The Brown Caterthun

I've done what has become known in these parts as a "LeeAnni"

 

I promised to update the blog that bit more regularly since she is on a fifteen day trip, but have failed miserably. No doubt, she'll be telling me that is why she never updates hers when I am at work - but then again, she has had regular photos and clips by email, so she should think before she speaks.....take the hint!

 

Just after MPLST left for work, we got a call from a friend telling us it was our turn to look after Bob the Beaver. Turns out, that joining The Beavers just before the summer holidays was a school boy error! Bob must be taken on some interesting days out, and his little diary updated with a story and a few pictures too - just what I needed this week!

 

Today we decided to tackle The Brown Caterthun, having tackled the White one a couple of times previously. (It's in the background of the first pic). Reuben took sole responsibility for Bob and we set off. Surprisingly, C walked all the way up and all the way back under his own steam! Granted, that meant we were moving at his pace, but there was no rush really....

 



R at the top with Bob - one for the Beaver diary....

A couple of your boys at the top with a bit of photographer rotation thrown in....

What goes up must come down.....

We had to take this on the way down, because some numpty had left the camera settings all off and the first dozen pics we took were washed out! He's showing you Bob in the rucksack.

Once we got home, we ventured on a bike ride as well. C is getting the hang of this.

After that, a trip to Montrose and then to Aberdeen before having a fish supper in Gourdon on the way home. An action packed day if ever there was one.
3 sleeps to go.

Fasque, Alford, Tarfside then Home....via The Beach!

 

I'm very aware that there has been no blogging lately. My cyber absence has even resulted in my cousin from Toronto emailing me to see if I'm ok! Of course, we are fine, it's been a busy couple of months here at SH.

 

MPLST has resigned and is taking up another position back offshore. She'll work half the time she does now, so we should score some more family time together. I've moved jobs again, so my head has literally been full of work for the past few months as it's shutdown season which means Shaunie is a busy loon.

 

However, over the last few months, we've had some days and weekends out that could, and should have been blogs in their own right. These aren't in the right chronological order, but really, in 20 years, will I care about that looking back? I doubt it!

 

We started off at Hetfest 2013, which is becoming an annual event. We camped at a friends as they threw a party with live music to thrown in. The first pic shows O after misjudging the flight of the ball as we were playing catch, and it hit him right on the nose. Nothing a wee kiss better didn't fix....

 

Somewhere in between then and now, we had a weekend wild camping. Don't tell Social Services about the fire, no children were harmed in the taking of said pictures. We had promised our special friend R, that we could go camping. Worked out a treat - her mother couldn't erect or dismantle a tent to save her life, but she can cook, and cook very well. I did the tents, she did the cooking - simples. MPLST and C didn't stay for the sleepover, but spent most of the daytimes with us. Big sis was there too.

We also took a trip to the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford. It's really good (none of us had been before). C seemed to like Billy Connolly's trike - I think he's eyeing it up for the future. I wouldn't mind it myself to be honest.

All the kids enjoyed it though, there is lots to see and touch, play on and climb in. Not sure who had most fun, them or me?

Actually, come to think of it....it was mum!

It's only fair that I include an extra few pics of C, as he is the one changing the most. Here he is looking after my plants when I was at work. Good lad.

The boy loves the park, you can't swing or bounce him hard enough.....

It's not very often you get the three of them together. This was a school event where boys 2 & and; 3 were cheering their brother on - he must have come over to mooch a drink!

And since young E turned one, we have a complete set of cousins between MPLST and her brother aged one through to six. I think it will change when O hits 5 next month, so women being sentimental sods, they had to get a session for these pics. Maybes nap time wasn't the best time to do it though....we'll learn!

A couple more of FB3.

But the biggest recent news is that R got his locks cut when I was at work. What a change....

Now that's 13 pics. I feel the need to delete one or add one, but I've got three kids to get to bed.....I'll take my chances.

