FAB Scott

This blipfoto thing isn't working out too well for me. This is me being Brains from the Thunderbirds for Mummy. I don't even know what the Thunderbirds are!

Decapitated

Today, Daddy got me to be a model for his blipfoto thing. He spends so much time on that at the moment he's taking less photos of me and not helping me blog enough. Not only that, but he also cut my head off in the photo. I think he needs more practice.

Linlithgow Peel Ranger Day

Today, Mummy took me to Linlithgow Palace where there was a talk and display about birds. It was great fun, we learned about birds, eggs and how to look for evidence of their activity. One of the things we did was to lie down like the roots and branches of a tree. Can you tell which one of these kids is me?

Oliver Twist!

Mummy and me were watching Oliver Twist today and she said I look like him. I don't think so...

Eathie Fossil Beach

Following on from yesterday's Hugh Miller cottage visit, today we went to Eathie beach where fossils are still quite easy to come across. You park at the end of a long path and then make your way down to the beach. Fortunately we really had no idea how far down it was to the beach or we most likely wouldn't have gone! After a long walk, we finally made it. This is the view after quite a long way and still not at the bottom:

At the bottom, the tide was just on its way out so not a lot of the shale containing the fossils was exposed but it soon was. We walked a short way along the beach and managed to find quite a lot of shale, many with ammonite fossils exposed. This was great for everyone except Daddy who was going to have to carry our spoils back up that very long walk up that very steep hill.

We had some lunch and I got my picture taken by the fishing bothy to prove we'd been here. This was for the geocache. It was a special geocache called an earthcache that led us here and we're so thankful. We all had a lot of fun and are very pleased withour finds.

But then came that walk up the hill. Daddy promised me 5 stars if I could stay close to him and not complain all the way up and he stormed on with his heavy bag of rocks. We both left Mummy puffing behind, red-faced from effort and Daddy now wishes he'd taken a photo of that! Eventually we made it to the top with Mummy earning a few stars as well for her efforts and only I made it without wheezing like an old person!

It really was great and I'd love to go back. Apparently in the opposite direction to the one we went there's a great stream and waterfall and the chance to find different and better fossils but I can't see Mummy and Daddy agreeing to face that climb again!

I'll add some photos of the fossils later...

Hugh Miller's Cottage

Today we went to Hugh Miller's cottage in Cromarty. Hugh was a geologist in the early nineteenth century and discovered loads of fossils around the coast near his home. It has poured with rain today so it was really good to find something to do and seeing these amazing fossils was very cool. We also grabbed a wee geocache while in the area!

Nairn Beach... Again

This morning the sun was out so we headed back to Nairn beach. We were better prepared this time but I didn't really want to go deep into the surf and although it was sunnier it wasn't as warm as the other day so I stayed in shorts and t-shirt. I paddle a bit and helped Daddy build a very cool sandcastle. And then destroyed it!




Afterwards we had a picnic on the grass by the car and finished just as the rain came on! Between showers we made it to the park and collected a couple of local geocaches - all this before 1pm! The rain was heavier now so we headed back homewards and stopped in at Culloden Battlefield with out new National Trust for Scotland memberships and did the Gnasher Hunt. After Brodie Castle, I have have now completed two Gnasher Hunts. One more and I get a prize. If I can complete six I'll get an even better prize!

Walking with Dinosaurs

Today we went to Brodie Castle. Which was mostly rather boring. But Mummy enjoyed it a lot! There was a Gnasher Hunt for me though. It's like a treasure hunt except you look for Gnasher from Dennis the Menace. I found him 5 times which scored me a stamp. Once I've got 3 of them I can get a prize.

But after Brodie Castle, that's when the fun began. We went geocaching but these were some special geocaches. First we found one at a collection of fossils at a quarry on the coast near Lossiemouth. When they quarry interesting rocks with these fossils they lay them out on the coastal path. It's great seeing these footprints from dinosaurs millions of years ago.

After this we headed for Cove Bay, which we quickly renamed Dinosaur Cove after the books by Rex Stone Mummy and me have just finished reading. We were really there to see the cave but found some of the most amazing rock pools. We found a crab, lots of cockles and muscles, some fish and sea anemones. We had loads of fun there and I made dinosaur tracks that Daddy filmed. The holiday's going really well so far!




This is Daddy and me looking into a very deep rock pool.


