That phrase sums
up rather well the relationship between me and blogging for the past couple of weeks
or more, ever since I was finally able to get back to full activity. Everyday
life has taken over and it’s been good for me to get away from the computer for
a while. The last three months have been very
sedentary and I can feel the impact this has had on my general fitness, so it’s
great to be busy and active again.
That doesn’t
mean I haven’t missed you all, but I’ve been making up for lost time,
particularly with music practice, plus a multitude of jobs around the house. The
advent of some real spring weather has been another distraction, though that
seems to be on hold again, with frost and wintry showers being the order of the
day over the past few days.
 |
| Dawn on a frosty Sunday morning |
 |
| A sign of spring pushing through the debris of a long wet winter |
Now DH and I are
busy getting ready to be on the move again. The very small campervan has just
returned from the garage with a new speedometer cable and a spruced-up gearbox and
is raring to go. DH has even given its exterior a reluctant wash and brush-up,
a great concession from one who firmly believes that road dirt has a protective
function where vehicle bodywork is concerned.
On Friday we
will travel to Southport, where we will be celebrating my dear mother-in-law’s
90th birthday this weekend. From there we will head north on our
spring migration to the north coast of Scotland and the glories of the North-West Highlands. Having only managed a two-week visit there in the
whole of last year, we can’t wait to arrive and settle in for a good long stay. We
have no TV there and I’m looking forward to catching up with you all in the
quiet evenings which are one of our great pleasures when we’re away. See you
then….
So glad you are enjoying moving around again and being your back to normal busy self. Have a wonderful celebration in Southport, and then a safe trip northwards. We're getting ready for our move south, and for the first time will actually be driving down to Caunes, enabling us to take all manner of things that Ryanair baggage allowance has hitherto prohibited. ( It also means I will have my car with me, for when Mark vanishes off in the big car to play golf....and I wont have to drive the bus as I have taken to calling the big car ! ) Looking forward to hearing about you enjoying Scotland again soon. Jx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janice .We're really looking forward to the celebrations and the trip. You've got as long a drive ahead of you as we have and I'm sure you'll enjoy it just as much as we always enjoy ours. It's really helpful to be able to take things with you and it will be good to be independent when you get there. I don't drive the van, so have to rely on friends for lifts if DH isn't involved.
DeleteI'm so happy to hear that you are able to resume all of your normal activities! Between the weather and your various health issues it must have seemed like the longest winter ever. Have a safe drive up to Scotland!
ReplyDeleteYou're spot on, Kristie. This winter has seemed interminable and it feels so good to be done with it and feel well and active again. Now to lose the pounds which have crept on without my noticing them. We always love the drive, despite its length, and I can't wait to get on the road. :-)
DeleteDear Perpetua,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you are better and getting ready for your trips.
I believe, we all have a break from blogging now and again. Always some things to do around the place.
Have a wonderful weekend . 90 is a great great age.
looking forward to reading your news from Scotland.
Happy travels.. val xxxx
To be honest Val, I've been so busy I hadn't realised how long my break had been. It's good to be back. :-) The coming of spring has been wonderful this year after such a long winter and I'm enjoying being active again. We're looking forward to the birthday weekend very much and to the trip which follows. It will be lovely to see our Scottish friends again.
DeleteI was beginning to wonder where you had got to, Perpetua. Very glad to know your absence has been due to improved health rather another calamity.
ReplyDeleteYour recent weather seems to have been rather like ours. We've had some wonderful warm Spring days with forsythia bushes & magnolia trees all flowering. Then last weekend we had rain & a major drop in temperature.
All the very best for your migration to the far north of Scotland. I trust that the campervan didn't suffer too great a shock from being given an external wash & brush-up by DH. I loved your description of DH's belief in the protective properties of many months of road dirt :-)
Looking forward to new posts and photographs once you've settled into your Scottish abode.
Time slips by very quickly when you're busy, Ricky, as all clergy know only too well. I think we ought to have an extra allocation. :-) The warm spring weather coincided with my return to activity, though I don't seem to have slowed down again with the return to colder weather. The frost photo was taken last Sunday - probably the hardest frost we've had all winter.
DeleteI had to twist DH's arm quite hard to get him to clean the van, but there are limits to the amount of protective road dirt I can tolerate on a white vehicle.Thankfully the ca's fawnish colour doesn't show dirt anywhere near as badly. :-)
I can promise plenty of photos of Scotland, though i doubt they'll all be taken in such glorious sunshine as we enjoyed last June.
