Into winter, 2016

The standard link to my website (www.heronsflight.org) is still experiencing hacking issues, but please go to www.heronsflight.org/index.htm and all should be well. My monthly news is not affected. I am very sorry for this continuing problem, which will be sorted.

Time is certainly winning at the moment! It is simply spinning past and December, such a long way away recently, is just round the corner...I said goodbye to my last guests of this year at the end of October. It has been a very enjoyable time, from April on. I met people who enriched my life, old friends and new. There are so very many of you -  too many to name. Thank you all.......

Instead of creeping into hibernation, which I must admit had seemed like a very good plan at times, life has become very busy again! As the wonderful weather disintegrated I hurried to get all the laundry from Heron's Flight and “35” Harbour Street finished and just ready for use next year. The worst job every time is not the many sheets or downie covers, but the under pillow cases which are machine stitched on. So that is undone, the cases are laundered and then I machine stitch fresh cases on – thirty four times, this year! But the weather was windy and dry mainly – bonus!!

Alison and I had chosen windows for the west gable and two kitchens and I got word that the fitters are coming on Friday! Really looking forward to this.....
And while Moira and Daniel paid a welcome visit, we spoke to a heating engineer who agreed to completely change the water system here – from six tanks and elderly piping to mains water and an efficient boiler. John and his lovely daughter Rianna, apprentice, are at this time re-piping, having cut off all water from the old system. They spent many hours crawling about under the floors, following a maze of pipes and making sense of it all! The only part of the old system I am a bit sad about losing is the boiler behind the open fire and back to back with the Raeburn. A very small sacrifice, as over the years there have been three burst tanks/pipes and I want no more!!! They will also separate the workings between the two parts of the house, as Dolan and I had always regretted this not being done.

Meanwhile I am in Edinburgh for a few days. Moira has a residential course to attend and I can at least make sure the young ones get out to school on time and make meals – or as last night, suggest a take away! And I can feed the animals – four, yes four dogs, two cats, a rabbit, hamster and two hens......I'll be home next Thursday, with plenty to do when the glaziers have departed and the new heating system is completed.Hopefully next month I can report that this is all done!

Are you battening down the hatches before winter? We have had icy roads this week and on my drive to Edinburgh there were a couple of inches of snow lying on the higher stretches of the road. The hills, all snow-covered, were magnificent.....

It is difficult to think of the coming year at present. But time flies and I shall look forward to hearing from you. Maybe you will be thinking of a holiday in North West Scotland. I plan to take bookings from January 1st on....

 I also hope to write and send many friends a short Christmas letter – now, this always terrifies me, as batch sending never goes smoothly at Heron’s Flight!  I shall be thinking of all my friends – but if my Christmas wishes arrive by email, that is a bonus!

Ann

-----------------------
Ann MacKenzie
Heron's Flight
Plockton
Ross-shire
IV52 8TL
Tel:01599 544220
email: annheronsflight@btinternet.com
www.heronsflight.org/index.htm

Wed. October 12, 2016

If you are reading this, you most likely have read Alison's notice about the site being hacked, though the blog is “clean”, be assured. I can do nothing but know that Alison is working to get everything back to normal as soon as possible. Why do people take pleasure in hacking into other's “business”?? I am very sorry that Alison has all the work to do, to restore the site........

It is 7.00 pm and there is a beautiful three quarters moon rising over the Plockton Crags, opposite Heron's Flight; the loch is shining from the Duncraig shore to here – lovely. And the sky is cloudless......

We have had a good spell of marvellous weather - we are now into the second week, where the East of the country has suffered from strong cold winds and rain, whereas we in the West have had exactly the opposite!

Alison had mixed weather when she was here last month. It did not seem to matter at all and she took some spectacular photos! Her cross stitching of lorikeets progressed nicely – I am looking forward to seeing the finished article. It is painstaking work....

We did go to Inverness where we decided on some new double glazing and took Janet to lunch, we toured a little and ate out, visited friends and met friends for coffee – in the Shores,Restaurant, which is up for sale from now – Ian and Ann James, the owners, will stay in the village and carve out new careers I am sure......

