Last week, the evening view from Heron's Flight front garden.......



It is July 15th and a calm, rather dull morning - quite a contrast from the earlier gales and then wonderful HOT SUNNY weather  - the latter did us all such a lot of good - but the gardens will be suffering for a long time!
The  lawns are burned and no amount of spraying has done much good so far....
The vine, in the greenhouse, was burned and, while the lower leaves are unaffected, the uppers, shielding the new bunches of grapes are no longer there - so I think there will be few grapes later this year.
The hedges, in contrast to the grass, with their deeper roots, have grown twice as quickly - not good! 
However, we all blossomed!! 
Duncan and I have enjoyed the visits from old and new friends, the most recent John Townend, who fitted Heron's Flight in to a tour of the outer Hebrides and all the golf matches in the south and east of Scotland!

The new village play park, just one hundred yards from here, is being very well used and it is lovely to hear the happy children's excited cries - the first play park Plockton has had and a great contrast to the one "swing" when John and Moira were growing up!  Well done to the little band of determined Dads!

The yacht race took place yesterday - a trial outside Regatta fortnight, to entice more yachts to enter - its normal date is a fortnight on, when the small boats sail too and the bay can be very "cluttered", with many visiting yachts at anchor too - making yacht racing a challenge.  We shall see if the Commodore and Committee think it worked....     It was exciting to see the start and finish from the front garden.

Moira and the children will be coming in two weeks, for the second week of regatta, when many people who work elsewhere, come home and meet up, enjoy the sailing and ensuing gatherings.  I hope that Daniel or/and Sean may come and sail before then too.  Catriona is again looking forward to meeting a childhood friend, Heather, who holidays here at regatta time, from the far east.

Duncan is having a lovely life with his little legs getting shorter??  certainly more muscled!!  as he is being walked daily by the Sharp family and sometimes other friends.  Each evening he listens if can hear the gate being opened and I am aware someone is coming long before they get to the door!  

Our friends the Sweenie family are also here on holiday - they have the Craft house, newly renovated and gorgeous, close to here, and Duncan often goes walks with them and their four month Collie puppy, Cooper.

When Moira arrives, she will have her two dogs as well.  It is always a lovely time for me!

I hope your summer is a good and happy as here!   Are you travelling around?  If you are in the north west of Scotland, please look for the signpost to Plockton and come down into the village!

Best wishes
Ann

June 14, 2018

We are recovering from a very stormy night! Today has been blustery and quite wet at times – winds are abating and the 65 – 70mph gusts are just bad memories! I had put my car well up the drive as part of a high trellis was threatening to fall into the drive – it has not happened yet, but does need a bit of attention, when the weather does calms down.

My car, this morning, was covered in leaves and tiny broken branches from the big silver birch near the hay rake – no damage at all......

Today my guests and I have spent quite a lot of time in the porch, watching the yachts in the bay – most were here overnight and all but one had a good anchor. The one moved a long way in the night, luckily not bumping into another boat, or the shore in front of Heron's Flight! It is a good spectator sport!!

Duncan is a lucky wee dog! A family living quite close usually have an evening walk and he is often included! Rowan, their daughter takes lovely photos and I see them – Duncan exploring the salty water, Duncan running among the long grass which is full of flowers – I'll add a couple at the bottom of this letter......  Now, I do not know how to transfer photos from email to here, so I'll send something else till I learn!!!

Here is Duncan in his preferred "bed"  - Catriona's size 6.5 shoe box!

Duncan in front of the poppy bed, as they emerged.  Not one left standing after the gale of last night.....

We have had the best three weeks of weather I can remember, till last night. Temperatures were daily in the mid /high 20'Cs and nights were very warm too. We fear, now the Jet Stream has moved, that all is back to normal!! But the midges have really not been a nuisance, which is a bonus.

Plockton is very busy now and will remain so till October probably. The sailing season has begun and there are races weekly. The children have instruction each Tuesday evening and it is lovely to see the Topper fleet on the water!

I am as busy as I'd like to be, with friends returning and new guests arriving. Malcolm and Denise Bain leave tomorrow, after a lovely visit. It is so good to see them again! Safe journey home.....