Good to see you here again, Perpetua. If you have the time and inclination, give me a call and we'll have another cup of tea!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to be back, Broad. DH and I would have loved to meet up with you and The Man over that cuppa, but sadly the birthday weekend is going to be too full to allow it. We must do it next time we head north this way.
DeleteBlogging breaks are good but I'm delighted to see you back and look forward to tales of your migration north.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy, it's good to be back. This break wasn't intentional - like Topsy, it just grow'd. :-) I'm looking forward to blogging from the far north again.
DeleteGood to hear you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteAnd so the migration begins...
I think not having a TV gives me justification for spending so much time on the computer. I do miss television at times but for the most part all it provides is escape.
Enjoy your trip and stay in Scotland Perpetua.
It's great to feel better, thanks, just in time for the preparation and the trip.
DeleteNormally I prefer to be online rather than in front of the TV, but I've slipped into watching a lot more TV during these periods of inactivity - probably much more than is good for me. In Scotland I'll get back into better ways. :-)
Nothing like being active again after an enforced period of rest and quiet, is there!
ReplyDeleteLeo has similar theories about road dirt as a car body protestion so it's lucky that the car is sort of murky green to start off with...
Safe trip...and it will be lovely to hear your blogging voice more often.
Absolutely, Helen. It feels wonderful to be able to do things without thinking again, if you know what i mean. :-)
DeleteSo it's not DH who has this odd notion then. I must admit we do tend to choose cars with colours that don't show dirt too badly, but a white van shows every spot. Sigh....
I'm really looking forward to getting back to some proper blogging once we're settled in, with lots to report.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful news all round; a fit "P", a spruced up vehicle, spring almost sprung, a nonagenarian celebration and North-wards bound! Simple things but worthy. I join the chorus of 'glad to see you and travel safe' &*> YAM xx
Yes, life is good, Yam. It's great to feel well again, though my general fitness has suffered from lack of activity. Thankfully, with spring and summer ahead I should be able to do something about that. I'll wave as we pass through central Scotland. :-)
DeleteIt's so nice to hear from you. It sounds like you've been very busy and that life is getting back to normal for you. I'm really glad you're feeling well and taking time for yourself. Have a wonderful trip and happy birthday to your mother-in-law!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jennifer, I'll pass on your good wishes. It's great to feel well and I've been so busy I just hadn't realised how long it had been since my last post. DH and I are now zipping around the place getting everything ready for our trip. It's always like this. Somehow we can never do it without a deadline looming. :-)
DeleteHave a lovely break in Southport and to the North-West Highland. Sounds wonderful (sigh).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Molly. We'll only be in Southport for two nights and then we're off for points north. I think it's time you planned another trip for yourself. :-)
DeleteIt's good to hear that all is well with you and that you are about to return to your nomadic way of life.
ReplyDeleteHave a good safe journey and a comfortably long stay, but please stay in touch. We've missed you.
Blessings.
Thanks, Ray. I'm just taking a break from packing to reply to some more comments and realised how long it is since I packed in this way - the best part of a year. We're very much hoping our stay this time won't be cut short for any reason. I promise to stay in touch, as I've missed you all too.
DeleteLooking forward to catching up with you "on the road again" .
ReplyDeleteThanks, BtoB, and I'm looking forward to catching up with your posts after our arrival.
DeleteI'm glad that you are feeling so much better. Have a safe trip, and I'll be looking forward to your posts. We used to have a car that we didn't dare wash, or the old thing would fall apart. Thank heaven those days are over.
ReplyDeleteI haven't fell so well for a long time, Bonnie, though I will confess to having put weight on in these quiet months. Sigh... We always love the trip north as the scenery is so spectacular and I'll be in touch when we get there. I think DH got into the no-washing of cars when we had a couple of rather aged ones. He has no excuse now, though he's still very reluctant about it. :-)
DeleteI fully understand your need to get out and about after a long enforced sedentary period. Daffodils!!! Simply my favourite spring flower ... so bright and full of promise.
ReplyDeleteLol, I had to smile over your description of your DH's reasons for not cleaning a vehicle ... man talk!
Enjoy your Scottish sojourn; I look forward to photos of that part of the world.
What with the dreadful weather and two lots of convalescence it was like being under house arrest, Shirley, so I've been really enjoying my new-found freedom. The daffodils suddenly sprang into bloom with the warm weather a couple of weeks ago. I love the way they come back year after year whatever the conditions. As for the car washing, I think men divide into two camps - those who never do it and those who never stop doing it. :-)
DeletePhotos of Scotland will definitely follow.
glad you are up and about again. Safe travels!
