Greenbrae Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast.

My grandson and his beloved Mr Fox.

2011-03-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

Sorry, just couldnt resist !
Nothing to do with bed and breakfasts, moving house, or anything. But this is my blog!
Well now, Greenbrae is sold.
The people who have bought it I feel comfortable with in that they love Greenbrae as we have.
A house like this, with it's history, it has been a real plus that, eventually, we have sold to those who will take the house forward whilst respecting what has gone before.
I am sure that a lot will change.
And when I walk out of the door, finally, it will not be with a large grin, which in some houses of our past, it certainly has been.
Greenbrae has been a joy to live in. Not without its problems and, usually down to me, disasters!
Greenbrae has been part of the Buchan countryside since the 1800s. I feel proud to have been part of it's history.
Rewarded, in part, by the many appreciative guests who we have catered for.
But, our rewards, to have lived here, have outweighed all that.
It is a house of peace. Daft as it sounds, many times, I have walked in and said aloud, "Hello house." and felt that peace calm me.
Part of the countryside, part of Buchan's history.
This is my last blog.
Although we are still here till the 15th April. The next period is packing up for the next chapter in our lives.
It has been a shaky, bitty start with my new blog, hard for me to finally accept I am moving, but if you are still interested and want to read, hopefully a light hearted of what happens next to me and mine, then look at Land of the Big Sky. Although there never will be the same uplifting views of the Big Sky that I have experienced at Greenbrae.

Amazing picture.

2011-03-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

It was taken by Ben Hall, via RSPB images. A pair of grebes courtship in the early morning mist. Whoooo wish I could be as good. Soon have the time but never will have the patience.
I have been watching too much Harry Potter. It doesnt work tho - Expelliarmus spell didnt work, everything remained where it was. Nor the one where you make things move. Like from the loft to the tip. All still there, well it has moved. Down here where I have the job of sorting it. Why does a daughter who is now a Doctor of Sociology want to keep folders and folders of coursework when she was at secondary school?
There is a big box full of cds and cassette tapes. Some of which I remember when they were all growing up and used to cringe at the language. Perhaps they are valuable now? Him from Nirvana is dead, so perhaps they are. Quite liked him tho.
There are a pair of Pelham Puppets, string puppets. Beautiful. I am guilty this time. I have hung on to them as I know they are valuable, but enough is enough. Car boot beckons.
I am having to stop Mike sorting stuff into car boot. Would any one really want a box full of electric cable?
They should have someone on duty at the skip to say, "Hey up mate, thats worth some money that is."
Or at least take out and have their own car boot sale.
Do you think theres a rubbish consultant we could call in?
All these years we have recycled everything and anything (ok mostly into the loft) but I refuse to move with it all.
There isnt room anyway, no loft for a start. Although there is a garage.........

Spring!

2011-03-06T10:02:00.000-08:00

And a glorious sunset.

We have had a week of beautiful sunny, calm days. Cold, but well above freezing. The sun is setting around 5.45. now. And it is light when we get up. What a difference that makes!

Mike is muttering about cutting the grass. We have had quite a busy little mole creating havoc on the top lawn. Thinking positively he is making some excellent compost.

A lot of my plant pots cracked in the severe frosts we had over the winter. I shall have to get outside and rescue the bulbs that are in them. They mainly contain my big beautiful lilies and I do not want to lose them. Problem is that the bulbs are now so big they could do with a pot each. I may well just bag them up til we move and then sort them. Probably far more sensible, as I can't see any removal men being enthusiastic about shifting tons of pots around. And I am not that enthusiastic myself.

I am not that enthusiastic about sorting the loft out either. Mike pulled a muscle bringing down some of the boxes, none so far have anything to do with us!

His car is loaded to the gunnels again with stuff for the tip.

The phone never stops ringing with people trying to book in with us, but we are full.

A friend of mine went for a meal at the Waterside the other evening and she said the place was full to bursting with men and women working on the power station. I remember a past manager there, who when something like this occurred had them sleeping on the snooker tables.

I suppose I could shove a few up in the loft once its emptied. Now theres a thought.

You just have to laugh.

2011-03-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

This post was to be called 'tearing my hair out'. But I came across this picture and began to smile.
I will not bore you with how our home moving is (not) going. Suffice it to say that this morning we had the surreal situation of workmen tramping around measuring to give quotes to our buyers who were on the phone to their solicitor basically telling them to get their finger out.
We just made the coffee.
After they had all left I got on with the day job.
Our two chaps erecting conservatories left. They wanted to come back next week, but we are full.
Our chap sorting out the power station is still with us.
We have a couple in over the weekend who have been before. So on with the bed changes. Power station had his bed changed, done every 4 days, and clean towels. The Conservatory 2 had beds stripped and the beds made into Super King Size for the couple. Phew.
We took a booking for the 31st March.
One area from whence our regular visitors come are the music examiners heading for the local secondary school.
As this is our last day of doing b&b I wonder if we should mark the occasion. I have packed up my piano key board, but not yet, the one string fiddle. So should I ask him to play us out? There is also a harmonica somewhere, and the recorder I rescued from the loft, and a penny whistle. We could have a real musical send off!

Stay calm....

2011-03-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

Rattray lighthouse.
Very difficult to stay this calm.
Thwarted at every turn it seems.
Plan was to go to new home this weekend and measure up to make the final decision as to what furniture would fit and what would not.
Today our buyers solicitors came up with new requests which will put the whole transaction off for more weeks.
By which time our new home may well be sold to someone else. No way are they going to let us through the door with tape measure.
No firm offer can be made by our buyers until we mark crosses on a map to say where the septic tanks are. Despite us having complied with the law and given SEPA ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP references. Andthey are also asking for building warrants for the extension which was done years ago and they do have all the planning consents, building warrants are by now waste paper, but requests to the council are now in motion, but councils take a long time , so more delay.
Tomorrow morning our buyer brings in his work force to quote for work he wants doing.
And we cant even go measure up to see if a chest of drawers will fit.
Alright for some.
Have decided to stop being a nice person.
Howsomever. Daffodills in bud, all ready to take over from the snowdrops, masses of them, all different types. All the trees and bushes are in bud and some actually blossoming, just a few.
March is my month. My birthday month. And when I look in the mirror on the wall above my lap top I dont look all that bad! Does not reflect in any way, shape or form what I feel inside.
BLOODY FED UP.

End of another day.

2011-03-02T08:36:00.000-08:00

Jemima vacuuming up the bird seed that has fallen on to the ground. And Smoky Robinson 'on guard'. There is wire fencing around their garden, so they can't just disappear to the river in the valley. Their bodies are so heavy that their wings don't give much lift off either! But they are happy enough pootling about, must be a duck heaven for them really. Jemima has started laying again, so I have one enormous duck egg a day.
We are full of paying guests. One chap working at the power station, and two erecting conservatories in the village. At the weekend we have a couple who have been here before, returning for three nights. Such a compliment when people return. Next week full again all week.
In between all the cleaning of rooms, making beds, we are sorting through stuff.
Stuff to recycle, stuff for the tip, stuff we are taking. The latter changes by the minute.
The top shed has had its first trawl through. This has all the tools, screws, nuts and bolts, leading to a car full for the tip. "Why have you put that in the car?" "Been bust for years." "So why wait till now?"
Our first foray up into the loft.
There is stuff up there left by the people who ran it as a care home. Incontinence pads, zimmer frames, enough cotton wool to build a thousand snow men, a Christmas Tree. Obviously the people we bought the house from just decided to ignore it all. Which is what we have done for years, but no longer.
That's not taking into account our additions. Or should I say the daughter's additions. They are all over 25 now, but we have boxes of Barbies, soft toys, clothes, school and university stuff.
So far I have rescued a recorder.
The rest - well.
And the times I have asked - go up in the loft and sort it. What you want to keep - label it and pack it properly. What I have is torn dustbin bags which I am having to sort through, boxes falling apart, ditto.
There was me thinking we could move earlier than the given exit day. I doubt we will have that lot sorted before next Christmas.
It might be next Christmas as we still havent heard anything from the solicitors.
Still, it has been a beautiful day weather wise. We have had a few lovely days which lifts your spirits. Ploughing continues.
Tomorrow we will be carrying on ploughing through the loft.

Our nearest village, when we move.

2011-03-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

Inverallochy and Cairnbulg are two ex fishing villages on the North Sea. Once separated by just a stream, this is now buried beneath a road. The road that leads through the villages and then left or right to the sea. Inverallochy has a harbour, soon to be upgraded. Whereas in Cairnbulg the fishermen just pulled their boats up on to the shore, and parked them between the houses. The houses were built gable end to the sea. For obvious reasons. But in todays double/triple glazing wouldnt it be nice to have had a view of the sea!

This was Inverallochy Castle. One of the "Nine Castles of Knuckle." Doesnt that just sound so spooky. Knuckle is the North East Corner of Scotland. Never heard that one before I started to research into the are we are moving to. Knuckle. Fascinating.

Cairnbulg Castle is still lived in.

Inverallochy has an 18 hole link golf course. Link courses are by the sea.

We have golfers from all over the world playing. Germany has no link courses and they find them a really enjoyable and exciting challenge.

I played golf many years ago but did find I got my ballet classes of years before that having an effect and always did some sort of pirouette when teeing off. It worked though!

Well now....

2011-02-26T10:40:00.000-08:00

Been googling the area we are hoping to move to. Quite amazing how sparse the information is. So - there's another task for moi.
One claim to fame is that Elvis's ancestors are supposed to have come from Lonmay and then emigrated to America.
Longside, where we live on the edge of now, has tons of information. It was a planned village following the Highland Clearances. Mainly weavers lived here. There is a book titled Longside. In our library, a limited edition, produced by the Longside Church of Scotland members. There is a book about one of the families that lived in Longside. Another book with photographs of Longside in the past.
All of the villages in this area also have tons of information.
But little info on our new abode.
The area we are moving to there isnt really a village. Scattering of houses, farms, but then there are three churches, virtually next door to each other, in the middle of nowhere, cemetery, church hall and school. One of the churches and the school are now residential homes. But who did they cater for?
There is also a huge stately home, owned by two young men now. We have visited there, Cairness House. Breathtaking. The amount of work that has been done there continues. It offers bed and breakfast, bit more upmarket than here! From our hopefully future home we can see the front of Cairness House.
Another stately home, Crimon Mogate is where our rotary joined with fellow rotary member, William, who owns it, and offers wedding packages nowadays. We had a lovely evening there, over a year ago, and you will have to go back through the blog to find the pictures. December 2009.
So, picture a lot of countryside, fields, ancient woodland, huge great piles of country homes and their estates, the odd cottage, churches, cemetery very gothic.
Really, really interesting.
But I am still wondering why these buildings came to be here.
So watch this space.
The nearest village is Inverallochy, on the North East coast. Did they have some connection inland? St Combs another coastal fishing village did have a connection with the churches in Lonmay I have been told. But why? Its a fair trek without a car, before there were cars, to get from St. Combs to Lonmay churches.
The best place to start any investigation in an area is to visit the churchyards and read the inscriptions on the grave stones. So I am planning on doing that.
As soon as I have sorted out packing up here.
Well now...

Looking through the window.

2011-02-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Apart from the pole which carries electric wires and the sign, 'Danger of Death' warning, nicely juxtaposed near the bird nest box, (but birds can't read), is a summer house.....
This is to be my studio and where I shall write me book.
Grow seedlings.
Sit and sup me wine when its raining.
Play opera cds at full blast.
House overspill of guests.
Well, that's the plan.
We are now waiting for our purchasers' solicitors to do things.
Yesterday was our meeting of the Best Of Banffshire and Buchan Bed and Breakfasts.
We had a lady who gave a talk on the Banffshire Coast, an organisation promoting tourism on the Moray Coast.
They are now using images of dolphins to promote their area. Most days you see dolphins, porpoise, seals, the odd whale, off the coast, not just around Banff, but all the way down to Aberdeen.
Peterhead is called 'The Bloo Toon.' Blue being the colour of the whalers gansies (jumpers) who set sail from Peterhead in the past to catch and kill whales.
Nowadays we watch them.
And catch cod and prawns instead.
Our group once had a trip out from Macduff on a wee boat called 'The Puffin', and saw everything but a whale on that day.
At Macduff there is also the Marine Aquarium which I have visited on a number of occasions. Well worth a visit, no whales, dolphins, porpoises or seals, but damn near everything else.
Eyeball to eyeball in some tanks. Wow.
Well, once the lawyers get their act together we will be moving fractionally nearer the North Sea.
Although closer to The Broch, (Fraserburgh), than Peterhead.
And a different view through the window.

Perspective of sunset.

2011-02-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

I like this picture as you can see the headlights of the car on the road coming towards Greenbrae. For me, who watches the sunset most days, I can also note that it has moved more to the right. And for those who read my blog regularly will note I find the moving of the sunset to still be a disturbing one.
I would have been one of those painted in woad, wailing as the sunset went down in a different place, but then I could have also been one of those who then decided to find out why. And discovered that the world was not flat.
Well, flat, does not describe my world at the moment. More spiral of aaaaarghs. Our deeds have finally been delivered to our solicitors and by tomorrow we should have sold Greenbrae and bought, the awfully named, Cherry Cottage.
Last night at Rotary I asked George, retired solicitor, who I love to bits, how to change the name of a property. His reply - just change it. So I will.
The house was called something awful like HILDER, Hilda and Derek, and they wanted to take that name to their new build abode. So our vendors planted a couple of (non native) cherry trees and renamed it Cherry Cottage.
Now, many years ago, I owned an end terrace cottage in Yorkshire and had a house sign commissioned and made, "Bag End."
Hobbit home of Bilbo, of now famed Tolkein trilogy.
When I commissioned the sign no-one had heard of hobbits, Tolkein, Lord of the Rings, and I was looked askance at for calling my house, 'Bag End.'
Indeed my Father was concerned at the possible link with tarts, prostitutes, etc.(?) Being brought up a stauch methodist he was particularly itchy about any such links and totally ignorant of Mr Baggins. In his mind set 'Bag End' somehow related to Bag = loose woman. Well I went ahead with it. I had a lovely wooden sign made which hung at my end terrace.
I still have this sign. Indeed it has moved with us four times.
What will the natives of Aberdeenshire make of it? Do I care?
Shall I name our new abode Bag End?
I think I will.

Rattray Head.

2011-02-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Fantastic sand dunes here.
When we considered living here, in the North East of Scotland, one of the places we viewed was the old lighthouse cottages and the lighthouse station, at Rattray Head. The latter looked, to me, like a lego house, and I said no way.
Subsequently it was bought by a couple who became friends of ours. They run a very succesful eco hostel in the lego house and do b&b in the cottages, where they also live.
As with most of our friends who are involved in tourism we meet up rarely, but always a pleasant meeting and, most essential, have a good laugh. It will be one of the pluses of moving that we will be able to see them more often.
Yet more decluttering and filling of dustbin bags and recycling, today. I attacked the utility room. Three bags of rubbish. I was being ruthless!
Mike said, "Why didnt you do all this before we had house viewings?"
Well, as did happen, none of the viewings came to anything, all of the offers failed for one reason and another, and you never know when you are going to want/need that bowl of screws, hooks, ancient polish, and just how many old tea towels were stacked up for goodness knows what, bottles of bath foam with 5 centimetres left in them, and so on.
I kept the flower vases in there and they have been packed up now.
There was an ancient box of Ajax or Vim, remember that?! Bloody good stuff, but not for todays sinks.
I also discovered we had 6 bottles of wood floor cleaning stuff. It must have been that every time we went to the Hardware Store to buy laminate floor cleaner and tile cleaner we also put in a wood floor cleaner. Weird. That has not been thrown away and will be left for the future owners who will never need to buy any again.
On the b&b front. Yet another slap in the face. We had a woman booked in up til 31st March. Indeed, we turned down the exit date of 31st March on our sale of the house, so as to be able to pack up after she had departed. Well, she didnt return after her weekend off. I am waiting to see if her cheque clears for the time she was with us, if it doesn't its the police, if it does I shall still make sure I have an enjoyable time composing a vitriolic email...
My diploma in Law enables me to discuss breach of contract, but my common sense tells me I am wasting my time.
A lovely sunny day here today. But very cold. There is a haze over the fields which indicates frost tonight.
We have a food inspector in tonight.
Will try not to poison him.
Fortunately everywhere is spotless, especially the wooden floors.

Downsizing.....

2011-02-21T07:52:00.000-08:00

I am amazed at the stuff I have accumulated over the years.
Going through drawers I almost had hysterics and foamed at the mouth!
One drawer had the contents of Christmas Crackers from years back right up to 2010. Unfortunately none of interest to the Antique Road show, tho theres a thought, perhaps I should hang on to them... NO. Although in a few more years? NO.
The reasoning behind this particular hoard is for the year I will make my own Christmas Crackers.
That just doesn't make sense.
I never will make my own and furthermore no-one ever takes the contents, hence the packed drawer.
Not that I am ever allowed not to have Crackers on the Christmas table. This year will be different, I can tell you.
I have to say that there is one useful Cracker content and that is the mini screwdriver set. Perfect for fixing your glasses when they lose a lens, or a leg, or whatever. Needless to say there were none of them in the drawer. Packs of cards for midgets, erasers, sewing kits - they go in the guest rooms, never to be seen again, so yes, useful. Then there are the cars, puzzles, rubber balls etc. just big enough to choke a cat or a child, the stapler - again for a midget, the pen ditto.
All in the bin now.
Then there was the cupboard with bath foams, lotions and potions. All almost empty, or as regards the lotions, only used once. Down the plug hole and containers recycled.
Despite all this frantic activity and bin bag crammed with rubbish I can't tell any difference....
Mike is finally recovered from a bad stomach bug. Rarely ill, I get used to him doing so much, its a real shock when I have to do it all!
House sale and buying ground to a halt as our building society has had difficulty in finding a post box.
Yes, I am being facetious.
Why can't people do their job properly. If they cant be a**** do they think of the consequences? No.
Asked to send on our house deeds over a week ago they have promised that "They are in the post today."
So our solicitors will have them tomorrow?
Well, no, it could be Thursday.
Now even I know the post office isnt that bad.
So - on with the clearing. Who knows what I may find. Watch this space.