And Alison went canoeing – something she had hankered to do for a long time – perfect conditions and a time happily spent!

We had guests some of the time and we enjoyed their company too. After that, though, we packed up and drove south, where Moira met up with us on the outskirts of Edinburgh and took the dogs - and we wended our way to Peebles, where we found a wonderful Italian restaurant. We stayed only one night in Peebles, then headed over to the east coast and north back to Edinburgh – it was a lovely trip!

On Alison's last day we headed to Gullane to visit a cousin and had a lovely lunch at Dirleton – such an unspoiled little village.......

Back to base and tea out in Davidson's Mains....where the family quite often eats, as it is just round the corner from the family's house.......

On The 29^th September I ran Alison to Edinburgh Airport at 6.30 am. We had done a dummy run beforehand to be sure we knew where we had to go! Alison flew to Heathrow, then Hong Kong via Iceland. Two days after that she was in Brisbane where her Mother and sister live – she celebrated her birthday there...

I came north on Monday, October 3^rd. The weather has been superb since!!!

Moira and Daniel are coming for a few days next week, the Edinburgh schools autumn holiday week. I am looking forward to that! They shall see the first pure white Highland calf born in the village little “Eilidh” is on the near croft at Dubh -aird and we wait for a little cousin to arrive!! The cows belong to my near-nephews Malcolm and David!

My last guests for 2016 arrive on October 23 and leave on the 27. I shall miss all the bustle and cheery company.........

Perhaps I shall meet you in 2017 – I hope so and know that Ruah and Duncan would like it a lot too!

Ann

Important message about Heron's Flight website

Dear readers, I am very very sorry to advise that the Heron's Flight website has again been hacked and the basic url will take you to a motor cycle website. Ann and I are very sorry and upset about this. Be assured that we are working with experts to try to sort this out. in the meantime, if you go to http://www.heronsflight.org/facilities.htm and follow the Home button back, you should get to the correct home page.
Thank you for your patience, as we try to get to the bottom of this problem.
Alison Hunter, website maintainer.

Malcolm MacKnzie, holding Plockton Small Boat Sailing Club's prestigious "Plockton Trophy", with crew David Skilling and Daniel Taylor....

September 11, 2016.

It is a very “dreich” evening here and getting dark already, at 6.15 pm! We have had very mixed weather recently, but tonight has not been the norm - strong – no, gale force – winds have been common and the rain, not too much of it though, has whizzed horizontally past Heron's Flight!! Sometimes it has been very warm too....

The village has been exceptionally busy. Heron's Flight has had many lovely guests and I have enjoyed meeting everyone!

Wee Duncan the Shih Tzu is settling down, slowly..... He is having to learn that here one does not bark at the postman, when the door bell rings, when one gets a fright from something as simple as a bush, much larger than he, waving in the wind! Ruah can be tolerant – but often her eyes beseech me to rescue her, when one year old's play time goes on too long!! Happily, Ruah does retaliate occasionally!

Alison from Toowoomba is here! She left home on August 19^th and had a holiday first in Iceland, on a fabulous cruise round the whole island; she saw the Northern Lights on the last night on board! – her photographs are wonderful!

She got to Glasgow last week and had three days with cousins. I met her train in Inverness on Tuesday – I was very excited, as you will all imagine! We shall stay in Plockton and do the odd trip away till nearer the end of the month. I have guests coming and going and Alison is getting on with here latest cross stitch project and walking a dog, weather permitting! We have many people to visit in Plockton too.

Then we shall drive to Edinburgh to see Moira and her family and another cousin. We may leave the two dogs with Moira and go to the Borders for a couple of days.

Alison flies home to Australia then – and I shall, with Ruah and Duncan, make my way home then too. I shall miss her very much..... As I miss Ian, the wonderful big brother who emigrated to Australia and met Alison......

Ann

8th August , 2016
Regatta over, family away, Dave and Denise here for a day or two - so the bread gets superbly cut!

