Most years we take a trip along to the Royal Highland Show, and it's always been a day out that everyone has really loved. This year was no exception and on Friday we spent a great day out at the show.
We headed off early in the morning, taking the train in to the city and then the tram out to near the showground. There were extra staff out selling tickets for the trams so that they could cope with the huge increase of travellers, and they were also handing out little squishy tram toys to little kids. We didn't have to wait long for a tram at all, and although it was quite busy and we had to stand most of the way, Fraser rather enjoyed being able to hang onto the 'monkey bars', with a little help of course!
The tram stop is about a 10 minute walk away from the showground, and the closest gate to the tram stop takes you in at the area with all the vehicles. We had only been in the show for about 2 minutes when we picked up these bags of freebies from Arnold Clark. Inside the bags were these hilarious sunglasses.
Fraser's favourite colour is yellow, a colour that suits his sunshiny personality perfectly. He loves anything that is yellow and so was delighted to see a yellow car on display. He had to have his photo taken beside it, as well as a wee sit inside it too.
Moving away from the cars takes you towards the farm vehicles, and first up was the quad bikes. I have an almost identical picture of Fraser sitting on a quad bike at last years show, where he was making the exact same face. (You can see that one here.)
Within about half an hour of arriving at the show there was a heavy shower of rain. We had seen the weather forecast and so were expecting it. The forecast also said that soon afterwards the weather would brighten up, which it did. but during that short heavy shower the boys found a particularly classy place to shelter. It wasn't big enough to fit us all in though, and so I just stayed outside in the rain!
The tractors were a big hit, as always. This one stood out a bit from the others!
Calum (14) would love to be a crofter one day, driving his quad bike out to see his sheep, with his trusty collie dog by his side, so he has titled this next picture 'goals'.
We didn't stop to watch of the animals showing in the main arena, but briefly saw some of them each time we walked past on our way to the next areas.
We always have to pop in to the Lantra tent, where my hubby's sister is located as part of her job for the Department of Rural Affairs. I have no idea what it is exactly that she does on a day to day basis, but I do know that she is involved in rural policy.
As ever, there was so much to see as we walked about the show.
I'm not sure if I should be offended that my husband has replaced his Facebook profile picture, which was a lovely one of the two of us taken on our anniversary last year, with that one above of him and a giant pig!
The main supermarkets were all there, sharing about the sources of their foods, giving out lots of free samples and other extra things for kids.
One exciting thing about this year's show is that I had something on display there myself!
I had entered a crochet blanket into the handcrafts competition. You were to make a 'knee rug' in the theme 'By the Stream.' I made up a blanket using the Attic24 neat wave pattern that I used for my sister in law's birthday blanket, and using blues, greys and greens. The colours were meant to represent the colours of a clear stream and the moss/grass around it.
I didn't win anything, although I didn't expect to anyway, but I was so pleased to see it on display on the wall in the handcrafts hall. That's it on the right below. The winners are in the middle, and took the theme more literally than I did. I'll bear that in mind if I enter next year! Look how lovely the winner is, and how much work went into sewing all those hexagony shapes.
We only stopped walking around to have our picnic lunch, and when we were eating we spotted the Army inflatable assault course. Ally (8) challenged Calum, and with a little head start managed to beat him too!
Everyone was engrossed watching the guy from the wilderness survival skills tent light a fire using only some fungus called chaga, a couple of stones and some cats tails.
It might have taken a lot longer than it would have done with a match and some firelighters, but it was far more impressive.
The toy tent, with the great display of toy vehicles has been a favourite since the older boys were small. James (17) said how it used to be one of the things he looked forward to seeing most when he was little.
Fraser and I hopped on board the Play bus for a visit, and he made a very cute little lamb mask.
After a long day walking around the show, we hopped back on the tram and train home again, and indulged in a chippie for dinner. It had to be a haggis supper for me.
But we didn't have long to sit, as it was the Armed Forces Day parade in the evening, and James had to be dropped off ready to march with the Army Cadets before 6. He's at the opposite end of that line below.
After the parade there were some stalls to wander around and see, as well as the annual challenge between the Army, Air and Sea Cadets.
The Army Cadets gave the young kids there the chance to try on a helmet and some camo cream, which Fraser was calling 'face paints'.
James was on camo cream duty, and when we went over to see him we did a double take as the trailer used to advertise the Army Cadets has a huge picture of him across the back!
There was another inflatable assault course at the Armed Forces Day event, and again Ally challenged Calum. This time there were cadets scattered throughout it, ready to try and make it harder for the bigger kids, while helping the littler ones.
Ally won again!
Eventually we were able to come back home and sit down again for a well earned rest. We went through our bags of freebies from the show, some of which are shown below, and checked our step totals for the day.
It was a new record for both Calum and I, and one that will take some beating - over 22000!