It'll soon be the Scottish school summer holidays and I hope some of the Edinburgh family will be coming. Just at present, Catriona, who left school at the end of her 6^th year, is in Majorca with eleven of her long-time school friends. She will be heading to Uni in the Autumn.......

Are you travelling far on holiday this year? I hope you enjoy every minute of it! Are you coming to the North West of Scotland? Perhaps you'll come into Plockton.... If so, pop in and say hello!

Best wishes, Ann

Ann

May ^15th 2018

Duncan and I have been home since the end of April and are now settled back in Heron's Flight, meeting new guests and welcoming

old friends. Today and tomorrow we have four young French visitors – charming, thoughtful and fun! All four have supped their way through my porridge and declared it good!!!

Ten days ago the Hills returned – then I knew my summer had begun! Denise and Dave were married last August on Calum's “Sula Mhor “ pleasure boat........Last week the Houghs and Mitchells were here – it was a great pleasure to see them all again – and to provide, on the whole, very good walking weather!!

Duncan, my wee three year old Shih Tzu, is settling down quite well. He still usually insists on barking when someone unknown comes down the drive – tail wagging all the time. However, I think it is becoming less - wishful thinking, perhaps?? I shall continue working on it!

He has made new friends who come down and take him a walk some evenings – he waits in the drive, hopefully..... The Sharp family do not have a dog and, though daughter Rowan really prefers to be around horses, she is very good with diminutive Duncan! So when they call down to the house for him, Duncan is beside himself with delight!!

During the day, Duncan follows me around, in and out of the house – when he hears me picking up the car keys – great excitement! He is a good wee companion.......

He is also not at all greedy – a complete contrast to little Ruah!  

How I miss her.......

After tomorrow I have a few days with no visitors and I hope the garden may benefit!! My neighbour Teresa Peach is practically settled in her new house and I await the arrival of my new neighbours. Another neighbour, Marie Campbell at the top of my drive, will hopefully come home after nearly a year in hospital, after a severe stroke. Her husband Ruari has had the house adapted and it's now ready for Marie. I am so very pleased about that!

Will you be travelling this way later on? If so, perhaps you'll call in and say hello, or stay a few days? We'd like that!

Best wishes, Ann

Here is Duncan in his chosen "basket" in front of the Rayburn, in the kitchen.  The basket is my grand daughter Catriona's shoe box - size 6.5!!!

Thursday April 19^th 2018

Some of you will know that my winter has been spent mostly in Edinburgh with the Family. We all did go to Plockton at New Year, where our friends the Sweenie Family, from Inverness, joined us. That will have likely been the last joint holiday, as the Sweenies bought the Craft House, in the village, and it soon will be completely renovated – lovely!! It is only one hundred yards from Heron's Flight, so we shall be back and fore often....

In my absence, the pier house, Tigh an Fhaing, was put on the market, by my neighbour of over 40 years, Teresa Peach. She has bought a lovely, property at the Frithard end of the village - just what she wanted for Malinky the Labradoodle and herself! I heard today Tigh an Fhaing is sold. So I'll have to walk a good bit further than of old – to the joint hedge – to talk to Teresa! I look forward to meeting my new neighbours who will take over the property in early June.

Next Wednesday, Duncan the Shih Tzu and I travel back to Plockton. It will be a sad journey and homecoming – my first in over ten years without Ruah..... Some of you already know that she was put to sleep six weeks ago, in Edinburgh, having not been really well for quite a time.

Guests arrive on Saturday, 28^th April. Two couples from Belgium and I look forward to welcoming them to Heron's Flight! Thereafter I shall have quite a busy time! Several guests are coming back again, which is especially lovely!!

I shall miss having the family around and being able to take part in celebrations such as Catriona's eighteenth birthday, last Sunday. It was a very special day from start to finish.

I shall miss Daniel's thirteenth birthday, on April 27^th...

But home beckons.......

Will you be travelling this summer? Are you by any chance coming near the north west coast of Scotland? If so, perhaps you will come into Plockton and see my village and where I live....

Ann

It is March 7th, 2018

I am still n Edinburgh.  This is really just as well as, when we arrived in mid-December, Ruah had been unwell and spent the night before we travelled on a drip in the Broadford vet's clinic.

Over the weeks the vets here, very near where Moira lives,  tested, re-tested, got samples, tested  again and were very unsure as to what exactly was going on.  She had left home with a very high kidney count so was on antibiotics which seemed to be doing the trick...

