Hello,
In last month’s blog I said I’d soon add some photos from the marvellous holiday Catriona and I had in Australia and Singapore. And you will get them, when I’ve worked out how to get around the photo library in my new computer! Watch this space…..
I am fast returning to the 'Scottish peely- wally' complexion! The month of February has been cold and often wild, though there was some sunshine.
Catriona and Sean were here for their mid-term week. Daniel had a football camp. We had a lot of fun. Sean went each morning to buy the paper at Edmund’s, got messages in Plockton Stores and finishing his run around the village by coming home via the causeway – a big adventure as, at eight years old, he can’t have such freedom in Edinburgh.
Catriona and Sean went swimming in the Kyle pool, visited the toy shop and bought a model to construct and artist’s pencils and sketch pads and fished off the nearby pontoon. They caught the biggest starfish I ever saw – well over a foot from tip to tip! I’ll find the proof and get it to you!
In about five weeks my guests will start arriving. With that thought in mind, I’m choosing some new carpeting – it is not easy! I am also having some double glazing renewed and painting done. There is plenty to be getting on with outside too.
It would be lovely to meet you sometime soon! Please read my site and, if you are in the village, come in and say hello.
Ann
Heron's Flight News
About Ann, Plockton and the Heron's Flight Bed and Breakfast
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Home from our travels.
Hello,
I last spoke
to you just before Christmas, from Toowoomba, Queensland. Catriona,
my granddaughter, and I had been there for two weeks. We were visiting my brother Ian and his wife
Alison and my niece Valerie, her husband Mark Chesterton, Laura (13) and
William (10) joined us from Sydney for Christmas week. Catriona, Laura and William had great fun
piling more presents around the tree, playing boule and getting to know each
other. Both Laura and Catriona are keen
dancers and had plenty to talk about.
We all went to Queen’s Park, where the
illuminations were simply unbelievable – what a show…… On Christmas Eve we and other residents in
Blue Hills Drive made lanterns to glow up and down the roadsides. They were made with brown paper bags weighted
with sand and a tea light, bedded in the sand, flickered away for hours. That was very special…… I do not think such a decoration would last a
minute in Plockton – I might try! Do you
know that tea lights with little on/off switches, can now be bought – they are
wonderfully colourful and probably thought up for windy wet corners!
Christmas Day was marvellous with everyone round
the lovely white-lighted tree, a beautiful Christmas dinner – yes, outside in
the shade, in shorts and T-shirts! –turkey roast, a big ham which lasted a
week, veges and roast potatoes, followed by Alison’s pavlova (made under
supervision by Catriona). Catriona and I
had cooked a Xmas pudding, but it waited till we were next hungry! Later we phoned Moira and the family in
Edinburgh – having a lovely Christmas morning, but in appalling weather which
lasted most of the near six weeks Catriona and I were abroad.
Alison and
Ian had bought a table tennis table and so everyone played a lot – outside on
the new patio, where the BBQ and outside dining table were. That was such a thoughtful thing to do. We had some lovely meals outside, where the
noise of the cicadas at dusk was quite amazing.
Ian’s new gas BBQ was a big success!
In the week
that the Chestertons were with us, Catriona enjoyed some family outings, the
most memorable being to a “Wild Water “ theme
park. At Dalby inland lake she also
learned about catching “Yabbies” – in a container like a prawn creel with bait
of prawns and soap - and did a little
kayaking. I am not quite sure what a
Yabbie is – I know it is black…..Alison , Ian and I went to Brisbane to visit Alison’s
Mum one of the days – lovely to see Marg. again.
On New Year’s
day the Sydney family set off on their two day journey home. It had been very good to bring in the New
Year with them and our hosts, Alison and Ian.
I had not been away from Plockton at New Year for more than forty years.
We had a
great day in the Bunya Mountains, in which the Bunya tree exclusively grows –
an impressive very tall straight tree with almost candle/fern like symmetrical
foliage. Catriona’s day was made when
she got close to two wallabies, each with a baby in her pouch! The ice cream coolers were very good too,
Ian! While on the food subject, you
would really go for Alison’s pizzas – very special!
There is so
much that I could recount! One amazing
thing is that the Toowoomba buses take you to your door, if asked! They will collect you too, if phoned. What this means is that buses meander through
many streets, popping off happy passengers, when asked – what a service!