Its not all ironing.

2011-02-19T07:54:00.000-08:00

I am the archivist for Central Buchan Rotary. On Wednesday we have our usual meeting, but this time its to encourage others to join. My task has been to sort through all the stuff I merrily wang into a box. And the box was crammed, I have been gaily wanging for two years and more.
Newspaper cuttings, all copied and laminated now. Photographs laminated.
All the letters of thanks for donations filed in order.
Menus, calendars of our meetings and activities.
Hope its impressive enough.
I have even mastered putting photographs on to a disc and then into a slide show.
I am impressed with myself but then no-one else ever is.
Rotary really is about FUNd raising. We really do have such fun together.
I just have to work out how to display all the items in the 'best possible way', (remember Kenny Everett?)
In between I have been sorting through all the instructions, guarantees etc. of things like showers, macerators, anything really thats been installed in the house, and/or will be of use to our potential purchasers.
On that note, I always did intend to write a book on how to run a bed and breakfast, which I shall do when I 'retire', but need to have something now! Well - for tomorrow, when our potential purchasers visit for some advice.
I have just had an idea! I could do a power point presentation! After mastering skills today for the rotary, I should surely be able to do that......
I had my ultrasound scan on Thursday. Imagine my surprise when I discovered I knew, personally, the operator (doubt they are called that, probably a lot more posh a description). But, this did mean that instead of waiting weeks for any results I was given them while I was still there.
Basically nothing in there that shouldnt be. Ha!
I am seriously thinking that, yet again, my body has decided to flag up STRESS, rather than anything major wrong physically. I have been down this road many times! Blood pressure, cant cope with stress. Lost voice for a year = stress (some people very happy at this one.) and so on.
So - if we really have sold the house - I should be fine. And, the consultant I saw did say this could well be the case. No pressure there then for our buyers!
Our paying guest has gone home for the weekend. I would normally have said, "Well you still have to pay for the weekend, " but Mike is ill, a rare occurrence, so I was actually relieved. She has a very early breakfast, which he is fine with, but I am not. I did it on Friday, but the thought of doing it again was not a good one. Sad - but one does feel ones age at times.
Weather report. Snow was promised, but on the hills. We have had some sleety rain, and the wind. But nothing major. The snowdrops are all out now, nodding away like fury. Soon the daffodills, the crocusses, deep breaths and imagine all that. I like the Spring, even though it means I am another year older.
Now who remembers Doris Day? She always insisted on muslin being put over the camera lens so as to portray her in the 'best possible way' - think I might try it.

Good hair day.

2011-02-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

Although a rocky road to get thus far.
Where was Alan Sugar?
I had an apprentice shampoo me. "Is the temperature okay?" Well, no, it has just taken the top layer of skin off. And you have filled my ears with water.
Later, as she applied the hair dryer, I got third degree burns as she forgot to move it about, and just focussed on one bit of scalp.
What we women suffer in our desire to be beautiful, or in my case, just passable.
Fortunately she did not wield the scissors.
I was out of the house while the surveyor refreshed the home report. One, I was booked into the hairdressers, and two, I might have done him serious injury. I was still around when he started and I had to point out the new flat roof...... Why can't these people list all that you have done since they were last here - and give you a pat on the head?
So - tomorrow I am away for an ultrasound scan. Last time I had one of them it was to see a baby. This time its to see that there is nothing in my stomach that shouldnt be. Which means starving for 6 hours before said scan. Unlike last time when you had to be so full of water you daren't cough or sneeze.
I remember a strange juxtaposition of t.v. adverts. One was about stress incontinence and the other about hay fever. I thought at the time, what if you have both.

Whooooooooo!

2011-02-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

Do not get too excited. It could still come to nothing. Under the Scottish system this is what it says, under offer. This means either side could back out, indeed we had a phone call last night from N. who said, "Tell me what the offer is and I will beat it."
As N already owns a successful guest house, I took that with a large pinch of the proverbial. But you never know.
Tomorrow is the refreshing of the Home Report. J has done our surveys from our original purchase, right through till now. He doesnt get any less professional and despite my every effort is not open to bribery. Joke! Although, having examined some other properties Home Reports, I wish he wasnt quite so professional. Or spoke about things which could apply to any house. But a prospective purchaser would automatically think, oh theres a problem there then.
One of the comments, "Flat roofs are prone to collapse without warning."
Well ours gave plenty warning, drips everywhere, so we had it replaced.
I bet you any money that that comment will still appear. Its on every Home Report he has done for any property that has a flat roof, even if it is a new build. So a stock in trade comment.
The other one is about seals round loos and baths etc. As a b&b proprietor we spend vast amounts of time attending to seals round baths etc. Something the Hotel Inspector is very keen on too.
It doesnt pay us to neglect any problems with the house. Not just for the paying public, but if you do not attend to things you end up paying more to rectify them.
As regards where we move to, well, now we are in the making silly offers stage. You never know. But the offer was turned down. So still in negotiations.
On the b&b front. We have a lady staying with us through March. Never, ever have we had anyone who had so much trouble finding us! A ten minute drive from Peterhead to here took her two hours. At one point we had a phone call from a local farmer to ask if we had moved the house! He had her on his doorstep and was telling her where to go and she said she had been there (she hadnt as Mike and I were both stationed watching for head lights so as to leap out and wave).
A lot to be said for SATNAV even tho one of the breed insists on sending people into the middle of the village, not the half mile out into the dark, dark countryside, but at least then they are easy to direct. Not someone who is in the dark, dark and doesnt know exactly which bit of the dark dark.
Had a bit of excitement this morning as I suddenly realised I had taken the wrong pill. Which meant, according to the instructions, I was about to go unconscious. Phoned the doctor, tried to explain to the receptionist , which included spelling everything. Hard to do when you think you are heading for a coma. Eventually, actually, to be fair, very quickly, I was phoned back by a doctor who assured me I would be fine. Which surprisingly immediately brought me back to consciousness! Now was that faith healing or just stopping me from being auto suggestive and stupid. Bit of both I reckon.

Well I did say downsizing....

2011-02-13T09:25:00.000-08:00

The good news is that there is enough room for us to continue keeping the ducks and hens.
Though after just standing in a howling gale and getting wetter and wetter, and ended up pleading, "P-l-e-a-s-e go in," I'm not sure that is still a good idea.
The language of ducks seems to consist of a lot of head bobbing. When their heads begin to bob towards the pond rather than their hut I am sorely tempted to do that Japanese thing and "Ha so" their heads off with a strong kick. But as it takes me all my puff just to go once round the pond and do the pleading bit I doubt I ever will decapitate them (I wouldnt anyway - but cant help the wishful thinking).
Anyway downsizing is on hold at the moment.
So - on with the day job. Ironing tomorrow and cleaning guest rooms. And everywhere else. Ho hum.

Swimming pool.

2011-02-12T08:29:00.000-08:00

A dreich day. Rain coming in horizontally. The ducks love it.
I shall so miss my view. When I sit at my lap top I have a mirror in front of me and in its reflection is the view from my bedroom patio doors. And the table and chairs waiting for summer.
Every window at Greenbrae has a view. Well, I suppose any window in any house has a 'view'. Our last house, in the Midlands, had a view, at the back, of our garden. High fences gave one an illusion of privacy. But when one of our neighbours decided to bring his t.v. into their back garden and we all had to endure Wimbledon whether we liked it or not, I knew it was getting beyond the pale. The front window gave a view of the street. Surrounded on all four sides by other houses I am surprised I remained sane. But then, I probably didnt!
We first looked at the west coast of Scotland. It just did not appeal. High mountains, pine forests, and the sea consisted mainly of lochs. Too claustrophobic by far.
I am continually amazed how, in a few miles here, you can be in totally different countryside. Yes we have pine forests, but also lots of broadleaf trees. Rolling agricultural swathes and then fields full of sheep or cows. And the sea. Right to the horizon, is the sea. You feel you can breathe.
When we look at houses, potential future homes, I am sure the owners think I am mad. As the first thing I do is look out of the windows. Just to confirm there are no near neighbours, plenty trees, and that my mental state will be able to relax. Then I can turn to the is our furniture going to fit malarkey.
As they say, location, location, location.

Fly away home.

2011-02-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

Rooks on their way home to bed. After an exhausting day following the plough.
There are two ploughs today. One at our side of the road, so any minute now he will drive past the bedroom, and I still don't know whether to wave or ignore! We always wave when I am in the car. But imagine as they plough up and down, with about twenty minutes in between, its a big field, how often do you wave, once? every time? So I will just ignore.
The heron is out there again, and four buzzards.
Smoky Robinson, our drake, is now becoming more adventurous.
He loves the pond. Now Jemima is showing him the other parts of 'their' garden and hopefully widening his diet to slugs. But he still panics when he hears a tractor.
Looking at houses at the weekend.
I wonder how many houses they actually show to the people on Location, Location, Location. I bet its more than the three or four that make it to the screen. I imagine there will be some where they go in and walk straight out again. Well, that would be rude. But I really dont think that Phil and Kirstie narrow it down to just a few properties before showing the purchasers.
Having said that, I know I am terrible at viewing properties as I immediately start transforming the place in my mind. I then spend a long time poring over the schedule and writing stuff on it like, 'paint this cream', and the favourite 'REMOVE'. Till we view another and I am at it again, this drives Mike mad!
He only sees major drawbacks, such as sloping gardens, how does he mow the lawn. There are stairs - which I struggle with. Only if I am talking at the same time as climbing them. He can't walk to the shop for the paper, we can get it with the postie! When you try to establish how he FEELS in the house all you receive is a blank stare. Men v Women I guess.
But as this is probably our last move, before I am placed in the septic tank, I am being particularly picky. Plus my failing health rather stymies me on getting the sledge hammer out as I have done in the past. Dont think I told you, but I was once featured in the Sun comic (you cant really call it a newspaper) when I removed tiles from a wall and it fell down. Well, ok, slight exaggeration, the plaster came off. (It did mean we had to totally refit the kitchen, in itself, not a bad thing!)
This has caused some arguments. He wants to, as always, buy something cheap and fails to see why it is cheap, needs new kitchen, new bathroom, another bathroom, electric heating (this from a man who is so conscious of his carbon footprint he could draw a picture in charcoal with his big toe), small windows, no access to garden, backs onto a main road = dead cats, and so on. And its a boxy bungalow, no way.
Whereas I have now fine tuned what I want in my next abode. The amount of work we have done here, all I want is to be able to change the decor, and make some new cushions. End of story! But I still have to like it.
Strangely, as I was typing this, a man came to the door whose company have taken aerial photographs of Greenbrae over the years. The one at the top of this blog is the first one, just after we moved in. The one that was taken last year is amazing. From the one at the top to the one we were shown today it is clear just how much we have done here. Greenbrae looks fantastic to what it was. I wish we could have had that picture on our schedules! Sadly, we had to decline the purchase of the photo this time around.
So! On with the search for a new home. Fingers crossed we dont have to join the rooks. I am not good with heights.

Ploughing a straight furrow.

2011-02-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

You can't quite see how many birds follow the plough on this picture. As often happens here there is also a heron in the band of followers. To the right of the picture is the River Ugie down in the valley, in between us and the strawberry fields, where the heron hangs out. There are often, also, a couple of buzzards looking for the worms turned up by the plough.
Last year this field was oats. Just guessing, but I expect this year it will be barley.
We havent had rape seed for a while, so it could be that.
I prefer the barley as it moves in the wind, and looks like the sea.
Rape seed looks very cheerful when in flower. Bright yellow as far as the eye can see. But then the flowers fade and it all looks very sad until they harvest it.
On the other side of the house are the carrots. Covered over with black plastic and straw. When it comes to harvesting the carrots there is a real hive of activity. Specialist machines for digging them up, loading them onto the back of great lorries. But as far as we are concerned, (and most of the villagers),we do not have to buy any carrots! A plus is that we have never observed any chemical fertiliser or weed killer applied to the crop - and they taste wonderful. I should point out here that when the seeds are planted for the carrots many grow outwith the covers and those are the ones we take. That is they would not be harvested by the specialist machines. Having said all that we have been told to help ourselves.
Just wish the farmer would get on with grape vines!
We have strawberries across the valley and watch the polytunnels advance. Surely they could be used for grapes! There are Scottish Wines - sold in Asda, and very tasty too. So why not from Aberdeenshire?
We have guests in tonight. They have been here many times. A great compliment when guests return.
I have been in a bit of a daze all day. Possibly moving on and having a different view to these fields.
Will I still get a photography award like my Strawberry Fields Forever? Where I just stepped outside of the house and there it all was?
You bet I can.

Just to make you smile - and me!

2011-02-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

Only thing missing, the glass of wine.

Ditto!

February must be the month of anticipation. Snowdrops just showing now, and green shoots coming up everywhere. The rhodedendrons are smothered in tight buds, and will remain so for a couple more months. Then it will really go to town along with so much more.

I wonder if I will still be here to see it all again this year?

But first there will be the daffodills, all the way up the drive way, and in the spinney, and all over the garden. Then the blue bells, masses and masses of blue bells. Tulips, the great big opium poppies, delphiniums. Better stop I am drooling.

We did have some sunshine today. But a reminder it is still winter, was snow, wet snow so did not settle, yesterday.

I was going to bath the parrot this morning but we had another house viewing. Thats three in the last two weeks.

What do they say about buses? They all come at once. Same as viewings.

Back to the day job starting Thursday, fully booked till the end of March. (Starting with a lovely couple who stay with us about three times a year.}

In March the daffs will be up and there are so many different ones here, including some that are scented. Just imagine a vase crammed with them. Keep you going through February. Just the thought of it, and the glass of wine can be drunk in any season. Cheers.

Up the ladder again..

2011-02-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

Our hallway.
In my healthier days I painted the whole thing. I said then I would never do it again. Of course it has had to be redecorated since then, but Mike has taken it on. Today I went up the ladder and did the ceiling.
Just before Christmas some of the roof tiles were dislodged in the wind. By the time our roofer turned up to replace them there had been some water come in and the ceiling had stains on it.
There are always things to do in the house and the job got left. Imagine our horror when we had the viewing and they wanted to come 'that day'. And they were back for the second viewing before we had chance to get the ladders out!
When we received the 'silly' offer on Thursday, there was also talk about us redoing the Home Report.
Do they still have them in England? We are stuck with them. It was supposed to save purchasers money. As they did not have to have their own survey done on every house viewed, then put in their offer, only to lose out when the sealed bids were opened, and had to start all over again. But home reports do have a shelf life, also some mortgage providers still insist on having their own surveyor do them, so there is still cost to the purchaser. Daft.
We refused to do this - and the silly offer.
Next, we have been asked to list all the things we have done as a result of the Home Report, and when, as 'they are still interested'.
Well, it costs nothing but time to do that. So we did.
It was quite interesting for us to see just how much we had done! Everything we could and afford. Some of the things on the Home Report one could treat with contempt to be honest, and any sane person would do so. F'rinstance, "There is evidence of mice." We live in the middle of the countryside, and despite three cats, come the cold weather the mice move in. They do contain themselves in the loft. Come the Summer , they move out (and, hopefully, get eaten. Well quite a lot do.)
The only things outstanding for us to do were the results of the recent weather attacks.
So Mike was outside replacing a guttering that had come down. Me up the ladder. Jobs done.
Our For Sale sign got ripped off in the winds on Thursday night. Our solicitor may want to put up a new one, if only so she can put UNDER OFFER on it. I wish.

I hate the wind!

