Seasons Greetings!

Mid December, 2013

Hello

I spent last week in Edinburgh, doing the school runs and meals, as both Moira and Colin were doing courses.  Usually they manage to stagger such things – I was delighted that they could not, this time!

Catriona walks to school and leaves the house at 7.50am.  By that time the boys are up, getting dressed and munching breakfast – it is actually a very organised quiet time!  Then we left in the car to brave the rush hour traffic coming into the city.  Collecting the boys in the afternoon was not as hair-raising as the rush hour had not got under way then.

We had two celebration cakes to decorate, for Sam’s twenty first birthday on the 10^th.  The children did a lovely job.  We kept one and Sam took one to his flat, after Moira, Catriona, Sam and I had a meal out – the boys had football practices on, so Colin did the chauffeuring.

The next day I met Sam after his classes and he was measured for the Modern MacKenzie kilt outfit, my present to him and his choice of tartan.   We had fun choosing all the bits and pieces, colours too, needed for a full kilt outfit!

So I’m home again for a week and will travel back to Edinburgh for Christmas.  This time I’ll take Amber as well as Ruah, as the children will be on holiday and will be pleased to see her too.  Both animals travel well, thank goodness.

We have had some unbelievably stormy weather recently and the last couple of days were very, very wet and windy.  Many trees came down and some roads were temporarily blocked – including the one I was to use to get home from Achmore yesterday!  There was an alternative and by the time I got home, the electricity and phones, both out of action when I left the house, were working again – a bonus!

Tonight is dry and still windy, but occasionally I catch a glimpse of the full moon in a clear sky…..

I hope that, wherever you are, you are more organised for Christmas than I!  Email bulk sending of greetings is again posing me huge problems and I apologise if you do not get a greeting by that method this year….  I should start all the ironing out of difficulties in November – or earlier!  I am finally not sending cards as I hope all my friends have given me an email address.  I shall make a donation to a cancer society or the Royal Lifeboat Association, instead of buying stamps.

Have a Happy Christmas and a very Good New Year.

Ann

October into November, 2013

Ruah meeting Miffy, the latest addition in Edinburgh!

A fortnight ago my last guests booked in, for the weekend, at Heron’s Flight.  The previous week or two had been very busy, as had been the summer - I met wonderful people.

Last week I spent tidying up and washing all the bed linen, ready for winter storage.  The one job I really do not enjoy is stripping under-pillow cases, boil washing them and machining the covers back on all the pillows.  But once it is done, they are ready for next year… I am holding on to a single ear ring, found in the west room – I know little about diamonds, but it might be one…..  I’ve also fallen heir to a John Grisham hardback which was in the front porch – please get in touch for either!

 During the week a few of us went to see “Sunshine on Leith” in the Screen Machine which had parked in the village of Kyleakin, on the Isle of Skye.  Maybe you are wondering what a screen machine is?  In the absence of cinemas, in the slightly more remote areas of Scotland anyway, the screen machine tours.  It is a very, very long lorry, not articulated, so it will never come to Plockton as it would be impossible for it to negotiate at least the Telford bridge at Duirinish, two miles from us!  It stops in a big space; like Kyleakin old ferry car park and then it can expand at both sides to make room for the very comfortable plush tiered seating, for I imagine about 150 people.  So the show comes to us on the periphery!  Sunshine on Leith is set in Edinburgh and the music is from “The Proclaimers”.  The scenery was terrific, as was the music!

I’ve stripped the grapevine this week – most bunches did not ripen well this year as the summer and autumn just did not have enough sun…..   Also did some baking for the church sale, with one load going straight to the bin, as I was engrossed with grapes and completely forgot the time…..

On Friday Ruah and I travelled to Edinburgh for a few days.  It is so good to be in amongst the family!  I went with Moira this morning to watch Daniel at a little football competition – a weekly outing for them.  I say little – there were sixteen mini teams playing, supported by coaches, parent and grandparents!  In the meantime Sean was elsewhere playing in an inter-school match and Catriona was at dancing.

This afternoon we did a little shopping and were glad to get home – the Christmas rush seems to be under way!  Catriona cooked tea, which was a treat.

Tomorrow will be similarly busy I suspect, though I may try to fit in a visit to friend.  I’m hoping Sam will come with me and anyone else who wants, for lunch or tea.   The time here will fly past.  I’ll be home before the end of the week and will write again soon.

