Happy Holidays

Have a very Merry Christmas.

The Spirit of Christmas at Glamis Castle

Today we went along to Glamis Castle, I just love the place, it is totally magnificent and even the gardens still look good at this time of year. They have a special programme of Christmas events and the place was so busy, there were even three coach tours in.

Comrie

In Memory of my fantastic Dad, who died 19th December 2005.

Carse of Lennoch


Drummond Earnoch

Strowan Woodland Cemetery

Through lashing rain and sleet and snow I made my way to the village of Comrie today, having first picked up my mother in Perth. Comrie is just after the town of Crieff, less than an hour south west of Blairgowrie. Comrie means 'the meeting of the waters'. There are several ways to go but I went the A85 from Perth. We were visiting a place called Strowan Woodland Cemetery where my father's ashes are, he died very suddenly three years ago without warning whilst enjoying his morning coffee and scone and spookily his passport actually expired that day. My father and his parents came from Dundee but his parents moved to Comrie and farmed at Carse of Lennoch. My parents met and married in Comrie and initially farmed at a place called Drummond Earnoch. My mother's parents owned a hotel in Comrie called The Ancaster Arms and her father actually ended his days running a guest house in Dundee. I have a photo of the hotel somewhere which I must look out and one of my grandfather who always wore a kilt.

From a visitors point the area around Comrie and Crieff makes a great day out. There is the Crieff Visitor Centre , the stunning Drummond Gardens and the Glenturret Distillery now known as The Famous Grouse Experience
The list of things to do is extensive and it is well worth researching the area if you are coming on holiday eg. Perthshire A beautiful drive back to Blairgowrie is along the A822 through the Sma Glen which brings you back onto the A9 at Dunkeld.

Where's Santa?, Christmas Shop & Refurbishment Update

Paid a visit finally today to a newish shop in the town called Gallimaufry in the High Street, it is a real emporium of Festive Goodies, just lovely.

Every year Santa goes around the town with his sleigh and tonight was our area, so I was totally gutted when he just whizzed past this evening with a wave, he usually stops, maybe he was holding onto his sweeties because of the credit crunch!! I was hoping to bring you a photo of him, so I shall just improvise instead, might catch him in the town on Saturday.

After a week of cleaning up the dust and putting all the furniture etc back after our improvements the house is finally back to normal, just a couple of finishing touches and I shall post some pictures of the two redecorated bedrooms, I'm very pleased with them, massive improvement.

Sunset and Chandeliers

Had the fun job of cleaning the chandeliers in the dining-room, beautiful to look at but a nightmare to clean especially when balanced on top of a ladder removing all the glass drops. Cotton buds are excellent for cleaning between the inticate leaves.

There was a lovely sunset last night, very similar to the red of the sky I posted in January.

Christmas Fayre

I was very disappointed this morning when I looked out the window as after the severe weather warning we had got for snow there wasn't really very much, I love a good snow storm and being snowed in, brings back happy childhood memories. My room improvements are nearly finished thank goodness and my new furniture for one of the bedrooms arrived this morning.

This evening there was a Christmas Fayre at Hill Primary School which I naturally had to go to and actually I enjoyed it very much, my goodness it was busy I swear you could hardly move. It was very well done and is a superb fundraiser for the school. Also at the Fayre was GMTV's Lorraine Kelly, she lives quite near Blairgowrie, so I just had to get a picture. What a lovely lady and she looks fantastic.

St Andrew's Day Celebrations Part 2

Happy St Andrew's Day.

As I mentioned yesterday some of the shops have a Scottish theme in their window, so I took some photos and as usual the batteries on my camera ran out before I could photograph them all. The town centre is looking well as there are a number of new shops which have opened, which can only be good.

St Andrew's Day Celebrations

St Andrew's Day is the feast of Saint Andrew, celebrated on the 30th November. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. This weekend 29th/30th November in the town there is pipe bands, Christmas market, storytelling, classic car display, ceilidhs and a firework display. There is bunting out around the town and many of the shops put on a scottish themed window display. Thoroughly enjoyed the pipe band this afternoon, bit chilly out to put it mildly!