2011-02-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

Probably the only drawback of living in the North East of Scotland.
I find myself eyeing up the trees that are around the house. One huge pine tree, that if it came down, would take half the house with it.
Our ancient roof on the 'old' house could well lose a few tiles and then if it rains...... Thinking positively, there is little rain at the moment. Our outdoor wooden chairs are all now gone over, strangely the light aluminium chairs are still upright. No! One has just gone. I am a bit worried about my wee body. I have to go outside and put the ducks to bed soon. Could end up in Moray.
When we had our four children aged 6 down to 2 all we could afford for holidays was in a tent. (It was actually very enjoyable.) Until we went to Whitby and camped on the cliff edge. And along came a wind, turned out to be the tail end of a hurricane. I kept saying to Mike, its getting worse, and he kept saying, shut up and go to sleep.
Then we heard, "This is the coast guard, evacuate, evacuate."
How do you evacuate four kids and a nappy bucket? Easy. The nappy bucket disappeared, along with my only pair of real gold earrings. The kids were thrown in the back of the estate car, and I drove it down to the site's pub. Only just stopping myself from driving over the cliff. I had the lights on inside the car to reassure the kids so couldnt see a thing outside!
Mike was very proud of the fact that our tent was the last to go.
Even the static caravans blew over on to their sides.
And the roof of the pub went too.
But we survived.
The next morning we loaded up a very soggy tent and as much as we could rescue, into the trailer.
Came home and for a few days had very steamy windows while we dried out the tent and everything else, draped round the house.
The tent poles were twisted and bent from the wind, but we did have them repaired and we did go camping again.
But since then I go on high alert when I hear the wind become more than normal.
And just an interesting note to all you who support wind farms. They switch them off when its like this!
Well, me - also feeling a bit battered.
"Do you want the good news or the bad?" from our solicitor.
Yes, there is an offer, whooo, bad news stupid offer- told them to put it where the sun dont shine.
On a positive note we are told by our solicitor (remember that in Scotland the solicitors are also the estate agents) that "This is just the start of negotiations."
Right - the ducks are now in bed. I didnt blow away, though very nearly.
No negotiations there. They were just relieved that someone higher up in the food chain (?) master race(?) was telling them what to do. They dont like the wind either.
I suppose that the lesson of today is no-one, or no duck, is completely in charge of their future.

Snowdrops.

2011-02-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

Late this year. Just seen only one clump at the bottom of our drive. So, not long now before we should see 'carpets' of them. Nature is the one reliable provider of the lifting of the spirits.
I spent the morning back on the day job, ironing, washing and sorting out guest bedrooms.
As one of the things I am being tested for is Coeliac Disease, I decided, this morning to forgo my usual breakfast of a slice of toast with Mike's homemade marmalade. And had a banana instead.
I had two boiled eggs for lunch without the two Ryvitas.
It can't be as simple as that can it?
I had no stomach noises to register on the Richter scale, no bloating, no churning. Hmm.
Apparently they have now discovered that 1 in a hundred has Coeliac Disease. It was always thought to be a childhood thing, but recently further investigations have come up with this that 10 per cent of the adults have it.
Well, god help them in Peterhead.
I decided to go to Morrisons and Asda to see if I could purchase stuff that was gluten free and that I would enjoy eating. This after googling (of course) and getting quite excited at all the goodies that were available. Sadly, not in Peterhead.
I did find bread flour for bread, always state the obvious, and pizza bases. But only white.
I eventually found in Asda, not in Morrisons, some crispbreads which look better than cardboard, yet to see if that is genuine. Morrisons just had some puffed rice which was so none appetising looking I thought it was some sort of house insulation.
And some gluten free muesli. If I am coeliac I would make my own. You could make a ton of it for what they were charging for a small packet. Perhaps it cost something to have the gluten free tick on your product?
No wonder you can get foodstuffs on prescription, if you are diagnosed, as the price for all of this was totally extortionate.
What I also found amazing was the amount of foods that does use flour, bulking agent, whatever.
All of the prepared, ready meals, especially those which claim to be HEALTHY. Presumably the HEALTH part of it is you dont cut yourself preparing the vegetables, or burn yourself browning the meat. And stand well back from the microwave.
It takes six months (might have got that wrong) for the body to recover from having gluten if it doesnt like it.
There is no way I could say hand on heart, "Well, I feel fine now." But there is an improvement.
The sad thing is I can no longer drink beer, lager.....
BUT I can drink wine. Cheers!

Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon...

2011-02-01T09:03:00.000-08:00

My sister in law had to be at Aberdeen train station for 8.40.this morning.
We had a guest in.
I just could not face driving in to Aberdeen yet again, so Mike went. He who is the breakfast chef..
First he asked me what he should take off the menu we provide, my reply of everything but toast didnt go down too well.
So I went to bed last night going over and over again in my brain everything that a full Scottish consists of.
Then the guest asked for scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. My look would have stopped the flowers growing.
My mind went completely blank.
Thank God for Delia.
Can't be many bed and breakfast providers with recipe book propped up and preparing scrambled eggs and smoked salmon.

I will lift up mine eyes....

2011-02-01T07:24:00.000-08:00

unto the hills...
I am not religious but I do like this psalm.
It was buildings that surrounded me yesterday. Great blocks of granite, built into great edifices, of all ages.
I had to go to Aberdeen to the Royal Infirmary to see a consultant. Parking fees are no longer required in most hospitals in Scotland. Which, of course, leads to there being nowhere to park.
Having consulted my map of the hospital I parked the car in a car park where I thought the clinic I was to go to was. There were no signs other than one pointing down an alley to a stone wall...
I espyed a girl in nurses uniform and asked for directions. "Oh, I think I know were that is, come with me." So we set off. After about a quarter of a mile and quite a few puffs on my 'emergency inhaler', we arrived at the Maternity Hospital.
"Its my first day, " she said. "I think you want to be down there."
Now we had walked downhill to get this far. After she disappeared I looked at my map and saw I was in totally the wrong direction. How I got back to the car, back up the bloody hill,without collapsing - at least I was in the right place for that - but I did.
I then decided to drive round and not walk again until I was sure of where I was going. Good job I had allowed plenty time.
Round and round, up and down, stopping to look at the map and try and fix where I was.
I eventually started to head for the original car park, but this time there was a man operating a barrier.
"Can you tell me where this clinic is?"
"Give us your letter."
He then handed me a parking permit, telling me it was the building with the revolving doors. The previous car park was now full. Time was running out and I could not see a building with revolving doors. I just ditched the car down an alley. There was scaffolding everywhere and I just hoped it wasnt where the builders were returning to or leave all their big machinery and I wouldnt be able to get out.
I then saw a young man who had a label hanging round his neck, "Do you know where anywhere is?"
"It's taken me three years, " he replied. He was a medical student. ARI is also a university for potential doctors.
He took me to the doors of a building, ordinary doors. "I was told there would be revolving doors." Me thinking, here we go again.
"Oh, there are, they are inside."
Needless to say my blood pressure was through the roof.
Not only was I physically ready to collapse but I did wonder whether to ask him where the psychiatric unit was, and get it over with. Seeing as I was there.
This did all take my mind off the sale of the house. Or not as the case may be.
The 'buyers' are still keen. So now we are back in the waiting game of them getting finance and then putting in an offer.
I really think I should have checked the wherabouts of the psychiatric clinic..

Our sitting room.

2011-01-30T06:27:00.000-08:00

For how much longer?

We find out tomorrow whether it carries on being or whether it's action stations.

It is very difficult to get on and do anything! The house is so clean and tidy I dont recognise it. I have nothing to do....

We have a guest in tonight and I have prepared her room.

We also have Mike's sister staying with us for a few days. Mike and she have gone out today, leaving me to twitch about.

It is a beautiful sunny day. But bitterly cold.

So - heres me, in the warm, just twitching.

January sunset.

2011-01-28T09:20:00.000-08:00

The spinney, gilded tree trunks, courtesy of the sunset.

The sunset is now at 5 p.m. as opposed to 3.30p.m. which it was a few weeks ago.

Just after the sky gets to this stage is when I put the ducks to bed.

SIX TIMES I rounded them up, only for them to glide off into the pond.

Today they have had their pond cleaned out and their sleeping hut has fresh straw.

If that were me and I were to come across a lovely clean bed I would dive in - to bed - not the pond.
I swear they were chuckling away to each other as I slithered and slipped in the mud, ducking under the pine tree. Perhaps they were wanting me to join them in the pond. Very nearly did.

Then, they both just trooped in to their hut, "Oh, you want us in bed do you? Why didnt you say so?" This after I had shouted, "Go to bloody bed will yer."

This morning I drove to the next village for petrol for the car. I just needed a blast of Il Divo and to get out of the house. As I was coming out of the shop I realised it was snowing and like an idiot asked this woman, "Is that snow?" She must have thought I was a tourist, "Didnt expect that did you, " she replied.

I also didnt expect every house that had been for sale for months on end to now be displaying, "Under Offer." And despite Il Divo my spirits plummeted.

Ho hum. Tomorrow is our second viewing of the house from the family who have not as yet even got their house on the market, unless they have since the first viewing. Slight bit of hope dredged from the depths of my soul.

On the b&b front bookings are flooding in. By the end of February we might just be solvent again.

May all our sunsets be golden.

The day after...

2011-01-27T13:35:00.000-08:00

Our Rotary Burns Supper.

Here is Tam o Shanter. Riding across the wall of the Bancar Hotel Dining Room. Cool.

So - the day after, today, was our Best of Banffshire and Buchan Bed and Breakfasts meeting at Monicas in Macduff.

Our first task was to collect Lucy and Sandy. Sandy had decided not to go as their Schnauzer had given birth two days ago and was not at all interested in the results. So he was having to feed the two pups that had survived. Lucy was making up the feed and ensuring Sandy let the milk cool, "Don't burn them, will ye."

So all the way to Macduff we had the troubles and traumas, (and loss of income), from this birth.

The other bitch who had produced pups - all still born - was already being advertised in the local paper, (due to loss of income) so we also had Lucy's mobile going off every five minutes with people wanting to buy her.

"Ye should get a dog, Jill, yed make some money." Hmmm.

This was then followed by the tale of Lucy having obtained a cat. She had said she would never have another cat, as the last one sat in the middle of the road, the main road, and joined the angel cats up above.

But having visited her daughter in Auchterless and there sat this cat on the windowsill, which her daughter said had been sitting there for three days, and no way was she going to feed it. Within seconds Lucy had it in her car boot and away home. This cat has now been to the vets, been castrated and micro chipped and is currently living in what was a bird aviary. (She has also contacted the Cat Protection League, who have no record of anyone saying they had lost a cat. I doubt they would have realised they had lost the cat before Lucy had it to the vet. And the Cat Protection League paid for the castration etc. so no loss of income.)

Our meeting went very well. We all exchanged stories of being snowed in, state of business, scams, frauds, and what was going on aroond and aboot. And had a good laugh. Also some very nice home bakes.

Monica has a beautiful house. She is also an accomplished seamstress. Not sure that is the right word. She produces the most amazing embroidery and cross stitch, pictures. Huge framed beautiful pictures. One is of a ploughed field, sheep in the next field, lovely autumnal colours. Another is of different plants and trees and these are not just flat stitched pictures but the threads used make it 3D . You want to touch. Amazing. Monica runs her three bedroomed b&b on her own, and I was put to shame as it is a lovely home, and immaculately presented, and she still manages to produce these wonderful works of art. Her garden is equally lovely. And she is older than me and looks younger in fact I hate her.

On our return to Lucy's to drop her off I went in to the aviary to visit the 'rescued' cat which was looking, understandably, confused. He is a really beautiful cat, ginger, which I do have a soft spot for. And very affectionate.

Its a long way to get back to Auchterless. In fact I am not sure I know where it is. I was sorely tempted to put him in my car boot. If only to save him from the 'main road'.

Strange mixture of attitudes towards animals I have experienced today. The deep rooted attitude in making money from animals. And then the wanting to provide a better life, equally deep rooted in another part of the psyche.

Finally home again. And the realisation that the animals here, who live with us, totally rule.

The ducks mess about when I put them to bed. The cats decide where they will sit even when it means I have to perch on the edge of a chair so they can be comfy. I get up let them in, I get up let them out. And theres no income at all.

Thats him done for another year.

2011-01-26T14:33:00.000-08:00

Burns night. Okay, we are a day late, twas his birthday yesterday. But as he has been dead for some years I doubt he is going to complain.
Such rituals! Addressing the haggis, then stabbing it..... The excitement is just too much. Mike got to drink off the dram of whisky - so he was happy. One of our rotary members recited the whole of Tam o Shanter, without a script, which was some feat, with modern technology, pictures from a 'notebook' projected onto a screen.
We had a quiz on Burns, which we didnt win, despite my having watched a programme on tele on his life the night before......
But I did win the raffle, as I do a bit too often to be honest, only time I have any luck, but as it was a bottle of white wine, which I dont like, I said magnaminously draw it again! Before remembering I had Mike with me who does like white wine. Fortunately, the people who had got second prize in the quiz and dont drink were equally magnaminous and gave Mike their bottle.
What was particularly nice about this evening was that Mike and I were driven there and could both have a drink. Albert, my fellow rotarian, was taking a guest. She lives just up our road so he took us as well. A rare occasion when we can both have a drink, in fact so rare I dont think its ever happened before.
As rotarians we are encouraged to bring guests and hope they will enter the fold. But as some of us chatted at the end of the evening we were all in accord that we like our Rotary just as it is now.
And if I were really well up in Burns I would be ending this with a quote from one of his many poems.
Well, I can think of quite a few, but not very appropriate. "A mans a man for a that "- well some of our members can be pretty sexist, though they are shouted down. And not one of us is a "wee timourous, cowering beastie" but the females are all as lovely as a red, red rose. So Scots Wahey, which I believe is another of Mr Burns, to you all.

Bullers of Buchan.

2011-01-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

Fantastic cliff formation, not far away from here. Smugglers tales abound, and puffins nest every year.
I find it quite amazing at the different shore scenarios within a few short miles. They go from swathes of golden beaches, to pebble beaches, to sand dunes, to cliffs. We have the lot. The steep sided cliffs with almost vertical roads down to small fishing villages, then the fishing villages perched atop cliffs like this. You could spend a life time visiting and discovering the history of each.
Greenbrae, being first built in 1860 something, has a lot of history of course. Most of which we know from being given some of the deeds, or copies I should say. I have them all in a folder to which we have added to, so as to be able to hand over to the future owners. With today's technology, there are also photographs in the folder. Some of before, during and after when it was a care home for Polish Men. Many pictures of what the house was like when we moved into it - and the changes we have made.
I dont think I have ever been so personally aware of history till I came to live here.
In our library is a book titled Longside, our village's name. This was produced by the Church of Scotland village members. A fascinating read. All the villages in this area have their own history. All of which are equally fascinating.
We also own a much older book, Pratt's Buchan. This is a first edition I came across in a National Trust second hand book shop. I bought it for Mike's birthday, some years back, and paid £85 for it. It is worth far more than that. Not only in money terms. I may leave the Longside book for future owners of Greenbrae, although it is much sought after. It had a limited run and all have gone, but we receive many requests from our ancestor hunters.
I will not be leaving Pratt's Buchan! We will still be living in Buchan after all.
We had another viewing of the house this afternoon. I doubt it will come to anything. But what a difference to have a couple who were appreciative, asked intelligent questions, and were here longer than twenty minutes!
I wouldn't mind, too much, handing Greenbrae with all it's history to them. There was no talk of, "Oh we can knock all these walls out." (You can feel the house cringe.) "Build another house at the front" (What about the views.)
Then the ones like we had on Saturday who are in awe of the house and it looks down its nose at.
I swear this house is alive. I well remember when we moved in and Iswear I heard a big sigh of relief.
I don't think I have ever mentioned our ghosts on this blog.
One, who we call the Admiral, is in the snug. (When the house was a care home, this room housed a retired Polish Admiral.) It is a lovely cosy room with the open fire. But sometimes the door will close of its own volition. (There is no subsidence here.) It can begin to close and you say, "Can you stop that," and it will! Forgot to mention it only does this door closing when you are inside the room. You can leave the door open and it will stay open if you are outside the room. And no the floors are not wonky!
Our other spiritual friends are outside. I have got used to it now. But in our early days here I would frequently see, when in the kitchen, out of the corner of my eye, someone coming past the window. I would go to the entrance door and there was no-one there. This was also experienced by others. " I could have sworn I saw someone come up the drive.".....
Some years after we came to live here we were informed that urns had been found at the top of our drive local gossip say they contained human hearts. Documentary evidence now in our Greenbrae archives.
Of course our drive way ghosts could just be the spirits of the workers coming to the cattle barns,which were at the rear of the house, so at the end of the drive way. Greenbrae was a dairy farm.
Note I said spiritual friends. I have been far more scared living in the depths of a built up area in the Midlands. If you hear a creak its possibly a burglar, mugger, or worse. Dawn chorus = car alarms. A crash means just that - your car windscreen gone. Or as once happened, a motor cyclist underneath your car.
Of course it isnt all Lark Rise to Candleford - not so many heaving breasts for a start. Or snakes under the wood pile, goodness how I laughed at this weeks episode. (Totally off subject here I note they arent going to make any more of LRTC as they are quitting while they are winning!)
Guess I had better stop all this meandering and will quit before I lose the plot. Cheers.

House viewing.

2011-01-22T07:46:00.001-08:00

About as house doctored as it gets. I only use this cover when the house is being viewed! Although my washing machine has a tub larger than average, I doubt I would get this in, and no way can I afford to have it dry cleaned every week. So for normal use, and cats, the throws are washable and a variety of colours and finishes and not that posh.
I dont think our viewers today would have noticed what was on the bed, as by the time they got to this room, their eyes were well glazed over, this being the seventh bedroom.
You know how they say the average family is a couple and 2.5 children? Well these two hadnt got beyond the point 5.
As soon as I heard, "Oh, isnt it big?" - my heart sank. According to Mike, who does the outside showing, the man was walking with stiff and rigid legs upon seeing the size of the garden.
Can't these people read?
What does their brain work out what seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, half an acre of garden, etc. look like in real life?
Apparently they have no family living locally and wanted somewhere for the family to visit.
I am still pondering that one.
Our intention is to get a three bedroomed house, hopefully with a summer house (if we get the one I want) and if there still isnt enough room the family can put up a tent, or go to a bed and breakfast! No way would anyone in their right mind have a house this size sitting empty most of the time - would they? Whoops, guess thats what we are doing. But not by choice.
Back to normality. Although with all the presentation, presentation, all done, I am struggling as to what to do!
I'll have a drink while I think about it. Good idea.