ReplyDeleteThanks, CC. We're really looking forward to it and I will report back.
DeleteHave noted your absence, Perpetua, and figured you were onto your music practice, not to mention general catch-up. So glad you are getting back into normal life and routine. It only takes a mishap to have these things taken away from us, and how we love normality when it is once again achieved! Happy birthday to your mother-in-law and here's to a wonderful celebration. And Godspeed on your journey to Scotland - I so much would love to go there - and I look forward to seeing some Scottish posts coming up soon. Take care. P.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just my absence on my own blog, but on your's and others', Patricia. I've a lot of enjoyable reading waiting for me as we recover from the long journey. I'm having a wonderful time with my music practice, though it's very much a case of two steps forward and one back and sometimes the other way round, or so it seems :-) I'll pass on your good wishes to my mother-in-law and I'm sure we'll all have a lovely time. As for visiting Scotland, never say never. You're going to Italy this year, but there's no reason why you couldn't make it to the glorious Highlands one day. They are so worth it.
DeleteGlad all is well with you. Enjoy your weekend in Southport and time in Scotland.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda. It's lovely to feel well and active again and I'm really looking forward to our trip.
DeleteI'm delighted to hear from you and that you're so busy catching up again! Hope the birthday celebrations go well. Safe journey to Scotland...Axxx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annie. It's not like me to stay away from blogging for so long, but I just don't know where the last couple of weeks have gone. Now it's blogs I have to catch up with. :-) The birthday celebrations will be quiet but very enjoyable and it looks like the weather will be reasonable, thank goodness.
DeletePleased to learn that all is well with you Perpetua - hope dear MiL has a wonderful weekend celebrating her 90th birthday.
ReplyDeleteThe story of your DH and car cleaning is replicated in this house too.
Happy and safe travels to Scotland. Take care both of you.
What is it with men and car-cleaning, Rosemary? It's either all or nothing with them. :-) Thank you for the good wishes which I will pass on to my dear MiL. I'm feeling very well now, thanks, and DH and I are raring to head north again. It seems so long since we were last in Scotland for any length of time..
DeleteThat's quite something to celebrate 90 years! I hope you enjoy the party, and safe journey oup north.
ReplyDeleteShe's the first on either side of our family to reach that milestone, Sarah, so it's something we very much want to mark. It's only a small party, but we'll have a lot of fun. As for the journey, we love every mile and there are a lot of them. :-)
DeleteShe's back! (MM jumps up and down with big fat grin on face). Glad you're well and happy, Miss P. I think they put something in the blogging water because I've been less present recently, too - but I was working, not planning a great escape to Scotland..
ReplyDeleteOoo, is jumping up and down a good way to help shed some of the weight that's crept on recently, MM? If so, I'll follow your example. :-) Thanks for the welcome to the prodigal blogger. I'd noticed your absence too and hope the work hasn't been too overwhelming. i hope it eases off soon, so that normal blogging productivity can be resumed.
DeleteI hope you all enjoy the birthday celebrations, and a safe journey up to Scotland. It must be so nice to be back doing active things again....enjoy xxx
ReplyDeleteI'm sure we're all going to have a wonderful time, Ayak, and the journey up to Scotland should be nicely quiet on Sunday. You're absolutely right - it's really great to be busy and active again. I'm even enjoying the housework! :-)
DeleteSo pleased you are getting plenty of music practice and are able to get out in the garden once again with some spring weather.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to your mother-in-law - I think at 90 some memory loss is allowed. Thanks for your comment.
I'm really enjoying music practice, Susan, and it's become an essential part of my day. I'm still very much a beginner, but it's nice to know I'm making some progress again. Sadly the lovely spring weather has vanished and it's quite cold and windy at the moment, but nevertheless it IS spring and the longer days are great.
DeleteI'll pass on your congratulations to my mother-in-law. She'll be very touched to have greetings from all over the world. :-)
I am emerald green with jealously - I don't suppose there's a tiny space in the very small campervan I could hide away in is there? - oh well, send my love to the most beautiful place on earth... :)
ReplyDeletePoor Anny. You haven't seen the very small campervan recently! We're taking a spare single bed up with us which means we won't be able to open a single cupboard til we arrive and unload. :-) I know how much you love the North-West Highlands, so I will pass on your greetings until you can get there again yourself.
