Marathon Man

I might be stepping on board an aircraft.

And so might Luca.

Albeit very early days regard practicalities and considerations, I'm considering running my first marathon next year. And to add a slightly epic twist I'd mused the idea of running it Stateside with Lucy. And with my elder sibling already jumping on the idea, the youngest female Stewart (Kelly) has rather surprisingly shown a keen interest too.

California's tantalising "Big Sur" has disappointingly already been ruled out due to an oversubscription for 2014. However, the 3.79 million square miles of the United States hold endless marathon possibilities, such as the already discussed Redwoods Marathon, which in turn has piqued Luca's interest. "Big trees Dad?"

With the promise of visiting grand scale forests, visiting his US cousins and eating marshmallows aboard an aeroplane with round windows (I'm still unsure as to how we reached the latter considerations) Luca is driving the idea forward in his own inimitable style. So rapid were his ideas on the trip as we drove to Peterhead today I fully expect to have been manipulated into taking him to Disneyworld instead by next week.

Ah, yes, Peterhead. Today was Luca's first football tournament of the new season. A subtle summer Sunday greeted our arrival, and despite a surprisingly sleepy Luca unenthusiastically rolling out the car door, he generally performed pretty well. Two goals, he also hit the post a few times, had a few close calls and worked hard for his team. Well, quite hard. Hard-ish. OK, he broke into an effeminate skip once or twice.




Not a great picture above, but that kitchen mop atop his head does rather differentiate him from his peers. The image below, however is a little more concise:-




Also taken today, our future David Attenborough quickly identified the coastal town of Peterhead to be a site of great natural interest, as he described in detail the tiny organisms native to our coastline. I don't take him exploring enough. His soul seems most enraptured when engaging with the many other living curiosities of this world.

Mum and Aunt Mary paid a visit yesterday. A visit graciously received, if only for the highly amusing spectacle of both (former) Sowerby girls meeting Harvey for the first time. "Oooh, he's just solid muscle" observed Aunt Mary as she gingerly prodded at the cumbersome creature. It was akin to watching the Egyptian Plover bird picking at the meat stuck in a crocodiles teeth, all the while knowing such interaction could spell tragedy at any moment.

Oh, and Luca's not short sighted after all. Having atypically failed to mention this (and so many other other noteworthy's) in my last entry, I must pay heed now. It turns out children's eyes are a curiosity and he actually has no need for the amusing pair of NHS specs he owns. Or is that optician speak for "we cocked up his first examination"?

To finish, another image of young Miller, emailed today by his proud Mother Kelly. Although barely at burping age I see no harm in deciding on his doppelgänger even at this early juncture. So, does anyone else see a chubby Steven Tyler?



**Useless fact of the day - "Psycho" was the first movie to show a toilet flushing**

Yes, really

I think I should post a blog entry. It has been rather a while.

What to say? Most importantly the announcement of Miller's arrival into this world. Though there is a chance this may have been mentioned elsewhere. Delighted to be an uncle again, and can't wait to meet him in person at Christmas.

Abduction to Inverurie could be a very real possibility if he has that "baby smell". Which, being a baby is a distinct possibility.

I still smell Luca's hair sometimes, in the hope that delightful calming smell will return. Unfortunately hopes remain forlorn as that smell disappeared around about the time he stopped needing afternoon sleeps. Or "The End Of The World" as my exhausted wife and myself considered it to be at the time. We loved it when he napped. Loved it.

We've just had Mike and Val (nee Grandad Mike and Ninny Nanna) up staying for the last week. And I think Luca nearly ended them. As the summer holidays have progressed he's become ever more of a handful, more excitable and unruly by the day. I think every parent would agree that the summer break is far too long, and kids really miss the structure of school and the mental and physical exertion it brings. Quite why such a lengthy holiday remains in an era where most families include both parents working full time is rather beyond me.

Incidentally, another summer has passed without a trip abroad for us. Indeed, our last sojourn from these shores was the mass Tenerife accompaniment of a few years ago. Costs, time and opportunity seem so short these days. We've even (only today coincidentally) turned down a trip to Italy for a friends wedding. Being 2-3 flights away and expensive, we barely considered it. Or am I making excuses? We quite enjoy our routines here, the horse, running, football, movies, local expeditions with Luca. Lack of opportunity or set in our routines? Perhaps a combination of both.

We have a busy few weeks coming up, with a number of riding events and road races upcoming. I'm actually feeling a little dissatisfied tonight, having discovered I missed a race in Fraserburgh at the weekend where the race winners finish time was 3 minutes slower than a time I'm consistently capable of. Yes, I missed my first (and possibly) last ever opportunity of a winners medal.

My last event was a new experience, a relay race (a 3 x 4km sprint). Obviously a shorter distance than I'm used to these days, it was nevertheless enjoyable to stretch my legs and rid myself of a few cobwebs. We came 5th out of 22 teams too in a high level field, so were naturally quite content with this.

As I remain resolutely the only person on Earth without a Facebook page (the last leather farmer in remotest Ethiopia having finally relented), I'm confident this will be old news but.......Harvey lives. The apparent return of the lesions appears to have abated, and a couple of days off drugs he still remains clear. For how long? Who knows. We accept existing in the here and now. And hey, we live in a world of constant life, death...... and taxes.

With so much more to report, I'm having difficulty deciding on the most relevant. So, as indecisive as I am I'll avoid such consternation tonight and, in future, be a much (MUCH, MUCH) more reliably regular blog contributor.

G'night all. Enjoy the beach pictures below of the Stewart clans now 2nd youngest member.







**Useless fact of the day - Adults have 206 bones. Babies are born with 300 (which fuse during the ageing process)**