Brrrrr.

2011-01-21T08:43:00.000-08:00

Peterhead lifeboat rescued a windsurfer the other day. Can you imagine wind surfing in the North Sea, at this time of year? Brrrr. Or indeed at any time of the year. We have lived here for nearly nine years now and I haven't even put a toe in!
It is beautiful to see though. When I go to the supermarket I always drive past the sea. The multitude of colours, its moods, sometimes a mediterranean blue and very calm, other times, great white horses and other times just heaving away, looking cold and grey, and mountainous swells. Awesome.
Another day, today, of cleaning, mopping and tidying. It doesnt do me any good being this clean and tidy. I just can't relax. And the cats think its Armegeddon.
"Look at yer PAWS, they are filthy. Get out."
"You'd better eat every bit of that mouse, I've just vacced."
"Not on THAT chair!"
Back to normal after the viewing tomorrow.
On another subject. Many of the fishermen are deeply religious. Probably to do with putting your life in the hands of God every time you set sail, or power up the engine. Peterhead has many religious churches as I have mentioned before. If they have a fall out, they just set up another.
There are more churches than pubs in Peterhead, which is quite something for me having had my early years in Wakefield, which I think had a pub for every day of the year.
On a lighter (?) note, the following picture of a church notice board made me smile.

No further comment.

Another cold day.

2011-01-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

But with a beautiful ending.
This morning I couldnt get to the camera quick enough, hopefully I will tomorrow should I be presented with the same scene. A huge moon slowly going down over the horizon at 8a.m. Fantastic.
The other photographic disaster was a blob in the trees in the spinney. The blob was a pheasant, up a tree.... I have never, ever seen a pheasant up a tree. Unfortunately my camera would not believe it, well it wouldnt focus enough, plus there was a fair bit of shake as I was laughing..
The house is unrecognisable. Clean and tidy everywhere. Most times the guest areas are up to scratch, but today, every room - wow. Well, apart from mine own of course. That will get the treatment tomorrow and will make it most uncomfortable for this slob. Wont be able to find anything. (It will all be crammed in the wardrobe.)
I escaped this afternoon. Went to Peterhead and hit the charity shops. Did really well and came home with six books to read. Crime novels one and all.
So - a restful evening, up to me armpits in blood and gore - literary speaking.

Preseeeeent arms.

2011-01-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

Sunset tonight. Really uplifting. Yesterday the weather reminded us it was still winter and was bitterly cold, with a keen frost. But today we had a fine day and the water in the pond melted. This enabled Smoky Robinson to finally let loose.

Well - not just presenting arms, but wings. Jemima Puddleduck that is.
I am in the process of presenting, not arms or wings but the house. Here we go again. Another viewing on Saturday lunchtime.
Yesterday was what I call a doomy day. Where I did very little and was a tad depressed about not having any money, and having to struggle to get back to an even keel having lost all December's income. Thanks to Les Taylor Construction going bust.
Now, knowing there is a viewing, tho I doubt it will come to anything, as I have totally lost my trust in most of the human race, I must get on!
Fortunately quite a lot has been done as we have had this breathing space from guests. Like the library and the snug and the sun room. So not that much to do. In fact I scooted round this afternoon and tweaked the guest bedrooms, made a few beds, and did some ironing. So I do not have to do it all at a gallop, as in the past.
We have also had some bookings, albeit for May, July and August. May and July, something big is happening via the British Legion......Must find out!
And I should be at Rotary tonight, missed two weeks now, but no cash flow. Well, its flowing out, but not flowing in. I had a letter from the receivers. I do not think I am going to get any money at all. So - tighten the belt another few notches.
The fraudulent cheque from the Ukraine is now in the hands of the Grampian Fraud Squad.
I shall just regard that saga as a bit of light entertainment.
You have to laugh. Otherwise....?

A good sign!

2011-01-17T08:51:00.000-08:00

I have energy! The library - cleaned, and the shelves I moved into the snug, now back where they belong.

The 'new' t.v. unit in the sun room.

The really good sign - a beautiful sunset at the end of a beautiful sunny, windless day.

And the ducks finally moved away from my patio window and enjoyed the pond.

Smoky Robinson in the pond, Jemima encouraging him. She goes in and goes berserk, there water everywhere, wings beating against the surface, whereas I think he is a bit of a wimp.

I also finished the office and cleaned it. All ready for Mike to carry on with my tax return.
Which he has finished and submitted. This was the financial year where we put the house on the market, so there was a lot of money spent on repairs here and there and we were turning away bookings for viewings, with fingers crossed for a sale, hence the loss of profit. So - I dont have to fork out a lot to the tax man. (But still a bit depressing to actually see the figures.)
And fingers crossed we havent missed something major.....

I should also mention - it being a good day - that we havent had the heating on. My little signalman thing says the oil tank is still at 9 which is one down from full. Despite the horrendous winter we have had our oil consumption is still not as bad as last year. Dont ask - I dont know the answer.

Most days I dont even understand the questions. So -a good day.

My chair!

2011-01-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

Sometimes.
Today I set about the office. Why do we keep all these cables for computers long gone? Bits of printers, mobile phones, boy did I have fun. Having said that there is still a box with bits of cables in, someone, somewhere might be able to make use of them. I will put them on freecycle and see what happens. Bills from ten years ago now in a pile for shredding. Paper recycling box full to the brim and a dustbin bag quickly tied and put in the bin before I change my mind.
By the time I had finished (3p.m.) there was even room for a plant on top of the filing cabinet.
Just have to vacuum the floor now.
Well, the ducks 'found' the pond. Just as I was putting them to bed. They were having such fun I left them to it for a while. Mike had cleaned it out and re-filled it, so they could see the bottom, whether this made all the difference I know not. He had also cleaned out their house and put fresh straw in. Eventually they went in and I could shut them up for the night.
Then it was time for me to come back in the warm and relax.
If I could find somewhere to sit.

Rain sweeps over Buchan.

2011-01-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

A dreech couple of days. Although yesterday it did brighten up and Mike and Chloe, touring the Moray coast, had a good day. And remembered the packed lunch.
Chloe is off back to Edinburgh today. Mike has took her into Aberdeen for the train, and no doubt a snoop round a few shops.
I had to rescue Smoky Robinson from the drinking bucket. He decided to have a bath in it and got wedged. Ducks are thick. The pond is now full of water, not ice.... But he and Jemima still stick by my patio window, though I am now moving the food a few feet at a time to get them to get on with proper duck life. Beetle hunting in the grass. Pond to swim in. Snails and slugs everywhere. But no, they feel safer on the patio, which is now a muddy skating rink, and my patio window is so mucky with them wing flapping I can hardly see out. But if you move the food too far, they just don't see it, and would starve. I remember a tale from the chap who provided our hen hut. He had ducks and once moved their hut and come nightfall they were all stood where the duck hut used to be and he had a hell of a job to persuade them to get in the hut in its new situation. As I said, thick.
Well, its that time of year again. The tax man has sent us both a REMINDER. Mike has been ploughing through the receipts and stuff for the last financial year. Both of us praying that at the end of it I won't owe too much money, as I haven't got any, thanks to firms going bust and people sending fraudulent cheques. There have been enquiries about dates and prices but no firm bookings.
I have done my bit and sorted through all the receipts and put them into order. I should really spend an hour a week doing this then it doesnt take me the whole day.
And I get so fed up, Morrisons put the date on the top, Asda and Tesco and Lidl on the bottom. And B&Q and Focus, well.
I had to laugh at one receipt from B&Q which was for 'reinforced joints', followed by 'over 60s discount.'
So, now youngest daughter has departed, I have no excuse and must start attacking the lists I have been making. Decorating, cleaning, ironing, washing down patio, cleaning windows.
Probably first call at B&Q for some more reinforced joints.

A not doing very much day.

2011-01-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

Fraserburgh Harbour. Fancy having a fishing boat called Ephraim. Lovely.
Very misty and murky today. Mike and Chloe went off bird watching to Loch of Strathbeg. Not sure they could see much. They had packed a picnic, but returned for lunch, having left it on the kitchen table. No hope for some people. They went off again in the afternoon.
I pottered about waiting for some free-cycled magazines to be uplifted. Six months of a variety of House magazines and probably six years worth of bird watching magazines. Now gone.
Sorted out the sitting room where I had been moving furniture around. I was intending to hit the sales and buy a new t.v. unit and coffee table. Ho hum. What we had/have was from IKEA and doesnt really go with the leather seating.
Some years ago I received, through Freecycle, a dark wooden t.v. unit, its like a cupboard with glass doors. I had been using it as a games cupboard in the library, but have now brought it into the sitting room and am using it for what it was intended. Still managed to get most of the games in as it is so deep. The other games are ones we havent played for years so may freecycle them, or car boot them. There are a couple of charity shops who do furniture so I will have a trawl to see if I can get a more suitable coffee table. I shall be taking the 'old' t.v. unit.
The bank phoned. The cheque was a forgery. (I still have it, I had to scan it and attach it to an email.) I await my next email instruction from the robbers with bated breath!
And we had an oil delivery. So I have the heating on everywhere! Just for today while the signalman effort shows a big F.
The ducks are still making do with buckets of water to perform their ablutions. Hilarious to watch. Heads in, out and shake it all about and do a jig while they are it.
But the pond is still frozen. Not sure that Smoky Robinson knows what it is for but no doubt he will once its back to liquid again.
Talking of liquid - has the sun gone down yet?

A brighter day?

2011-01-12T07:19:00.000-08:00

Not many lighthouses atop a castle. But there is one at Fraserburgh, or in Doric, the Broch.
Also here is the Lighthouse Museum, open all year round, thank goodness we have some where to send our braver guests who come out of season.
It is a fascinating museum. Part of the tour is a trip up this lighthouse where it is laid out as if the keepers had just gone outside. Beds made, old radio at the ready, very 1950s. I cant manage the steps any more. The tour I took, some years back, the guide was a retired lighthouse keeper. Today, Mike and Chloe were taken up by a young man who wasnt even born when the lighthouses went automatic. But, apparently, still entertaining and informative. He said his uncle was a fisherman and used all the latest technological aids and didnt know how to use lighthouses (!). I said, "Even I know how to use lighthouses, if in a boat, avoid them."
While they were being tourists I went to Tescos. For a browse. Having no money, it was quite annoying as all the Christmas stuff was reduced to almost giveaway prices. However I did succumb to a box of chocolates as Chloe is with us and what the hell. There was also a lovely wrap around cardi in the sale reduced from £20 to £6. My excuse - wear when cannot afford to put heating on......Bottle of wine? No excuse.
I then went and parked up overlooking the vast swathe of golden sands where they have the Kite surfing championships. Then more down to earth I drove to the harbour past fish factory after fish factory. Then up into the town.
Fraserburgh is generally thought of as more run down than Peterhead. But there is still something about it. Quite different to Peterhead. I got the feeling it thinks of itself as more genteel?
Then back to the Lighthouse Museum for lunch. The cafe there looks out over the sea. Spectacular views. Lovely fresh cooked food. And an added bonus today - a long chat, (well if I am honest a full public relations lecture ), from Rachel who is the Manager/Curator/leading light (forgive the pun) and had recognised Mike from his days as the leading light of the local tourism industry. It is actually really refreshing to hear someone who is still as passionate about her job and tourism.
Back home. Opened the post.
Remember the booking from the Ukraine? And the oh dear I have sent you a cheque for too much money, just pay in to your account and then send the difference back? Well today I received the cheque! £6k plus. Wouldnt I just love to have cashed it! Currently waiting for my bank's fraud squad to advise..........
I just wish the criminal fraternity would leave me alone. Or should I ask for lessons?

Feeling a bit battered myself.

2011-01-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I discovered that I am an unsecured creditor and the company I have been dealing with has indeed gone bust.
I have every sympathy with the hundred of workers now without a job.
But I too might be without a job, or a house, or anything.
Compared to some, like the millions that were owed to the banks (sob) my debt is very small. But to me it is not small.
What really angers me is that all through December I was constantly being told that payment would be made and so I continued housing their employees and feeding them and keeping them warm etc.etc. Mike digging out the drive, daily, so they could return here safely. Right up to Christmas I was told this and indeed the men were booked in for this week, so I turned other bookings away. Surely this is fraud? They must have known they were never going to pay me?
Yesterday, following the phone conversation with the receivers, I reeled around fighting a splitting head ache. Find me a hole to crawl into was all I asked.
Today I girded up me loins.
Youngest daughter is with us for a few days and I felt really sorry for her landing here when dear old Mum was truly in the depths. She went off with Mike for the day to bird watch, only to find the road they wanted to go up was closed. But they saw deer, kites, and a crossbill, so not a total waste of a day.
I never stopped all day. Cleaning, tidying, sorting. Even looked at the bank details. .... Although I did do that through half closed eyes and sat way back from the computer screen as if it was going to come out and hit me!
The sad thing is my trust in human nature is severely damaged. And no matter how much I do to try and make things around me be sorted, and clean, and tidy, I hurt.
But the one thing I am also is an optimist, havent quite lost that part of me yet, along with the failing eyesight and memory, ever an optimist.

Can't live without you anymore........

2011-01-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Oh, I do miss me hens. So, we have six point of lay pullets arriving in February. This merry little band, on the wall, have all gone now. There were six of them. One got mown down on the road, two killed by dogs, one showed us that hens get worms and can die from them, and the last two we assume a fox fed his family. As the last two hadn't laid any eggs for over a year, well nature can be harsh, they became part of the food chain. Not to say we weren't upset.
So the next wee flock will not be free range. Sad, but necessary. We do have a very large run, which can be moved to keep the ground 'fresh'. So be it. When we kept hens before, years ago in the countryside of Yorkshire our hens were only let loose in the winter, and always shut up at night. Our last two here refused to return to their hoosie at night and so paid the ultimate price.
My one consolation for keeping the next lot penned is that it is far, far better than what they would be getting elsewhere. They will still have fresh air, daylight, bugs a plenty and all the other stuffs hens love.
We were reluctant to supplement the flock previously due to not knowing if/when/where we would be moving. But you can't carry on hanging fire like that. And even if we moved to the smallest house imaginable I would insist there was room for our poultry.
Whether there would be room for the geese I would love to have and whether Mike would allow me - as he has always said no! Well, I am working on it.....There were some fine specimens at the New Arc Rescue Centre. He wouldn't have to mow the lawn! Now theres a good enough reason. I believe they eat grass - and according to him they wouldnt allow him to cut it anyway but would chase him off. Hmmmmm. Oh, he also maintains they would be noisy for the guests.....
no - the Americans would lurve it.
This is a man who is scared of cows, despite my telling him the cows were just curious bullocks (check - no udder) and you just have to stare back and wave your arms around. Cows with calves are a different matter and should be avoided.
I remember many years ago, when my eldest daughter was small and I was a childminder with another small person in tow. We came across a man lying on a footpath at the side of a field. Scared the kids to silence. He had been attacked by a cow with a calf at foot and was in a bad way. I had to run, with difficulty, with two in shock toddlers, to the nearest house and get them to call for an ambulance. Shows how long ago, no mobile phones then. He recovered, though it was a few weeks before the kids did. It took me quite a while of reassuring them that the man wasnt a mad scarecrow and it then suddenly struck me that we had been walking through that field daily with the cows and the calves. Perhaps they saw me as a cow with calves? Scary.
Well - down to business. Another couple in last night from Aberdeen for a family celebration, ceilidh in the church hall. (We have two churches and two church halls, no pub, but you can't have everything.)
The big bummer was in yesterdays Press and Journal, our daily local paper. The company who have been so dilatory in paying me over the last few weeks, and now owe me A LOT, have gone bust.
Tomorrow morning I will be trying to find out if I am to be paid or not. If not, well it really grieves me a lot, in that they phoned the week before Christmas to say their men would be with us tomorrow for the week, and when I said, and WHEN am I to be paid? I was assured this would be chased up. I cannot, in all honesty, think of a bad enough swear word.
Anyway, back to more positive things. Lucy, remember, I Love Lucy, is bringing us the new flock of hens. Lucy is an avid visitor, customer of car boot sales. One of her many bargains was a pair of beautiful green velvet curtains which she paid a pound for. With one of the curtains she has had eight dining chairs reupholstered. Professionally. Whoooo. The other curtain she has given to me. In return she wants a bag of carrots. This means I have to (sorry - Mike has to) creep out in the dead of night and get a bagful of carrots from underneath their covering of straw and black plastic. The curtain, I think, is big enough for me to make a bed spread, a very posh bed spread! Worth it. So I have told Mike "Get out there with your gite". I think this is doric for garden fork.
If nothing else I extend your education.

