A victory today. It may not look like much, but being a person with little balance, going up or down stairs like these can make me freeze and panic. This was part of a pathway to the waterfalls at Campsie Glen. Some parts were super steep and challenging. Thank you walking poles.

I’m taking a more serious approach to singing now. I love singing. I want to nuture it. I’ve had compliments about my tone being crystalline so want to exercise my voice each day and not take it for granted. Here’s my fav singing teacher who gives me a nice grounding (and doesn’t talk too much). I’m also practising lip trills - a new exercise for me. They help connect and smooth out the different areas of my vocal range. They feel flippin hilarious to do. It took me a while to build up to doing them at any kind of volume. As a kid I probably did this all the time without feeling silly. Oh how times change.

I’ve got a huge source of online knowledge now. It’s brilliant. And also funny because I’m living in an echoey flat so get the giggles each day as I do all these mad exercises with my neighbours listening in. Feels good to be fine tuning my tools though.

Enjoy watching this video from Rebecca Vocal Athlete. She’s so much fun. She’s a singing teacher who reacts to songs sent to her by her fans. She’s got a fab personality and her vibrancy is catching. Yay.

What’s the wackiest thing you’ve seen a cat do?

Dug deep today to dance through the trauma in my mind. Wanted something I could really groove to so signed up for 3 months of free yt without ads and found this awesome set from Camo and Crooked in the Alps. So good to dance, reflect and heal with snowy mountains for company.💃

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Falkirk Wheel! A feat of engineering for the canal boat industry but the kiddo in red was more interested in eating a ‘Serene Bar’ than paying attention to the ensuing rotation. I understand kid. I wish I’d had a Serene bar. Sounds amazing.

Spots.

Welcome to Grangemouth. 😬

Spontaneous birthday bike ride. Those clouds!

Oh goodness. Mario Odyssey is so much fun!

Being 41 now definitely means icecream for breakfast. And cake of course. Today’s choice - a Lammington (sponge soaked in Malibu with raspberry filling covered in chocolate and coconut. 🥳 And a Black Forest gateau cake which was so strong with espresso I almost passed out. 🤣

This is my cardboard box vocal booth. Looking slightly like a hide but with its own style and finesse. 😂 It’s worked well in dampening the room echo. It gets a bit hot after a while but that’s ok for better sound quality. Makes for an interesting bit of room furniture too 😉.

On the last day of me being 40, I’m releasing my 40th ‘Get on and Shine’ podcast yay! It’s not all sunshine and roses though. This one is about deep trauma, broken promises, money, narcissism, relationships with parents and emotional vulnerability. I reflect on how negative emotions have consumed me recently. So just a light one then : ) But always with a positive heart, gentle words and hope for the future. Lots of love.

Meditation with Davidji

When you need the loo so bad but you’re a hospital manager (Two Point Hospital on the Switch) and all your machines are on fire because the hospital is in an area full of volcanoes and there’s molten rocks on the floor that need cleaning up. My janitors are working hard. 🤪

I will say yum.

Went on a mission for tea and wafers. I feel we were successful.

Fresh box of Malteasers = My happy place

30 minutes after my fresh box of Malteasers = My not so happy place 🤢

I remember as a kid having sandwiches, a handful of crisps on the side and a bit of salad (usually left). Then I grew up and forgot about such quaint things until I went to a little village tearoom and rediscovered the art of sandwiches and crisps. I haven’t looked back. 😁

Serenity, jet skis, tweety birdies.

Doggo back from a big adventure.

Fresh water swim? Don’t mind if I do. This is Loch Ard.

Glencoe’s tiny waterfalls. There was still snow in places up higher on the mountain. Little areas which the summer sun hadn’t quite got around to melting yet. I can’t even begin to imagine the scene in the winter. The depth of snow and quantity of skiers must be deep and vast.

Then ended up on the sparkly slate shore of Loch Leven. Slate is so magical in the sun. We watched terns dive for abundant fish and basked in the hottest sun of the day. I wish I’d brought my costume, I wanted to go in so bad. The water was clear and surprisingly salty.

We drove through epic glens and saw all kinds of mountains with their own personalities.

Views from Glencoe.