It's only when you look at an ant through a magnifying glass on a sunny day that you realise how often they burst into flames.

So - I'm back to school, Lorna and Kit continue to have a wonderful social life and I've remembered I keep a blog. Good stuff.

The remaining weeks of the summer holidays passed in a blur. Our time in Tain was fun, making the most of Granny's baby sitting skills Lorna and I managed not one but two nights out together. Our trip to the Oystercatcher in Portmahomack was a highlight - far from a cheap night out but well worth a visit if you like to eat. Which I do. They take a great pride in all aspects of your dining experience...home roasted nuts and small sushi parcels while you wait, and the bounty of the sea made available in 101 different combinations. I went for the Port Platter, more of a dare than a meal (go on, finish it, if you can, you big pussy...) which came on 2 plates and saw me spend the next hour armed with pliers and a hacksaw peppering the dining room with a shrapnel of crab shell, lobster claw and langoustine gugs. Lorna, being a lady, opted for a more refined knife and fork option of smoked scallops. Much to the surprise of the owners (and the continued delight of their bank managers) we then put away a desert each, and coffee, before hauling our swollen bellies back home to check the newspapers for second jobs in anticipation of the credit card bill.

As if that wasn't enough our second evening found us living it up with Mark and Marie Christine in Pitcalzean House, a grand venue near Nigg where they were celebrating their wedding anniversary in style. Once Roxane had given us a rather quick, but comprehensive tour of the house we were treated to a guid Scot's nicht of piping, dancing, eating, drinking and shouting slowly at French people in order to make ourselves understood. Towards the end we had speeches and present opening - Mark was as pleased as a dog with two clocks.

Before heading south we had time to fit in a visit to mum - but not mine. Pauline and Joep were so keen to see us they stalked us through the Eastgate Centre and finally pounced just outside KFC. Honestly, we were intending to come, you didn't need the strongarm tactics... Kit enjoyed meeting Granny - not his, and reminded us all just how comfortable Pauline's chest can be by falling asleep, soothed by the rhythmic motion...

I ran my second 10K last weekend in Falkirk, chopping an enormous 19 seconds off my Edinburgh time. I was number 205, and came 153rd. It wasn't fair though, it was really hilly and they gave the "elite" athletes a head start! Someone doesn't understand the concept of a handicapping system! Still, I now have two t-shirts and two medals with the third coming in a couple of weeks at Loch Lomond.

Kit continues to change every day - if I hadn't seen him turn the pages of his book with my own eyes I would never have believed it... He also enjoys the games of "push myself up the changing mat, look out, I'm going to fall", "listen to me squeal" and a current favourite, "what's that your eating, when can I have some?" We are going to be sorting out real food soon...watch this space. He enjoys baby yoga, his Monday social group and apparently will be going swimming at some point too! Lorna does an excellent job - I would not be that cheery at 4 in the morning! He wakes hungry, another pointer that real food is on the cards. Mmmm, paste.......

The Barony Players production of Art is at last getting good, and with only a few rehearsals until show week, thank goodness! It's actually quite a big presentation - lots of work is being done on scenery and furniture though tickets sales have hardly been through the roof. There's still time, and a bit of advertising to be done; it will be, I know, alright on the night.

And finally the BigMac3, annual Thundercat run in Scotland, was on Saturday and was a roaring success. Well, for everyone, that is, except one poor guy, Steve, who managed to get left behind before we'd even left Edinburgh. Had it been a school trip I'd be unemployed by now, but that fact that we weren't together as a whole group for about an hour and a half (traffic lights split us up) it wasn't until then that I could do a head count. And we were one head short. Oops. Anyway, 250 miles followed by tea at Vittoria on Leith Walk (who kept our table for us despite being an hour late) then on to a show at The Stand seemed to keep the visitors happy - so thanks to all those who travelled up for the weekend. See you next year...