A cat for a change -

2011-01-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

though he does have snow on him, most of it melted before I could get the camera! So though he looks as if he is infested with something you will have to take my word for it that it is snow.
Our guests are now esconced. The funeral was today. Village streets impassable. They do go for funerals, round here, in a big way.
Continuing my/your education on the language round here, a grave is called a lair. Now dont you find that spooky? Wolves have lairs. Hmm.
I was once told a tale about an English woman who was in hospital with something wrong with one of her feet. One of the nurses was asked by the sister to put something on to the foot. So the patient was asked, "Fit foot d'ye want me to fit this on?"
On a more personal note, I remember when I attended the sessions to help one to stop smoking and the leader of the group was from Fraserburgh, a bit further north than Peterhead. I could not understand half of what she said. It got so bad that the rest of the group thought I was monopolising the sessions as I had to keep asking her to repeat what she said. In the end I gave up - smoking as well. "Can ye just give a wee puffy down this tuby?" Was about all I could understand. When the red lights flashed I knew I was doomed.

I guess its boring here

2011-01-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

either snow pictures or ducks. Tough.
Some people like ducks. I do. Jemima and Smoky Robinson are doing fine. Today they did the duck dance. A good sign! Although to watch - hysterical. She runs round bobbing her head, he sticks his head in the water bucket and repeats and repeats. This is probably some age old duck dance. And one shouldnt laugh...
Last night was our first Rotary meeting of 2011. Whatever else happens we always have a good laugh. Sometimes thats the only reason I go.
Driving over the countryside in the black, black night is often a most reluctant journey. I have often met deer, owls and the odd escaped sheep on the journey, and how I havent ended up in a field after such meetings is a credit to my driving skills, well thats my opinion.
But once there - well - last night being the first after Ne'er Day(New Year's Day) there was lots of kissing. Kissing is like laughter, makes you feel good, well, yes, depends on who you are kissing. But generally its good.
Driving home last night was a bit deja vu. Snow, heavy snow, lying snow. Hands gripped on steering wheel.
More snow this morning. Only a bitty.
This afternoon I had my hair done. What bliss to have your head massaged. My toes uncurled. But then there is the conversation. Now what is a minty? I now know it is a minute. "Just a minty" = "Just a minute." If you remember that every word has a y on the end of it then its finey. Cardy = credit/debitcard. Other words are Quine = young woman, Loon = young man, wify is an older woman, there isnt, significantly a word for an older man. It is just, "Your man." Although sometimes it can be wify, or manny. I am getting there.
It's back to proper work tomorrow, paying guests, coming to a funeral. Like parcels there has been a back log.
On an interesting (?) aside we have one crematorium in Aberdeen and another in Buckie. Both a long way from round here. So there are currently two planning applications in
for new crematoriums. One of them is just up the road from us and the planning application includes a restaurant. Now my mind boggles at this. "Will ye be coming up the road for a fly cuppie in the morn? Dont forget your cardy."

I wish -

2011-01-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

I could have this lot every morning! Is it the Queen who has a piper every morning, playing them I hasten to add, she doesnt actually 'have' a piper, but then a man in a kilt does something to this girl. Mentally. I'd better stop this before I get into trouble. Perhaps if I play one of my piping cds it would get me going.
Its difficult to get back into the mode of doing things at this time of year.
The tree came down, all the decorations packed away in the loft. Everywhere looks terribly dingy (and dusty).
I gave the sideboard a good clean and polish. Elbow grease, use of, is supposed to be good for your stress levels. Physically I was whacked. Vacuumed up another chaffinch in the entrance hall. Culprit nowhere to be seen. Only two loads of washing today. Have caught up with bedding and towel washing. Ironing pile up to the roof. Perhaps tomorrow?
In the morning I went to the library in the next village. Decided to look for knitting books to inspire me. I have the wool, I have the needles. "Knitted Toys." was the only book on the shelf.
"We can order you some."
Well as I dont know what I am looking for that could be difficult.
On to the post office. Our nearest post office is also in the next village and is inside the Spar, which is also our nearest petrol station. It is most odd. You have two tills with people taking your money for petrol, stuff in the shop, papers, magazines, etc. Then two tills with post office staff alongside. Next to them is the hot food counter and you queue up for the post office next to bar stools and a hot drink machine. The only people I have seen at the bar stools slurping a hot drink is the post office counter staff.
I was chasing up a parcel that had not been received by my brother in law, had to be him.
Apparently it is more than likely to be in the back log I was informed. Well how come it was sent at the same time as one to Plymouth which did get there, and my brother in law lives in Sheffield. Hardly the place one expects a back log.
Still waiting for payment for two weeks before Christmas from the local company who are housing their workmen here, due to arrive back Monday. I know this is not in the back log as our postie says there isnt one and he is down to delivering the junk mail.
I phoned up to have a rant and was informed no-one is back till Monday.....by then they will owe me next week as well.
I think I will present the mens breakfast plates with a pile of i.o.u.s - but then, it isnt their fault.
I will never get over how wonderful it is to see the sun set over land and not roofs. Even if you havent seen the sun all day there is still a sun set. I did have a laugh as I watched today's sunset. As I pulled on my boots to put the ducks to bed, they saw me through the patio window and immediately trooped off and in to their hut. All I had to do was close the door!
Yesterday we had our first footers. I should have made them go out again and fetch a piece of coal, but it didnt click till they had gone. Lucy and Sandy (do you remember Round the Horn and Julian and Sandy?) (I think I am losing my marbles - before you even think it!) (Word association they call it.)
Anyway they have just returned from a trip to Australia. One of Lucy's daughters is living there, her partner works for the oil industry, obviously better paid than the oil industry round here, though that is nae bad.
Apparently they live in a glass house....so the poor girl spends her time cleaning. Now, to me, something is very wrong here. You go half way round the world for a better life and spend all your time polishing the staircase.
Quite pleased that I live here and all I had to do today was polish the sideboard.

I don't believe it!

2011-01-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

Trawling through the internet, I came across this. Having watched ducks for some years, and how they love to preen, then do a great big whirring and flapping of wings, this is duck cruelty. This was on a web site devoted to the care of ducks! It also said that ducks were nocturnal. I dont think so.
We have now had Smoky Robinson for four days. Last night and tonight I went out, as it grew dark, and said, "Time for bed." And off they both went, straight into the hut!
I have been ironing, still more to do. Made up both guest rooms now.
Re-covered a seat on a chair, and sorted some fabrics ready for cushion making.
Really gloomy weather, hardly getting light during the day, and more snow, though just a light covering.
No plans to knit duck jumpers.
Time for bed.

Farewell 2010.

2011-01-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

The last sunset of 2010.
I hope the rest of the year isnt going to be like its first.
Washing machine going non stop. Ironing, changing beds. Towelling up the guests' bathrooms. As I swept past Christmas displays I whisked them off to be packed away. The tree will be the last thing to come down on twelfth night but as I need to clean and only do that in odd bursts, where I have cleaned then that Santa and his reindeer went into the box. The cards have been packed away for label making next year, apart from the ones with nice messages in from guests, and peoples new addresses to be updated.
Mike was going to have a day off at the Loch of Strathbeg, our local bird reserve, but then the snow started. BLOODY SNOW AGAIN. I nearly went into orbit. Fortunately(?) it flurried a bit and then another bit, but nothing major.
The ducks continue to haunt the area outside my bedroom patio door, but are eating and drinking, preening and flapping their wings, so all seems well. Will not tell them what we are having for dinner tonight.....
And, yes, I have started on the wine. A new day, a new year and a new bottle of wine, cant be that bad then can it.

A new dawn, a new day, a new year and a new duck.

2010-12-31T09:55:00.000-08:00

Seem to be getting there. I moved the duck food and drinking water to where they seem to be happier, and both ate and dunked heads and drank from the water. Our original duck had not eaten anything since the other one disappeared, and Smoky Robinson therefore hadnt worked out where the food and water was, as he is following her around. So that was a relief. We still had the same runaround to get him into bed. But this time it was me that grabbed him and got soaked in the process!
So tis New Years Eve. The time for making resolutions. Why is it we are expected to do so and promise we will do things we dont like, and dont want to do? Well mine are I am NOT going to stop drinking, eating what I want, not eating what I dont want. So there. One I will try hard with is doing more housework.....Mainly so it doesnt pile up and swamp me.
I hope we all get what we would like from 2011.
Health, a bit more wealth, and lots of happiness.

Two posts in one day.

2010-12-30T11:23:00.000-08:00

Just had to show you this amazing picture that Mike took on my phone. The tweed sleeve is mine, and I am trying to choose a duck/drake, from these masses and masses of poultry that came to be fed. Pity there is no sound as it was deafening!

A Duck Day!

2010-12-30T09:18:00.000-08:00

When Mike put the ducks to bed last night, there was only one......
He searched this morning, still only one.
She kept calling, it was most distressing.
So - I spent all the morning trying to find a replacement. Eventually we were offered a drake by the New Ark Animal Rescue. After some discussion we decided to accept the offer. We were really looking for another duck, never had a drake, and not sure I want my daily duck eggs to have been fertilised. I draw the line at cannibalism.
So this afternoon we set off to collect the duck/drake.
When we arrived the man said he was just about to feed them and this would enable us to select which one we would like, and for him to grab it.
Then his partner came out and asked if we knew we had a flat tyre. This was after driving for nearly half an hour, including up their farm track, deep potholes etc., and me saying "This car is leaning heavily to the left and is extremely sluggish", and being poo pood.
It was down to the rim....
So Mike and the man set to to change the wheel. Everyone up to their knees in mud and slush.
Eventually wheel changed and we had the drake in a box in the back, donation made and came home.
Apart from looking as if he was going to fly home every five minutes, he met Mrs Puddleduck and followed her around making quacks which next to her deep bark sounded very falsetto, hope he isnt a gay duck.
We had spent so much longer at the rescue place, owing to the wheel change, that it was soon growing dark. One thing we had decided on that that was the time for ducks to go to bed, as that was the time that any foxes around would be arriving for supper. I wish I had had the camera on me. Mike came along, "Into bed, " and our original duck dutifully went into the duck house. Smoky Robinson, new duck, discovered the pond. Mike went in after it, thinking easy peasy I can get it while its stuck in the pond, but its bigger than Jemima and just leapt out and off round the courtyard, followed by Mike. After a few turns he finally cornered it and grabbed it and into bed he went. Smoky Robinson that is.
He is called Smoky Robinson as he is the most beautiful, shade of grey on his body. His neck shows possible mallard ancestry and his posture shows runner duck in his ancestry.
So that is the whole day spent on ducks.

The road to Greenbrae.

2010-12-27T10:28:00.000-08:00

You can just make out our roof on the right hand side, covered in snow, with trees on either side.
The picture was taken on Christmas Eve.
Today the snow has begun to melt and temperatures were, for a while, above freezing.
Our friends finally made it, bearing gifts. Not the same somehow, is it, after Christmas. But all very welcome. And we handed over ours.
Christmas cake, made by moi, with Wensleydale cheese. Pecan Pie, made by Mike and lots of little cakes made by Emily, and iced by Zachary.
They are all off tomorrow.
I might just do nothing and savour the quiet!
But far more likely will be loading up the washing machine, stripping the beds and sweeping up all the silver stars.

Wot I did on Christmas Day.

2010-12-26T10:29:00.001-08:00

I set the table!

Amy not getting the cracker joke.

Granddad and Zach doing a puzzle. The latter far better at it.

This afternoon I shut myself away and wallowed in my dvd of Downton Abbey.

Just waiting for someone else to cook the tea and set the table.

Job done.

Thats it then - for another year!

2010-12-25T08:19:00.001-08:00

Before the opening ceremony. (T.V. is on as the dvd player is playing The Messiah, one of our Christmas Traditions. - Not particularly religious, just love good music.)

The last present to be opened. Having worked with children for many years, and had a few of my own, I sort of knew that once this was opened that would be it. And indeed he even wanted it in the cot with him!

Probably my best Christmas present was that Emily, daughter number 2, cooked and prepared the whole Christmas dinner. Goose and the vegetarian option, starter and three desserts. All I had to do was open the wine. Something I am quite adept at. Surprising art for someone brought up as Methodist. I blame it on being a rebel and being forced to sign THE PLEDGE at the age of eight.

Now late afternoon and at least two people have crashed out. Our grandson lasted right up till the last present, had to be peeled off the car and took off for a nap. So he now has his second wind.

I have done really well this year, didnt start on the sherry till 10.45. shared a bottle of wine with Mike, when sharing bottles of wine does not come within my understanding, and am still upright, although ready for more - in a bit.

Got lots of lovely presents - though there's always one isn't there, where you think, what the hell is this? Do these people know me? Do they care? And the New Year's Resolution begins to form in your mind...............

A White Christmas.

2010-12-24T08:04:00.001-08:00

Amy, Zachary and Jonathon build a snowman. Apparently this is not the right sort of snow for building with. Well, that was the excuse for him being so small!

There is enough of it. We have had a lot more snow since I last wrote here. And it continues. Heavy snow showers early afternoon today, and more promised up till Boxing Day. Mike had to drive to Aberdeen yesterday to collect the above three. But once down our road the roads were okay. Or, as they say, passable with care.

Sensible Grandma back in the warm. Zach and I made the playdough yesterday. And had a lot of fun washing up afterwards. Today we tested the playdough. And again, had a lot more fun washing up afterwards.

Aunty Emily arrived in the afternoon. Another journey for Mike into Aberdeen.

I should say here that there was no delay on the trains today, just a small delay yesterday. All this doom and gloom at Heathrow and Eurostar, how come we cope in Scotland and have far more snow and lower temperatures?

Although less than half the family here the house seems full to bursting! So I am having time out just now before re-entering the fray.

Our friends, who normally spend Christmas Eve with us have chickened out. So we have rather a lot of savoury snacks, sausage rolls and mini pizzas, Christmas cake, chocolates and cheese etc.etc. to wade through this evening.

But then, there's more booze for us also!

A Happy Christmas to you all.

It is beautiful isn't it.

2010-12-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

All the trees are totally frozen. Or should I say the snow on the trees is totally frozen. We were minus 17 this morning and had to, yet again, defrost the outlet pipe for the washing machine and utility sink. But really lovely to look at. Sunshine all day with swathes of fog, magical vistas.
The heating is going full tilt so when you do go outside it takes your breath away. Literally in my case. Had to use the emergency inhaler once in to Peterhead.
Yes I finally made it out in my own car, not a four wheel drive, and it behaved impeccably. I am still amazed that this car starts every time no matter what the weather. It defrosts the windscreen in minutes. It also has a brilliant cd player so I have Il Divo full blast.
So I went into Peterhead to the sorting office. Produced my i.d. my driving licence, which does not look anything like me at all any more, but the bloke didnt even look at it. He then disappeared out the back and then handed me a few envelopes. "What, no parcels?" I said. "Oh" he said, disappeared again and came back with THREE parcels. Doh.
So I think no-one needs to panic anymore we are all parcelled up.
I found that Peterhead was far worse than even our village. We have the digger dumping snow into the back of a lorry and being carted off. We have snow ploughs. Peterhead was appalling. Anyone in a wheel chair, or with a push chair would have had no chance. Even I struggled as there were no footpaths cleared or steps. I staggered into Argos and that was where I had a couple of puffs on the emergency inhaler. Hurtled round New Look, what a load of expensive crap. Dorothy Perkins, in desperation bought two jumpers and two t shirts. Then drove into Asda, queues out the door, so left. Into the village round the digger, to the village shop, bought two bottles of wine and came home.
Tonight is a night off, last night was paying guests, tomorrow is non paying guests. Far more demanding.
Now then - back to business. I had a phone call this morning from a company wanting rooms for workers from the 1st February to the 31st March. They have to get accommodation for 100 workers. This is not going to happen! But for us that would be all three rooms, six workers, for two months. So as my current two chaps on a vastly discounted rate are returning in January and their company are not keeping up with the payments - I have a rather wide smile on my face.

Sun rise - and freezing fog.

2010-12-21T09:17:00.000-08:00

Got up to minus 10 today. The freezing fog cleared and we had a bright sunny day. But so cold.
The outlet pipe from the utility froze and all the water draining out of the washing machine, filled the sink and then flooded the floor. What fun.
I had so many layers of clothing on I found it difficult to move freely!
Didn't do very much other than what I had to. Cleaning guest rooms and making beds. The two chaps are off home tomorrow. It must be difficult to dig drains in this weather.
Tomorrow I shall be preparing the rooms for family visiting for Christmas. Just hope they get here. Though in Scotland we do seem to cope better than in England. Despite us having far more snow our trains and even airports are functioning.
The digger and the lorries are back in the village, digging up the snow and carting it away.
No postal delivery today, not even from our neighbour across the road. I shall probably leave it till Friday and then see if I can collect what is sitting in the sorting office in Peterhead. Most of my grandson's presents are coming here by mail from my daughter, his Mum, and obviously she is stressing about it.
We keep finding frozen bird corpses. In fact we could have made a pigeon pie, but one is never sure that they haven't just died of old age. Survival of the fittest and all that and, of course, the dead ones might be a bit tough....

Sometimes it's fun - other times.....

2010-12-20T09:38:00.001-08:00

Sith, our beast of Buchan, who is a very large cat, up to his hocks. He goes out waits patiently near one of the bird tables and sure enough out comes a mouse. If only he wouldn't insist on giving me first taste. And he still hasnt worked out that if the offering has fur he gets praised, if it has feathers he gets shouted at.
It snowed all night. This was the scene which greeted us this morning.

The rear of the house.

It carried on snowing till about 11a.m. when we decided to have a trip out together. Wow.

