We awoke to  massive hangovers after Ellis’s wild birthday party the day before 🙂  We woke up and looked out the window – sunny!  Bonus.  We had arranged to go for a bike ride with the Cartlidges along the Deeside way with the bambinos in the trailers.  Stupidly I played a game of  ‘paper , scissors, stone’ with Lara to see who would pull squeaker.  I never win that stupid game!

We rode from Peterculter to Crathes castle near Banchory.  The Deeside Way is an old converted railway line so a pretty smooth surface which soon had both Ellis and Sophie giving it the big ZZZZZZZZZZZs.

Part of my xmas present from Lara is a new rucksack that means I can carry my good camera with ease – so thought I had better get get on with it and try and get some nice pics of the families.  As always Ellis is a nosy little blighter and is always trying to fiddle with what you are playing with, so my setting where being destroyed by little fingers fiddling!

It was pretty cold and we did not hang around for long but the models where all obliging and there was not to much moaning

The girls loved playing in the leaves whilst Lainie threw leaves at them to try and make them smile.  Came out with mixed results with shadows all over the place.  I fancy going out again when it is a little warmer for the kids and have a proper go at family portraits.

A lovely ride with the girls singing as they went over bumps on the way home.  The last stretch was a long draggy up hill.  It makes for considerable work pulling the trailer up there. Lara pulled along side me on the way up and it was clear she wanted a race and fancied her chances.  We both slowly trying to be subtle sped up bit by bit to try and drop the other.  Near the top the cow just stood up and smiled at me and dropped me.  I had pulled her darling daughter for the last 25km and she goes and does that!!!!!  I am going to brush up on my paper scissors stones strategy so next time she can pull her!!!  Revenge will be sweet.