Summer photos from Heron's Flight

Another entry in the very fresh bread cutting competition!! 
Ron and Lesley, Aberdeen, thank you for coming to Heron's Flight.

                                  Here are two guests at Heron's Flight  - with a dog each!
                          Ruah you will recognise........  Duncan the Shih Tzu may be new to you - 

                                                                Story next month!

July 11th 2016

Why do the months fly past so ridiculously quickly?

I hope it is not as everyone says - “Age, you know”!  I'm going to believe that it is because I have a lot to do and fitting it all in is taking day upon day upon day and so they just speed by!

Sam had a few days off and came north recently. That was unexpected and a rare treat for me.....  He is finishing off year one of his two years of hospital training.

The Scottish schools are now on holiday for their six week break and I have headed into another rather busy time! Daniel, 11, is here to keep me right - with Duncan, the newly age one Shih Tzu.......

We have, so far trotted – no, galloped – along nicely till now, with only a very few hi-cups. Tomorrow we are being joined by two guests, so I have ironed out all the “NOT ALLOWEDs” from boy and beast!! Daniel is actually a very obliging fellow and so I have a “runner” on hand!

Sailing continues weekly at present, so Daniel was lucky to be on board yesterday evening, with nephew Malcolm helming the local boat “Ajax”. The wind dropped right at the end of the race and Ajax did not finish – had she done so, she would have won a cup, as the race was one of a series....

That's sailing.

Tomorrow there is a training evening for the Topper class, small centreboards and Daniel will attend that.

I hope Catriona may be up next week. Her long time friend Heather, whom we visited when passing through Singapore en route from Australia home, is coming soon and they try to meet up each year. And then Sean, Moira and Colin I hope will come a little later. All this family coming and going means that I do not have so many guests just at present – but the house will be home for them after regatta, from August 6 – Dave and Denise, I'll see you then!  John, you left just before family completely took me over.  Thank you for the beautiful roses and treats for the dogs.

I'm re-reading this and have realised I have not mentioned the weather -a first!!  It has been very poor - enough said.......

Towards the end of this month my thoughts will especially be with Alison, my brother's wife in Toowoomba. Ian died while on holiday in USA, last July. I shall also be thinking of David and Valerie and their children.....

We all miss him more than we can say.

Ann

Mid Summer's Day

                            "The Boat" outside the kitchen window - coming into full bloom.......

Mid summer's day in Plockton - strong wind, rather a wicked sky and yachts in for shelter......

June 9th, 2016.

Let's get the weather topic out of the way!

Since days before my last post on May 11, it has been sunny and warm. It just got sunnier and warmer as May progressed into June.....

Twice Plockton was named on the national weather forecast as being the warmest place in Britain! I am sure we have before been named as the most windy and certainly the wettest – but warmest – unheard of!!!

We have had a succession of happy guests, wondering where the catch in the north west coast is – well, on or two evenings they found out – midges!!! But they have not been annoying or often enough to spoil our enjoyment. A bottle of anti-midge spray, from the hall table selection, is taken and returned, just in case!

We have had family visitors from South Island, New Zealand. Marilyn and her daughter Mandy were joined in Plockton by son Stewart, a geologist in South Africa. Janet and John from Inverness came too and the New Zealand trio, en route to Heathrow airport, were to visit John and Janet's elder sister Alice and her family. It was a lovely time here – with the perfect weather mentioned before! And the visitors left winter weather in New Zealand!

The colleges and universities are breaking up at the end of the year and students will be home for the long summer holiday – most of them will work in the local hotels, which are hectically busy this summer. The schools finish at the end of the month and then I hope some or all of my grandchildren will be up here! Sam is finishing off his first year of two in hospitals and his next placement will be in the Royal Infirmary in the south side of Edinburgh – easily got to and a lovely (if hospitals can be called that!) relatively new hospital. Hopefully he'll get a few days here too.....

