I've been looking forward to today because Jean Smart, the pharmacist from Creemore was coming to Oban to catch a cruise ship. She's travelling with a girlfriend from Creemore also. It promises to be a wonderful 10 day cruise right the way around Scotland, including St. Kilda and the Orkneys and ending up in Edinburgh.
I found out that she was coming a couple of months ago when I was getting my prescriptions organized for the 6 months here. Well, Creemore is a small community and didn't she say that Lorna MacDougall (my GP) had mentioned that I stay here in the summer ... hmm ... so much for patient confidentiality!
Aside: Lorna MacDougall's family seat is right here in Oban and we live right beside the old family home: Dunollie Castle AND the current head of the clan is, you guessed it, Lorna MacDougall.
Anyway, what with one thing and another, I was able to go and greet them off the bus and onto the waiting ship. It was all great fun and a good laugh.
First of all, I got mixed up and thought that they were coming yesterday. I figured out my mistake in a hurry when a ferry was positioned at the north pier and no sign of a cruise ship.
Because I am so smart, today, before setting out, I checked the Oban webcam at Eeusk the seafood restaurant, first, and sure enough there was a white hull taking up the whole frame and I knew that was a cruise ship.
Jean had told me an ETA and I was in enough time to get a chai tea latte and then wander over to get some photos of the ship docked at the north pier. As I was walking back a couple of tour buses drove slowly by and I thought that it was them. I started waving my Canadian flag like mad and tried to make eye contact ... the passengers looked horrified and tried NOT to make eye contact - in fact I think that they asked the drivers to hurry along. The buses carried on right through town.
I am sure that those passengers were delighted to be leaving Oban which obviously allows lunatic tourists to wander the streets ...
Jean's double decker bus arrived right at the ship so I could wave my flag with confidence this time. Everyone smiled, laughed and waved back .... one passenger even gave me the thumbs up and that was Margaret Atwood.
When she got off the bus she came over and we shared a couple of innocuous words about why I was there. Then, she asked point blank if I was going on the cruise; when she learned that I was not joining them, she turned heel and left me with my mouth open and the rest of my sentence left unsaid ...
Note that I did not include her in my list: Working Girls ... obviously, there was a reason for that.
I've since looked through the internet and Ms Atwood is listed as the trip leader for 'The Great Excursions Company'. Jean is with 'Adventure Canada,' I wonder if Ms Atwood will talk to them?
On the other hand, Jean and Marjorie were delighted to see me and we had a good visit. Jean said that there were two other couples from Creemore on board as well as a couple from Collingwood and another from Shelburne. (I suppose it's not that surprising as the trip is organized by Canadian based tour companies, but still kinda neat). I took photos of the girls boarding, and I even remembered to give them the bottle of 'Heather Cream' (alcoholic) that I got for them to have in their stateroom.
Himself has been at Chardonnay all day getting her organized. He and Keith (our sailing buddy who sails solo) and I have decided to grab a pizza later on and may see Jean and the 'Clipper Odyssey' sail off into the sunset ...
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
More or Less back to Normal
The weather has been unsettled (understatement) since last week's high winds. Actually it's been bloody awful. In fact, it's even broken the locals who have, as one, disowned May all together, declaring it the worst winter month ever.
Scottish winter/May weather: gales, sleet, hail, blizzards, (yes, last w/e there were blizzards in the mountains), lashing rain and when all that stops low grey skies.
I am pretty sure that I went into a low grey depression myself. Himself and I were hissing at each other; enough to drive one to drink; which we did.
It is no wonder that alcoholism is rampant in Scotland, especially in the young, AND skin melanoma.
What's that all about?
First of all, the air is pretty well devoid of all air pollution which on the one hand is a wonderful thing and on the other makes UV protection a must on a daily basis. Secondly, when the sun does come out - as it did yesterday - everyone rushes out in camisoles, shorts and flip flops and sits at outdoor cafes, on the beach (it was a bank holiday) and generally sucks the stuff in ... hence rampant skin cancer on lily white unprotected skin. When I go into town today, I can guarantee that most of the people I see will have some sort of sunburn.
So, it was very difficult to get into the rhythm of garden cleanup between the vicious squalls coming in from the north west (cold) and it only just now is starting to look reasonable.
