Saturday, October 20th, 2012

Toby, Ruah's Australian suitor - thanks for the photo, Mal and Gwen.

I’m pleased to say that Ian arrived safely on Wednesday.  I went to Inverness to pick him up from the train.  He had stopped for a few days with our cousin Celia, while he visited more cousins, an aunt and a good friend, in Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Ian’s here till November 5^th – lovely for me!  Alison is at home in Toowoomba, working – I miss her greatly.

Last week Dorothy and a friend visited for a few days.  Dorothy and I go back to age four – not yesterday!  That was great fun.

There is only one more bed and breakfast booking this year – next week Dana and David return from the U.S. – they visited in 2009 and I really am looking forward to meeting them again.

Next Saturday a friend of Ian and Alison, also from Canada, will come for a week or so.  Lori and her late husband John have also stayed here before, so I’m delighted that she is making the long trip here again.

Our weather in the late summer/ early autumn has not been bad, but it is now cold and when it rains, colder!  We have the fire on nightly and I’m very glad the Rayburn heats the kitchen so nicely.

Calum’s seal trips finished abruptly this year as Sula Mhor drifted on to a rock a couple of weeks ago.  She’ll go over to the boatyard at Kishorn shortly and have an overhaul.  All my guests have missed being out on her, Calum.

Some stalwart friends lifted Saranna C on to the bench in the workshop near the house last week.  I’m happier with her there than in the barn as the workshop is corrugated iron while the barn is mostly wood – and quite a distance from the house.  Saranna C has been cleaned thoroughly and will need very little done to her at the start of next sailing/rowing season.

The animals are well and continue to give me great pleasure.  Ruah was five on the tenth of this month.  She’s a good wee soul.  Amber, hopefully, is heading downwards from her mighty size and will be a good, smaller than ever was, soul!  She is on a diet and already I think I see a difference…..  It’ll take quite a time…….

This is autumn school holiday time and Moira, Colin, Catriona, Sean and Daniel are in London, visiting LEGOLAND. As Daniel had never been in an aeroplane there must have been huge excitement prior to the off!  The Edinburgh schools only get a week at this time of year, so I’ll not have the children this holiday.  However, I was lucky during the summer to have them all for long spells, when the weather was wonderful.

Sam started third year in September and he’s in the wards more.  This necessitates more travelling, so he has a sturdy bicycle to get from his flat to lectures or the Royal Infirmary, which is a good long way from the centre of Edinburgh.

 I had a quick visit to Edinburgh a few weeks ago and it was lovely to see everyone.

Since my last letter, Angela and Richard have visited again - once more they were not unlucky with the weather, considering it was the beginning of October.  Cousin Ticia, Ronnie, David, Susie and young Jack came for a long, long weekend – lovely.  Sailing friends Hilary and John with Becky, Amanda and Duncan were back too.  Daphne and Tony from Kent flew south last Friday, having  spent six nights at Heron’s Flight and to have re-met John Field, ex Townsville, was quite special! 

I have long since decided that Ruah, Amber and I much prefer meeting guests so self-catering is not for us at Heron’s Flight.  We shall resort to bed and breakfast, with glad hearts!  But – watch this space for Dolan’s family home, 35 Harbour Street, will be available next year for self-catering holidays!

I do hope to meet you sometime......... Bookings will be accepted during the winter.

Best wishes

Ann

A somewhat put out Ruah, clearly wondering why Amber has the new state- of- the- art bed!