At the weekend Ruah became very ill and she was overnight in the animal hospital, on a drip, then we transferred her to the local vet, to finish that and have yet another blood test.  She was very poorly obviously and after the blood test showed no improvement, we decided that Ruah had had enough - her eyes were telling us that too......

All of our friends who knew and loved Ruah as much as I did, for more than ten happy years, will be sorry to hear my news.  She was a very special companion, always happy, never angry, never far from me - yes, and always greedy!

Duncan is lost without Ruah.  He is following me just as she did and eventually he will realise his friend is not coming back..  As I will......

Ann

It is catching up day!

Hello

We had a lovely, just as usual,  New Year in Plockton, having come up from Christmas in Edinburgh.  Sam was working in the Royal Hospital and Catriona had a new year party  to organise for her friends, so we, Moira, Sean, Daniel, I and the four dogs travelled north in one car - yes, it was a tight fit!

Our friends, the Sweenie family, joined us for the few days -   Mum, Dad and three children.  We all went along to the bonfire on the island, with fireworks,  There was a big crowd there....  After, we wandered along the main street, first footing in friends' houses then back home with five tired children.....

The next two days were spent greeting "first footers" at Heron's Flight, visiting more friends  to wish them a Happy New Year and doing our level best to empty the two very full fridges!!

At noon on January 2nd we all abandoned Heron's Flight, our friends to Inverness and us down the road to Edinburgh - the adults were all working the next day.  I came back to Edinburgh for a spell too.

Last week was certainly the most wintry we have had!   Heavy snow  fell and then the roads and paths were treacherous.  Each day, before Moira and Catriona motored away, a long process of de-frosting was necessary.    However, this morning the road outside the house is black, leaving the garden still to thaw.

My laptop, just before Christmas, stopped working, with a sinister warning the only  thing on the screen.  It was not hacked, but a major fault.  Luckily I was in Edinburgh and Moira had thought to have an extended warranty on it - Sam gave me it two years ago  at Christmas.  So the shop from which it was bought took charge and, a week later, I got it back, for the cost of the external drive I bought to have all my programmes saved.  Too good to be true?  Well, the "new" laptop has some programmes on the desktop that I have never heard of and little else.   The email programme is not mine and I am a creature of habit!  So I am limping very carefully, along gradually finding my blog, for instance, and counting the days till I can get Andrew at home to come in and "mend" everything.  To me it is a mammoth task, but I'm sure Andrew will make light of it!

I am hoping to go north this weekend or next, the first if it has a good forecast,  As we literally walked out of Heron's Flight after New Year, there is a lot of tidying, cleaning and laundry to do.  I'd like to be back on the Tuesday evening, before dark.  Moira's three long days are Wednesday, Thursday and  Friday, when I can be very useful here.  I am very happy to be here too, as it is very quiet at home at this time of year.

Alison in Toowoomba is now very happily settled in her new house - not too far away from the house she and Ian lived in for many years.  She has got a small garden now and it has a recent addition of a bird bath - I wonder if she might think of a domestic pet too, as I do know she loves dogs?   Comment, Alison!

I hope, wherever you are, that you are well  and that one day, maybe later this year, we may meet!

Best wishes
Ann

Season's Greetings

I have tonight been sending out a Christmas message and a few email addresses have not been accepted.   If you do normally have a message at this time of the year from me and now have not received one - PLEASE email me and I shall rectify the situation.  I do not want to lose touch with any of my friends.  Thank you
Ann

Hello

Time has galloped past November!!! There is an air of mild panic here and with my family and friends – because Christmas is coming at an alarming rate!!! I am galvanised at times, to drop everything and concentrate on Christmas letter, presents for the village friends, presents for abroad and all the presents collected for the Edinburgh family – this state of panic does not last long, when I realise that, for a while at least, I have enough time!

I'm going to Edinburgh for a few days on the 1st of December. My excuse, so near Christmas, is that I want to deliver their advent calendars in person! I also can do a little visiting maybe, in between bursts of shopping!

I'll also go down for Christmas, weather permitting.

Today we have icy snow lying – just a covering on the ground, but really dangerous! Those of you who know Heron's Flight's position, off the road by quite a bit, will be able to imagine how slippy the drive is – and pitch dark! So the dogs and I have no intention of going visiting, as I quite often do, in the dark.

