#117 specs

Was all about specs today. Building Warrant and tenders going out next week so we had to get all the specs right today so the architect knows what we want. We added in the garage upgrades too. That is going to add to the price but it needs doing and will make the whole project come together.

With all the things Jax keeps adding I think she has a secret stash of money somewhere. I must investigate that.

#116 fire starter

Bit of garden maintenance today. Had to burn a pile of wood we had cut down. Not long before the start of summer gardening duties!

#115 oh oh

Lizzie has a big girl bed! Hopefully she'll stay in it!

#114 time to read

New mag arrived this week but not had a chance to read it yet. Maybe tonight I'll get the chance. On the other hand I might just fall asleep.

#113 a sign

Is it a sign that this has come up for sale in the same shop I originally bought my bike from?

Mmmmmm

BMW GSA

#112 tractor

Yesterday architect. Today Tractor Engineer. Well kind of. This afternoon's art and craft effort with Liz.

Tomorrow it will be back to boring old work.

#111.1 image

Cool image from last week's sea kayak trip just been sent through.
The guys in Brookbank marketing have played with it a bit and I think it looks great. oh and it's me!

#111 drawings

Tonight's Brookbank Managers job role is architect. Anyone able to draw?

Got to get the plans for the new shop to building warrant and building control this week.

#110 train

I drive over a train track every day and haven't seen one for months. On the way home tonight the 6pm Inverness train passed me by.

#109 on the move

Lexie is on the move! She has shown signs of crawling for the last few days now she can get about quite easily! Nowhere is safe now!

#108 new news

www.escape-route.co.uk

After a good few months of negotiating and planning it is now official and known to the public. When we move into our new unit next month, Escape Route will be moving in with us using the 1000sqft upper floor to sell a selection of bikes biking gear and some top notch outdoor gear. This is an expansion for them as they will be keeping their store in Pitlochry. Check out their website. I'm really proud of this project and collaboration that I initiated and I am looking forward to working with their very professional and customer focused team. 2012 just got a whole load more exciting!!!!!

#107 sea kayaking done

Sunset last night was awesome. Hail storm through the night but nice enough today.
14km yesterday and about 6km today. Sea Kayaks loaded now just got to high tail it back to Scotland and home!

#106.1 camping spot

Camping spot sorted for tonight. Great weather today. Bit of a tail wind and a play in the Meni Straits on the way. 14km paddle. Great to be out but thinking of my beautiful girls at home.

#106 setting off

Well a couple of days of sea kayaking to look forward too. Time to pack the boat!

#105 forgot almost

My badge for the day. I wasn't so brilliant being 300 miles away tonight. Working away from home again.
Sea kayaking tomorrow! We'll see how the weather goes.

#104 running

Kids need running. I love the space we have to let Lizzie run about. It was running in between showers today but running none the less. Didn't stop her from not wanting to go to sleep tonight.

"Outside Daddy?"
"Tomorrow Lizzie"
"Night Night"

#103 mot

MOT for bike today. All serviced and MOT passed. Another year of two wheel fun can begin. I've been out more so far this year compared to all of last year. Saving money with the commute to work too!

#102 tents

Looking forward to the summer and a possible camping trip we thought we would put the tent up in the garden today to check it out. Lots of fun was had putting it up and having lunch in our Vango Orchy 500.

#101 titanic

On 14 April 1912, 100 years ago today and four days into the crossing and about 375 miles (600 km) south of Newfoundland, Titanic hit an iceberg at 11:40 pm (ship's time; GMT−3). The glancing collision caused Titanic's hull plates to buckle inwards in a number of locations on her starboard side and opened five of her sixteen watertight compartments to the sea. Over the next two and a half hours, the ship gradually filled with water and sank. Passengers and some crew members were evacuated in lifeboats, many of which were launched only partly filled. A disproportionate number of men – over 90% of those in Second Class – were left aboard due to a "women and children first" protocol followed by the officers loading the lifeboats. Just before 2:20 am Titanic broke up and sank bow-first with over a thousand people still on board. Those in the water died within minutes from hypothermia caused by immersion in the freezing ocean. The 710 survivors were taken aboard from the lifeboats by the RMS Carpathia a few hours later.