And here's me with a fossilised dinosaur egg. Probably.

Clava Cairns

On the way home from Nairn, we popped in to see Clava Cairns. These are burial cairns and standing stones from about 4000 years ago. I'm not sure why she smacked Daddy when he asked if she'd attended any of the funerals. They're quite delecate (but pretty strong for 4000 years old if you ask me) so Daddy wouldn't let me climb on them, luckily there was a handy tree for me to expel some climbing energy...

Nairn Beach

Today we went to Nairn Beach. It was much better weather (and beach) than we were expecting so we were not prepared. No bucket and spade and no swimming costume. I played at the park for a bit and then we headed onto the sand. It's lovely sand and it was really warm. The water was warm too so I took no persuading to get stripped down to my undies and get playing in the water... Actually I took a lot of persuading if I'm honest. You see I don't like people seeing my underwear so when Mummy suggested I get completely stripped I was OK with that, just so long as people couldn't see me in my pants, naked was fine. Eventually Mummy and Daddy convinced me that keeping pants on was better and we'd just tell folk they were trunks.

I had an excellent time and I hope we can come back here again soon!

HWP

Today we're heading on our holidays. We're going to Inverness to stay at Auntie Anne and Uncle Ian's house while they're away on holiday down south. It's extremely kind of them to let us trash use their home.

On the way we stopped into Granny and Grandpa's for a visit (and some food). While there we popped along to the Highland Wildlife Park to see the new Wildcat Kittens. We weren't sure if we'd be able to see them but they were sleeping very happily in one of the overhead runs out in the open. They must be very relaxed to sleep there. As usual, I got to drive the car around the driving area, and I played at the new park they have there. It's great fun coming to the HWP!

National Museum of Scotland

It was the first day of the summer holidays for Daddy today. After my last swimming lesson we came home and then got the train into Edinburgh and visited the National Museum. A lot of it is closed for refurbishment but when it opens it should have some dinosaurs - I can't wait for that! But we were actually here to see the Lewis Chessmen.

They have a large chess set in the foyer when you go in, I was playing a game against Daddy when another boy wanted to play so Mummy, Daddy and me played against him. He was good but we beat him!




We eventually found the Lewis Chessmen and I was really amazed by them. They are so cool. They're made from walrus tusks and some of them are whale teeth. I'd like a set of chess pieces like these!





There was a section of the museum setup for kids with lots of things to play with. We played in that area for ages lifting ourselves with pulleys and firing rockets into the air with air pressure and seeing things glow under black-lights. It was great fun. I can't wait to visit the museum again but it really needs dinosaurs to be a real museum. Maybe Mummy and Daddy can take me to the museum in London some time...

Headstands

Today, I have mostly been doing headstands...

Linlithgow Knights

We went to Linlithgow Palace today to see the knights. This is similar to the Robert the Bruce day we go to at Dunfermline but different knights and a different display. It was still very impressive and a lovely venue though.

Police

The police came knocking at the door this evening. They'd been sent to check on a disturbance in the area caused by some kids and they immediately thought they should check up on me - I've no idea why they thought that! Luckily it was one of Mummy's old work colleagues (I didn't know Mummy had been in the police force) and they let me sit in the car and switch on the blue lights!

Edinburgh Zoo

Went to Edinburgh Zoo today. It's always fun but today we went into an area we haven't been in before. It had lots of Rainbow Lorikeets and you get to buy nectar to feed them. They come and sit on your arm and eat the nectar. The nice lady told us all about the birds too.





We also saw the Sun Bears. These guys only arrived at the zoo yesterday and they were out in their enclosure exploring and showing off for us.

After seeing them we stopped at the park near the monkeys and Daddy didn't know which monkeys to take pictures of...

New Scooter!

For finishing primary one and not getting into too much trouble, Mummy and Daddy bought me this scooter. Except it was too wet to play outside on it when Daddy came home so we played with it inside instead!

Happy Anniversary

It's Granny and Grandpa's Diamond Wedding anniversary this week and all the family got together today for an awesome lunch to celebrate. Mummy and Daddy told me that there was no food for me and I would have to share some of theirs but I sat with Auntie Carol and she gave me plenty of her excellent food! And then they gave me food of my own anyway!

Uncle Dave made some paper aeroplanes and between courses I was able to fly them around the place. Luckily there weren't very many other people having lunch!

Happy Anniversary Granny and Grandpa!