I (Stuart) took part in the inaugral Rob Roy Challenge on Saturday 24th from Drymen to Kenmore at the end of Loch Tay. This involved 16 mile walk and 39 mile cycle. If I could swim the length of myself I could be an Iron Man but I get exhausted after about 4 strokes of the front crawl and the breast stroke would just look wrong.

 

Anyway, it was all for fantastic causes. Including the monies raised away from the website below our team raised in excess of £1,500.

 

 

The walk was fun but uneventful. We did see evidence of people having dusted down the Frankie Howard Book of Innuendo with a young lady on the walk being asked if she was looking for a good time. She pressed on ahead for some reason before my colleague Derek could ask his "Are you any good in the saddle ?" follow up - Page 24 Chapter 'Titter thee not".

 

The fun really started as we moved onto the bike stages. I was of the mistaken belief that riding a bike was like, well, riding a bike. The inventor of the bike seat was having a laugh right ? What's wrong with a nice comfy chair ? 

 

Anyway....the first stage from Callander to Ballquhidar along the banks of Loch Lubnaig (ah yes I know Scotland well) had me matching the pace of Mel. Now, despite being 52, Mel is the most competitive man in the world and also a regular cyclist AND has been known to have a bit of an eye for the ladies. Anyway, there we are going along at about 100miles an hour when a woman shoots past us head to toe in lycra and wearing one of these hats that goes into a point at the back that spells I-AM-A-PROPER-CYCLIST-GET_OUT-OF-THE-WAY. I thought 'Wow, lycra'. Then I thought 'That's impressive getting up to that speed must require amazing dedication'. I looked up and couldnt believe my eyes, Mel had taken up the pursuit. He stepped on the gas and was right on her back wheel. So now I had the choice, do I admit defeat and miss out on my destiny or do I take up the challenge ?

 

Fifteen minutes later we're like one of these Team pursuit teams at the Olympics other than she looks like she should be there but she's being pursued by a 52 year old bloke who is being pursued by a fat guy in bermuda shorts and trainers. This is where it starts to unravel. She looks rounds and spots us and tries to shake us off. Mel won't be shaken off, he's following a nice lycra bottom and refuses to lose to a woman. Me ? I now refuse to lose to a 52 year old with slightly pervy tastes in lycra. At this point we are overtaking small military jets.

 

And we have another 30 miles of this to go.

 

Anyway, we actually need small drag parachutes to stop us as we arrive in Balquhidar for the first checkpoint. Oh good, only 28 miles to go in the mountains at world record pace. I hyperventilated in the massage tent and catch a glimpse of said lycra woman heading off for stage 2 while Mel frantically tries to find her. I make my excuses and also 'let' Mel go on ahead. That's when my issue with the design of the bike seat first arose. I got on the bike, sat down and almost cried with the pain. Stage 2 lasted another 11 miles. The organiser seemed to be of the opinion "Why have a valley to go through when you can go over a mountain instead". I limped to the finish of this stage. Small kids on trikes were shouting 'get out the way mister' at the end.

 

Stage 3, I recovered my composure and some energy.....and my iPod. Now I know why people wear iPods in the gym. 17 miles of Belle & Sebastian, Divine Comedy (good new version of Associates 'Party Fears Two' btw) and Delgados was enough to get me through the finish line where precisely no people were there to greet me.

 

I did, however get the best massage in the history of the world. Forty minutes of pain. But really good pain. She actually used her elbows on the back of my legs. I thought that was just an urban myth ! I did ask her through gritted teeth why she was using her elbows and Im sure I heard her cackle "Because I can and because I want to. I get everyone to do my bidding in the end"

 

That evening had everything. In a tent the length of a footy pitch we had a meal, loads of beer and champagne  while watching the Argentina v Mexico game. We studiously ignored the droning that appeared to be eminating from the Chieftan of the Clan MacGregor (Gregor MacGregor. Honestly). Bit of a ceilidh and a few more beers and it was time to take up my position in a Sleeping Tent alongside another 80 drunk walkers.