Sailing has started for the season, with local and centreboard races weekly, while juniors have club nights on Tuesday and their races will begin this week, I think. The bay is filling up with yachts and the Gordonstoun Yacht is moored too. Gordonstoun is the school that Prince Charles was sent to – and I do not think he liked the discipline! The old yacht used to anchor just off our house and we have watched an errant pupil swimming round the hull once – twice – as a punishment for some misdemeanour on-board!

Gone are those days I'm sure.

I have enjoyed the company of all my visitors and tomorrow I'll say cheerio to Raymond and Denise, who have returned for years. It has been lovely having you to stay again......

Thank you for helping me try to curb Ruah's appetite!

Denise and Dave, thank you for your recent visit too – I look forward to seeing you again in early August!

Harbour Street, in the village, has been being patched this week – it was not the worst bit of road by any means – but now you'll glide through the street, avoiding the many pedestrians who do not like walking on the pavement, to Heron's Flight – do come!

Ann

 I thought you might like to see the "Forecasting Stone" , held in the blue rope, at the Blue Shed Cafe, at Torrin, on the Isle.of Skye.  I was there yesterday and the forecast was deadly accurate - shadows on the ground!

Angela and Richard Hough, from Buxton, in summer attire and heading for a day on the Isle of Skye - look at the blue, blue sky!!
Thank you for coming again, Angela and Richard.....

Saturday, April 30^th 2016

I know we do sometimes seem to be obsessed with the weather – but really I have to tell you that it has been very strange recently!

A week ago in Edinburgh the temperatures reached 17C and there were people walking around in shorts and Tshirts – in the late evening!

This week in Plockton we have had snow lying and freezing temperatures – yet, when the sun came through it was warm! What will May bring?

I was in Edinburgh for nearly a week – great fun with the family around and a little time to visit friends too.... Daniel was eleven a few days ago and he got his wish – a pond for the tadpoles he took home from Sandra's pond in Plockton! Colin and he dug and dug, Moira and I went for a liner and everyone helped lay down old carpet first, then the liner – now I believe slabs have been found to go round the edge. This litle pond – it is about two metres by one and a half metres – is now filled and Daniel is waiting till it warms a bit and the added weeds help ovygenate the water or the tadpoles will wish they were back in Plockton!!!

Catriona and Sean, two of my grandchildren, attend the Royal High School in Edinburgh. It is one of seventeen Edinburgh partially or completely closed as a major fault was found in the extensions built in the last few years, by the same company. Catriona, in fourth year and sitting national exams in about two weeks, has been housed mainly in the old school building, along with years five and six. Sean, in year one, is in a portacabin in the grounds, along with years two and three and ocasionally year four. This will carry on till June 20^th, the newspapers tell us!

Other schools are worse off, though, as the children are having to be bussed to temporary accommodation. As a newspaper states “At the height of the chaos, 81 buses were transporting over 7,000 pupils across the city”! All this started on April 11^th and some schools will not re-open till the next school year, which begins around August 10^th I think!

I'll also be busy in the garden, especially the front lawn which has been mown, scarified, had ferrous supthate put on, scarified again, fertilised and now it is nearly ready to be mown again – when I'll hopehully see that most of the black moss in particular has gone! I do hope all the treatments have been successful, as Moira and friends all helped with it, when they stayed a few days earlier on.......

I hope to see you soon at Heron's Flight.....

Best wishes

Ann

v

Here's Dave - he is one of the best fresh-bread cutters who come to visit!Happy Birthday to Denise who is eating the bread....

March 19, 2016

It has been a wonderful few days here, weatherwise!  We have all been gardening and tidying up after the long winter months....

 After the Edinburgh Family left last month, Ruah and I began the task of house- training Duncan the Shih Tzu.  We did not have Duncan as long as planned as a fortnight ago Duncan took off in fright during a walk with my friend, her dog and Ruah...  I was at the upholstery class and so joined the search as soon as I got home.  I phoned Moira and she came early next morning.  Lots of friends joined the search - a huge area, about three miles from the village. The temperature that night dropped to 2.5C.