Beaten by the Hill....Again

Back in August (Walkabout Glen post), we almost climbed a wee hill (647m, not quite a Munro, but a challenge for little legs, not to mention big ones too!) On that occasion, we were beaten by common sense as I came close to breaking boy number 2. Ever since, Big Boy has been desperate to complete our walk and get over the hill and explore the waterfalls that await on the other side. As it's the end of the Easter holidays, we had to have a go, as the next chance will be summer I think.....

 

We set off on a glorious morning. I gave R a compass (which I later came to regret - turns out that you need to stand still to check a compass, and you also need to check it every 50 paces or so). I thought it was going to be a bit nippy up the glen, as the snow was still on top of the hills, but it was a pleasant two degrees warmer that home at 6 degrees when we arrived. 

 

Here he is keen to show me which way north is. He's right too, as you can see by the lack of snow of the south faces of the hill to his left. We were climbing the one directly behind him.

 



Dad found time to take an artistic shot for mum as the loch was so still. Time well spend as it turns out, because the stillness was gone by lunchtime!

We were getting on for the foot of the hill now. The weather was still on our side. We were aiming to climb using a path behind the cliffs to the left (pic below) and then head up almost from left to right as you look at the photo. When we were about half way up, the weather started to turn, and the nice blue sky at the summit was replaced by cloud and mist. Not to be deterred, we continued up into the snow. We were persevering and almost at the top, but he kept stepping in snow that was almost waist deep for him. After five or six decisions to carry on, we decided on an about turn, and had our lunch back on the side of the hill. I was also thinking that the decent might be a tad difficult as it was north facing too.

 

 

Give boyo some credit though, he decided (given the option too!) that instead of returning to the car, we'd trek the long way around, and at least we were rewarded with the sight of one waterfall in full flow. That added a good couple of hours to our day, but he enjoyed a play on some rocks whilst I had a rest.

 





In all, we were out for almost 7 hours, and a couple of those at the top were pretty bleak and cold. We saw lots of mountain hares near the top of the hill, two sizable herds of deer, plenty frogs and a few spring lambs too. We have now done the walk both ways without closing the arc at the far end, but he remains keen, so here's hoping we are lucky at the third attempt.

Another Birthday Missed

With this blog, I've finally managed to catch up in number to that of MPLST. Of course, she resolved to do better in 2013, and looking at her blog, that didn't even last three weeks into the New Year! I, on the other hand, have managed to keep her up to date with photos of her brood much more frequently as we rack up the hours away from home. Score 1 Dad.

 

Now that I've got that out the way, back to this instalment of pictures. The first one (seems sooo long ago already) is a reminder of just where you can get to on a child free weekend, as rare as those are. MPLST and I ventured north and west for a weekend last month, and enjoyed a somewhat indulgent yet relaxing weekend away.

 



I know the rest is about C, but I couldn't help using this picture of O and Cara. I dare say it won't be the last time he ever snogs a dog....

So, C. His birthday proper was during my last trip away. As is the way, it was a fairly quiet affair, but red buses work a treat....

MPLST set up a "studio" to run a session with him. Granted, I've had to find the pictures myself (the internet data road thing must have been broken between home and work??), butI think he might become quite the photographer.

Yesterday, we had the grandparents and a few friends over to celebrate properly - i.e. the adults got to eat cake! Birthday Boy didn't really understand the effort mum had gone to.

Me and my Grandad.

Later though, the cake left its mark...

The Snowdrop Walk - Revisited!

Thanks to the lovely Mrs H, I had the company of a (very!) yummy mummy this afternoon whilst we took our kids around the snowdrop walk. Looking back at the quick blog from last year - one thing that remains constant is the look of love and admiration O has for her eldest daughter!

 



C was in my backpack, hence no pictures of him this time. I also filled the memory card, so gave up with the pictures before we made it to the park to play.

At dinner tonight, it was established there are only 3 sleeps until mummy comes home. Applying offshore logic to that, you don't count tonight, and you never count your last shift, so really she'll be home tomorrow.

I wish!