Catriona was at the helm in the girl's race of this year's Plockton Regatta. Big brother Sam was her crew along with the "ship's master", Terry.
August 11th July and August are always busy here. Ruah, Sponge and I welcome visitors and this year we have made friends with people from many different countries, while welcoming back guests from previous years – that is one big bonus of this life! Another is that we stay at home to enjoy ourselves and have all the photos you send! Thank you.
The garden has been a lot of work, as everything has grown and grown and grown…… My success in the vege patch is definitely the onion bed. They are very good this year. The leeks will be good too, but the potatoes have not done very well. The grapes, very prolific, will be good later – Sean (6) in particular was not impressed by them (“No, you just cannot eat these ones green”).
Both animals have a good few weeks. Sponge has taken to wandering outside when he hears new voices! Ruah has had quite a few outings and I notice the difference in her walking on the lead. She is still a wee quiet soul in the house, though some people have the knack of “stirring her up”! I’m still working on “Stay”, while I go upstairs with guests. She’ll wait till we are virtually out of sight then gallop up to join us. It will come, won’t it?? Tips welcome!
I’ve had two marvellous weeks! It has been our annual regatta fortnight and Catriona, Sean and Daniel have stayed along with Sam, while Mum and Dad came and went.
On Sunday Moira left with Catriona and Sean (Daniel went earlier with Colin). Sam is travelling south, by bus, today. Tonight I have company from France and Ireland.
The weather has been strange. It has been warm and dry, but the winds have been very unpredictable. Many of the sailing races had to be postponed or cancelled – miraculously, the Regatta did finish on time!
You may have read in the national papers last week of the freak storm which blew up during one of our races. Of the 18 boats sailing, only 4 remained upright and thirty sailors landed in the water. Our two rescue boats were backed up by lifeboats from Kyle and Portree and two helicopters. Next to Heron’s Flight, at the pontoon car park, two ambulances and various rescue vehicles waited. After what seemed like forever, as we stood battered by the rain and wind, we heard that everyone was accounted for and OK. It was two hours ++ till everyone was back in the village, most having been pulled out of the water by the lifeboats then transferred to one of the many large craft that had immediately sailed to the area to help.
Sam and Catriona (she at 9 was the youngest crew person in the local boat race) were with Terry Kitchen and he dropped the sails, got turned and came in on the jib – one of the four that stayed upright.
It was one of the worst evenings of my life……. Ann
PS After I wrote this I “flicked through” the letters in the Dreambook – then I read them all again and am so touched that you had taken time to write – thank you. It means a great deal to me!