 

Now, I was smart and chose to sleep at the bottom of the tent  (Yep, it was on a slope). I dozed off only to be woken be the sound of what appeared to be the Scottish Heat of the World Snoring Competition. Everyone was snoring ! I could just about deal with the noise but it was a constant reminder that all these people were asleep and I was wide awake. The most disconcerting bit was when Derek (the loudest of them all) suddenly stopped.

 

"Has he died ?"

 

Just as Id start to worry he'd start up again. All this time my feet were getting colder and colder. This confused me until someone tripped over them. "How can that be ? Im at the bottom of the tent with my feet pointing down the hill"

 

My feet were sticking out the bottom of the tent.

 

Just as I started to doze again a man shouted out "Raymond, Raymond" (as opposed to Gregor MacGregor) in his sleep.

 

Cutting to the chase, there was a fantastic Highland Games for us to take part in the next morning. I suceeded in tossing the caber. That's when the Frankie Howard book made a reappearance.

 

Hi - long time since this has been updated - that's because we've been so busy.

Easter hols were great - our old friends Frank and Gillian Henery and the girls - Carla and Kirsty, came back over to Scotland for three weeks and we caught up with them.  We are going to stay with them in Sydney this summer.  Needless to say we solved the world's problems over a few drinks.

The next week I took the kids to Ayr for 5 days and then to Dunoon.  We managed to catch up with Granny McCann and cousins Eileen and Kay and their families. Kay's twins are coming on a treat!

On the way from Ayr to Dunoon we stopped to visit Aunt Moria and Aunt Margaret and had a lovely time.

Next we did the Vikingar Centre in Largs - excellent and interesting.

Dunoon saw the kids painting easter eggs and Grandma taking Sam golfing.

Stuart, myself and Rosie went a wee trip "doon the water" on the Waverley - marvelous but changable weather.

Since coming back home Ross, Nicola and Steve have stayed over, to take in a Flaming Lips concert.

Also Kenny and mum and dad have come for a weekend - it's been great.

 

We are now looking forward to our annual jaunt to Seamill Hydro!!!

More soon - if I can persuade Stuart!!

Love from us all

Hi to all!  Well , I survived to tell the tale.  Last weekend, myself and nine other woman all went to Barcelona for  a couple of nights.  We nipped through to Galsgow on the train on Thursday night and stayed over at the Travellodge at the airport ( to be ready for the "early" flight the next morning).  I'd just got into waverly train station when my phone went mad with texts from Stuart, eg. how does the kitchen work and which one is Sam and which one is Rosie?

We arrived on Friday afternoon and were out supping sangria and beer before you could say Hola!

It was a great weekend - we saw too many sights to mention.  We walked for miles and talked and talked,as you can imagine.

It was great just to be in the sunshine - 17degrees and sunny! It all went so well we've decided to do it all again sometime!

Meanwhile the stay-at-home dads formed a support group and met up with all the kids for a game of football on the prom (in very close proximity to the Dalriada pub!).

Back to normal now.  Collected the new car on monday and have just about got the hang of automatic handbrakes and "hands free" entry and Start/stop buttons.

Rosie had a lovely day at school today - she was asked at the last minute to stand in for the wee girl who was palying Rumplestiltskin as she was absent.  The class were doing a wee play accompanied by music for the P7's. I t seems she coped well - said she love it.

Take care to all love fiona

Blogdom reaches new levels of tediousness as our Kitchen is finally finished with the installing of new blinds. Anyone still awake ? Also included some photos of wee Gemma's 3rd birthday. Bless. She's starting to look Malaysian.

 

Football training at the Pitz was eventful yesterday. My lack of any disciplining skills is starting to look like a drawback for a football coach. I stood and watched bemused as a dozen 9 year olds kicked, swore and fought with each other. I thought to myself 'This is terrible, why doesnt someone do something about this ?.....ah yes, Im the adult here. Eh guys, please, Rory take your hand away from Craig's neck. Please. '

 

And then there's the mothers. Now that isn't for a free to air Blog.