Oh, I forgot to mention that the Oban in Bloom judges came to look at the garden THE DAY AFTER THE 100 MPH WINDS! I gently noted their timing and they cheerfully replied that they could have come the day before (but of course they didn't, they holed up safe and sound around the hearth like every other reasonable person did).
On Sunday, Himself bought me a battery operated strimmer (weedeater). I have mixed emotions about this: I like it because it is light and takes about 6 hours of time off trimming the edges; on the other hand ...
I was asked about my level of satisfaction in having the place look so good. The question was posed after I had spent all day hand cutting the edges, raking the debris, dogging the squalls ... blah... blah; I had just taken two extra strength Advil, and was cooking his dinner ... Although normally digging in Mother Earth is satisfying - in this garden the pick ax is my most useful tool. I like a lovely garden as much as the next person, and in fact, I do take pride in it, but it is a really short lived thing as within two weeks the place looks derelict and it all needs to be done again. It is really just a case of survival.Not really satisfying.
THE BIG NEWS is that Chardonnay is in the water and high pressure is tearing in from the west. Himself is deliriously happy and getting her prepped for a wee sail. We set off on Thursday for seas and parts unknown ....
Scottish winter/May weather: gales, sleet, hail, blizzards, (yes, last w/e there were blizzards in the mountains), lashing rain and when all that stops low grey skies.
I am pretty sure that I went into a low grey depression myself. Himself and I were hissing at each other; enough to drive one to drink; which we did.
It is no wonder that alcoholism is rampant in Scotland, especially in the young, AND skin melanoma.
What's that all about?
First of all, the air is pretty well devoid of all air pollution which on the one hand is a wonderful thing and on the other makes UV protection a must on a daily basis. Secondly, when the sun does come out - as it did yesterday - everyone rushes out in camisoles, shorts and flip flops and sits at outdoor cafes, on the beach (it was a bank holiday) and generally sucks the stuff in ... hence rampant skin cancer on lily white unprotected skin. When I go into town today, I can guarantee that most of the people I see will have some sort of sunburn.
So, it was very difficult to get into the rhythm of garden cleanup between the vicious squalls coming in from the north west (cold) and it only just now is starting to look reasonable.
Oh, I forgot to mention that the Oban in Bloom judges came to look at the garden THE DAY AFTER THE 100 MPH WINDS! I gently noted their timing and they cheerfully replied that they could have come the day before (but of course they didn't, they holed up safe and sound around the hearth like every other reasonable person did).
On Sunday, Himself bought me a battery operated strimmer (weedeater). I have mixed emotions about this: I like it because it is light and takes about 6 hours of time off trimming the edges; on the other hand ...
I was asked about my level of satisfaction in having the place look so good. The question was posed after I had spent all day hand cutting the edges, raking the debris, dogging the squalls ... blah... blah; I had just taken two extra strength Advil, and was cooking his dinner ... Although normally digging in Mother Earth is satisfying - in this garden the pick ax is my most useful tool. I like a lovely garden as much as the next person, and in fact, I do take pride in it, but it is a really short lived thing as within two weeks the place looks derelict and it all needs to be done again. It is really just a case of survival.Not really satisfying.
THE BIG NEWS is that Chardonnay is in the water and high pressure is tearing in from the west. Himself is deliriously happy and getting her prepped for a wee sail. We set off on Thursday for seas and parts unknown ....
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Working Girls
I had a delicious massage yesterday (Lynne is NZ trained, has been in the area for 5 years or so, and comes to the house - sets up her table and blankets in the twin bedroom .... BLISS) and so I sat with my mug of warm water watching mindless television while the oil sank in and the doziness carried on.
“Eastenders” was on, and as with most soaps, it takes about a minute and then one is mostly up to date. Dot was in a terrible mess. The whole half hour episode was based on her breakdown. Since she joined the soap in 1985 this cigarette smoking devout Christian gossipy hypochondriac has inadvertently married a con man/bigamist; has had an abortion; Nick, her son, is a criminal, involved in drugs, robberies, and murder and tries to cheat Dot out of her money. He attempted to poison her in order to inherit her bingo winnings, but was unsuccessful. He has AIDS. Dot is a cancer survivor and has helped her best friend die. She has always worked in the local launderette and currently she’s just recovered from a wrist injury; her husband has been bedridden for years with a stroke, and she feels that she has betrayed him because she allowed another man to hold her hand. Enough for anyone, right?
