I escaped!

This is moi after a day out, note the 'bling ring'.

And new hair do and new clothes.

No-one booked in tonight so I ran away. Well overdue my 6 monthly trip to Aberdeen, charge round Primark, saying "Sorry, sorry, sorry, " to the third world as I got loads of clothes for £29.60p.

Had my hair cut in the indoor market.

"No appointment necessary".

First time I had a tea towel round my shoulders to be shampooed - and sat next to a nearly dead woman wearing those metal hair rollers, which I havent seen for forty years, in painful rows. She was carried to the sink and elevated at the feet so they could 'rinse her off'. I was so horrified and waiting for her to breathe again I didnt see what was happening to my hair, but I know where to go when I draw my pension as you get a discount....and even this time it was cheaper than in Peterhead. I had lunch in MacDonalds - another no, no and lots of sorries to the daughters who think this is the pits, but I just love the gherkins, and they wont like anything I bought which are lots of stripy tops and the most amazing raincoat! Havent had a shiny raincoat since the 60s and that was black, with a black beret, but we will draw a veil over that one.

Visit Scotland - by bus!

We had a couple in last week, from India, who were touring Scotland and England on public transport.
Landing at Aberdeen airport, bus to the city , bus to Peterhead, bus to Longside, where we collected them.
It had taken them 23 hours to get here. Mike picked them up from the village where the bus waited to ensure they were collected safely. 10 out of 10 to the bus company.
After their two night stay with us Mike took them into Aberdeen to get the train to Inverness. Talk about a marathon.
Next to arrive were a French couple, in their own car, with what I can only describe as a tourist map. The one that shows a pretty picture of the Loch Ness monster and has no roads of how to find it. They too are touring Scotland and England, but with that map.... They were most indignant that there were not signs to our b&b on every cross road and t junction. Heaven help them to find their next port of call. Having booked us through our web site, which contains a detailed map of how to find us they chose to ignore that and use the comic book of a map that made Edinburgh look as if it was ten minutes from London.

In Scotland?

Oh yes!
If we manage to buy the house we have seen and liked we could add to our poultry - I am already thinking about geese - so a wee flock of ostriches? Hmm. Must find out if they chase off foxes. Apparently alpacas do....
Amazing what the promise of a few acres does to the wish list.

For Sale.

We are now on the market.

Lawns cut, the dormer that looks pink (?) is now white, the garden looks beautiful, masses of flowers, including the nettles, not sure whether to put bows on the cats. New carpets upstairs in the old house. Amazing.

So where are all the buyers?

Greenbrae

The times I have driven round this corner and felt a wave of relief that the house is still there! Stupid - do I really expect it to have gone in a puff of smoke?

Countdown now to it being someone else living here. And becoming more and more frantic at finding another roof for us to be under.

Fitting viewings in, doing normal chores, meeting and greeting guests, keeping every room looking at it's best, I sometimes feel I should be looking for somewhere called "Eventide" , I even have my own zimmer frame ready.

And the winner is

Our guests at the weekend won first prize with their vintage car. We spent most of the time the vehicle was here trying to keep Sith from sitting on it's roof.
Last night we had the Scottish Symphony Orchestra - well two of them.
When I retire I shall complete the book I have been writing over the years. It was to be titled the B to A of running a b&b but the chapter headed G for guests would make a whole book in itself.

Success!

This was a plant I bought from the 'dead ' stand at the garden centre two years ago. Called ROGERSII but dont trust my spelling. Supposed to be difficult to grow...it is now twice as tall as I am. And flowering. In the north east of Scotland.
Apart from feeling as if I should be put on the t.l.c. stand - still coughing - I am justly proud of re-enlivening this beautiful specimen.