Category: Reasons to be Cheerful

There’s reason #1 right there.  Bill Bailey’s on tour again, he’s coming to Shetland and this time I’ve got tickets!  Last time he was up here, tickets went on sale at 9AM, and by about 9:01 they’d sold out.  This time, thanks to a rather odd marketing strategy (blink-and-you’ll-miss-it link on the Shetland News Facebook feed), tickets hung around long enough for me to get a pair.

Reason #2, I had a great birthday this week.  Wonderful presents, great food, good wishes from Twitter and everyone who knew.  Superb.

Reason #3, turns out I’ve been nominated in the MAD Awards 2012 – http://www.the-mads.com/ – under the “Most Helpful Blogger” category!

Now if that’s not a reason to be cheerful, I don’t know what is!  Someone out there reckons I’m helpful!  Brilliant.

My eldest 2 got their violin and fiddle Grade 1 results – distinctions both!  Music education up here is excellent and we’re lucky to have access to it.  Apparently the difference between violin and fiddle is that the violin is the classical instrument and the fiddle is the one you can dance to.  I don’t have a very good ear for fiddle music, I have to admit.  There appear to be 2 tunes – one that’s a waltz and one that isn’t – although Thing1 assures me that so-and-so’s reel is completely different to such-and-such’s reel.  Aye, right.  Small.  Far away.  Whatever. Grade 2 coming next!!!

You know what? I don’t like daffodils.  Oh, sure, they look stunning when they’re in bloom but then they’re just long floppy green things that look untidy.  Crocuses have the good grace to be so small that their leaves are almost invisible amongst the grass once the flowers have gone, but daffs are far too big.

Be that as it may, the garden is in full bloom at the moment, all the random daff/narcissi bulbs we planted as a family last year are popping up, sometimes in the most unexpected places. Magic.  So I’ll enjoy them while they’re shining.

We’re past the worst of the “winter”, I reckon (cue harsh frosts and massive snowfall).  Herbs are sprouting, I can see the chives in the garden coming up, and the Thai basil under the grow-lamps is coming on a treat.  Looking forward to a good year cooking with this little lot.

And my favourite reason to be cheerful of the week?  The laughter of my children as they play outside.  Just magic.

I’d like to finish with a picture of the aurora last night, but my phone camera won’t do it justice. You’ll just have to trust me.

Here on the rock the year has definitely turned.  Waking up with the kids at stupid o’clock is no longer in the pitch dark!  A month ago I’d be typing this in darkness.  Now the sun, if not actually up, is very nearly up and there’s light streaming in the windows.  The cat is rampaging around looking for something to attack and the kids are playing in their bedrooms.

And my garden has decided it’s Spring!

(No snow on the ground now, this was taken on the one day this year we’ve had it!)