My grandson and his beloved Mr Fox.

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.

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!

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.

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....

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.

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.

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....

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.

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.

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.

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.....

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.

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.

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!

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....

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.

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.

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.

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!

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..

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!

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.

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...

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....

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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?

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?