May 27: Inverness and Aviemore

We stock up in Inverness then drive to Aviemore. Things go a little wrong when we loose each other for an hour after a wrong turn somewhere along the way but we all enjoy a bite of lunch by Loch Ealein before we are hit by a torrential downpour. We shelter in the van then resort to a spot of shopping in town before returning to take a walk around the lake. It's spectacular.

We cook and eat dinner before heading home.

May 26: Fort Augustus and Caledonian Canal

Everyone is pretty tired... and those crazy enough to run 26.6 miles the day before are sore. Today it's a short drive to Fort William and a gentle stroll along the Caledonian Canal, complete with multi-level lock system.

Just great to be together again.

May 24 & 25: Edinburgh Marathon Weekend

We're off to Edinburgh to meet up with our lovely friends and for Graeme and Tony to run the Edinburgh marathon. It turns out to be a weekend to remember for everyone. The boys did a fabulous race... Graeme 3hr15min, Tony 3hr 30min. The girls and kids struggled with the logistics and ended up seeing none of the city. Clare did manage to make it to the finish line but must have been having a Frankie moment, looking away the very moment Tony run past the line. Go figure!

The day continued to have complications and the authentic Scotish weather bought Graeme and Susanna to a standstill with flooding over the highway on their way north out of the city. Clare and Tony did manage to find time to pull over and admine the Cairngorm area while cooking dinner but everyone was relieved to find home for the week in at the Barenock Hostel cottage just a few miles out of Drochmandrochit on the shores of Loch Ness in the Scottish highlands.

May 23: Full house in Bollington

Look after an extra child for the night then add three others for the morning on top of the six who are already in residence and whichever way you look at it it's a very full house. Maz does a valient effort to work from home in the midst of it all. The kids have a ball making movies again and we share a yummy lunch of day old bread bun filled with grilled courgette and antipasto. Another fab recipe to take away. Really enjoying the italian influence going on in this house!

We are packed to leave but decide at the last minute to avoid bank holiday traffic and enjoy another evening together. Edwina and Clare head out for a spot of shopping and are back in time to share another great Indian meal.

May 22: We got our Van!

We have word that our home on wheels is arriving today. A little later than we expected but all the same it's a great day. It takes an age to tidy the other van and reload our own van but the kids enjoy another quieter day and everyone is very happy.

May 21:Sick day Wednesday

Catch up day today. Kids lounge a bit in the morning with their cousins who have taken a day off. Lovely for the cousins to spend time together.

We do venture out in the afternoon and the Cagol kids take pleasure in taking us on a walk to White Nancy which is a small folly on the ridge which overlooks the town. From here the mill town smokestacks are obvious. All the same it is a pretty town. A great place to be.

The kids are having a great time playing with other children who are visiting, putting together their own movies, dressing up and generally running a muck.

Clare collects a cool new bike today and she and Tony jump at the chance to go for a quick bike ride after dinner. They zoom along part of the Middlewood way which runs past the back door as dusk settles on the township.

Edwina takes us into Macclesfield for a treat. The Italian Grenalys have a family ice cream business which specialise in gelatto. The experience comes highly recommended!