AFTER breakfast there’s a load of work to get through before the kids and partners arrive for a ‘family day’ to celebrate Matty striating his first probationary teaching post.

In between times I get chicken on the smoker and marinade some flank steaks for the grill.

Everyone starts arriving around 1pm and we have a grand afternoon of food, drink and chat.

Later on Mikey, Harriet and I go for a walk up the lochside.

When we get back Catriona, Will and the kids have left…Mikey and Harriet head off soon after. Matty’s staying over…I go to the studio and get a little more work done then we chill for a while before an early night.

While brushing my teeth I spot what I think is some tummy button fluff – but it won’t come out. On closer inspection, looks like it might be a tick. Margaret investigates and sure enough, it is a tick…out with the tick removal tool. How the fuck did it get to my tummy button. Wee bastard!