All the events are organised by our local tourist association Bepta.

Scottish saltire

Saint Andrew

Fancy Buying a Castle?

*Click on picture to enlarge for easier reading.*

Blairgowrie Christmas Lights

Took some pictures of the lovely Christmas lights in the town, unfortunately they didn't come out too well, never mind, maybe try another time. All the trees in the Wellmeadow are festooned with white lights and one large tree is particularly eye catching.

More Wintry Scenes

Woke up this morning with about an inch of snow lying outside. Had an enjoyable early morning walk in the crisp white snow, strangely enjoyable making footprints in it!!

Wintry Weather

Had a few light snow flurries last night and this morning, didn't come to much though, but it is bitterly cold.

New bathroom units and towel rail now fitted.

This afternoon the Christmas Lights will be officially switched on in the town and there will be a parade by the local pipe band.

Refurbishment Update

Dining-Room has now become my sewing room.

Room 3 en-suite all re-tiled.

Paintwork back to a classic off white, why did I ever paint it yellow!

Downstairs Lounge, new store room.

History and Harpers Garage

The wallpaper in Room 3 was stripped right back to the original wall revealing an interesting piece of history. It says 'Papered by Charles Brown, George Street 16 Oct 1899, paste by James Stewart'. It is identical to what we found when redecorating another room about 18 months ago. The date corresponds with the information I have about the house. In 1899 a feu contract was recorded in favour of Alexander Neilson by the trustees of Allan McPherson of Blairgowrie, Mr Neilson must build and maintain a house of value £400. 1899-1911 Mr Neilson now known to be an inspector of poor at Inveresk Musselburgh remains proprietor but Gilmore is tenanted by James Millar, merchant of Trinidad. In the 1901 census the people recorded in the house were, James Millar(72, widower, retired merchant) Mrs Marion Davidson(32, daughter) Grace Davidson(grand-daughter) Mr Robert Todd(visitor, grain merchant) Annie Leith(Housekeeper) and Maggie Donaldson(Domestic Nurse).
In 1911 the property was sold to John Harper a motor and cycle maker for £515, the house remained in the Harper family until 1973. In 1896 John Harper had a business at 27-29 Perth Street as a blacksmith and cycle agent, as the business grew and cars became more common the cycle part was phased out.

Agricultural machinery, cars and tractors were all sold and repaired from the premises.

An old granite plaque we have inscribed J Harper 1901

Blair in Bloom Awards

Yesterday evening I attended the prize-giving awards for Blair in Bloom where I picked up my certificate for 2nd place in the Establishment providing tourist accommodation category. There was an array of silverware and plaques for the various categories, I shall aspire to win one one day!! It was a very enjoyable hour and there was a computer display of photos of all the gardens which had entered into all the categories, some fantastic floral displays and gardens.

We are replacing an old electric shower with an up to date thermostatic shower and re-tiling the shower room, so the picture above shows mess in progress, thought we would tile over the existing tiles, but decided it was best to take the old ones down. Found an old door frame behind the plasterboard which the last owners blocked up. Work sort of ground to a standstill this week, but has picked up today. Starting to panic ever so slightly because once everything is done I will have to clean the house from top to bottom, make curtains etc, etc in time for the in-laws and other family members arriving in December and guests just before and over New Year, mind you having a deadline to work to will keep me motivated. On another note it is unbelievably mild for the time of year.

Work in Progress

New built in wardrobe in Room 3.

My shiny new fire alarm system.

The wall stencils from when we moved in, still intact behind wallpaper.

Room 2.

Old wallpaper behind radiator.

Work is progressing well in the house, had fun putting a new shower cable in from upstairs down to the main electric board, it was interesting going right under the floor downstairs as it is very deep, didn't find any old relics though. The whole house is a bit of a mess and furniture stored in various rooms, but it will soon all come together, hopefully!!