So, what’s it all about with Dot?
Dot is played by June Brown. June Brown was born in January 1936. She’s 75 years old. Dot’s breakdown was amazing, a real feat of acting. It must have been exhausting. I didn’t know whether blow my nose in my wet hanky and sympathize with Dot’s terrible misfortunes, or to stand up and cheer June Brown’s acting. I hope that she gets some sort of an award for the performance.
Dot and June (she got her MBE in 2007):
This got me thinking about other, currently working, actresses ‘d’un certain âge.’
Betty White, who surely everyone in NA knows and loves, was born in 1922:
And Jeanne Cooper (Mrs. Catherine Chancellor on “The Young and the Restless”) was born in 1928. Truth be told, I have a soft spot for Mrs. C as she reminds me of mother (even though Mrs C is teetotal now):
Yes, yes, I must include Joan Collins because she is wonderful and amazing and is still very much a working girl. She was born in 1933:
My all time favourite is Shirley MacLean, born in 1934. I know that if she knew me we would be BFs:
Yes, yes, I must include Joan Collins because she is wonderful and amazing and is still very much a working girl. She was born in 1933:
My all time favourite is Shirley MacLean, born in 1934. I know that if she knew me we would be BFs:
WOW!
All these women (yes, there are more; this is just a musing) are still very much at the top of their game. They are sincere, up beat, attractively quirky and most certainly ‘seize the day.’ Their professional and personal experiences are e n d l e s s. Talk about growing old gracefully, and with a twinkle in the eye. Great role models that’s for sure. I applaud and love you all.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Force 9 Occasionally Force 10
It has been quite the day with gale force winds.
The garden is littered with leaves and branches; in fact, the leaves were falling like snow, and some of the branches flew like kites before tumbling down onto the conservatory roof!
Fishing boats boats ripped off moorings and breaking their lines off the pier, and yachts dragging anchors in Oban Bay, subsequently smashing into the rock at Kerrera. The Lifeboat and Coast Guard responding to all kinds of casualties.
The electricity has been off and on all day. Note to self: always keep ebook/iPad charged up. Really frustrating to be forced into reading with a low to dead battery. Not a real book to be found in the house! BTW: Tina Fey's BossyPants is hilarious (Thank you for the recommendation, Jennie)
Force 9: Strong gale - 47 to 54 mph. "Slight damage occurs to buildings, shingles are blown off of roofs. High waves (6 metres), rolling seas, dense foam, Blowing spray reduces visibility."
Force 10: Whole Gale - 55 to 63 mph. "Trees are broken or uprooted, building damage is considerable. Large waves (6-9 metres), overhanging crests, sea becomes white with foam, heavy rolling, reduced visibility."
My thoughts are with the victims of the US tornados - what a nightmare.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
St. Andrews
It's been raining all day today and I have given up planting some new things in the garden.
Homemade chicken soup, and sauce Bolognese for whole grain pasta is simmering on the new cooker (we roasted the chicken a couple of days ago).
Himself brought several really wonderful couple friends with him into our marriage. The couple who now live in St. Andrews took me in right away and we always have a great time together. We started off as sailing buddies, but they have sold their boat and now live and play golf in St. Andrews - although truth be told she would rather play tennis and is being a really good sport about the golf!
The afternoon of our arrival, we played the Eden Course in gale force winds and lashing rain. To spice things up a bit the girls challenged the boys to (handicapped) match play. We were up by 2 on the 9th and the weather got progressively worse so we skipped a few holes to get back quick and called it best of 5. The girls sealed the deal at the 4th.
Funny thing about this girls versus boys play: when the boys are up there's all kind of banter, high fives, reliving the shots and double checking the count. When the girls are up it's dead silence, and a quick march to the next tee.
The next morning, after lots of discussion, it was decided to play The Castle Course - the 7th course of the St. Andrews Links which was built on a farmers field in 2008.
FABULOUS! Links golf up on cliffs with the spires of St. Andrews providing the backdrop. Seriously challenging but not demoralizing.
Homemade chicken soup, and sauce Bolognese for whole grain pasta is simmering on the new cooker (we roasted the chicken a couple of days ago).