On January 7,
having done our best daily to water the new lawn (there was only one heavy
shower in our whole time in Australia), having done not enough gardening –
sorry – having enjoyed every day of our stay in Australia, Catriona and I were
deposited at the International departure area in Brisbane by Ian and Alison – a sad
farewell……
We flew to Singapore
and had three nights there, while we saw the sights, visited Raffles Hotel, China
Town, went on a night safari and visited Alix Burrell and her daughter Heather,
who is a Plockton friend of Catriona’s each summer! That was fun for the girls! By the time we boarded the plane for London
Catriona had mastered chopsticks and had bought each of the family a pair!
Some
seventeen hours later we were on the final lap, to Edinburgh, where Moira was
waiting. We were early to bed that
night, as Catriona had school next day.
I left for home the day after that and am feeling a bit lost still! It was wonderful having Catriona’s company
for so long and being with Ian and Alison and their family too.
Catriona and
I thank all the relatives and friends who made certain that we enjoyed the
holiday of a lifetime…… we have the many photos to prove it! I’ll add some shortly.
Ann
Sunday, December 25, 2011
At last - Australia!
December 22,
2011
Catriona and
I left Edinburgh on December 6th.
We flew via Heathrow and Singapore to Melbourne, where we were met by my
nephew David Hunter, his wife Caroline and their three children, Matilda and
Louie, 4, and Archie, 2.
We stayed in
Melbourne for three days and had a lovely time.
Though I know David and Caroline well, from their days in
Edinburgh, I had not seen them for
several years , before the twins and Archie were born. Catriona met her first set of Australian
Cousins!
From Melbourne
we flew to Brisbane, where Ian and Alison were waiting. It was absolutely wonderful to see them again
and to know that we were not flying elsewhere for a time!
5, Blue
Hills Drive has had a few alterations since I last visited in 1999. The latest is newly finished – a lovely sun
room and outdoor BBQ area, at the rear of the house. Tonight the Christmas tree lights are
sparkling there and a heap of presents lies under the tree. It is strange to be sitting in shorts and T
shirt in the evenings! The days have not
been too warm, though when we visited Townsville earlier this week it was over
30C there. We visited friends in
Townsville and went out to the Great Barrier Reef, where we snorkelled –
amazing!
Tomorrow my
niece Valerie, Mark and the children Laura and William arrive from Sydney. Catriona has not met cousins Laura and
William, 13 and 10. It’ll be lovely for
her to have some younger company! I am
very much looking forward to the next few days too.
After New
Year we head to Singapore and we’ll visit friends there too, before heading
home on January 10th. I’ll be
back in touch after that.
I wish you
all a very Happy Christmas and a Good New Year.
Ann
Catriona
22/12/12:
To my surprise I really enjoyed the
long flights with Singapore airlines! I loved Melbourne with Louie, Matilda and
Archie. Archie is very cute and Louie and Matilda were great fun! We went to
the Eureka tower and (surprisingly!) I wasn’t scared of the height! From there we flew to Brisbane , where Ian
and Alison met us.
We have been to the Darling downs zoo
and I LOVED seeing the Wallabies and Kangaroo’s!
Ian and Alison have had turf laid in
the garden and we have been watering that daily, but no matter what I do I ALWAYS
end up wet!
Tomorrow Valerie, Mark, Laura and
William arrive and I’m looking forward to that!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
We are heading into winter
Here's Ruah beside a very confused early summer flowering poppy.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Hello
We have had a very good spell of weather, with
sun most days from dawn till dusk, while the east was often shrouded in thick
mist. The forecast tonight is
threatening us with some wet weather – well, most of us have tidied up and
pruned in the garden, even weeded, so we cannot grumble.
Last month I was thinking that I’d get a good
bit of cleaning done, with the last guests gone. Well, the linen is all washed, bleached,
folded carefully and wrapped up, the duvets and pillows are all tucked away –
and that’s it…… Not a huge achievement
in nearly a month, but I have been busy!
I’ve been laying out the essentials for the
forthcoming trip to Australia and, much more time consuming, getting all the
Christmas presents into bundles – Plockton, Inverness, Edinburgh, New Zealand
and of course Australia. There are
little and large heaps everywhere!
Today I posted lots of little parcels and so
have one bit of carpet showing again!
Today too I’m going to marzipan three small Christmas cakes and decorate
them – I shall not ice them – I do not think they will travel well that way. They are for Moira and friends down there.
Later on I may give myself either a very good
feeling or the very opposite, when I try everything in the case and
rucksack! I think Ian is beginning to
wonder what on earth I’m planning to bring – so am I, just at this point!
Catrona and I leave Edinburgh on Dec. 6 and go
first to Melbourne, where David, my nephew, and his wife and three little
children live. That’ll be great
fun! We know David and Caroline but have
never met Matilda and Louie their four year old twins, or Archie, their younger
brother.
