December News

You have probably seen or heard of the quite appalling winter weather that has descended on Britain recently. In Scotland the east has been worst hit. Moira lives in Edinburgh, so I’ve had “on the scene” reports! The children missed school for over a week. That sounds silly when the school is very near its whole population – but not so silly when the snow is lying more than half a meter on pavements…..

The children are hankering to be “back to work” now!

In the North West we have been quite lucky. One small fall of snow melted a little and then froze over. So drives and pavements were pretty lethal, but the roads were salted and not a problem. Then another fall made getting around here quite tricky! It was very picturesque, however!

Sam and Catriona too, spent quite a lot of time here in the summer – that was wonderful. The rest of the family came for Regatta and John was up and down in his new car too.

Sam had decided that medicine at Edinburgh University was for him and he went into Halls in September. He calls in at home regularly – when his laundry needs done I suspect! He’s enjoying life. Sam was 18 yesterday – I wish I had been at the birthday tea – Indian requested. He has exams next week, so he went off to do some more revision – after the birthday cake was demolished! His Granny is very proud of him!

I’ve been having treatment for bowel cancer all year and I’ll finish completely by April. I am well and have been assured that the treatment will have removed every vestige of the cancerous cells – wonderful. I am looking forward to ending my last chemo block of tablets in just over two weeks – Yippee! The cancer (very treatable) treatment has lasted nine months to date and will finish, with me hale and hearty (my consultant assures me) around March. I have felt very well throughout – I‘m lucky!

I know some of you have known for a while that John, at 43, died suddenly on September 13 while at work as a joiner in Edinburgh. He had never had a day of illness in his life. I am still in shock, as is Moira, who was very close to John and saw a lot of him in town.

He was here a couple of weeks before for three days when we toured around in his marvellous car, talked a lot and enjoyed the lovely summer sunshine and for that I shall be eternally grateful. John was a thoughtful, wonderful son and Moira and I miss him daily…

From May next year I’ll be welcoming self catering or B&B guests, four days to a week being the preferred booking. Do get in touch. Heron’s Flight, Ruah and I need company! All my details are on www.heronsflight.org and “the Plockton Web” self catering section of Accommodation.

Ian and Alison (Toowoomba) are going on a quite short round the world holiday and they have invited me to join them in Paris for some days. I do not see them much, naturally, so Paris will be a special time for us, at the end of April.

I hope 2010 has been a good year for you and that 2011 will be the same.

Ruah and I will spend Christmas with Moira and the family (weather permitting). I expect we’ll be home before New Year. I know you will understand that Christmas card writing is just too difficult and from now my electronic greetings will take over.

Ruah would join me, if she could write! in wishing you Seasons Greetings and the best of good fortune for 2011.

Best wishes

Ann

Ruah and I are home from Edinburgh

It’s October 24 and a beautiful late autumn evening. The trees are just beginning to lose their red and yellow leaves and the first frost was last night. I’ll have to rescue all the little year old cabbage palms at the back door – there are about twenty five in pots. Next year I hope some will be large enough to plant out in the garden.

The bay is virtually empty now and the car park is full of local yachts, till next spring. Some yachts are wintering farther away, so that the owners can get some work done on them – engine refurbishing. painting and varnishing. Our little Saranna C is back in the barn on the Brae. She will need painted outside and tar x linseed oil inside next year.

I am still working out what form my next year will take! I think it will be a combination of B&B and letting. I’m also deciding between continental breakfasts or fully cooked – have you any comments?

Moira, Colin and the children were here last week. Sam was missing - he is now in Halls at Edinburgh University, studying medicine. We held a simple service for village friends, to say goodbye to John, from Heron’s Flight. It was followed by a lunch in Plockton Inn.. Sometime when the weather is better, the family will climb the hill Cnoc an Aingeal (The hill of the angels) and scatter John’s ashes beside those of Dolan.

I have been very touched by all the support given, from home and away. Thank you all.

Ann

September already ....

I began the letter below a little time ago,but events have intervened.
Moira phoned on Monday to tell me that John had died at 3.30. He had been at work and just not felt very well; went outside and collapsed. He never regained consciousness.He was only forty three.

I shall always be grateful that John was home for a few days just over two weeks ago.

I will write you later
Ann
o-o-o-o-o-o-o

I’ve taken quite some time to settle down on my own, with little Ruah for company of course, after being surrounded by people in hospital and then cosseted by all the family for several weeks. The house seemed too big, the garden even bigger!