Ann

                                        

Summer's still with us!

September News, 2013.

Now I’m going to try a new “news technique”!  I’ll jot down, through the month, happenings and then add comments before posting.  So here goes….

For some time Ian and Alison have been in the wars.  Not long after they got home from their round the world tour, when they spent time here – lovely – both were hospitalised, Alison with two successful operations to remove a lump on her cheek and Ian to have a pace maker and defibrillator fitted before treatment began to deal with a cancer found in blood tests done to do with the pacemaker.   

Alison is, I’m so pleased to say, fighting fit again and back to work.  Ian is, as I write, home from Brisbane, where his blood has been thinned over some days.  I await the next stage anxiously…. 

Right at the end of August my cousins Morven and Iona popped in en route from the north, home to Glasgow.  That was lovely!  I got first hand news of Aunt Isobel, my remaining aunt.  She is very well, I’m pleased to say.  At ninety, she’s wonderful.

The sailing season was meant to end on August 31, with the postponed Jubilee race.  Yet again the weather intervened but this time it was that the winds were far too strong!  The race is scheduled to go ahead on Sept 7 – we’ll see.  After that the local boats all clinker built and much loved will be taken out of the water and kept safe and dry till next season.  Saranna C will likely come into the workshop again (though that means there is very little space to move around there), but she’ll be covered by the house insurance.  The Bodach’s (old man’s) boat, a bit smaller than Saranna and built by the original boat builder on Skye, will go back to the barn.  I’m hoping the rowers will try her next year, so she is in the water for a purpose.

It is now September 27 and the sailing has finally drawn to a close.  The AGM, at which next year’s commodore is elected, is on October 5.

The rowing trophy was won by Neil MacRae this year – four rowers and cox must row round a mark called the Perch.  Good teams can do it in around twenty minutes.  The boat used must be clinker-built as they are our original club boats and they were first built for rowing, not sailing.

Ian has now begun a regime of chemotherapy, weekly.  As he is driving again, this trip to the hospital in Toowoomba is easy now.  We spoke at the weekend and he sounded much more like his old self and he is well into his weekly treatments. Alison, bless her, always sounds just like Alison!

I’ve had some long awaited good news.  A final scan was clear, so I now am officially cancer free – after three years eight months.  My first thought, and that too of my oncology specialist and scan operator was that travel insurance will return to manageable figures!!!

Sam’s into more exams next week, but he remains cheerful, on the phone at least!  He’s beginning to think of what far flung destination he may apply to, for his elective, which is at the beginning of his 5^th year, I think.  Two of my guests have offered to be of help – their places of work, Australia and New Zealand!  I could hitch a ride on his back…….  It was extremely kind of both gentlemen to offer help – thank you.

 Now, at the end of September,  I am still busy with guests from all over the place.  Last weekend the Clarks were here – heading home to Kent after here. Valerie and Gordon Barnett, from Scarborough, Western Australia, arrived for three nights – the weather was a bit dreary for them.

David and Dana came for a couple of nights – they travel from Iowa in the United States of America.  I wonder what hire car they will roll down the drive in this year?  Last year I teased them about their “little” Mercedes!  I have been warned that it may be a Cadillac Seville – I’ll take a photo and share with you!  Actually I did not as their car was a sensible Kia!

Now the Forsyth family are here for the weekend!  Ticia is a cousin, one of the Hunter Clan, as of course am I.  Little Jack, by far the youngest, is happy with Ruah and Amber……

And the Forsyths are here now, enjoying very mild sunny weather.  Jack is nine  and a little livewire.  He was up first today and on the go every minute of the day – including swimming in the loch, just in front of the house and not appearing to feel the cold at all.  The family goes home to Kirkintilloch on Monday.

Next week is quite busy and then it is the school’s autumn holiday.  I hope I may have Catriona, Sean and Daniel here for some of the time.  I may go to Edinburgh for a few days, to see everyone and do a little early Christmas shopping.  For the first time ever I have my calendars ready to post abroad, before the deadline for surface mail!

If you are touring in the late autumn in our area, please do pop in!

Ann

The month of August, 2013

August News, 2013

“There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting and enslaving than the life at sea”   - Joseph Conrad.