It has been a very busy year, with guests coming and going from March till the end of October – but how I enjoy their company! Two couples, friends over the years, were married in Plockton, in May and August. Robert and Alison chose to have the ceremony on the front lawn – happily the sun shone! Dave and Denise invited the dogs and me on board Sula Mhor, to witness their marriage, along with Calum the seal boat captain. Alison, Toowoomba, had just arrived here then; she had met the happy couple last year, her being here in August a complete surprise to them! Alison read a lovely poem, on board. The dogs were very well behaved – phew!

The village is now very quiet, until New Year and then again around Easter. All of this area was exceeding busy in 2017 and perhaps we hope that it is not quite so next year, as facilities struggled to cope …...

The family in Edinburgh is well.

Sam's loving his work, at the Royal, in Edinburgh. Catriona is in 6^th year at the Royal High – no firm idea of what to study..... Sean's in 3^rd year while Daniel, in first year, passed me in the height stakes, much to his delight!!

I hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas and the Happiest New Year!

As we in Plockton gather near the car park to bring in 2018, watch the bonfire and firework display, and wander home, first footing friends en route, I shall be thinking of all my family and friends far away and wishing them “Happy New Year”

Best wishes

Ann

As I post this I'm thinking about Alison, Toowoomba.  She's in hospital at present, but happily well on the way to recovery and being home again....

My crucifix orchid has flowered!

 A crucifix orchid, in the porch in Plockton, first ever flower from the bit of a plant given to me by Mal and Ros, Ian and Alisons' neighbours - January 2015.  I am so pleased to see it!

October 16, 2017

I have a  few days of holiday, so the dogs and I travelled to Edinburgh yesterday – a slow journey, as the schools have autumn holidays at present, there are so many camper vans and caravans on the move and there is a speed limit on the A9, the road from Inverness to Edinburgh. Lorries are down to 50mph.

I go cross country from Plockton to Dalwhinnie and join the A9, as it is the shortest route for me - 200miles.

It is lovely to be here! I have not seen the family for many weeks and everyone is in !good form! - that includes all the animals!

Ruah had her 10^th birthday recently and did ask to be off her diet for a day!

Summer as usual flew by. Alison and Robert were married on the front lawn, in May. Happily the weather was kind and they and their guests enjoyed their time in Plockton. Alison has recently had a birthday and I was delighted to have them here again for a few days.

Dave and Denise, very faithful visitors too for a long time, were married here as well, in August, choosing to tie the knot on Sula Mhor, Calum's Seal trip boat! Alison arrived from Queensland in time for that – hugely taking by surprise the happy couple! (they had met here last year) We were invited on board to take part in the ceremony – yes, even the dogs, who happily behaved impeccably) And Dave and Denise were back last week, for another few days – thank you all for coming....

Alison got back to Australia to start packing for a house move to a lovely house slightly smaller than 5, Blue Hills Road, where she and Ian lived since their move south from Townsville– still in Toowoomba, but the house she wants and will be very happy in; so her last few weeks have been hectically busy and the move actually takes place on Thursday.

I should have loved to be there to help – but actually I'd have been no use, being a hoarder; each day would have ended with little progress and me being advised perhaps to take a plane home!!!

My last guests arrive in a week's time. Then I shall have some indoor painting done and settle down for the winter. There is always something to do here during these months and I certainly shall not be bored!

Please do put a comment on my web page, letting me know you are are well and if I'll see you next year...... I hope I do!

Till next month,

Ann

Duncan on sentry duty on the rock in the garden.....

Calum's "new" yacht - bought for £1.00!!!!!  finally arrives in Plockton.

August 23, 2017

It is bowling along towards the end of August – the days since I last wrote have simply shot by!

The new carpet in the flat kitchen is down and I am very pleased with the look of it – fawn interspersed with green. It will be good for a room which the dogs use a lot, especially as they come in there, often with wet feet.

Having said that, I cannot say we have had many very wet days. Recently it has been rather warm with occasional windy spells and yes, a bit of rain! Noticeably absent, to date, are the midges- wonderful!!!