However, things have shrunk to proper proportions now and everything is much more comfortable – even the midges have backed off!

My specialist has decided that my final treatment should be at home, with courses of tablets. I do not have to attend hospital and three week checks can be done at Broadford Hospital, on the Isle of Skye. This will go on for a while, but it will not stop me doing anything and I may jump in the car sometimes and go visiting!

Little Daniel has started school. So Sam has just left High School, Catriona is in P6, Sean P3 and Daniel P1. Sam begins his University course on September 13 …. Peculiarly Sam is in the same Hall of Residence that John was, twenty five years ago!

It has been too long - sorry.......

Hello

In my June letter, I hoped to have finished my treatment by the end of the month and I planned to go to Edinburgh for Sam’s leaving school ceremony.

Well “the best laid plans, gang aft….” and mine certainly did just that! I was in hospital for three weeks and finally got home on July 14 (pretty shell shocked and wobbly! John collected Ruah (holidaying in luxury with Janet, Dolan’s sister!) and me and stayed a few days in Plockton. Then Sam and Catriona arrived and that weekend Moira and little Daniel came overnight and departed with Catriona. Sam and I continued to make a good team here.

The PSBSC annual Regatta fortnight has just finished and Sam’s been out in most races, taking his turn at the Rescue Boat Shed and as a line official. We do meet quite frequently - meals, some evenings, and breakfasts! The most exciting race for us to date was the “Johnnie Ruari” tray – for sailors aged 16 – 27. Sam, in “Delight” won it!

The “Moira Gang” – Mum, Dad, Catriona Sean, Daniel and two dogs – came for the second week of our Regatta fortnight, Colin had to leave in the middle of the week and took two dogs, so things were somewhat less frenetic after that!

Catriona, Sean and Daniel, with two little friends, competed in the final race of the fortnight. In the Ragamuffin Race the sail has to be painted by the crew and they must sail the boat, though a big person can be in the boat to row when necessary. (Malcolm MacKenzie, in full kilt outfit, graced our boat The” Nancy “, did well to come fourth - out of five! However none of the crew had ever been in such a race where one has to pull ropes and steer and run before the wind, so they were delighted. They won a prize for the most humorous sail too, so a great morning was had by all!

Sam and Catriona, who stayed on after Moira, Sean and Daniel went home on Sunday, go home for good tomorrow as school starts soon and Sam will need some time at home before going to University..

I shall keep you up to date with further happenings in our neck of the woods and be a much better correspondent than of late.

It has been very pleasant meeting old friends who happened to call at Heron’s Flight, so if you are in this part, do ring the bell - Ann

The days are stretching.....

7th June, 2010

Even though I’m having time off this year, friends have been keeping in touch by various methods – phone, email, www.heronsflight.org guestbook and visiting... I’m sorry I missed you, Margaret and Allan. Cid and Di holidayed in Ullapool last month and down they came to spend the day with us. That was marvellous! I hope your trapped nerve is very much on the mend Di. Several other old friends who have stayed in Plockton this year popped in to visit – thank you all… Breda and John are off to do the Mallaig Railway Trip – I know you’ll enjoy that! My most unusual set of visitors to date was a bus load of friends, a few with spouses, 49 in total, from school days – that was amazing and great fun! Soon I’ll be saying hello to John Townend, at the end of his trip to the Outer Isles and Timo and Rieke will visit in August. Patricia and Michael got in touch too – we met for the one and only time in 1994/5! They promise to come back – from Berlin, so it is not just a little step!

My treatment should be finished before the end of the month and then I shall dash to Edinburgh for Sam’s last ever day in school. I really have been very fortunate through all this, as I have felt very well all the time.

The house repairs, after the water damage last September, have been at a stand still for several weeks, as an assessor and insurance company agent agreed that the work done was just not up to standard. Two new local contractors have now submitted their estimates and I am sure the work will be completed as soon as the paperwork is finalised. It has been a long haul, living in quite a bit of chaos….

The flat is almost ready for Ruah and me to live in. There will be a good few choppings and changings when we are through that connecting door for good!! In preparation for the move I have switched the Rayburn off and my favourite kitchen has lost a good bit of its appeal!! I have been hanging pictures in the flat sitting room today when really I should have been trying to organise its kitchen!