Mike had spent most of the time before this digging us out.

So off we went. Into Peterhead and Morrisons. Which was surprisingly empty of customers. Apart from my friend Albert and his wife. Albert is not a new man, and was leaning on the trolley, while Laura, his wife was zooming around dropping arm fulls of veg and fruit into it. We discussed the fact that neither of us made it into Aberdeen last week, to sell raffle tickets, which made me feel a lot better. And bemoaned the fact that we hadnt had any post.

Its funny isnt it when you meet someone in the supermarket and its, "Well have a lovely Christmas, see you in the New Year." and then you meet up again by the meat, then the milk, then the booze and everyone gets really embarrassed as their trolley groans under the weight of all the bottles!

We decided to have lunch at Morrisons, there named and shamed. I dont think I have ever tasted anything so disgusting. And sorry to say I longed for a Macdonalds. In fact, if we get out again, thats where we are heading.

Coming home was a real adventure. As we got onto our road I said, "I cant see the road." Mike said, "Just follow the telegraph poles, keep them on your right though!"

He then spent the rest of the daylight digging out the snow that had fallen while we were away, and the drive, so our paying guests could get in. They come from Glasgow and said they had no problem till they got here...............

But we finally had a mail delivery, courtesy of Jane across the road.

Unfortunately no cheque from our paying guests company.

Might just be naming and shaming them soon.

Like a caged bird...

2010-12-19T06:39:00.000-08:00

Phoebe, my feathered daughter. Now twelve. We got her when she was three months old. She has ruled our lives ever since. We didnt know whether she was male or female, but just assumed she was a she. Proved right last year when she began laying eggs. Yes, she does talk. Does a good imitation of the fire alarm, my cough, and a manic laugh.
We have to make sure we tell guests we have a parrot, otherwise they might think part of the house is an insane asylum, well it is, but then..
I apologise to my readers about the snow report. But, when you live in the wilds as we do it does have a strong impact on one's life.
Watching the oil level go down is not exactly the high spot of the day either! Rumours of shortages and high prices don't help. I am trying to work out if we have the heating on as much as we are at the moment, will it last through Christmas? We would survive as we have an open fire, plenty logs, and electric heaters. Electric showers and a dishwasher. So long as there isn't a power cut.
I decided after lunch today that I was going out. Took Mikes 4 wheel Subaru and got to the village shop. Watching other cars slithering about I realised that though I might get to Peterhead safely the way some of these idiots were driving and the state of the roads my safety was not in my hands. So I went and had a chat to Jennifer in the shop. Some of her shelves were empty, and I know she is a manic shelf filler upper, so asked if the weather was doing her business a good turn. Now I wont use some of her descriptive language as this blog might get removed by the adult content police. However her reply was basically that she has seen people she has never seen before, from the new estate, who have just hoovered up everything and anything. So far she has had few problems with deliveries. But she does gear herself up to supply her regular clientele who dont have cars and/or are loyal customers. She also told me that as the shelves were emptied by these incomers (my polite version) she did not re-stock the shelves. The stuff was all there in the back ready and waiting! And as she shot off - to the back - and returned clutching my favourite bottle of red, what else was I to do? Buy it of course. And then chug home again.
I passed the postie on the way and stopped to ask if there was anything for us. "Oh, yes! And a parcel. But I havent got it on the van as your road is impassable, perhaps tomorrow."
As it has only stopped snowing for about half an hour here and there, I doubt tomorrow will be any different.
BUT here is where country life really makes itself felt. Mike walks the mile there and back down to get the paper every day and today asked our neighbour across the road if he wanted anything. Our neighbour lives in the 'farm' opposite, like us, no longer a working farm, and he is the Fire Safety Officer for Aberdeenshire. In fact he does our fire inspection for us being a b&b. But his mode of transport is an 'ordinary' front wheel drive, low in the body, so gets grounded in the snow. He is 'working from home', not sure how you inspect places for fire safety 'from home'. Anyway Mike fetched him a paper. Now (confusingly) Mike, across the road, is married to Jane who works in the sorting office in Peterhead. So - in return for us fetching the paper, she is going to bring our mail tomorrow, IF she gets into Peterhead. So, there you go. Well you would if it wasn't snowing.

A Christmas Long Time Ago.(no snow.)

2010-12-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

I guess at this time of year, more than others, one's mind goes backwards. Then again it could be early signs of Altzheimers.
The blonde on the left with fag sticking out of her cheek is moi. Next to me daughter number two and the blonde with her back to the camera daughter number three. The other small body is, I think, one of my nieces. And the whirlwind in the back is my, long gone, Mother in law.
Don't we look to be having fun! It was always my job to entertain the small people when we visited the in laws. We had four, my sister in law then had 2 and my other sister in law had three. The picture is from a video that goes on and on for hours with this peculiarly strong Yorkshire accent telling them all what to do, and far too often - singing. I dont do that any more.
Daughter number three is 26 tomorrow. She just had a week being the same age as daughter number four, but we draw a veil over that one! Well, my excuse was I was a late starter and couldn't stop.
No pictures of snow, but there has to be a mention.
First time ever since we came to live here our road has had stuck cars on it.
The farmer used to be paid by the local authority to clear it, and he did our drive as well. No longer.
We have had a snow plough, but the driver is not au fait with the quirks of the road. Like there are two deep dips. So he has gone merrily along taking the top few inches off not realising that there are those two parts where the road dips and is therefore very deep in snow. So a constant sequence of vehicles getting stuck. People from round about have all come out and dug them out, but just before it got dark there was another one. This one must have phoned a friend as the next thing, as everyone was coming out with their shovels, a JCB with shovel attachment appeared and moved quite a lot of snow off the road. Three cheers.
The temperature reached a high of minus 6. It has continued to snow during the day. No post, though we saw the van go past (?) And I really am becoming stir crazy now.

It is one of my friend's wedding anniversary today. She and her husband are setting off for their celebratory meal in wellies and shovels at the ready. Let us raise a glass to them. Any excuse.

Today it snowed.

2010-12-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

and snowed. Picture above taken this morning. This is called a white out when you cannot see anything, in this case a field and the village half a mile away.
This next picture is taken this afternoon, just after Mike had set off walking to the village to post some cards. It wasn't snowing when he left, a brief, very brief as it turned out, respite. He returned looking like a snowman.

Our paying guests left this morning. I have been busy stripping beds, washing, and ironing. Our third guest room I have set up with twin beds for their stay next week. Currently they each have a room. But on Thursday part of the family are arriving. Daughter and partner in one room, and grandson next door. So our chaps are sharing a room for their last night's stay with us next week. Still having a room each till then. So mounds of ironing. Cleaning. Setting up. Also gave my bed sit /our bedroom a good clean. Presents piling up in there, all wrapped.

Still racking my brains as to what I have forgotten. I really have never been this organised. Even remembered to give the Christmas cake its weekly glug of brandy.

No postal delivery today, nor yesterday. Daughters who have ordered stuff to be delivered here now in a state of panic.

I was supposed to be driving to Aberdeen today to sell raffle tickets for the Rotary. As the day has gone on I am more than glad/relieved that I said I was not going. I hate to let people down, but it's not worth risking life and limb for. My shift was for 1p.m. till 6p.m. So I would have the rush hour home to contend with as well, in the dark. Whoooo, doesnt bear thinking about. Last night Aberdeen was gridlocked at rush hour time. As there's been loads more snow, and below freezing temperatures all day, I can't see there will have been an improvement.

I have decided that next year we will have our celebrations in June. Midsummers Eve, which is also our wedding anniversary. Instead of Father Christmas we will have Oberon, and Titania can get on top of one of the fir trees, fairy lights everywhere, fancy dress (I still have my wedding dress!) Magic. And no-one needs to worry about getting here. So far it hasn't snowed in June. Though there might be floods - or pestilence - or plague. I think I'd better think it out again.

It did exactly what is said on the tin ( ok -the news!)

2010-12-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

Strong Northerly wind bringing ice. This isnt snow, it is ice. It hurts. Blizzard of this stuff one after another, and still going. (4.4.5p.m.) All as forecast. It is supposed to turn into snow overnight.

We took the three cats to the vets this afternoon for their annual jabs and check up. On the news last night it also said that no way were the Scottish roads to be in the same state as last week. Well, today, not one road had been gritted and that includes the main road to Aberdeen.

My theory is that all the gritters in Scotland have all been sent to the motorway pictured on all the news where people were stuck and had to stay in their cars for hours. Just so the new Minister of Transport doesnt look like an eejit.
Meanwhile the rest of us in Scotland slide and slip, risking life and limb. What is coming down from the skies is drifting in the strong wind.

And no, we didnt get any post today, despite emails promising delivery today of this that and t'other.

I am supposed to be going to Aberdeen tomorrow to stand in one of the shopping malls selling raffle tickets for Rotary. Somehow I dont think that is going to happen.

No surprises!

2010-12-15T07:03:00.001-08:00

How is that for an orchid! Now in its second month of flowering, and I do mean this particular bloom. The pot it is in is the same size as a potty - just to give you the idea of the size of the bloom. The plant itself is more or less ignored, seems to work!
I put this as my picture of the day as you can guess what the next one will be. A severe weather warning for the next few days. I keep glancing out of the window waiting for it to start. We still have mounds of snow that hasn't gone away. The weather at the moment is so gloomy - its as if everything is just waiting.......
Parcels are beginning to arrive. Don't people wrap stuff anymore? I have just spent a good hour wrapping and labelling presents from other people! No surprises there then.
And the other event that was not a surprise. Our couple from Ukraine have just discovered they have sent me a cheque for over £6000! Would I mind sending the difference to their travel agent, once the cheque has cleared of course.
Well, if I get the cheque, I will be phoning the fraud squad or whoever.
So a day of no surprises.

I'm a little bit worried....

2010-12-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

as to what exactly I have forgotten.
I seem to be so well organised this year and this is a first. It has taken me over 60 years, admittedly, but I cannot think of anything I haven't done.
Parcels sent, cards sent, all decorations up, all shopping done, apart from fresh stuff. And still 10 days to go.
One worry is that I haven't received any parcels. But as the internet sellers seem to have written off Scotland totally I am not alone. I tried to order a box of wine only to be informed that deliveries to Scotland could not be guaranteed for Christmas. This was two weeks ago. Three day delivery for anywhere else in the U.K.
Have we suddenly been surrounded by a new ocean? Has Hadrian's wall become a moat? Or manned, yet again, by the Romans? What is going on?
All the daughters have sent their gifts to us (presumably to wrap as well!) none received. I have sent off for stuff - nothing in the post but a load of junk mail and the odd Christmas card.
And another ton of snow set to be dumped on us from tomorrow night and continuing up to Christmas.
Wish I still believed in that chap on the sleigh.
On a more mundane note. We received an enquiry from a couple in Ukraine, wanting a week in January. Well a week in January in North East Scotland does throw up a few alarm bells. However I replied with terms. They want to pay by cheque in the currency of this country. Right. At this point I emailed around to see if anyone else had had this couple make enquiries, and sure enough quite a few had. So far they intend to stay at at least three of our establishments on the same date. I am now awaiting the cheque which I expect will be for far more than the price I quoted and they will then email me to say an error has occurred, once the cheque has cleared would I please refund them the balance. And of course if I did, as soon as I did, their cheque would still bounce. So - I remain, yours in anticipation!

Where is Noah?

2010-12-11T08:10:00.000-08:00

Along with the snow melting, and the welcome higher temperatures, we have this 'orrid blustery wind. Poor birds. Frozen for weeks, now they can't get a grip on the bird feeders. Although the fact they are mostly horizontal means all the seed has spilt onto the floor, so they can get it from there.
We are a bit worried about our two hens, we havent seen them for three days now. One I could see turning up its toes, but not both of them. Hopefully, they are sheltering at our neighbours. Now the snow has gone they have plenty to feast on. Fingers crossed they are just at a worm orgy.
Our postie, who we have not seen for three days either, made it up the drive today. Among the junk was the payment from the construction company for their workmen staying here. So I will not be demonstrating just yet, praps as well given the wind, my placard would have blown away.
Ironing bedding all morning, Christmas card writing in the afternoon. Think they are all done. Although once the last posting day has gone I find that's when I get the cards from the people I have forgotten....I wish they would post early.

Tonight - the sunset.

2010-12-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Well actually this was about 3.30p.m. Red sky at night - just.

The two above are showing the melting snow, and the tracks of the tractors from some weeks ago. So as to show you that the snow is melting. As you couldnt see any tracks due to the snow fall the last two weeks..

Our road, at the end of our drive, which we use to go into the village and then onwards, is still a sheet of ice, very bumpy sheet of ice, and the snow melting is flowing down it.

To drive on this road is something they do not teach you on a driving lesson. However, you learn, second gear, no revving, not a foot on any pedal, just steer. With any luck you make the village and the treated road having not slid into the field from which there is no return.

Once there, in the village, you pray that no-one is coming from the opposite direction as the options are, steer into the pile of snow at the side of the road where you will remain till next March, or make them do the same on the other side of the road. If its a 4x4 coming towards you, even if its a yummy mummy driving it which is usual round here, go for it.

Once on the main road, remember where 5th gear is. Wow - a few weeks since you used that one!

Then its all pretty straight forward. On to Peterhead. Where they have had very little snow and still find it hilarious that you have snow on your car roof.

So a bit of retail therapy. And a tour round the charity shops.

There was a bit of an unpleasant side to today. I discovered that our local construction company who have been lodging their workers with us for some weeks now, and paying promptly, now owe us two weeks. As we are already giving them a discounted rate I am not amused. I have asked that they do a BACS payment (straight into bank account rather than a cheque) be made and there has been an ominous silence. This could be down to a local inefficiency of the accounts department. Could be down to a lot of things. However - this grumpy old woman is NOT going to stand for it.

Indeed, icy, slippy roads or not, I may be making my own personal demonstration across their entrance with placards.....watch this space.

So near, and yet, so far.

2010-12-09T07:48:00.001-08:00

The temperature is now above freezing and all the roofs are dripping. Later in the day we had rain. So the snow is going but on our road, underneath that snow, is still solid ice. The main roads are fine.

I went to the next village, in the afternoon. Chemist, Garden centre and Post Office. That was the plan. First I had to negotiate a calf deep puddle outside the chemist. At the garden centre there were so many builders vans there was nowhere to park within walking distance (for me). Presumably their roof was threatening to cave in, or sprung leaks with the thaw. So off to the post office. Succesfully posted off a couple more parcels then asked for 30 second class Christmas stamps. Not a second class stamp to be had with or without pictures. As I hadnt got into the garden centre to buy the cards I wanted I wasnt too fussed.
On the way home driving up our road, sliding, got stuck getting up the drive, what a waste of time!
Hoping for better tomorrow ......

No slipping and sliding today.

2010-12-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

There is a road there somewhere.

One of these icicles is 4 feet long. This corner of the house catches the sun first thing, after that its back to freezing, hence the icicles.

Snowed in the night and blizzards all morning. Watched a very large lorry, carrying animal feed, slalom down our road, which is only wide enough for one lorry, so that was quite exciting to watch. So as any of my journeys were not completely necessary I didnt go anywhere.

Got all my chores done. Wrote some Christmas cards. Realised I haven't got enough.

Did my round robin effort, this to those who always do me one. Theirs is usually how well they and theirs have done in the year which makes you want to vomit, or alternatively there are the doom and gloom merchants - who has died, who has the most awful illness (in graphic detail), who isnt expected to live the year out and so on.

Mine is usually headed by the best photo I can find. The words consist of, "Still here, still for sale. All well."

Which I suppose I could write in the card, some of my friends and family I do limit it to that. But I do enjoy the excuse of sending a photo of me looking glamorous and beaming, well sending it to some people I do!

Then I wrapped up parcels. Why do I always get backache packing parcels? I have learnt over the years just to do a few at a time. Is it wrestling with the sellotape, which usually takes the top layers of my lips off? Finding the piece of paper I measured and cut has shrunk? It doesnt matter how hard I try my presents always look like something the cat dragged in and I am put to shame by the beautifully wrapped and presented gifts I receive. At least no-one hesitates to open mine whereas the beautifully wrapped ones one feels one should never touch let alone tear the paper. And very often what's inside you find should probably have been better left wrapped. Aren't I awful.

When ? Is it going to stop?

2010-12-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken at 9.30p.m. Temperature has never got above freezing since it all started.
Those poor people stuck in it in their cars for hours.... I couldn't last an hour without needing the loo, what does one do? Along with the shovel you pack a funnel and an empty plastic bottle? Good idea, must remember that next time I journey to the post office.
Only found out today that when they put salt on the road it dosnt work if the temperature is below -10. Thats why we are all sliding all over the place.
One couldn't really say we were snowed in, as the snow has been moved by Mike and the snow plough, but that leaves the surface of ice. No car journey at the moment is without its sideways slide, or slalom, wish I knew the correct terms for all these, but I always found skiing/skating programmes totally boring.(Apart from the Bolero thingy) Fortunately I do remember my Dad's advice on driving in the snow, "drive into the skid," problem is you end up facing the way you have come from.
I also have a memory from many years back at braking on seeing a dog amble across the road in front of me, car went into a skid, I drove into it, hit a car parked at the side of the road and watched a huge shower of newspaper go up and cascade down. Them were the days, "Bit of fibreglass and newspaper, good as new." The owner of the car did not want to take the matter further! "Just done it up, no problem, soon fix it."
Still the snow comes down, and freezes, you actually need a pick axe to move it now. Mike bought one of the snow shovels, the large plastic ones. What a waste of money! Might use it as a fan in the summer.