The builders have come and gone, so the front porch roof is now new, with the old solar panels gone. There is a slight pitch on the new grey corrugated roof and it looks good to me. Importantly, it will not leak! The solar panels had been fastened through the old roof, so in time water seeped in and did some damage..... All's well now.

I still have to have the painter to do quite a bit of indoor work and then the house will be completely overhauled, if that is the correct word. It has been a busy twelve months with outdoor painters, plumbers, electricians, joiners, carpet layers and masons working here – and now a young friend cuts the lawns beautifully, when needed. I am quite spoiled, you note!

Regatta this year was at the end of July, beginning of August. Moira, Catriona, Sean and Daniel were all up and the boys had some good crewing in local boat races. Daniel was lucky enough to skipper the Seolta, owner and helm Ian Hay, in the boys race – and he won the cup! Ian, you made one boy very very happy, thank you!

After the family went home I have had plenty to keep me busy, with guests from many different places – I just love meeting everyone! This week I have two very keen gentlemen walkers staying for some nights, then a little lull before a very busy time....

And!!

Alison is here, all the way from Toowoomba, Australia. She is staying for about three weeks and her visit was timed to coincide with the wedding of friends Dave and Denise who have come here often over the past years. We kept Alison's arrival a secret from them (they met each other last year here) and so Dave and Denise were delighted last week to arrive and meet her again!

The wedding was on Calum's Seal Trip boat – just the happy couple, Alison and I, Calum and his wife Jane, the crew member and the Celebrant. Oh, and the dogs, who behaved impeccably, thank goodness – they were there at Dave and Denise's request.

That same day, friends of Alison's arrived in the village and they visited us twice.

After Alison leaves here, she;'l have a few days in Edinburgh with Moira and then travel south to meet other friends, whom she met on her last year's trip to Iceland. From there she will get to Heathrow and the long journey home. I shall, as usual, miss her a lot.......

But we have plenty of days still to do some touring around, cross stitching – the finished article will be subtly spectacular – Alison's doing, not mine! - and talking about the new house Alison will move to, shortly after her arrival home – I wish I were near enough to help her flit......

I hope you are well and that you may be heading to the north west of Scotland one time soon? Come to visit Plockton, please!

Best wishes

Ann

July 12th, 2017
My guests from Belgium, two lovely couples on two equally lovely Harley Davidson's.
Happily they had wonderful weather for their tours of the Isle of Skye and Applecross and beyond

July 11th 2017
Sunshine till dusk tonight - the photo taken at 9.00pm at almost high tide....

July 4^th, 2017

It is early in the morning and the second day of Wimbledon, forecast good for down there and not at all bad for up here. I say early – well a couple from New Hampshire, USA say they want breakfast even before 6.00am if that is possible! It is and I am here, all ready, at 5.30am...... Time to catch up.......

The couple did come early for breakfast and so now, at 8.00am, are heading to Yorkshire (a big drive), while I have done the laundry and it is blowing on the two lines outside.

I have had the local carpet fitter here, to measure the kitchen in the flat – a seeping leak in a back pipe to the washing machine was discovered by Moira, who goes about in bare feet. We stripped out all the wet carpet tiles and the floor underneath, solid wood, dried in a few days. I am so glad Moira was up for a couple of days!!!

The new tiles, fawn and a few green interspersed, will hopefully be down soon and the new colours will “hide” any dog paw prints, as the doors there are much used by Ruah and Duncan.

Outside too there is a pile of builders' materials. Ruairi Matheson and his helper Jason will come soon, to renew the front porch roof, gutters and anything else which needs it! In so doing, the solar panels, there since 1976?, will be removed. Perhaps I will renew the whole solar system, if there is a way to put solar panels elsewhere than on Dolan's beautiful Welsh slate roof!

Later on this summer/autumn, I shall have quite a lot of interior varnishing and painting done. The exterior was done less than a year ago – and I'm hoping Moira, Colin and the gang will blitz parts of the garden!!!! That will bring Heron's Flight, in and out, up to scratch, I sincerely hope!!

I have a couple of days free soon and I plan to go to Inverness to get some essential supplies, see sister in law Janet (who will keep the dogs, who love it there as the walks are different!) and also visit friends who are in hospital.

Ruah and Duncan are sleeping at my feet, as I type. They are faithful little dogs......