#100 wow

So I have got to one hundred posts this year wow! It is a real milestone. What it does mean is we are flying through the year. It has been a Friday the 13th as well and nothing to report thank goodness.

Now all I have to do is work out what these cables do?

#99 balls

Tow balls that is. The first move towards sorting our garden is getting a towball on the Freelander then a trailer to get rid of all the garden rubbish!
So towbar fitted today thanks to the Strathearn Engineering Team.

#98 feeding time

Had some interesting eating today....

#97 toy catalogue

Look what arrived today! 1666 pages of motorbike toys!

#96 loch lomond

Did my bit for charity today. I was helping out a friend on his quest to do the West Highland Way. Not a big problem I hear you say, however Joff is paralysed. He is doing the WHW on a trike set up with hand pedals. A group of friends are helping him out along the way.

They started on Saturday and we met them today on Loch Lomond. The worst bit of the path on the side of Loch Lomond is unrideable on Joff's bike, on any bike for that matter, so I was happy to help. We loaded Joff and his bike and two of his runners onto two canoes we lashed together.

We paddled a total of 10miles in some up and down weather. Pretty grimm at times but a great day out on flat water. We had to build a shelter on the two boats to keep the worst of it off. The last push was up river to get to their campsite tonight. Some tricky rapids to get up. I'm home now and back to work tomorrow but they will be carrying on tomorrow and everyday until Saturday. Good luck guys.

You can show your support for the charity Spinal Injuries Scotland here.

www.justgiving.com/WHWWheelchairChallenge

#95 happy easter

Great Easter Egg hunt here at Ardroy again this year. Fantastic family event that I hope is going to be an annual event. I hope everyone had as much fun as me.

#94 flood waters

So at about 9.30am this morning the main water pipe into the shop blew for no apparent reason.

Water everywhere. The joint blew before the cut off tap so we couldn't just switch it off. When we tried to switch the water off outside at the mains spur the valve blew off! Flooding outside too. An hour or so past while we tried to shut it if manually. Up to my armpit in water reaching the valve to no avail. Water board came out and switched of mains down the road cutting water to most of the industrial estate and Ruthenfield! Sorry if you live there and were without water today. Mains spur valve got fixed and is turned off so no water getting to the temporary fix tonight.

Anyway we don't have water at the shop just now but at least it was business as usual by lunchtime. I did get dry clothes on by 1pm. Plumber will be back Monday.

Carpets up and new water feature coming out the wall are todays pics!

#93 birthday girl

It is my little American niece's birthday today.
Happy Birthday Isla Sun who is one!

#92 anyone got a money tree?

We seem to be spending money like it is going out of fashion. Building an extension seemed like a good idea until the bills start coming in!!!!!!

Architect, Engineer, Planning Department. It will be worth it, will be worth it. Just need to keep telling myself.

Hope we can survive on rice and water!

#92 back to work

Jax went back to work today after 10 months off with Lexie. I got to look after the two little angels.

#91 april fool

Well it's two days late but the weather has pulled an April Fool!

Three days ago is was 20 degrees and Lizzie was running around the garden in shorts, this morning I have had to clear more snow off my car than the whole winter!

#90 tunnel vision

Trying to see light at the end of the tunnel. OK so the project of the new shop has not really started but I feel as though there is a massive way to go. We got the keys to the new shop today but what with the new system going into place and all the work to get the new shop open it all seems a long way off and out of my control......

#89 weekend

What a crazy weekend in the Allan household. Lots of visitors yesterday and a day out at some other friends today. I've had a great weekend. If this is what normal people get up to at the weekend with normal jobs then sign me up.

Anyway back to the chaos tomorrow. New lease should be getting signed for the shop so it'll be all hands to get the new shop built and up and running before the summer rush kicks in. Saying that with March's figures I think it might have started.

Tiring for everyone!