Fed up of the cold.

2010-12-06T09:46:00.001-08:00

Picture courtesy of the RSPB.

At least I can be inside!

Our local authority is going round the village scooping up the snow and putting it in the back of lorries and they then are taking it away. Where to? The mind boggles. The ski slopes have plenty. We have plenty. So where is it going to? So today as I went to the next village for the post office I had to wait while this lorry was filled with snow before proceeding. So, yes, road blocked by snow!

Started posting off parcels. I have three quite large ones, so just took one of them today. All I could carry. Another one tomorrow, weather permitting, then the last big one. Then down to smaller ones, yet to be wrapped. Still haven't done the cards. Changing beds and cleaning rooms took up most of the day.

A friend of mine talked about tweaking her Christmas tree. Ours went up on Saturday, since then we have spent some considerable time trying to make the damn thing straight. We get it straight. It is stood in a special holder and bolts screw into the trunk - so how does it manage to move at all? This all happened since the fairy went up......Now that fairy is as old as me. Each year we give her a new crown, this year she has a tartan cummerbund, perhaps she doesnt like that? Whatever, come back into the sitting room and there she is pointing at the floor.

I think she has become - like me - a grumpy old woman.

That's better.

2010-12-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas tree - done. And banister.

I have told Mike that next year he must stop me from buying any more decorations. I actually have enough left to do another tree! Of course there is always the hope we will be in different surroundings by next Christmas, yes, I know I said that last year.

We have had more snow today. Not a lot, but there is more threatened. Some of the roof snow was melting and as the ice had brought down a gutter we have had some leaks into the office. Bucket in place. Mike is fighting a cold but even so, had there not been more snow, was going to go outside to fix the gutter. All he has managed to do is feed the birds, ducks and hens at least twice, and then dosed himself and stayed warm.

Apart from finishing off the decorations (possibly!) I did some more ironing. Tomorrow, weather permitting, our paying guests are back so I have two rooms to change and set up.

Because of that I still don't feel particularly Christmassy! Surrounded by bags of cards to write, presents to wrap, lists of more to buy, as always its become more of a chore. Vying with the lists of work to do for guests.

So in the meantime, I am sitting in the warm. Looking out onto the cold, cold snow. Ah but theres a star!

Whooooo.

More snow.

2010-12-04T07:27:00.000-08:00

Did some ironing of the bedding this morning. Nothing new there then.

Then we went for the Christmas Tree. Up to Auchtydonald, or Berryfields Farm Shop as it is now called. Its where most of the year there are strawberry and raspberry plants growing in poly tunnels, remember my photograph, Strawberry Fields Forever? There is also a farm shop there now, where you can buy frozen raspberries and strawberries so you can carry on jam making throughout the year. So we got some of them as well. The trees used to be from the farm, some of them still are, but the taller ones have had to be imported as the farmer went a bit mad with his own and is now having to wait for a few more to get bigger. The trees were in a barn at the back, we then had to return to the shop to pay. I got stuck on the incline up to the shop car park and after a few goes managed it - to a round of applause. Why do some men think women can't drive?

Here is Santa and one of his reindeer. Halfway up the first corridor.

Sith not impressed with his new mates on the boiler cupboard in the entrance hall.

And a half dressed Christmas Tree.

Part of the banister. Also unfinished. It will have some tinsel type stuff wrapped round as well.

But you get the idea.

Whilst decorating the tree the snow came down again. Before that it had been rain which, landing on the ground, instantly turned to ice, so I was glad we didnt have to go out again.

Then it turned into proper snow.

No excuse or escape for me - I will have to carry on with ironing.

Far away Family.

2010-12-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

My grandson Zach showing me where his cheeks are! Via Skype. He also said, "Grandma" for the first time. Which doubled the pile of presents for him under the tree in an instant!

22 days to go. As I had been indoors for two days I decided this morning to go out. Our nearest supermarket is ASDA. Quite a small one. So that is where I headed. First I had to be dug out, well hacked out more like. The snow is now solid ice. We were minus 15 at 9a.m. this morning with the sun up. I reversed okay but when I tried to then turn and head off down the drive I got wedged. Mike came and did the necessary (with a fair bit of shouting - not that way!) Off I tootled. Down the road which was white all over, into the village, and onto the main road, which was almost the same. Where was the plough? The gritter? Stuck somewhere, or busier elsewhere...At a sedate pace I made it to ASDA. If they can clear their car park and walkways why can't the council? It was like being in the desert and coming across an Oasis!

Spent quite a while in the supermarket looking for costly gifts, came back with a few, and some wine....

Mike spent the afternoon hacking away at the ice/snow so I dont get stuck again, nor does anyone else. Havent seen the postie today. But tomorrow we go and get the Christmas Tree. It has to be my car as Mike's has a flat tyre, that being the four wheel drive too, but after hacking away at the drive in sub zero temperatures he does not want to get out the foot pump.

In the afternoon I again Skyped this time my daughter Polly in Lincoln. She has a bad cold and throat and cough probably not helped by a 5 hour journey to get home Wednesday night for a 9 mile journey. Also the Christmas Market in Lincoln has been cancelled. First time in the 25 years it has been going. The local shopkeepers make more during that market than the whole of the year, my heart goes out to them. Yes the snow is pretty but what damage it can do.

We have been lucky that our two guests only missed one night here. Due back next week and right up till Christmas. Which means I can afford to go to ASDA again!

The Last Supper!

2010-12-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

Taken at 3.45p.m. today, a wee blue tit stocks up for the night.

Snow report. More of the same for most of the day. Probably two foot of it now.

We had the snow plough this afternoon. What good it did - not a lot - it goes so fast. Big tractor with a pointed plough effort on the front. Went up then down, the few of us who live on this road and dont just use it as a short cut then had to go down to the bottom of our drives and remove the snow that the plough has cast to it's side......so we can get out and use the road. Hooray.

Mike walked the half mile to the village to get the paper. I cleaned and placed my decs aroond and aboot. These are the Santas, snowmen and reindeer which are about 18 inches tall. I will do a picture when I have decided they are to stay where I have positioned them. Hopefully we will get the tree this Saturday and the rest of the stuff out. I usually decorate our stairs as it has a lovely banister.

Do I sound organised and calm? Well I am not. I havent done the cards, havent got anywhere with buying of costly gifts. Just considering whether to panic now or later.

Yawn.

2010-11-30T08:04:00.000-08:00

This is Sith, sorry, Cait Sith. This means Fairy Cat in Gaelic. Which he was when a tiny kitten. Now he is the Beast of Buchan. He looked so elegant sprawled on the bed I took a picture, but, just as I did, he yawned. Not so beautiful! But quite amusing.

This picture is of a layered cake of snow, you can see the depths we have had almost with each snowfall. About twelve inches now and still snowing.

Well, so much for doing chores. Being stir crazy I decided to attempt to go somewhere, anywhere. After a few tries I managed to get going forward down the drive and into the village. Then onto the next village and the largest Garden Centre in the North East, Happy Plant. It was really pleasant to have a wander round and see stuff without squeezing past people and push chairs. I bought a few bits and pieces with Christmas in mind then saw it was snowing again, so lurched home.

Our paying guests have made it up here.

More to the point our Postie finally made it up here. What a pile of post! It was quite exciting -and not one piece of junk mail. Thats a first. Two of the House magazines I subscribe to, parcels for me to wrap up from family unable to be with us at Christmas - and yes, my present from Mike, for him to wrap up! Its the Downton thing dvd which we werent allowed to watch in Scotland, as STV and ITV are at war. We dont get any of the new Midsomer Murders either. Which I take as a personal affront.

Mike has brought down from the loft all our Christmas stuff. So, tomorrow, I will be decorating for Christmas, not decking the halls with boughs of holly, I will leave that till nearer the time, plus all the masses of pine cones I know are out there are under the b***** snow.

More of the same.

2010-11-29T07:19:00.000-08:00

One of our two hens, the other is behind the wall. This photo taken this morning.

More snow in the night and during today.

Our two guests were turned back by the police on their way here as the roads are too dangerous. At least I am in front with my guest chores. Which might mean, well okay, should mean, I can do more work in other areas.

The cats are driving me mad. They keep going to a different exit door and hoping there will be no snow outside that one. When they see there is, its off to another one and yowl to be let out, one look and its on to another door. And so on.

I really should be getting on with Christmas stuff. We buy the tree the first Saturday in September. Saturday because we did used to work 5 days a week! We could actually go and get it any day of the week. Looking out of my bedroom patio door I can see them growing.

I guess the snow should make one feel Christmassy but afraid its not working. Not even the lovely robin perched on the spade handle, which Mike keeps intending to use to dig some snow out of the drive.

We havent seen the postie for four days now. Good job the one thing I sent for from Amazon I didnt pay extra for for next day delivery. Its only my present from Mike! I am sure it will come before Christmas. Though no-one seems to really know when the snow will disappear. We will be due our annual snowfall soon. Hope there is a break in between this lot and that lot so I can do some costly gift purchasing. As even if one uses the internet, if there is no post delivery, hmmmmmm?

Snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter...

2010-11-28T06:55:00.001-08:00

So we went out to play.

Now the dress here is a mini. Worn with black tights and ankle boots. I was freezing! Quite a lot of the ladies had shoulderless dresses on, brrr. It was a huge ballroom we were in and dotted around were very small electric fires (?). At one point I actually went through to reception to complain. It did then get warmer. The central heating is ducted through the ceiling. They must have assumed we would create our own hot air. Bit difficult when its minus ten outside.

This event was our Rotary "Cause for Celebration". There were a number of tables for various charities, who all benefitted from the money raised in the evening. We had a lovely meal, courtesy of the Waterside, and there was a group called Quattro, so presumably there

were four of them. Dancing after the meal. I was the official photographer. And despite my usual glasses of wine they have mostly come out particularly well.

Just before midnight we realised the snow was coming down heavily so decided to head for home. The snow on the car was gathered on the way back.

Today, yet more snow. And a wind. Although we have been snow ploughed twice, so Mike went out for supplies and then out again for yet more bird food.

We have a covey of partridges feeding at the front, a pair of pheasants in the spinney at the back, and a buzzard keeps calling to the side. Mike was talking about buying a few mice...

Our ducks are underneath the tall pine tree. Its lower branches weighed down with snow it makes a nice shelter, they do have a hut but go in there on sufferance. The hens too are in some shrubbery and all looking totally miserable. Thankfully 'Oven ready' has grown most of her feathers back.

Back to it tomorrow. Hopefully our two paying guests will make the journey here from Glasgow. The snow here measures 12 inches.. The wind is whipping it up into drifts and there is more to come.

Water like a stone. Thankfully not the red stuff.

My view yesterday.

2010-11-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

.Everyone elses view.

Doctor Amy. The picture below is her just about to become Doctor Amy.

Mike etc. only found out after it was all over that I could have watched it on the internet...... Why dont they tell you that before. Sheesh.

Well, all over now. Mike back. We have a Rotary knees up this evening and Mike thinks we will be okay to get there. Snow now ten inches deep. My dress will look ace with wellies.

Still snowing.

2010-11-26T06:35:00.000-08:00

Heavy snow. All night, and still going.

Today Mike and I were to go to Edinburgh to see our eldest daughter graduate as a Doctor of Philosophy. It wasnt so much the worry about getting there, as the roads were reportedly alright once you got below Laurencekirk, but the forecast said more snow (right for once) so it was the getting back. Many of the roads in Aberdeenshire are only driveable with care, which means very, very slowly. The plan was to leave our animals with plenty food but to be back for Saturday lunchtime.
I am the one who struggles to breathe in the cold air. I dont do stairs very easily either or walking, and I am still not eating much.
So, we decided it would be me to remain to ensure animals and birds didnt starve or eat each other.
So Mike has gone down and will be staying over in a B&B. Having a lovely celebratory meal, seeing our grandson, our daughter the doctor, and her partner and two other daughters.
Me -? She should just about now be getting hit over the head and pronounced a Doctor, so I am raising my glass to her. Cannot begin to state how proud I am of her.

We are not amused.

2010-11-25T08:05:00.001-08:00

Snowed all night, and most of the day. This is one of four feeding stations we have around the house. Could have shown you a beautiful female pheasant, but the batteries in the camera died. Also a buzzard came to sit on the fence post here and was dive bombed by crows. Sods law!

Okay I am smiling in the picture. BUT having just spent vast amounts of money on having my hair colours done, and been advised "We need to do low lights this time."(?) I end up with BORING BROWN hair. The flash on the camera has brightened it, but I can assure you it is BROWN. In fact I have a vague memory that's the colour I was born with. And I am stuck with it til after Christmas.

Still, I always do enjoy my six weekly trip to the hairdressers. It was unusually quiet. The usual 'dead' woman having her perm done, nice that they carry her to the sink and back again isnt it? My stylist and the washer of hair were chatting to a girl who had left to have her baby. They might as well have been talking Dutch, the Doric was so strong, I only got the odd word or two, but there was much hilarity so I just fixed a knowing smile on my face. As the girl left my stylist started on me and said, "Terrible thing a prolapse, isnt it."

Don't panic!

2010-11-23T08:27:00.000-08:00

Not here yet! But threatened for the end of the week.
With all the kerfuffle of stuff running out on the internet I thought it was time I finally got down to it and went to the shops. Now Peterhead is not exactly the mecca of the retail world. Since Woolworths closed down and was replaced by an Iceland, theres not much browsing to do. How stupid is that, fill everyones stocking with frozen ready meals?
One of the best shops ever has also gone, called The Gift Shop it was run by two girls who have now become firm friends, but sadly the shop is no more. Always managed to get tons of different, delightful, objects from there.
So I directed myself to W.H. Smiths, New Look and Dorothy Perkins. And came out again. I had thought, if I feel good and well dressed then that will rub off on everyone else and we'll have a good Christmas. The only item I could possibly have worn was just a tad too sparkly for me. I also worried about what would happen if you sat down with all those sequins on, would they fly off? Cut you in half, cut anyone who gave you a hug?
So, off to my favourite shops, the charity ones. We have quite a lot in Peterhead. Now joined by a pawn shop I noticed.....Might just flog the gold.
It's not just the vast swathe of all things curious its the clientele I find so fascinating. I got into a conversation with one woman who kept asking me, "Whats this for?" "Its a coffee jug." "Jug? Whats wrong with a mug?" and a chap who physically elbowed me out of the way as I peered at the book shelves, obviously frantic I was going to pick up the one book he might want.
Called in at ASDA on the way home. Bottle of wine for me and another present for the grandson.
Home again to find the oil delivery had been, big sigh of relief. If we are to be snowed in at least we will be warm. 1,568 litres of liquid gold. Doubt I would get anything for that down at the pawn shop.

Fed up of the rain.....

2010-11-22T08:19:00.000-08:00

Takes away all your oomph after a while.
It makes the world so dark, day after day.
Had to get back to work today as our two chaps return tonight for the week. So ironing, changing beds, cleaning rooms and setting up same. Bored out of my tree.
Kept hearing on the radio that today was the day when everyone would be hitting the internet and buying all their Christmas gifts. Would there be anything left? What is the world coming to. Christmas decs up everywhere and that was in September. So I hit Amazon and made sure I had something for Mike to wrap up for me.

Saturday Night.

2010-11-20T11:59:00.000-08:00

Right, anyone remember this person? It is Engelbert Humperdink. Many years ago my Saturday nights were spent with people such as he. Brenda Lee, Billy Fury, Gene Pitney. Late sixties, early seventies. All dolled up and out on the town. When the nightclub closed I then worked in (moonlighting) as a cloakroom girl, we all went off to another nightclub that stayed open until morning. This was where the 'stars ' would go to wind down after their performance and where we, the staff, went too.
Saturday nights now I enjoy being comfy, glass of wine, in the PJs, and watching the tele. Never, ever thought this was what the future would hold! Trouble is, now the hands are a bit shaky for the mascara brush these days. Mindst you half of them I shared a drink with then are dead. And most importantly I am not.

A grey day.

2010-11-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

Not much different to yesterday. Except there were no shafts of sunlight at all today. I think it was Bleak House by Charles Dickens where he writes about the drip, drip, drip from the trees. Fantastic descriptive writing. I have no chance. The pictures are from yesterday at Pennan. The first shows the headland behind which is Gardenstown. And the second is the North Sea.

Our guests left this morning. Cleaning, ironing, and just pootling around.

Think positive, today there is little wind. Forecast is very cold and possibly snow. At least that makes things a little brighter!

Social Life!

2010-11-18T11:25:00.001-08:00

The group, from left - Mike in red, Sandy and Lucy, David, Sally and Neil, Monica, Mary, Dennis, Meg and me.

Peter, our chef and co -owner of the Pennan Inn, made famous by the film Local Hero.

Pennan.

Oh the health giving qualities of laughter!