John’s been here again and that was a treat. I’ve been to Edinburgh – another highlight! Sam and nine friends are off today for a fortnight in Crete – I hope they have a wonderful time. I’m sure all the parents have dinned in the dos and don’ts – were the boys listening? We’ll know when the texts come flooding through! When they return, they have to attend school one last time, for the prize giving and leaving ceremonies.

The garden is looking quite good as we have had dry weather and the weeds have not shot up – this afternoon the rain has started, but other places have had really bad weather recently. I got all the grass cut a couple of days ago – it is only lasting about a week between mowings- not good enough…..

Alison in Toowoomba has had a knee operation – last Friday. I’ve just heard that she is home – less than five days after her operation! Alison – do not jump around too much for a few days…. or longer. Make use of your very capable husband!

I am still missing having the company of visitors – more so now perhaps, as the village is very busy. Next year I plan to do some B&B and some letting – probably B&B at the beginning and end of the tourist year and letting in the middle - it’ll be interesting and fun I know!
I hope to meet you either way, in 2011!

Best wishes

Ann
PS:
Well done Richard in the 10K on Sunday!

Here is Ruah, her look saying more than words…..

Brief news from Plockton

7th June, 2010

Last Thursday the three of us got in the car, to keep a vet’s appointment in Kyle. Sponge had been going downhill rapidly and I knew it was his last journey.

Sponge was the boss in this house and he quite often told Ruah she had overstepped the mark! Now Ruah is bamboozled and I find her frequently during the day on my bed (not allowed)), just staring ahead…..

Ruah and I, family and friends will miss him more than we can say……

I shall write again in a few days.

Ann

May 12th, 2010

Hello from sunny Plockton.

The weather has been pushed under the carpet for a while, as we all grappled with the various permutations on offer in the General Election. However, that’s past and, though I doubt if anyone is understanding of the deals dealt to secure this coalition (politicians included) our future we’ll be told is secure (???); so the weather is back in top spot!

Snow had been forecast for this week and indeed it was very grey at a point yesterday, near Broadford on Skye and the Cuillins are snow capped again. But we are having a wonderful spell, albeit a trifle too near the zero mark at night! Altnahara in the Central Highlands was -6C last night…..

The month of May without guests in the house is very strange. But I’ve had loads of visits and messages in the Dream Book – thank you all very much.

The flat is taking shape and will be ready soon – before the work is finally finished and the house cleaned after the water leak last September. A local contractor has now taken over the work after a site visit from an Assessor and Insurance Company representative – John came north again for this meeting and I am very grateful for his expertise.

I’ve enjoyed a few hectic days at Moira’s. John and I met up too and friends came to call at times, when the children were at nursery/school. I was delighted to get home in time to catch up with Angela and Richard Hough, this year staying at Lynn Bruce’s “Shed”. We had a couple of lovely evenings. Yesterday morning Grant and Marian Bomberger called in and it was a marvellous visit too…. Times like those are really very good for the morale!

Sam is going to study medicine at Edinburgh Uni. He’s actually finished school, as study leave and 6th year exams in maths, chemistry and biology take to the end of term. As he’ll have similar courses in first year at Uni, Sam’s taking these exams very seriously. I’m hoping to get, as usual, to Edinburgh for the end of term ceremony at the Royal High.

My treatment will, hopefully, soon be finished. Then I’ll enjoy the summer to the full and hope that visitors carry on dropping in to see us. Today a distant cousin and her husband arrived off the 1.13 train from Inverness and caught the 5.15 back. That was so good of Tricia and Ronnie.

If you are in our area and have time to visit Plockton – do!

I’ll talk to you soon again.

Ann

Spring News

Ruah and I have been dotting back and fore to Inverness for the last five weeks. However we are going nowhere for a long time now!

The radiotherapy treatment went much more quickly than I’d anticipated and there have been very few reactions – a slight loss of appetite is not a bad thing at all!

The garden is not looking too untidy, though soon it’ll be time to get the lawns cut, edges done and of course the weeds yanked out. The really severe winter weather has no doubt killed off a few plants – why do the weeds seem to be completely unaffected?

John paid a surprise visit at the weekend, in his new car. We went for a run on to Skye and, apart from that, talked our heads off! John left yesterday.

Sam is coming by train tomorrow, depositing Catriona at Auntie Janet’s en route. The Gang Show is on in Inverness and Catriona will enjoy that. Cousin Hamish is also at Janet’s, so there will be a lively house there!