I hope you have had time to look at the new website. It is such a relief to have www.heronsflight.org back up, but with a really new look! You can now leave a comment at the foot of the first page.....

Wherever you are, keep well and enjoy your summer weather (winter in Australia and New Zealand, I know!) It is now July 9^th and I will post this today!!

Ann

EXCITING NEWS!!!

It is Thursday, June 1^st, 2017. A few days ago the new web site for Heron's Flight was launched by Alison Hunter, its creator – and my sister-in-law.

As many of you will know, Alison and my late brother Ian lived in Townsville, then Toowoomba in Queensland, Australia. Alison created the first site and determined to update it a while ago. Well, an opportunity presented itself when the site was hacked and proved very, very difficult to salvage.

Alison, I am very pleased with the new layout and know that regular viewers and new visitors will find it as delightful as I do!

I shall be very happy if any reader does take time to write any comments at the foot of page one!

The Google page still has the old site on – this will move off..... To access the new site therefore, at present or always, simply type www.heronsflight.org in the address bar of the Google page, top left. This works with my Firefox. You may have a different Google entry?

If you do have any special photo from around Plockton and the wider locality, please do send to me, so we build a bank of photos to put on the new website.

Thank you,

Ann.

May, 2017

May 18^th, 2017

It seems ages since I went out to the back garden and washed my face in the May dew! That day I said to myself I'd do my blog soon......

Well, as you know, time does fly and there is no exception here! May has been, to date, a continuation of the very good weather of late April. This week we have had a little light rainshower or two – so badly needed everywhere in the North West of Scotland!

Temperatures have been high for the time of year too.....

Last Thursday we had the first ever wedding ceremony at Heron's Flight! Robert and Alison, who have been friends for years, thanks to a B&B meeting, brought friends, who stayed for the week in the village. The ceremony, on the front lawn, was lovely. Robert and Alison live in Cumbria and too soon they, and their guests, were heading south again. Thank you for my present and for the lovely flowers you left me! It was a time to remember.......

This weekend the relatively new Beer/Gin Festival, at Plockton Hotel, takes over and the village, busy already, will be doubly so then! I do hope the good weather holds for that!

And next weekend sees the second of two local weddings this summer. In the first, Dolan's cousin's son, Gordon and Rebecca were married and, in traditional style, walked through the village to their reception, led by a piper.

The second wedding is next weekend when Aonghais and Louise will marry. They work in Dubai, so I am hoping Plockton will hold on to its rather uncustomary very good, midge-free weather, so the guests from afar can enjoy the village and its surroundings!

As I've lived in the village for fifty five years (came to teach PE for a year and never went home!), I know all the young Plocktonians who are choosing to be at home when they marry.......

My recent guests, as always, have been so kind and appreciative of the area, the village and here. Angela and Richard – did you ever have a week of such wonderful walking weather? Jeanne and Mike travelled by our public transport and still had big smiles! Georgie and Melissa – like a breath of Spring to me! - you have promised to come back and sign the visitor's book! Kim and Carol, two more teachers, it was lovely meeting and talking with you.

Now Ian and Jan Cuthbert have returned and their marvellous motor bike is gracing the space next to my Jazz – as you see, it's real competition! A beautiful machine.......

I'll add a couple of photos to this and get it up, before any more time rushes by!

I hope to see you sometime this summer.

Ann

 May full moon from Heron's Flight....

 Robert and Alison's wedding, in the front garden.

Hard to choose between the two!!

April 4th, 2017

                                                My Mother's Day Card with the sitter

                                                           Evening light last week

April 4^th, 2017

In March I had guests who were arranging their weddings! One will be in May and the other in August. I am delighted that they have chosen to have their special, happy day in Plockton! And there are two local weddings as well, fairly soon. So we shall all be hoping that the weather is very kind on all their special days!

The workmen at Heron's Flight finished off too – or so I thought....... But we have found that the roof of the porch, that with the solar panels (to be removed anyway), is needing attention, so that will be done as soon as the builder can fit me in – poor Ruairi is hectically busy, so I must wait in a queue. As long as this last repair is done before the weather gets bad towards the end of the year, I'll be happy!

I am Edinburgh again, for a few days, before settling down for the summer at home.

I shall drive back to Plockton at the weekend and get ready to begin Bed and Breakfast, 2017. I am looking forwward to that!

