The joy of cutting my drive by 3hrs today can not be underestimated!

Working hard to win the @snp.org candidacy for #SP26 As I reach out to members across Galloway & West Dumfries, I’m really touched by the support & endorsements I’ve received. - it’s quite overwhelming but with #teamSNP coming together it’s great to feel the positive energy 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💛🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Great to be with #LocalGovernment leaders today at @cosla.gov.uk

Always great to hear the sensible and strong voice of @thewliss.bsky.social here at @snp.org conference 💛🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I’ll just leave this here… 👇🏼

⭐️It’s time for a new approach 🎗️ @snp.org have never won Galloway and West Dumfries & the seat has never been held by a woman. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 That’s why I’m asking for members support to be a winning #SNP MSP for #Holyrood26 #VoteSNP #SP26 #WomanInPolitics

Happy #InternationalWomensDay I’m proud to offer support to women around me. I’m also delighted that nearly 60 women joined my @thesnp.bsky.social online gathering this week. Thanks also to @electheruk.bsky.social for supporting my journey! #SNP #IWD

Busy day at our Scottish Parliament. But what a privilege to be invited to give evidence on #CouncilTax

COSLA Resources Spokesperson @katiehagmann.bsky.social and Chief Officer for Local Government Finance, Mirren Kelly gave evidence on council tax reform this morning at the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, alongside Cabinet Secretary @shonarobison.bsky.social.

Good morning #Edinburgh

Today’s #photo memory on my phone, which appears to be titled #Home A harvest of #broadbeans from my garden.

A Saturday morning well spent with @thesnp.bsky.social colleagues! #ActiveSNP #SNP

A deeply worrying situation. 🇺🇦 Slava Ukraini! Scotland stands with Ukraine. Thank you @johnswinney.bsky.social

Still reflecting on D&G @thesnp.bsky.social budget but off to Edinburgh in my @cosla.gov.uk today. Lots of important decisions for #LocalGovernment leaders and as ever several updates from me covering resources (#Finance #pay #CouncilTax #Digital)

2nd year in a row that our @thesnp.bsky.social budget passes here in #DumfriesAndGalloway!

A sight to lighten the heart #SpringBlossom

Sunday meanderings before the week begins again. Always good for the soul and a bit of contemplation! #DumfriesAndGalloway #clouds #gorse

BREAKING NEWS: the SNP WIN the Kilmarnock North by-election. Well done to Cllr Caroline Barton and her team. Perfect start to the Scottish Labour Conference.

Great to catch up with colleagues at @thesnp.bsky.social NEC today with important strategic updates from party leader @johnswinney.bsky.social & wonderful to manage a short walk in the heart of the beautiful #GallowayForest on the way home before the light was lost!

Plants and seeds ordered weeks ago arrived - good timing universe and delighted that past me initiated this gift for my #valentines self 😍

6 minutes… plenty time! 🦉

Seems a good way to mark #Imbolc - A fresh jar and wake-up for my #Sourdough starter!

@cosla.gov.uk leaders meeting done and back on the train home on my way back to #DumfriesAndGalloway!

Busy day ahead at @cosla.gov.uk today and as challenging as it is leading the discussions on #LocalGovernment finance, pay, workforce & digital, it’s a role I strive to deliver on with integrity. #WomenInPolitics

Councils face a "very difficult balancing act" due to budget cuts, COSLA has said today following an Accounts Commission report on Scottish Local Government finances. Read our full statement with comment from our Resources Spokesperson, Cllr @katiehagmann.bsky.social: bit.ly/3Cv1j6n

Another week until #Imbolc & despite the raging storms of yesterday #spring is creeping slowly towards us with the light on its journey back 🙌🏼 - even my hens think so with a first #egg Excited to get my spring order from @realseeds.co.uk, my new #biodynamic calendar up & #hope for the year ahead

Having been taken out by one of the many awful viruses this past 10 days, and still not right, I’m not sure whether I’m really ready to switch this off… Happy #BackToWork everyone who managed to take the full festive break.

I love my cats but… Thankfully there is no more #AMooseLooseAbootThisHoose!

Today’s moment of #Joy… Cleaning my wood-burner stove window, appreciated by the #cat as much as by me! #DailyGratitude

#cat dress 😻

Having been taken out by a hideous virus & still not right, I missed the usual #Hogmanay shenanigans & well wishes so belatedly from me to you… I hope the year ahead is a gentle one with a generous smattering of excitement, a whole lot of fun along with much laughter & love! Happy new year all 🥳 x

#WitchHazel starting to bloom - my favourite scented winter #flower

Bright #Soltice blessings to all on this the longest night of the year 🙏🏼 It’s been a tough year but for now it’s time to rest before the as the cycle begins again.

One step closer to Christmas… Fairy lights are now up. Next up is the tree but clearing my inbox and getting the out of office on is the priority! - as long as it’s up for Solstice it’s all good 🌲

This is what I need… thank you #ÓlafurArnalds 🙏🏼 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...

Embracing my SwissGerman heritage… thanks Vinted! 🙏🏼 #SockAndSandals #Birks

Counting down the days till recess however I have options to get me there!

Back home late from @thesnp.bsky.social national council and onto #BBCSundayShow with Martin Geissler today - thanks for the invite to talk #LocalGovernment #Budgets

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Parliament constituency polling by Norstat: SNP: 37% (+4) Scottish Labour: 21% (-2) 🗳️ Independence support at 54% - the highest level in 4 years. 🔍 @JohnSwinney the most popular politician in Scotland. www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/...

Not sure how I managed it but I didn’t manage one photo of @thesnp.bsky.social National Council - not even a selfie!! But… thanks to #AlisonThewliss for posting this on Insta. 🙏🏼💛🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #SNP

Well done #TeamSNP 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Truly awful. “This week the Taliban in Afghanistan closed one of the last remaining loopholes in their ban on education for older girls & women by forbidding them from attending institutions offering medical education…” www.hrw.org/news/2024/12...

Good.

I am so very torn. By highlighting these hideous headline grabbing statements, am I perpetuating this narrative & this awful man forward? Should I highlight the possible rise of right wing rhetoric or do I not give it any oxygen & hope, that it dies down - which I fear it won’t. Thoughts??

🚨BREAKING: French Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government collapsed today, triggering an unprecedented political crisis that threatens the stability of the eurozone.

Gosh… french government lost a vote of no confidence 🇫🇷 What next??

Not the usual way to spend my lunch hour after my seminar & blooming heck it was cold 🥶 Thank goodness for this wonderful woman who’s crazy enough to drag me into the sea despite 4oC air temp Back home again& pre-budget media interview done! #WildSwimming #WomanInPolitics @mcfrosty.bsky.social

This👇🏼

Wonderful to hear from Hannah from @electheruk.bsky.social at the @improvementservice.bsky.social event this morning and thanks to @maureenchalmers.bsky.social for opening todays online space. #WomenInPolitics #Barriers

Morning entertainment for the #Cat sorted. 🐈