Perhaps you remember that I had some water damage last September? The repair work was due to start on November 16 and I cleared the kitchen and sitting rooms of all small items for that. Well, the work is still not nearly finished and an assessor is coming on Thursday, to see what state the house is in. John was so disappointed with the work done to date that he is coming north for Thursday to meet the assessor. In all this time Sponge, Ruah and I have lived in the kitchen, as the Rayburn is on. It has been a cosy winter!

There are a lot of visitors in the village just now. I am really missing the company of all of you…. But the house and I will be ready for action some time in the not too distant future.

I’m looking forward to friends calling in, when they are in the village. See you soon? Ruah and Sponge will be delighted too.

Ann
PS:

David and Pam – thank you for leaving a message in the Guest Book – it is really lovely to know that friends made quite a few years ago still keep in touch with the news at Heron’s Flight.
I’ve just had another look in the book and see two more messages - thank you very much – I remember such good times with you all…….. The castle is bought – again…..more on this another time!

And finally! Alison, thank you for the super quotes and “Big John” for the Heron’s Flight kitchen calendar!

Quick news re Ann

Just a quick word to let Ann's friends know that her treatment has gone well, and she is in good cheer.
Alison Hunter (Ann's sister-in-law and website manager)

From sunny, sunny Plockton!

Late February, 2010

Maybe when you catch up with this news, I’ll have started radiotherapy treatment for a quite recently discovered tumour.

I shall be going back and fore to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness to have this treatment and so will see a lot of Janet and her husband Stewart – Janet is Dolan’s sister.
Ruah will travel with me and probably have her little legs walked off, as Janet often has her daughter’s collie Midge staying and is used to rather more energetic exercise than is my little Ruah!

When Ruah is on the move, Sponge will be in charge of Heron’s Flight (as he usually thinks he is anyway!) – and its newly mended kitchen and sitting room. Yes, the water damage will shortly and finally be a thing of the past, after months and months of waiting.

After the radiotherapy there will be a gap of several weeks, before I have an op. to remove the tumour. And I hope that will be the end of treatment, as two specialists have assured me that the prognosis is excellent. Isn’t that good news!

Since learning all this, I’ve decided that I won’t be taking any guests in 2010. That makes me very sad, but I am unsure as to how I’ll be feeling with hospital visits and lots of travelling. Many of you know how I really do not like trekking to Inverness normally – so the next while will be a test of my patience, if nothing else!!

I can’t be making firm plans and do not want to disappoint any potential guests – however I will look forward immensely to meeting you in the future.

I’ll talk to you soon again…….

Best wishes

Ann

It has been a little while......

It is January 23 and I’m getting used to writing 2010!

It is balmy here today - all of 5C!

After the longest spell of wintry weather in many years, to be able to drive on roads free from snow and ice is such a pleasure. Not to have to watch every step, in case there is bone breaking ice at the next, is such a relief!

Plockton and the far west coast was not badly affected, compared to most other places, where there was a lot of snow, often deposited on layers of ice. My journeys to and from Edinburgh for Christmas – I finally got there on Christmas day and returned three days later, thanks to bad forecasts – were quite nasty, as windscreen washers did not work in the sub 0C temperatures and the motorways were filthy. I was not alone in stopping, cleaning and starting all the way south and north! The trains ran intermittently and just could not be relied upon to get from A to B.

I can imagine that, if you live in Canada, Scandinavia, Russia, etc, you’ll be having a good laugh at all this – child’s play to you!

I was home as usual for New Year, happy to sit in the house when the "bells pealed". At about 9.00pm I heard someone calling hello – did not rise as I knew whoever is was would find me in the sitting room. Well, the calling continued, though it was nearer, so I opened the door and found myself face to face with Catriona and Moira! I had no idea they were coming!
My first thought was that I had 2 frozen meals and one baked potato to eat!! However, I did have plenty shortly after, as Sandra, my niece arrived with provisions and my own deep freeze in the cellar was not empty.

We all went up to "35", the family home, and brought in the New Year, whilst watching the bonfire on the island and wonderful fireworks – there was a big crowd of people, many unknown faces too…… At around 1.30am Catriona and others were wilting, so home we went.

Moira and Catriona had meant to stay only two nights but a third was necessary, as trains were not running on January 2, thanks to the snow in parts.

I had a lovely Christmas and an especially good New Year! I hope you had too….. Ann