Today was our 'Christmas lunch' of the Best of Banffshire and Buchan Bed and Breakfasts. Yes, its November, but Lucy, one of the founding members is off to Australia beginning of December, visiting family, for a month. So we had little choice over the date. The food was excellent, service equally so, and the company superb. Yes, we heard about everyones aches and pains, none of us are getting any younger after all, but oh how we laughed. I suppose it is a bit like a work do where you laugh, make jokes, about what you do, who you know. Trying to explain to anyone who doesnt do that work is hard, so to be in the company of others who do the same as you, the ironing, the cleaning, the going the extra mile, the weird and wonderful guests we have come through our doors.....priceless laughter.

Pennan is a magical place. My pictures do not do it justice. To get to it you drive down a near perpendicular road, and eye the cliffs pinned and netted to prevent them from crashing down on the houses and the Inn below. Which did happen earlier this year, mud, poured into the buildings, after a period of heavy rain. Hence the man made barriers. Today we had had a real downpour and high winds so there were some moments where one cast a worried eye up above, once down in the village!

After a few glasses of wine, Mike drove us back, Lucy and Sandy dropped off, the sun now shafting through the rain clouds, life felt good.

Surfers at Peterhead!

2010-11-17T07:23:00.000-08:00

I had a look on Peterhead Images on Google. How depressing. I would suggest to anyone interested that instead of that they look at Peterhead Photographers, of which I am one. The images on Google consisted of pages and pages of footballers and fishing boats and the power station. Fishing boats ok but really there is so much more to Peterhead that is photogenic.
As regards the surfers. Many will find it surprising but we do have them. Aberdeen beach is usually full of them and round the corner from here we have had the Surfing Championships, so there.
Weather is not conducive to going out with camera today. It is blowing a gale and very murky.
I am painting an old chair that I think is not Loyd Loom, but very like. It was a bronzey gold and is being transformed into a pale sage green. I had to pack in as it was too dark to see where I had been . This at 2.45p.m. I suppose I could have got on with recovering the seat, which is removeable, before everyone panics and thinks I am doing it in situ before the paint has dried! However, I have yet to decide which fabric to use. The chair is destined for one of the upstairs bedrooms, both unused, but to be 'dressed' for potential buyers...
Tonight I am braving the weather and driving across country to the Rotary meeting. Tomorrow our Best of Banffshire and Buchan Bed and Breakfast group are having our Christmas lunch at the Pennan Inn. (Made famous in the film Local Hero). Yes I know it's early. But Lucy is off to Australia at the beginning of December and so, just for her, its half way through November. And no we are not having turkey. Or crackers, but we are all to take a Secret Santa gift. And if I get anything like that pot sheepdog again I shall not be amused.

One of us is fit!

2010-11-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

My daughter Polly. She plays football for Sleaford in Lincolnshire. Still remember when she was at primary school, last year of, and played rugby and being totally flattened in a tackle by an enormous chap. Both his father and me clutched each other waiting for her to stand up - she did.
Well lots of things happening here.
We have our two chaps in for another week, and booked in for next week also.
Christmas is back on the agenda!
It was such a gorgeous crisp and sunny day I decided to go to Tesco in Fraserburgh, this afternoon. I know, I know such days should be spent in the garden gathering leaves, no....Mike was doing that. I just always have enjoyed driving, my choice of music full blast, and the gorgeous Buchan countryside and so often here, the sight of the deep blue sea on the horizon. Heaven.
I bought loads of half price Christmas decorations, three Christmas presents for my grandson and a magazine and a bottle of wine - all for £20!!
House Front.
Friday our solicitor/estate agent (in Scotland estate agents are solicitors almost 100%) called round for a discussion. Apparently we have, as we know, had lots of interest in the house. But this has ceased. Well, I would have thought that was happening everywhere, its the time of year, and the state of the economy is not exactly encouraging is it? Anyway we were given quite a few options as to how to proceed which left us somewhat shell shocked. One of which was to divide the house into two properties. Now this is not that difficult as when the extensions were done many years ago each end was given its own electric supply, septic tank, central heating boiler etc. Reason for this suggestion ? Not many people want a seven bedroomed house, but do want a three bedroomed house.
Anyway, possibly all academic, over the weekend there were more 'hits' on the house details and it is nearly Christmas....................just need to find some artistic twigs to hang my decorations on, tree has to wait till December.

Time to hibernate methinks.

2010-11-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

All the crops harvested. Our bird feeders emptying as one watches. Heating on most of the day. Four layers on the top half of body and changing from slippers to boots, sandals packed away. Christmas cake in the oven. Cats inside more than out.
Lots of wind, rain. My blue car is now brown from all the puddles on the road I have to go through to get anywhere.
We still have paying guests. Two working men, a room each and breakfast early, so I dont see them then! Mike does the breakfasts. Very neat and tidy chaps, a pleasure to do their rooms. And their company, a local one, paying promptly. So all well on the business side.
Have daughter number three staying for a few days, with her fiance Dan. He has done us a fair bit of clearing the veg patch and both of them have helped enormously in sorting out the middle room. This is a room off the sitting room that in its past was a bathroom . The house was a care home for Polish elderly. Our library, also off the sitting room was a bedroom, and the middle room was its bathroom. The bath and the toilet were removed, leaving a sink. We have used the room as a store room which was almost to the ceiling with stuff being stored. All has now been sorted. Lots gone to the tip, boxes of car boot stuff at one side, boxes with things we wish to keep when/if we move on another, and all Zach's toys near the door for easy access. Bliss.
Polly, our daughter, has also braved the loft. Not sure how much she has done up there, I havent been up there for years, suffice it to say that it still has quite a lot of zimmer frames and the old plastic Christmas tree used by the Polish care home residents.......

Scottish High Tea.

2010-11-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

Well first they bring on the toast. And the butter and the jams. Then they bring along a menu for a main course. We all upgraded to the steak. Which came with onion rings, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, tomato. Bowl of chips, perfectly cooked chips. Anything from the bar? Yes, a bucket of red wine. Or white and a pint of 80 shillings (go google it). But basically it's beer.

This followed by scones, scottish pancakes and a mass of fancies. Mini meringues, shortbread, chocolate cakes, melt in your mouth and die for mmmm. Coffee and Tea - or in our case, well some of us, more wine. All this for less than £20 per person and I think you should seriously consider moving to Scotland. Well I guess it might have been a bit more with the wine and the tip we left.
So there you have it. Scottish High Tea. I wont be having supper.

Computers!!!!!

2010-11-08T06:41:00.000-08:00

First of all I should say that without them I would not be able to see my grandson so often, him being in Edinburgh and me in the wilds of north east Scotland. This is a picture I took of him while on Skype, and him showing me how he could put hats on and off!
After reading all the help bits on google it could well be that installing Skype onto my lap top could have caused my problem with blogging.
I have been unable to get in to my blog for ages, although I can on the main computer..... In the end I got so frustrated I ended up with a new blog, but then discovered no-one else could find it! So, on the main computer I changed my password, back up on the lap top - and here I am again! Quite proud of myself for sorting it, just hope it stays sorted.
Also with computers - we are trying to update our web site. So needed new photographs as over the years there's been quite a lot of money thrown at guest rooms, decorating, new lighting and expensive throws and so forth.

A guest room, note to Hotel Inspector, no visible seams in my wallpapering.....

Another guest room, due when money allows, for a rewallpapering.

And our sitting room, new cushion covers for the Winter, and a runner, and the footstool re-covered.
Anyone interested in what our guests think to it all visit Tripadvisor!

Eye ball to eye ball - well nearly.

2010-11-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Living here whenever you pass a window you look out, there is always something to see. Tonight its the firework display at the football club in the village.
Looking to the rear of the house, from my bathroom window earlier in the day, I saw this blur of whiteness about six inches above the ground and had to really peer to see what it was. Then I got the binoculars to be sure of what I was seeing. I have never seen a sparrow hawk so near to the ground, unless it was finishing off a kill. But that is what it was. I watched it and it seemed to watch me. I was just beginning to think it was injured and what on earth I would do about it, when it just took flight, effortlessly and gracefully, and soared upwards and away, despite being surrounded by shrubs and trees.
Makes the morning of ironing pass smoothly (sorry - a pun). Two guest rooms ready for guests who I hope this time will turn up. We have two couples and a 22 month old child, booked in for tomorrow.
Tis a lovely night for bonfires and fireworks, clear, dry and very cold. So glad I dont have to go outside and stand with feet getting frozen and go Whoooooooooooooooo.

Guess its now Winter!

2010-11-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

Sith on the bed, Puzzle on the floor by my chair. And Min on another chair.

This is my boudoir. More like a bed sit! Piles of magazines all around, my table of orchids, some flowering, some resting, one about to flower again which I am very proud of as I have never managed that before. The grey packages are Christmas presents for the extended family, waiting to be rewrapped and posted. This is where I come in the evening to read said magazines and to watch the t.v. when there is anything worth watching. Read a book. And work on my laptop. Oh, and have a sip of wine.

One after the other there is a faint scratch on the door and in they come. The cats. We have this enormous house, plenty warm spots to curl up in, but no, want to be where I am. Aw isnt that nice.

Today I have mopped floors like a woman possessed. It has taken me two days now but every floor has been deep cleaned. So why does it rain today and now I have cat paw prints everywhere?????????????

But at least I know that for five minutes today evey floor was clean.

Autumn Solstice.

2010-10-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

We have had some strong winds the last few days, but bright and sunny days, and cold.....and yet more beauitful sunsets.
Here is a picture of the new radiator cover, almost finished painting it.

I had to put it back as if it were done as we had four guests booked in last night.

Mike is quite poorly with a stomach bug and has been out of action, still is. But you can't phone in sick on this job so last night he set the breakfast table and prepared the menus, albeit vastly minimalised, as I was going to have to be the breakfast chef.

I had spent the day cleaning and setting up the rooms.

We were both sitting in a collapsed state and nursing our various aches and pains, and we sat, and we sat.

At midnight I locked the doors. How can people do that? Just not turn up. (Plus thats a big chunk of income gone down the drain. In fact it was called a coffee table, I want a new one!)

But - this morning there was the sunshine - and a breakfast table set for four to clear away - and we have both wallowed in a day off. Well, more like carrying on trying to get better!

So - tomorrow I am back to the painting of the radiatior cover, sorry its called a cabinet. And tonight its wallowing - well mentally at least - with Strictly Come Dancing and then the X factor.

So now they want me to swallow a camera.

2010-10-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm. I just may decide that I feel tons better and start running.

October sunset.

2010-10-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

Have decided I am fed up of being ill.
Painted the radiator cover, nearly finished now.
Friday we are back to having paying guests.
Can you see the fish in the sky?!

Been busy.

2010-10-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

Now, I actually own one very like this. It sits in our hall with a plant on the end of it. It still works and has all its bits, needles, feet etc. I guess it would be a good way of keeping fit, treadling away. But I actually use an electric sewing machine and just have to concentrate hard that the sewing is straight, in other words dont let it carry me away, and keep my eyes on the needle. I have been known to trap my finger and sew in a scarf....that I was wearing at the time.
Yesterday I sewed two table cloths, and made three large cushion covers for large cushion (what else). Our two settees and chairs now have no room for people to sit on them, but that appears to be the fashion, and they are all shades of red which is again fashion for the winter months. Ha ha.
Mike made a radiator cover for the large radiator in our sitting room. When I say made, he bought a kit from B&Q, which wasnt big enough, he discovered when he got it home, so he had to make the sides fit round the valves by doing some swearing and sawing.
So today I gave the cover it's first coat of paint. It will match the walls, rather than be too obtrusive. Even so, it looks far better than the radiator. Boring things arent they?
I then went on to make a runner for the coffee table and then re-covered a foot stool.
I then was reminded I was ill and collapsed.

Bird watching..

2010-10-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of a small amount of the masses of tree sparrows that come and feed on my patio, okay, near it. Trouble is they disappear at the movement of the camera, so not a good image. Must try harder.

But these two are totally unconcerned at sight of the camera. One is having a stretch and the one behind has already done that and tucked head under wing, which is what the one in the foreground will next do.

Quite a nice sunny day today, fractionally warmer. More ironing in the morning and then a trip to our garden centre in the afternoon. Plants for the hanging baskets. Presentation, presentation. Although it is Mike who does this these days.

I said to him as he brought me my small portion for tea, "Thanks - and sorry for being such a pain.," He said, "Well, you've given me thirty good years."

Should I go now?

Autumn Fashion.

2010-10-22T09:53:00.000-07:00

After a morning of ironing guest bedding I decided that as the weather was indicating we had missed Autumn I had better replenish the Winter wardrobe.
Now can someone please tell me why all the jumpers, tops, t -shirts have short sleeves or no sleeves at all! What good is that. Beautiful thick ribbed knitted tops - with a sleeve that doesnt even reach your elbow. Or you find one that does have sleeves to the wrist and the body of the garment finishes at bust level. Even the coats!
(I did pass one woman who looked about fifty wearing a scoop necked sleeveless dress outside the bookies but I think she was on something......)
Now, do I hear someone saying layer it? Like you wear something with a long sleeve underneath one of these short sleeved efforts, well fine. But in my mind set the thing that goes underneath should at least match or complement the one that goes over it.. wouldnt you think if that was the case there would be items to buy that did just that. Well there weren't. And this wasnt just in New Look or Dorothy Perkins but in some of what I consider a last resort, the old peoples shops. If anyone thinks I would be seen dead in anything that resembles a thermal vest - on show - they can think again.
Oh, and just one more rant, why does Dorothy Perkins have nothing in a size 12/ 14 but plenty in size 18 plus - are they anything to do with Evans?
I like my arms well covered, my midriff and kidneys well covered but I do not want to look BORING OR OLD.
I did manage to find three tops that were yawn okay. So at least I will be warm. And boring.

I just had to check the date...

2010-10-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

Definitely 20th OCTOBER. Not December, or January, February or March even.
I wasnt feeling too good when I set off to go to my Rotary meeting. Very tired, but thought, 'Come on Jill!' Driving with Il Divo on full blast usually makes me feel good, and indeed had just started to kick in when I thought, hey this isnt rain, and in front of me were wheel tracks in the white stuff, then it hit, a blizzard. In October?
And dont forget - this was in the dark, nearly a full moon, but not quite. And over narrow country roads. I felt as if I would fall over Mr Shackleton at any moment, or a bad fairy, as it was so weird.
By the time I got to the hotel where we have our meetings I was a wreck. I could have wept. It was so lovely to see everyone but I found it difficult to string three words together.
I do find it difficult to accept I am ill.
Anyway, earlier in the day I had gone for my six weekly hair do. Just as I was about to say, "Don't forget I am growing my fringe out," the scissors beat me to it. I am now having to wear a slide, to keep my hair out of my eyes.
Ho hum.

How civilised!

2010-10-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

We joined our friends and had lunch out today at the Tufted Duck, St. Combs, which is a 19th century fishing village and on the edge of the village is the hotel. The only one in our part of the world with a sea view!
We saw wind surfers and a ship, a bit further away than the one in the picture, servicing the oil fields.
Absolutely lovely lunch and I ate it all, well nearly. Not overfaced and very tasty and the service was spot on from start to finish. Heaven.
As we arrived it was hailing and the ground was completely covered over white. As we sat in the restaurant we watched the sea change colour, rainbows, sunshine, changing scene every few minutes. So relaxing.
Back home. Freezing! Not really, think it was 4 degrees.
I had to then go to the health centre - again - this time for the flu jab. Last year it was one in each arm, one for the flu and one for the swine flu and after they were administered it was 'go and sit down for ten minutes in the waiting room, then you can go home.' This time I didnt have time to read any of the "Know your prostate", "Dont take it out on the receptionist." before I was in, bared arm, jabbed and out again. "If you feel funny, come back." Well, I didnt. In fact I am not sure I have actually had the jab, as last year I couldnt move my arms for hours.
And then it snowed, proper snow, on the way home. And it's only October. Sheesh.

A real poser.

2010-10-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

Out I go to take a picture of the sunset and there she is, Minerva McGonagall.
She disappears when we have paying guests, still havent found where she goes, but go she does. The other two remain and are much admired and petted. But our Min is above all that. Choosy.
Well, I have been doing a lot of recuperating. Which means not doing much at all. Suits me at the moment.
Amazing number of tree sparrows coming to my feeder. I think they are on the endangered list. Well I guess I should tell someone they are all living here. About fifty regularly too and fro to my feeder and hang around in the spinney at the rear of the house. What a racket they make! And one pair raised three broods in the nest box in which I have a camera!
The carrots are now bedded down for the winter. This year the bedding looks far more messy than last year. In fact one worries that should there come the usual 70mph winds there wont be any straw left to cover them over. It really looks awful. I hope they dont set it on fire like they did last year as it is right next door to us. Tho I think they had the hard word from the amount of fire engines and police that swiftly gathered once the clouds of smoke had been seen from Iceland (getting our own back.)
No paying guests but a daughter. So today we went to The Barn. Now you may all have charity shops but on top of them we have The Barn. And it is indeed a BARN. Crammed with everything and anything. I am not going to list it all. Take forever. We came away with some rolls of wallpaper and a paperback book. But we could have bought......I leave it to your imagination.

Better !

2010-10-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well - getting there.
Always better when the paying guests like the ones we have just had depart. And yes, feeling a little wrong footed when they paid more than they owed "As you were so kind." They didnt notice the gritted teeth then......
Swiftly followed by non paying guest. Always nice to see a daughter. Though that will mean bye bye any unexpected profit just made !!!!!!!!!!!