 At 10.30am, about twenty hours after Duncan bolted, we were searching at a place called Achnahenich when Moira had a text to say a wee black and white dog had been found by the residential students at the Music School, attached to Plockton High School - her phone number is on Duncan's collar. We drove straight there, more than three miles, to find a very cheerful puppy, with his four new friends....

He had travelled the three miles,probably through the night, finding his scent and so back to Plockton.....  We are so very grateful to everyone who helped us search and to the pupils who took him in, who fed,watered and loved!

I went to Edinburgh last Thursday and Daniel was delighted to have Duncan home!  I do not think the house training was a huge success  - but he'll learn....
I enjoyed the days there and was home on Tuesday, in time to get the house ship shape for today and the first visitors.

I hope this lovely weather continues and that more people will take the road to Plockton - have you been yet?  Please come......

Best wishes
Ann.

PS - Duncan recovering on Ruah's bed......

February 20, 2016

It has been a busy month to date. I had exterior work being done at 35 Harbour Street, used by Dolan's sisters and brother for holidays and let out too, to pay for it's upkeep. That's nearly finished – only one window still to renew... The house is in a conservation area, so little is done to change it's outside appearance ever.....

At Heron's Flight I've had the wall above the fireplace “gouged out” and re-plastered. Despite many many dust-sheets, the mess was indescribable..Dust settled in the dust-sheeted hall and dining room too – anywhere it floated to, actually!

Last week when the plaster work was finished, room cleaned and repainted, the rest of the house was similarly cleaned and the carpets were shampooed......

The workmen will be back to renew the fascia boards and rones before the outside of the house is painted in April/May.

,

This was all just done in time, as Moira and the two boys, Sean and Daniel arrived on Wednesday! Colin managed up a couple of days later, leaving Catriona cleaning down in Edinburgh by the sound of it! She also is studying for her O grades, if the exams are still called that! They are early next school term, after the Easter break and holidays which are in early April.

The family must leave today, as school resumes on Monday. It has been a really lovely time, despite quite dreadful weather. Colin was hoping to tidy up bits of the garden, but that has been out of the question. I know they have a few hours today so perhaps it may calm down enough and dry up sufficiently to get the electric hedge clippers out! Happily Moira can work sometimes with email and phone, and she does here – but we had several outings including a meal at Plockton Inn, which we always enjoy!

And for some weeks Ruah and I will have the company of little Duncan – Daniel's eight month Shih Tzu! Ruah is to train him to ask out! I have already begun (with Ruah and Ryan, the black lab helping!) So to the door we ALL traipse, out we go, rain hail, wind or snow!!!

Then we shall go to Edinburgh or the family may come here again, and Daniel will have his beloved little companion back – and I shall probably hear the sigh of relief from Ruah!

I am looking forward to the first visitors of 2016 – around Easter time next month.

I am also delighted to know that several old friends are coming north again!

Perhaps you too may travel this way in 2016. I hope so!

This is Duncan.  He has, in hours, made himself very much at home, delighting in "sleeping" on Ruah's bean bag when she really needs a nap!  We have a week or two to sort him out......

Best wishes, Ann

February 20, 2016

It has been a busy month to date. I had exterior work being done at 35 Harbour Street, used by Dolan's sisters and brother for holidays and let out too, to pay for it's upkeep. That's nearly finished – only one window still to renew... The house is in a conservation area, so little is done to change it's outside appearance ever.....

At Heron's Flight I've had the wall above the fireplace “gouged out” and re-plastered. Despite many many dust-sheets, the mess was indescribable.. Dust settled in the dust-sheeted hall and dining room too – anywhere it floated to, actually!

Last week when the plaster work was finished, room cleaned and repainted, the rest of the house was similarly cleaned and the carpets were shampooed......

The workmen will be back to renew the fascia boards and rones before the outside of the house is painted in April/May.

This was all just done in time, as Moira and the two boys, Sean and Daniel arrived on Wednesday! Colin managed up a couple of days later, leaving Catriona cleaning down in Edinburgh by the sound of it! She also is studying for her O grades, if the exams are still called that! They are early next school term, after the Easter break and holidays which are in early April.