Next weekend New Zealand relatives of Dolan's Family are coming for several days too. Elizabeth, Peter and their young son Michell will stay in 35 and “do their own thing” - their choice. It'll be lovely to meet them!

Happily none of the huge gales and torrential rains of recent days badly affected any of the family and friends in Queensland, Australia. I saw many photos of the damage, which was really so disastrous. And yet, in some parts of the State which are too dry, the cyclone missed them.....

I hope you have a Happy Easter time and that you may wander up our way later in the year?

Best wishes

Ann

Tomorrow is the first day of our meteorological Spring!

26 Feb. , 2017

February has been a very busy month. My new heating system is is very nearly finished – John Kirk, the heating engineer, with Rianna his daughter, apprentice, have been run off their feet keeping a good few clients happy and they have just one control to fix here and that is Heron's Flight “upgraded”! I am delighted with all the work done – no more worries of tanks and elderly pipes leaking, worse still bursting! Over the years, there have been several “watery events”, with some major mop-ups and redecoration necessary – gone are those worries!!.

I had windows replaced in the chalet, as well as - finally - the three gable windows facing the south west gales! And to complete the glazing spree, both kitchens have new windows - what a difference they make.....

Just last week Alistair and Mike, joiners, spared me some time to shelve two cupboards, now without water tanks, also doing some varnishing and touching up. I now have the cupboards to fill – easy!

So this is all done in time – my first guests come on March 1st! More friends arrive on the 3rd for a few days. I am not busy then for some weeks, so I'll go to Edinburgh later in the month, while Moira attends a course.

As I write this, I'm in Edinburgh, but I'll not post it till I am home. I travelled on Wednesday – a good journey as the gales of Tuesday had subsided. The forecast for tomorrow is snow in the central belt – we shall see!

Ruah and Duncan are being clipped tomorrow – I have brought their coats, as they may well feel decided cold tomorrow evening! Both have rather long hair at present - not for much longer!!!

I'll do some necessary shopping and head home perhaps on Sunday. It is lovely to be with the family for a few days.........

First visitors of 2017!  Welcome, Dave and Denise!

 Two little clipped dogs, huddling together in front of the warm Rayburn - well, the temperature today is 3C....

Well into 2017 already......

February 4, 2017

I came home for New Year 2016 with Moira and Daniel. We had a lovely few days then! The village was very busy, with Plocktonians home for the celebrations and visitors staying in the holiday homes. Everyone enjoyed the bonfire and fireworks at midnight, on the island in the bay.

We wandered home after visiting family and friends in “35” and many close friends in Charlie and Kathleen's very hospitable house next door on Harbour Street. The next day we had quite a few callers – lovely! And then we too went out and called on friends not seen on Hogmanay.

Moira and Daniel had to leave on the 3^rd January and they had a very good train journey south.

And my Plockton fell asleep for another week or two......

Then my days were busy as my new heating system was completed, the outside boiler and Rayburn were serviced, the chalet was spring cleaned and my list of joinery items needing done lengthened!! I am now hoping the joiner will be here next week. The carpet layer will come too, to renew the carpet in the bedroom with the antique furniture. I'll be pleased to have that done. Usually Willie Fraser works alone but for this job he needs to get a larger van and a helper to shift around the old mahogany furniture.... It'll be lovely to have that done.

As the weather has been remarkably good – mild and sunny, we were all outside starting to do some tidying up and thinking it would not be too long till the grass needed cut! But one stormy, stormy day put paid to my complacency! The telephone cable outside threatened to come down, but got tangled in a tree instead, my phones ceased as did the internet connection. So an engineer spent six hours a few days ago doing his level best to renew cables, outside and in and finally had the phone back. Several days ago I had my computer mentor here, trying to fathom why the speed is so poor – no luck, so British Telecom sent an engineer to mend a fault found at the local exchange. Only yesterday did I notice a distinct improvement, so all is well again, I think....

I have plenty to do before the house is back to ready for the Spring and Summer! My first guests are coming at the beginning of March. Before that I have a day or two in Edinburgh, to catch up with the family and friends there.....

I shall write again in a few weeks. Till then, I hope you are well and that I may meet you sometime later in the year..... Do think about it!!

Best wishes

Ann