused!

Why on earth do companies insist on adding things like milk and yeast to EVERYTHING as a flavouring? I really can't understand the need for this. One of my favourites is 'sea salt with crushed black peppercorns' flavour kettle chips - why on earth should they need to contain yeast??? Kettle foods obviously think they do! Grrrr.

That's now After Eights I can no longer eat since they started adding butterfat to them. Bournville I can no longer eat since they started adding butterfat to it. Green & Black's Ginger chocolate (and probably all their other flavours too) I can no longer eat as they've started adding milk to it. And now Walkers crisps too ..... Maybe someone is trying to tell me something about healthy eating ....

Cheese on toast !!!!!!!

After several years with no cheese - I had cheese on toast for tea tonight !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I saw a lactose free cheese advertised a few weeks ago, and finally one of the local supermarkets in Ayr has started stocking it (Morrisons). It's pretty good. It's not quite Orkney cheddar, or Arran cheddar, but it's MILES better than all the dairy free cheeses I've tried. It's a little rubbery in texture eaten 'as is', but melted onto cheese on toast it's really good. It smells like cheese, it melts like cheese, it tastes like cheese. Yippee!

About time I posted again

Thought it was about time I posted here again. My wrists have been a little worse after seeing the specialist so it's been enough coping with placement without trying to do any extra like posting on my blog.

The first week of placement has gone well. Busy, tiring ... but fun. I'm still really enjoying it - despite all the hours spent every evening on paperwork. It's a holida today so that meant an extra day for all the planning and writing up, so I was able to take a little time off over the weekend. My friend Lorna came down to Ayr for the day - she's been working in Canada since I moved down here, so it was great to catch up.

Weather's been horrible today - cold and wet. Not exactly a nice day for the beach .... Ayr's getting noticeably busier now, with lots of folk out on the beach at all times of the day. And the ice cream vans have been out - and a giant inflatable ski slope (was going to go back and get a photo of it to post but I guess with the weather today it'll not be out!).

A Dragon's Eye View

I've been meaning to upload these for ages - I went to visit Morag of Irvine a few weeks ago. She looks across to Arran.

.

Weekend in Arran

I was over on Arran and the weather was just gorgeous. Warm, sunny .... and a beautiful clear, still evening on Saturday.




I was really wishing I was the one out there in that kayak!


It was still lovely today, although a bit hazy. We went for a walk to King's Cross - I didn't even need a jumper. Warm Arran days are so much warmer than warm Orkney days...

I somehow found the discipline to stay inside and work solidly both ways on the ferry! Term starts again tomorrow ....

Kite surfer

Spotted Andrew about to go out kite surfing at Scapa, so we stayed to watch - and took a few photos.