The family must leave today, as school resumes on Monday. It has been a really lovely time, despite quite dreadful weather. Colin was hoping to tidy up bits of the garden, but that has been out of the question. I know they have a few hours today so perhaps it may calm down enough and dry up sufficiently to get the electric hedge clippers out! Happily Moira can work sometimes with email and phone, and she does here – but we had several outings including a meal at Plockton Inn, which we always enjoy!

And for some weeks Ruah and I will have the company of little Duncan – Daniel's eight month Shih Tzu. Ruah is to train him to ask out! I have already begun (with Ruah and Ryan, the black lab helping!) So to the door we ALL traipse, out we go, rain hail, wind or snow!!!

Then we shall go to Edinburgh or the family may come here again, and Daniel will have his beloved little companion back – and I shall probably hear the sigh of relief from Ruah!

I am looking forward to the first visitors of 2016 – around Easter time next month.

I am also delighted to know that several old friends are coming north again!

Perhaps you too may travel this way in 2016. I hope so!

Best wishes, Ann

2016 - Happy New Year!

I went to Edinburgh for Christmas and it was just lovely to be with the family! Sam was working on Christmas day so we kept the meal (with difficulty!) till he got to the house, at 8.30... Sam’s now working for eight months at the Western General in Edinburgh – long shifts, but expected ... He will be there till about August and will then move elsewhere, to start his second year in hospitals.

Catriona, Sean and Daniel were all very pleased with their presents – as they grow up, the presents shrink! For example, I gave Catriona, Sean and Daniel a smart watch, which I am assured, will be used all the time.So the children had a present about four inches by four inches from me, instead of a huge box containing perhaps a model ship, or aeroplane or jigsaw, etc.! How times change! But then maybe not completely, as Sam asked for a Harris tweed jacket!

I came home for New Year – accompanied by Moira and Daniel!  I was delighted…… In Plockton for their first New Year, was the Sweenie Family, staying in their relatively newly bought house, less than a hundred yards from here! So we introduced them to a Plockton New Year – bonfire, fireworks, visiting friends and having others call…..

Moira and Duncan left too soon, but we shall meet again next month, when the schools have a mid- term holiday. I do not if I’ll go south, or family will come north – yet.

So 2016 is well and truly under way! We have been luckier than other places with the weather, missing flooding, in particular… The last few days have been very cold (mid-January) and there was a slight covering of snow and ice - the postman slid helplessly getting to and from the house one day, while I got to the car on hands and knees! I only wanted to shift the car up the drive, in case the conditions got worse – which they did not, happily!

I am beginning to think of the longer days and warmer weather when I shall again welcome visitors to the North West corner of Scotland. Have you been up this far? If not, do come – and come again if you have been before! I should love to meet you…. And so would Ruah, my Cavalier KC Spaniel, now eight years old.

Ann

Happy Christmas Everyone!

         Last year I headed to Toowoomba for Christmas with brother Ian and his wife Alison.  It had been going to be a surprise but Ian’s deteriorating health made me think he should know.  So he met me at the station – Greyhound bus for the last leg, from Brisbane to Toowoomba….  Sam, doing his Elective in Sydney, flew up for Christmas, not knowing that Granny was ahead of him – he did get a surprise!!  After we both came home, Ian and Alison continued to do one of his favourite things, travelling.  In Albuquerque he passed away peacefully.  I miss him terribly as we emailed practically daily and talked weekly, for all the years he and Alison were married.  Alison and I carry on this tradition, happily!

Again Moira and the three younger children invited me to join them on a week’s cruise round the Canaries – wonderful, though I   had thought I would not think a lot of such a large boat!  Then summer came, in name anyway!  My lovely visitors came and went, some now old friends, some new - all “enjoying” the worst summer weather EVER.  It went on and on till the very end of October, when the skies cleared, the temperatures rocketed and we had some weeks of marvellous weather – the days shortened and the clocks went back an hour and we were staring winter in the face!