On December 11 we head for Brisbane, where Ian will meet
us. It is an hour and a half drive inland
to Toowoomba, where Alison will be home from the Uni. – what excitement!! Alison of course keeps the web site running
smoothly. Just today she straightened me
out – again. Thanks Alison.
I’ll write from Toowoomba and let you know what
we have been doing – and our future plans.
Till then, I hope you are all well.
Ann
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The nights are creeping in........
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The photos were taken today - two in glorious sunshine and a little disgruntled Ruah, bathed and clipped!
Bob and Cathy Shields, from Mildura, Victoria, Australia, will be dropping in this weekend and staying a couple of days. These are my last booked guests of 2011 and so next week, weather permitting, I’ll begin the annual house clean – good to get that out of the way long before Christmas.
Long before Christmas this year anyway, Catriona and I will not be here! We leave Edinburgh on December 6 and return on January 10, having visited relatives in Australia and stopped over in Singapore on the way home. I’ll tell you about it all in a later letter. We are vexed not to have enough time to visit the New Zealand relatives. Next time, I hope……
If you ask anyone what sort of weather we have had this summer, you’ll likely be told “shocking”. But I disagree as, when the family was here, off and on for weeks during July and the beginning of August, we did not have a jumper or raincoat on and the little boys wore long sleeved shirts, long trousers and hats – after being covered in suntan cream! They often went swimming – yes, in wetsuits! – in the evenings, just very near the house, though the coral beach was warm enough for the children to discard the wetsuits.
Before and after the summer months there was and has been really bad weather…… My double red hawthorn tree, nearly nineteen years old, was flattened in May. Stalwarts Ruari, Calum and Don winched it up and into a deep trench and, so far, it looks good – still erect, thanks to pulleys, ropes and stakes! Time will tell.
It is our October holiday for the schools. They have two weeks. A lot of the local people with children have taken the chance to get away for a few days.
Moira, Colin and the three younger children (Sam’s back at Uni.) are off to Alton Towers for a couple of days. As the Edinburgh schools have another week of holiday, perhaps the children may come here too. I hope so!
It’s very windy but sunny too. I hope the photos show that. That's Calum leaving the pontoon, on a seal trip.
Till next month
Ann
Monday, September 26, 2011
Autumn 2011
As you see, Ruah and Amber are the best of friends.
My lost property cupboard now includes two pairs of trousers, navy and cream and a M&S top. Do they belong to you? And if you have arrived home with an extra electrical lead and you stayed in the East bedroom, then it comes from the radio beside the bed! Many guests use the bedside table on which the radio is to charge phones or plug in computers - so to unplug a wrong lead is the easiest thing in the world to do.
I’ll not order a new lead yet, as I’m sure mine will come home!
The weather since I wrote has been really poor and it has been a struggle to get much done in the garden. The late summer flowers have taken a bad battering, while the lawns and hedges have galloped onwards and upwards! The forecast for the next week or more is better, thank goodness.
It’s been a busy few weeks at home and in the village. As well as having guests most evenings, I had double glazed panes replaced in the front porch. The men have to come back with another big pane, for the east bedroom. A bird flew straight into the corner and cracked it. A sea bird, species unknown, was found two or three hundred yards away, with a broken neck – the culprit, we presume.
There has been a 25th wedding celebration, with quite a lot of the Irish nation invading us! And last Saturday Calum (the Seal Trip)'s very popular son Malcolm had his 30th party in the hall. Both of these celebrations were open to all of us and were very much enjoyed by everyone – thank you!
The schools have ten days of holiday next month and I hope some of the children will be here from Edinburgh. It’ll be before the clocks go back an hour and so still bright in the early evening. At present it is getting dark by 8.00pm.
In a week it’ll be Alison’s birthday – Happy Birthday!
It is a year now since John died suddenly, while at work in Edinburgh. I have been grateful to be very busy, keeping the house going and meeting friends old and new. I’m pleased to have been given an excellent health report after a last check up and aren’t I fortunate to have a lovely family in Edinburgh and my soul mates at Heron’s Flight, Ruah and Amber?
Ann
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Summer holiday photos
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| Taken at 9.30pm, when the sun was still high in the sky. The bay had a lot of yachts in that night. |
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| The boats drifting past the starting line in the long distance race - Sam's in "Delight", with the yellow sail. |
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| A delighted Daniel showing off his crab catch - he is covered from head to toe to stop sunburn! |
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| At the rock in my front garden is my grand-daughter Catriona and her little gang of friends - only one is a Plocktonian - the rest all come each summer - one from Singapore! |
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