August has been very busy for us all!

After a wonderful Pets On Quilts show organised by Lilypad Quilting, which Treacle and I remembered to enter this year, we have been dashing around, hence the lack of posts.  So today we are going to catch up, are you ready?

Youngest finished school for the summer on Tuesday July 23rd and so DH, Eldest, Girlfriend, Youngest and I headed for Scotland on the following Saturday for our two week vacation.  We had a great two weeks, the weather being really good with only one day of real rain.  As we had all been so busy beforehand it was really great just to sit back and chill and really do not a lot at all.

There are a couple of Fairs around so we took Girlfriend to those.  The first was was the Black Isle Show which is more of a county fair, animals are exhibited, demonstration of sheep shearing, lots of local produce for sale and even now The Boys are older they still love seeing all the shiny new tractors!!!!!!  This was the day it rained all day!  We got there and the weather had been okay but as we got onto the grounds the heavens opened and we were soaked (even down to our underwear!!!!!)  We had even taken a picnic which was eaten in the truck when we got back. whilst we tried to dry out a little!!!!

The Loch where they do the fly fishing competition

The next day was the Moy Game Fair and the weather could not have been better! It was really warm and very sunny.  They have more of the country pursuits at this fair with dogs competing for picking up, fly fishing, shooting competitions and archery, as well as various stalls and again local produce!

Smoking the fish and a demonstration by the Farrier

We had a great day and DH and Eldest had a go at shooting again.  Eldest also got to shoot the antique musket!

You really know when this gun goes off!

We also went to the Highland Games at Ballater, which is the nearest town to Balmoral Castle where the Queen and Royal Family stay for their summer vacation.

We watched the Heavy Field Events and the massed Pipes and Drums arrive and then walked into Ballater itself for a look round.  It is nestled on the Banks of the River Dee and was a renowned spa town.  

Glenmuick Parish Church in the centreThe buildings next to the old railway station

Youngest, Girlfriend and Eldest

Of course even though they are Fourteen and Eighteen now they still know how to be little Boys!

The old railway station and tracks

We had a great day out and the weather was good again. As we travelled back to the cottage we went through some really pretty areas

We all traveled home on Saturday August 10th and on the Sunday DH and I got up early (!) and went to the Festival of Quilts Show at the NEC in Birmingham, which is the biggest show in Britain.  I usually don’t get to go as we are always away but as we had gone on vacation early this year I managed to make the last day.  

DH did a sterling job of carrying bags, paying for material for my stash and treating me to lunch!  I will also show you on a post later this week what else he bought for me (can’t wait!!!!! It’s really great!!!!!)  Whilst we were at the show, Eldest and Youngest went off to fetch Treacle home from her holiday at the Kennels , they did a great job and Treacle was pleased to see them (more than if I think DH and I had gone!!!)

The Quilt show was amazing.  I have not been quilting for long but am constantly amazed by how talented quilters are and what they can do with bits of fabric.  I only took pictures of the quilts I really loved, if I had taken pictures of the whole show the post would last for three months!!!  There is no particular order to these quilts I just loved them 

I had to take this quilt’s picture of Scotty Dogs!

These Flat Irons remind me of the two I have in my Laundry which my Great Grandmother used to use!

This reminded me of my Grandfather who used to keep bees

Can you see a theme appearing here of the quilts I love! Farms/gardens/animals!!!

Loved the colours in this

Bees Again!

Animals!

We had a great day, if a very long one, but so glad I got to go this year.

The following week was Results day for Eldest and his A’Levels and I think we were all a little stressed.  Unfortunately his grades were not as good as he hoped and he was not able to go to the Uni he wanted!  Which of course threw us all in a loop!! DH and he have been looking at options and so far nothing has been sorted but I will let you know when he does decide what he wants to do.  Girlfriend did well and is going to the Uni she wanted but all the grades seem to have been downgraded this year and only a few of his year got the grades they were predicted, so one of those things.

I did, however, sign him up to a modelling agency!!!!!  Girlfriend’s Mom took a great picture of them when they were on holiday last year and at the time I said it looked like an ad for one of those fancy fashion shoots

So I cropped him out and sent this with a picture of him at the Sixth Form Ball and in his suit for Sixth Form to the Agency.  The next day he had a text saying we like you and want you to go for a studio shoot next Tuesday! So off we all went to Manchester for a photographic shoot and he has sent six into the Agency and they will then see if they can get him any work.

This is the best one I think

The next James Bond?

He likes this one

My Little Baby!!!!

The other big news is that through someone DH knows he is going to be filming from this Sunday for four nights 6.00pm until 6.00am as a World War II Marquis soldier in a film starring Frank Leboeuf who was in the 2001 film “Taking Sides”!  You never know where this may go!!!!

Frank Leboeuf

The other big news was that Little Baby turned 18!!!!  DH, Eldest, Girlfriend, Youngest and I went out to our favourite restaurant, Harts in Nottingham.

The evening was so hot that all attempts to get my hair right failed!!!! We had a lovely evening and meal though!!!!

My Martini; I needed this after the previous few weeks!

My starter – It looks like a tomato but it is goats cheese made into a tomato!

Then the following evening we hosted a party to celebrate the Big Event where friends and family came.  Again a fantastic evening and we got to see and talk to everyone, Eldest and Girlfriend were terrific talking to all the guests and so too was Youngest, who made the best speech of the evening.  DH and I had put together a series of pictures from Birth to 18 and embarrassed him thoroughly and Girlfriend had also made a disc of pictures and video of their two years together which was lovely.

Very close family Friends who have known him since he was born – Dave & Carol, Pete & Chris, Val & Dave, Christine and Pete & Chris’s daughters Dani & Catherine

Sue and Paul and Judy and Lass  and Elaine.  All the Ladies are DH’s Cousins!

Pat & Alan- good friends and Pat was the Boys Reception Teacher. Tricia & Kevin, our good friends from Jersey

Girlfriends Family, Melanie, Charles, Emily & Lily

Jayne, Steve, James & Emily (James & Eldest were at school together from aged 4 and best friends ever since)

The Swimming Contingent: Chris & Tim, Chris & Liz, Gail and Pat and their visitor from the States, Gina

Eldest and Girlfriend

His cake had been a present from Auntie Christine and Uncle Pete (Auntie Christine made it!) and of course had a swimming theme.

Eldest doing Fly

So many congratulations to our wonderful Eldest Son – 18!

Told you this was a mega post!  If you have managed to read to the end of the post, thank you! and I hope you have enjoyed our Month of August, it sure has been busy!!!!  I will now try and get back to regular posts, Treacle has a few Wednesday Wags to catch up on and I also need to get back to reading all the other blogs I follow, I have got a little behind!!!!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful Weekend.

Susie x