DeleteI'm already looking forward to your posts from what Anny rightly describes as among the most beautiful places on earth. I'd be stowing away too if you had room! Safe journey x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annie. I think if we tried to squeeze anything else into the van now, the springs would give way. :-) But as a consolation I promise you some photos of the glories of the Highlands, whatever the a weather.
DeleteBon voyage - the sun has been shining in Scotland this week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, DB. That's a very cheering thought as it seems to have disappeared down here. The extra hour of daylight on the way north on Sunday will be good too. :-)
DeleteIt's really good to hear from you, Perpetua, and to learn that things are going well. I'm really glad you're going to be in a position to travel to Scotland and enjoy yourselves there. And how wonderful that your mother-in-law is celebrating a 90th birthday. What a blessing. I'm sure your clarinet is going with you, so you'll hopefully have lots of time to practice! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThey're going very well, thanks, Debra. I find myself creaking a bit as muscles and joints which have been under-exercised get going again, but it will come with time. We're so looking forward to getting back to Scotland after a long time away, but first we have a birthday to celebrate. :-) The clarinet and all its accoutrements have indeed been packed and practice will continue. I'll catch up with your posts as soon as we've unpacked.
DeleteEnjoy the birthday celebrations and have a safe journey :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to some fabulous photos of that wonderful part of Scotland.
The birthday celebrations were great, thanks, and we arrived just before midnight yesterday after the long haul from Southport in one day. We're now unpacking before we run out of energy completely. :-) Photos will follow in due course.....
DeleteI have missed you. I think the reason you have been gone is an excellent one. Enjoy all of the exciting plan that are on your calendar. I can't wait to hear all about Scotland.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sally. It's been good to be more active, but I've missed my blogging friends too and will be catching up this week. I'll be reporting back on Scotland and points between in due course.
DeleteHello Perpetua:
ReplyDeleteHow splendid to know that you have had, are having, a well earned break from the Blogosphere and we do trust that all is well with you both in the furthest outpost of the Empire.
We have not long returned from Brighton where, without the internet, we enjoyed days of complete leisure. Take care.
Thanks, Jane and Lance. You know from experience how life can sometimes be just too busy for blogging. Then after a break we come back to it with renewed enthusiasm, glad to see our friends again.
DeleteWe arrived on the north coast very late on Sunday and have now unpacked and recovered from the long journey. I've even reassembled my clarinet and done my first practice here. :-) I'm glad you had a lovely, restful time in Brighton.
Hurrah! You're back. I've missed you lots and lots... and then been so stupidly busy that I missed this post :( Those daffodils are gorgeous. All my very best wishes for travels, celebrations and the warmer spring weather
ReplyDeleteBack and now almost absent again, Catriona, as life has been really hectic since we arrived on the north coast last Sunday night. I keep getting ready to write another post and then end up having to go out. I tell you I have a busier social life here than on our Welsh hill-top, despite the much cooler weather up here. :-)
DeleteI was going to add a comment to Niall&Antoinette's....
ReplyDeletebut decided that I'd write to you...
rather than reply.
It is great to know that you are back in the Big Country...
plenty of walks in the fresh...
nay, inn-vigorating Highland air will soon see those excesses...
gained through your enforced rest...
just vanish!!
And you said in your reply to the last post...
"I have a busier social life here...
Aye lass, the hame folk know how to craic!!
Have as much fun as is possible...
given the vagaries of the Highland weather...
may the midges nay feast too much...
and I, like N&A, look forward to the pix...
hope you can make up for last year...
without exhausting yourself.
And point out to DH that...
once the amount of mud/dirt/algae/moss/lichen [in our case] on a car reaches a factor of more tha 2% of the vehicle weight....
it causes a twofold increase in drag....
and therefore an increase in the fuel consumption!
A clean car is an economical car....
that is why I clean our cars at least...
twice....
....
....
....
a year!!
You and my DH are obviously chips off the same block where car cleaning is concerned, Tim. :-)
DeleteIt's lovely to be back up here on the north coast, even though the weather isn't exactly conducive to too many Highland walks just now. Thanks to dicky knees, most of my walking is best done on reasonably level ground, but I'm still getting out and about as much as I can and feeling better for it already. As we're right in the village, I can walk to almost all activities, which makes such a change from being up on our Welsh hill-top two miles from the village at home. Thankfully the midges aren't yet in evidence, though after a mild and wet winter they'll probably put in an earlier than usual appearance and I'll have to take preventive measures to avoid being eaten alive.
As for the craic, what with that and cake I'm amazed we get any knitting done every Wednesday morning.....