Scooting around the countryside this weekend.

Managed to have a weekend off, Saturday a.m. headed for Peebles and had a nice breakfast in the Crown Hotel, before heading off to Galashiels, Stow, over to Lauder and then up the A68 to stop off for fifteen minutes at The Dolphin Inn.

Had a phone call later on from Carollanne and Dennis in Mauchline, so we decided to head over there this morning - as a wee surprise - and arrived about 10.30. Beautiful day, lots of sun shine and Ma's garden was looking as pretty as a picture hence the three photos of the flowers.

Mrs. M. was showing us her phone bill, two calls to the 118118 directory enquiry service and then connected - costs £2.19p and £10 !!!!!!!! bloody rip off, that's why I never use the service - and that's why there was a special feature in today's paper about their, and their contemporaries rip off charges.

We then headed off with our friends and stopped off for a look at Oswald Hall, Auchencruive, one of the haunts of Robert Burns who was friendly with the owners. The grounds are lovely and the river walk is very popular with the locals.

With bright sunshine, a lovely day we ended up at the beach front in Ayr, very busy and even indulged ourselves by having a traditional "fish tea" at the Wellington Cafe - a wee treat. Beach was very busy and despite a bit of a breeze off the sea there were lots of people about, even more arriving as we left.

Said our bye bye's and headed home on the M77, and then through East Kilbride and the M8, nice quiet run and fairly quick.

Had a call from the upside folks yesterday, Rob and Caitlin, who were sitting up having a quiet drink after a late night at the Nurses Ball - lovely to hear from them.

Dolphin Inn has been busy the last couple of days in the restaurant, quite a few folk coming back again, hopefully a good sign - we will certainly do our best and try not to disappoint them.