"Chapel of Love" by the Dixie Cups

Its been three weeks since Kirsty and Dan's wedding in Toronto and here I am just getting round to writing something about our stay there.

We were invited to Kirsty and Dan's wedding on the 7th July 2006. I was honoured to be asked to walk Kirsty up the isle for her wedding to Dan. This is the 2nd time in 3 months that I have given a girl away to another man! I hope I don’t make a habit of it. The wedding took place at a golf club in Toronto and there was a lovely reception afterwards with all their friends and family. I have posted a few more pictures in another BLOG To see them CLICK HERE.

"Summer in the City" by Lovin' Spoonful

Canada Holiday - 2006

We also spent a week sightseeing around the Toronto area with Kirsty and Dad. Dan and I cycled into downtown Toronto to see the Canadian Champ Car Grand Prix on the Sunday. We also cycled from Niagara on the Lake to Niagara Falls and back in 30 C heat on the Tuesday! I really enjoyed cycling to Niagara as you can admire the views much more than if you are in a car. Thanks Dan and Kirsty for arranging it all for me. I had visited Niagara Falls 25 years ago and saw a big change in the area. It has become so commercialised that it is almost tacky now. And the crowds of people! I think this will be my last visit there. More Pics here.

Janis and I also spent some time with good friends of our family, the Scott’s. My dad met James Scott during WW2 and they became firm life friends and we still keep in touch with them all.
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Most of the family were on holiday North of Toronto so we joined them for a few days. We stayed on Dickie Lake nr a village called Baysville with Alan and Gail and their lovely children, Heather and James. Click here for more pictures of our Canada Holiday.

"White Room" by Cream

Here is our new Study. When the house was new 28 yrs ago this was part of the living room but it was partitioned to make a bedroom for guests and a small living room with a new living room built to the rear of the house. Now our children are all living elsewhere we decided to create more space for ourselves and turn the bedroom into a study with the computer installed. We now have loads of room for all our books, manuals and other things that require to be hidden away. I had a lot of rewiring to do to accommodate the computer and peripherals but it has been worth it. Th work was completed 5 weeks ago but I have only found time now to put it in my BLOG and tell you about it.

"High Speed" by Cold Play

On our way home just north of Aberdeen we were caught up by the Pagani Zonta that was speeding round Knockhill with all the other exotica. Here it is on the left. The Zonta stayed behind me for a while then overtook and just disappeared into the distance. I, keeping to speed limits, caught it up due to slower traffic. When behind the Zonta the noise from the engine and exhaust was just amazing! We got to a stretch of duel carriageway and I managed to just keep within sight of it up to 90 but after that it just took off! AND that noise, fantastic. Wish I had taken my movie camera in the car to record the noise.

"Fast Cars" by U2

Harry and I had a super weekend in Perthshire and at the Knockhill racing circuit in Fife with the Porsche Club.

On the Saturday we met up with 15 other Porsche owners and went for a drive around the Perthshire hills for the day. We had the car hood down all the way in lovely weather. My car really showed how good it was in these kinds of roads and that you can have fun but still be safe. A Porsche 911 driver behind me said that he could not keep up with me in the corners! He had to admit the Boxster is the better driver's car. (I am trying not to sound to cocky here.)

On the Sunday we all went to Knockhill Racing circuit to take part in their SPEEDFAIR Classic that included a special guest appearance by Sir Jackie Stewart!! They were celebrating 50 years of Ecurie Ecosse & SMRC not to mention 50 years of Scottish Motorsport success. Again, this was a fantastic day looking at static dip lays and watching the cars racing on the circuit. Even Jackie was speeding round in his Grand Prix winning Tyrrell Ford 003 of 1971 in which he won his second World Championship. Acording to JYS the car is completely original still being fitted with 1971 wishbones etc.

SEE MORE PHOTOS HERE >CLICK HERE<

"Flying" The Beatles

Had a fabulous day out today at Aboyne Gliding Club. I went with our pensioners' club and took to the air in a twin seater Puchacz glider with me in the front seat. We were towed by a plane up to 2000 ft and then I released the tow rope and we were flying like an eagle over the Dee Valley. I was given control for some time and flew up in some thermals to gain some hight before returning to earth back on the runway. We then all helped to prepare a BBQ and relaxed for another hour before returning home. A day to remember.

"Hot Summer Night" by Meatloaf

Quote from the Scotsman Newspaper >> "Aberdeen was the hottest place north of the Border yesterday with temperatures topping 29C - or two degrees hotter than Tenerife - sending hundreds of people flocking to North Sea beaches and the River Dee. The warning prompted calls for employers to relax office dress codes and allow workers to wear casual clothes including shorts. Motorists were also advised to carry bottles of water and pet owners were urged not to leave pets in cars. A Met Office spokesman said: "The country is absolutely cooking at the moment. Parts of Scotland are right up there with any of the top holiday spots you can think of. And it's only going to get hotter over the next few days. We are on course for the hottest July ever."

I have never seen the temperature so high here in Ellon but I must admit it's very hot today too. I took a picture of the car outside temperature reading yesterday just to prove how hot it was. 29 C! Phew. And it did reach 30 C for some time too. We are just back from Toronto and it wasn't any hotter there just a little more humid.

"The Long & Winding Road" by the Beatles

Harry and I had discussed the possibility of taking my Boxster out for a day driving around the top of Scotland and returning on the same day. We knew it had to be in the summer as the days are much longer and we could do it all in daylight. No point in doing it in the dark. So the plan was made that we could do it in one day if we basically followed the route we had taken in 2005 with our cycles. So we kept a keen eye for a weather window that would allow us to do it with the roof down all the way around. Therefore Sunday 3rd July was chosen as the best day.

The trip starting in Ellon @ 6am on a bright sunny day and we travelled around the top of Scotland via Dufftown, Granton-on-Spey, Nairn, Inverness, Ullapool, Durness, Altnahara, Bonar Bridge and back to Ellon by 6pm. Hood down all the way. It did dull down near the West Coast but it soon brightened up again. The best day out in the best car, on the best roads in the UK! What more can say. And Harry smiled all the way. (and so did I, of course). We did 550 miles that day.

Traigh Allt Chailgeag

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Stac Pollaidh

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Inverkirkaig

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"Cloud Number Nine" by Bryan Adams

It's the 1st July 2006 already. Where does the time go? We saw some amazing looking clouds tonight after dinner with our Children. We had just finished a lovely meal with them when I looked outside and saw these clouds just above our house. I believe they are called Altocumulus looking at some web sites to compare the look. Maybe you can tell me if this is correct.