Happy New Year

Billy had a New Year coach group of 50 people for 4 days staying at the Garve Country Hotel, Garve in the Highlands.  The tour departed from Edinburgh on 30 December with a half day of shopping in Inverness.

Garve Country Hotel

Reception

Restaurant - breakfasts and evening meals

'Peter Pan' Pantomime

A visit to the Heather Centre in Aviemore

Boarding Billy's coach and heading home.

Lunch break in Pitlochry

Pitlochry - 2nd January 2012

Sleepy cat at the Heather Centre

London Weekend (16-19 December 2011)

We had a special weekend in London with Beth and Chloe as a Christmas treat.  It was their first experience of visiting London.

Waiting at Edinburgh Waverley Station for the train to London

Pak Pak says 'cheers' - our London Bridge weekend apartment

No idea!

Kamen House - apartment building

View from back balcony - the 'Shard' when finished will be the tallest building in Europe.

The Hays Galleria Shopping Centre - across the road from the apartment.

Hays Galleria from the River Thames

On our way to walk across the Tower Bridge

Regent Street

Outside Harrods Knightsbridge

Chloe and Harrods Bear (which was for sale at £1,900)

Chloe waiting for her drink at Ca'puccino Harrods

Hiding Beth

Pak Pak, Chloe and Beth on the London Bridge Underground escalator

On the London Eye

Trafalgar Square

Working the mechanical horse at the Royal London Festival Hall

Royal London Festival Hall - waiting to go into the theatre for the Slava Snow Show.

Inside the theatre at the Slava Snow Show

Street performers at the London Eye.

                                                                            

Dinner at a chinese restaurant 'Hing Loong', 159 Borough High Street.

Chloe's napkin

King's Cross Station - waiting for the train back to Scotland

Currie

I am now working for Scottish Power in Currie, Edinburgh.  My position is Wayleave Assistant.  What may you ask is a Wayleave?   A wayleave is a legal agreement with a landowner to allow access/cable/plant on their particular piece of land for supply purposes. 

Walking to work - you can see the office pylons in the distance.

Road entrance to the office

The office administration building

Close up of electricity on the site

Front gate attached to the office building

Front entrance to office

View of the outside from my desk

To get to work I take the train to Curriehill - two train journeys from home transferring at Haymarket Station.

Here is Curriehill Railway Station - 15 minute walk to work.

Heading home at 5.00pm.

Rush hour!

The Blackhouse

I have just finished a book 'The Blackhouse' by Peter May.  A brutal killing takes place on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland: a land of harsh beauty and inhabitants of deep-rooted faith.  Detective Inspector Fin Macleod is sent from Edinburgh to investigate.  For Lewis-born Macleod, the case represents a journey both home and into his past.

Peter May is an award winning Scottish television screenwriter, novelist and crime writer. 

I bought this book in Aviemore at a coffee stop while travelling up to Garve in the Highlands for New Year to read on the coach as it's over 5 hours by road.  I found it to be one of those novels that you just can't put down.

Here is a clip from the television Book Club presented by Richard and Judy.  They are interviewing the author Peter May.

The Blackhouse is the first book in a trilogy.  The second novel is called 'Lewis Man' which follows Fin Macleod investigating another murder on Lewis.  This one even more sinister than the first.  I can't wait to read it.

Christmas in Aberdeen (2011)

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Aberdeen visiting Billy's family - Craig and Jacqueline and the grandchildren Beth and Chloe (twins aged 11) and Matthew (aged 2).

At their house in Mastrick, Aberdeen on Christmas morning.

Left to Right - Chloe, Beth, Craig, Matthew and Jacqueline opening presents.

Matthew loves Fireman Sam

Fireman Sam

Beth and Chloe

Matthew

Matthew showing off his 'teeth'