Sporting Girls

We have had a very sporty time this weekend.  Ellie started things off with hockey, keeping goal for her house team in the inter house hockey tournament.  She kept a clean sheet in all of her games, the only one of the four goalkeepers to do so as her house took the title.  A remarkable achievement given that they only had seven outfield players, three short of what they should have had!  Her defence was non-existent and on more than one occasion she had to save from attackers clean through on goal.

Isobel was keeping goal for Hazlehead Hockey Club against Aberdeen University Ladies in a 6-2 win.  She was especially pleased to have received her new kit for Inverurie hockey club, her home club (she is currently on loan to Hazlehead whose keeper in injured)

Whilst Isobel (alias Izzy G!) was playing hockey Ellie dragged me along to the ski slope.  She is using every free moment to train prior to going to Tignes for her skiing camp next week.

Sunday is Gordon skiers so Ellie and I were back up to the ski slope for training, here are a few photos!

Isobel's Baking

Isobel's baking goes from strength to strength.  The last weeks offerings?  Oreo cupcakes, which made her extremely popular with her fellow hill-walking club members.

There was also a particularly fine black cherry and almond sponge cake with a vanilla cream and black cherry syrup centre. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

And not to be outdone, Julie knocked up a rather fabulous lemon cake............happy days!  But no wonder those hills are starting to feel steeper on the bike!

We're Back In Business!

Apologies for the lack of blogging over the summer!  I have been spending a lot of time creating a website for Ellie's skiing club www.gordonskiers.com .  But now that is up and running hopefully I'll have a bit more time to do the family blog.

It has, as ever, been a busy weekend, it started off with Ellie playing in goal for the S2 B team playing against the S3 B team, they lost 2-0 but Ellie did well to keep them in the match with some great saves.

Hockey was followed by a trip to the Alford Dry slope for a quick training session prior to the opening Sunday of the Ski club season with the trials to get into the Performance Squad.  Credit to Ellie for all the practice she has put in prior to the trials, both skiing and fitness.

Sunday saw Isobel heading off to Cairngorm for a climb / scramble up the Fiacaill Ridge and then across the plateau to Cairngorm itself.  She had an absolutely fabulous day with superb views due to the very clear conditions. She thoroughly enjoyed the scramble up the ridge, aided by the security of a rope. Here are some super photos.

Meanwhile Ellie was at the Gordon Skiers Performance Squad trials, a very full on morning of skiing and fitness tests from which she emerged exhausted but with great credit.  We await results.

An Cala

It is prime rhododendron season over here in Argyll so we went over to An Cala garden in Ellenabeich and were not disappointed with the show of primulas, azaleas and rhododendrons.

And all this followed by lunch at the Oyster Bar in Ellenabeich.  A fine way to spend the Bank Holiday!

Ardmaddy Castle

Went for a walk round Ardmaddy garden yesterday.  Looking absolutely spectacular and beautifully kept.  Here are just a few photos. The weather was a bit overcast but it still looked very spectacular.  As can be seen, Ellie has taken up her father's habit of photographing every rhododendron in sight!

New Sailing Season

First weekend back after the Easter hols (Easter Weekend) was the start of the sailing season at Peterhead. There was an excellent turnout and 3 good races in a light breeze.  We had two excellent starts in the first and thrid races giving us two wins but got caught up in the mellee in the second race and had to go back as we were forced the wrong side of the start mark, given we gave everyone a head start a third was not a bad result.  Weather, as the photographs show, was fantastic.

The next weekend was better, three cracking starts in pole position netter 3 wins, even my crew with her high standards thought that was OK although it didn't stop a little mutiny over using the gennaker, she was for using it, the skipper had sussed out that on the short legs you lost more time putting it up and down than you gained by having it up!  It took the use of the gennaker in the second race to convince her!!

Easter Baking

And the reason for all the aforementioned exercise is all the baking!  In this family if you did not exercise you would soon become very fat!!

Ellie's LOL Cake

Isobels Red Velvet Chocolate Cake

Julie's Home Made Salmon En Croute, complete With Fishes On Top