I feel I spent my holidays well, I saw A LOT of people in the short spell I was home, and I caught up with a few that I hadn't spoken to in years! It was blooming great catching up with my old school-friend Kari, I mean we used to hang out when we were this size:
After a rather less than white Christmas, I'm certainly nostalgic about these days- SNOW, and lots of it is magical stuff.
As well as catching up old friends, I made some new ones- yes, more cats! This blog has featured them somewhat heavily... And this year is the year of the kitten it would seem, so nought's gunna change there!
First my neighbours got two cuties who visited us first thing Christmas morning much to Kit's annoyance. I have never seen my cat look more green-eyed as she watched the two frolic across our lawn.
Unfortunately they've taken a big interest in our pond, and getting into our house. Double trouble.
Then Helga, after much begging, has finally got herself a new kitty too. Meet Mogo, who fits into the Garrioch family no end (he even has a viking name):
Here he is, a little stuck. While most cats would struggle to get free, this wee chap just sits resigned waiting for someone to help him.
I had a fine Christmas, and a great New Year- no tears, no drama for once. And as for New Year's resolutions? Not really made any. I would like to be fitter though, as my parents new treadmill made me realise when I set it to an 'advanced work-out'. The bastard beeps every time it's about to change settings, after 10mins of running 'up-hill' I almost wept with relief to hear it beep, until I noticed that it said 'increase incline'- steeper hill, same speed, oh the cursing that came out of me...
So yeah, maybe we'll go with that one.
I also came back to France armed with Oor Wullie, Brave and a Giddy Limit calendar. Thinking about teaching my kids about the Orcadian tradition of the Ba too. For those not familiar with the Ba:
Ba game is a version of medieval football played in Scotland, perhaps most notably in Orkney and the Scottish Borders, around Christmas and New Year.
Ba is basically mob football, or village football. Two parts of a town have to get a ball to their respective side. For instance the two sides are called the uppies or the downies depending on which part of town they were born, or otherwise owe allegiance to. The ball must be manhandled, and is very often a moving scrum. The game moves through the town, and can go up alleyways, into yards and up streets. Shops and houses board up their windows to prevent damage. Unlike traditional mob football, generally people are not hurt.- Wiki.
And here's pictures for more of an idea (stolen from the BBC Radio Orkney FB page)::
This is the Doonies about to win (they have to jump in the basin).
And this is the Uppie win, touching the wall.
This year, three went in the basin. :) Also, for more of an idea of how there are basically no rules- people have been known to jump in their cars with the ba (the ball) in a big attempt to get it to their side, perfectly acceptable if not moral.
Well I wasn't gunna spend ages writing an explanation when someone already has- and probably better... Luckily this year it didn't head for our house, last year my dad was just about pitchforking ba players to keep them out of his beloved garden.
Think my kids should have fun hearing about it anyway,
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