Yes, our annual sailing regatta fortnight has once again come and gone….  It was a testing time for this year’s Commodore, Alexander MacKenzie.  The winds often died before race time!  Drifting around Plockton bay became the norm and cancelled races were squeezed in when time and a little breeze allowed.

But, as ever, all the races were run, the annual prize giving and concert were a huge success and the Ragamuffin race, for the children was keenly contested, with  Dolan’s boat “ Saranna C “and her crew winning the cup!

The village has been even busier than usual, I think, with street parking virtually impossible and driving along the street equally so, with pedestrians taking over the role of cars!!!  Yes, the pavements were not used much at all – is this a feature of Plockton alone – perhaps you know another village, town or city which tolerates walkers in abundance on the road, while pavements remain empty – and vehicles crawl along the street at pedestrian (they do not move away readily!)  pace – it is crazy!  And not always amusing when one, for example, is driving the mile to the train station, to meet a train, as happens frequently.

I’ve had family here for most of the school holidays – lovely.  Sean came first and did his level 2 sailing.  Daniel was next, then Catriona arrived with Sean again.  Sean left to attend a football course and Daniel did his level 1 sailing.  Catriona’s rowing is fairly improving and I think she should keep it up…  Moira drove up -and we had a whole week together – lovely. Regatta time is when as many Plocktonians as can, return.   It was lovely to see so many of our old friends and of John and Moira…….  Sam was a huge miss, however – already his fourth year at Edinburgh had begun and he had no time off.

My Danes have returned!  Last year Grete and her daughter Mai Britt came for a few days and now they are back!  It is wonderful to see them again and have their company for eight days.  We said goodbye today to Gillian and Scott who arrived by train three nights ago.  I’m looking forward to seeing Gillian’s photos of the full moon, amongst other things.  I’ll ask Alison to add some to the site, for you to see too…..

Our annual horticultural show was on Saturday.  Entries were down on last year, which was very understandable as the weather was so cold for a long time and then so hot and dry!  I do wish I had greener fingers!

As the month draws to a close I have Angela and Richard Houghs visit to look forward to.  Eileen and Peter Fisher are returning to Heron’s Flight too – after an absence of forty years!!  They most certainly will see some changes in Plockton  and their hostess!

I hope you are well and that perhaps you too will come to visit.  Ruah, Amber and I should like that a lot!

Ann

Julian and Josephine where their internet connection was found!!!

Sorry the June news is more than a little late - please read on...

June News, 2013

Ian and Alison’s visit is already a lovely memory.  As we get older, I think I’m getting more of a Hunter (my maiden name)!  I do not acquiesce so easily, as Ian found out! But he and Alison will never know how much I miss them!

The weather improved dramatically but Ian’s back became very painful.  This stopped one or two hoped-for outings.  Riding around this area, on our sometimes “unpredictable” roads is not the thing when a back may go into spasm….

But we had a lovely day on the water; ferry from Armadale on the Isle of Skye to Mallaig on the mainland, smaller ferry thereafter to the isle of Eigg, where we stayed for a couple of hours, while the ferry, the Loch Nevis, called at the isle of Muck.  We had a lovely lunch there, bought one or two souvenirs and landed in the well-stocked little grocery by accident, so my new bottle of vanilla essence will be a perpetual reminder of our trip the island, on a beautiful day…….

On the 3^rd, we headed to Edinburgh where I stayed at Moira’s and Ian and Alison were just along the road in a Holiday Inn.  Moira, Catriona, Daniel and I had dinner with Ian and Alison – our last for some little time.  The following morning Moira again joined us for a family cremation service – our first cousin’s husband.  We then headed to Gullane for a service and lunch – Ian and Alison saw other members of our extended family, a bonus albeit at a sobering time.

We then drove straight to Edinburgh airport where my guests of the past fortnight headed for London, en route to Canada.  Today they will have arrived in Vancouver and will fly to Auckland, en route to Brisbane and Toowoomba – a very long way from Plockton…..

The good weather is not going to last till the weekend, we are assured, so outside chores and some planting must get done!   

I have a day off!  So I must not fritter the time away – till next month or when you call in, but I should tell those of you who remember the TV series “Hamish MacBeth” that his police station, “Tullochard” is for sale and is worth a look!

Ann

PS – Here I am writing some news and what do I find?  June news un-posted……..  So I’ll rectify that now and start another blog, which can continue for a while.  I shall not be so remiss again!