My last visitors left before the brief summer weather began – Angela and Richard, you will see the sun again here!!  I did a bit of tidying in and out, went to Edinburgh for a few days and came back to yet more appalling weather, when gale after gale battered the coastline.  The only damage here was to the greenhouse – two big panes blown out….

Moira and Colin are well.  Moira is busier now, with frequent trips to London, in connection with her work.  Sam, 23 0n Dec 10^th, graduated in July, with Moira , Catriona and I there to see him become a doctor.  He is now doing his two years hospital work and enjoying it.  Catriona will be 16 in April and is heading towards her first major exams in school and still enjoying all her dancing classes.  Sean, 12 , is now in High School too and loving it – and his football!  Daniel, 10, spent quite a lot of time here in the summer, sailing and discovering the “power” of the wee outboard engine!  He has one more year in Primary School….

Christmas I may well spend in Edinburgh, as it is always lovely to be beside the family then.  I usually come home for New Year, though, as most friends are here and I do get a lot of phone calls from relatives in New Zealand and Australia then….  New Year celebrations are still very much in vogue here, as they were when the village was young, a hundred and fifty++ years ago.  Lately the bonfire on the island, with fireworks, has become the hub just before the bells, and then people visit houses as they return home.  As I live at the other end of the village to the bonfire, I may pop in to a few houses en route!  But if it is a stormy night, I shall not venture out, preferring to visit friends on January 1 – or have them visit here!  It is always a bit of a lottery, but by January 3^rd, everyone has usually seen everyone else….

I hope that you have had a trouble free year and that you and your family and friends will have a lovely festive time – Happy New Year when it comes!

Ann

November 9th, 2015

I've done it again - written a good deal and lost it.  This time I went to Google to check the spelling of Moira's little dog, a Shih Tzu, and my text vanished.  I thought I'd beat the jinx and write, not in word as usual, but straight on to the news page.  Well that does not work for me either!
Off I go again......

My last guests left on October 25th.  Angela and Richard, the good weather you have had many times before will return.....  I was heartily fed up apologising to visitors for the never ending rain and winds this summer - the worst in my memory and I've been here for fifty three years....
But my guests, bless them, patted me on the head and said they did not come north west for the weather, though we all knew it would have been a big bonus!

Today sunrise was at 07.51 and sunset 16.21 - had the sun been visible!!!   We have had strong winds too, but some very impressive skies.....
I always like to do some autumn cleaning, rather than the traditional spring clean and it has been done, with some very amusing times as I crossed my fingers that many, many pillowcases, blown up like balloons, would not take off and career down Loch Carron, or when it was a battle to unwind sheets from the washing lines!

The schools have a holiday in October and Catriona came north by train.   I was waiting when she jumped off the Inverness-Kyle train - followed by Sam!!!   The three of us had  lovely brief holiday, when we visited and shopped on the Isle of Skye (the shopping is a bit of a tradition now, in the Lochcarron Woolen Shop, when Sam renews his cords, shirts, etc. 

Monday November 9, 2015

My last guests left on October 25 - Richard and Angela, sorry about the weather!  I wonder how many times this year I have apologised, as it truly has been the worst summer we remember.  Bless you, everyone who patted me on the head and assured me that it was not my fault and they did not expect decent weather up here anyway - and yes they would be back!

Since then I've been busy.  I perversely like to get some "spring" cleaning done in late autumn and that has been done, in both Heron's Flight and "35", the house we let out.  The latter had a burst pipe and needed quite a lot of restorative work done.  Happily, that is complete and the two new floors and one wall look very good, as does the new water tank.......

The schools had their autumn holiday in October and Catriona came for a day or two, travelling north by train. I was delighted when Sam came out of the train behind her!  We had a couple of lovely days, visiting and shopping on the Isle of Skye and then popping in and out of many houses in the village.  Everyone was very pleased to see them again, as Sam especially has not been a frequent visitor in the last few years, as his studies came first.

Ruah and I are heading south at the end of this week, for a few days.  Ruah will be trimmed - she badly needs it and the lady who always did the necessary has retired.  Moira's little Shis Thu