Himself brought several really wonderful couple friends with him into our marriage. The couple who now live in St. Andrews took me in right away and we always have a great time together. We started off as sailing buddies, but they have sold their boat and now live and play golf in St. Andrews - although truth be told she would rather play tennis and is being a really good sport about the golf!
The afternoon of our arrival, we played the Eden Course in gale force winds and lashing rain. To spice things up a bit the girls challenged the boys to (handicapped) match play. We were up by 2 on the 9th and the weather got progressively worse so we skipped a few holes to get back quick and called it best of 5. The girls sealed the deal at the 4th.
Funny thing about this girls versus boys play: when the boys are up there's all kind of banter, high fives, reliving the shots and double checking the count. When the girls are up it's dead silence, and a quick march to the next tee.
The next morning, after lots of discussion, it was decided to play The Castle Course - the 7th course of the St. Andrews Links which was built on a farmers field in 2008.
FABULOUS! Links golf up on cliffs with the spires of St. Andrews providing the backdrop. Seriously challenging but not demoralizing.
The starter gave us a few pointers and tips. He suggested that on the 17th the gents may want to use the driver as there was a wee wind in yer face ...
It's a par 3, 184 yards and the guys decided that the driver would be overkill. After they teed off, we then had to look out for the Drop Zone, up by the forward tees, that the starter also told us about ...
This is the 17th tee from the green - the group behind us is on it contemplating:
We looked back and saw their balls by the flag; they had decided to use the driver ...
The boys must have felt bad about the day before, and they challenged us to match play again. We won on the 17th.
It was a quiet drive back to the house.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Absolutely Extraordinary
Himself and I are just back from visiting friends in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and I will write about this later. I have something amazing to write about now.
We always enjoy shopping in St. Andrews and this visit was no exception. We walked all over the main shopping streets; the iron monger (hardware store) is always a favourite for us even though it is not actually on the main thoroughfare.
I randomly picked up a small pack of colourful and hefty clips for clipping open bags and such .... Our friends have them and I liked the look of them; so, when I saw the pack I just picked it up.
I have just opened it up:
No big deal; I used a couple of the clips on some open bags of nuts.
I then went to toss the label into the recycling bin and something written on the underside of the label caught my eye:
Translation: Thursday, April 1, 2010. That the mercy of the Lord be with you. Amen.
A random act of anonymous kindness that has really touched me ...
We always enjoy shopping in St. Andrews and this visit was no exception. We walked all over the main shopping streets; the iron monger (hardware store) is always a favourite for us even though it is not actually on the main thoroughfare.
I randomly picked up a small pack of colourful and hefty clips for clipping open bags and such .... Our friends have them and I liked the look of them; so, when I saw the pack I just picked it up.
I have just opened it up:
No big deal; I used a couple of the clips on some open bags of nuts.
I then went to toss the label into the recycling bin and something written on the underside of the label caught my eye:
Translation: Thursday, April 1, 2010. That the mercy of the Lord be with you. Amen.
A random act of anonymous kindness that has really touched me ...
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Out with the Old and In with the New
As I have mentioned before, I spend 6 summer months with my husband at his house on the gorgeous west coast of Scotland. We moved into the house 4 years ago and with it came a huge Leisure Rangemaster Electric cooker. Very impressive indeed.
The previous owner went on and on about how fabulous it is and I had no reason to believe otherwise, until I started to use it ...
To start with - it is 110 cms wide - wow wee. Now, take a good look and you can see a griddle right of centre. Great for grilled cheese sandwiches and not much else as grease splatters everywhere - absolutely useless. The warming section to the extreme right is useful. The big thing that I really had against it is this:
4 close together solid metal hobs - they take ages to heat up and you don't know which one is on until it is letting off heat, and they take ages to cool down so burnt whatever is a menu mainstay. My fave was turning the water on to boil on the front hob, coming back in 15 minutes and finding that I had turned on the back hob. When I had my large frying pan on - there was no room for anything else. HATEFUL.
On Tuesday we got the NEW COOKER - a Rangemaster Ceramic Excel 110 :
It is a truly beautiful thing. 6 ceramic cooking areas on top - several of which are double sized - and a warmer on the right side (if I want or it can be a cooking ring). Top left is the grill - awesome; bottom left is the multifunction oven and I mean multifunction starting with R for rapid heat warmup and goes on from there (and there is a handy rack right on the door so that I don't have to bend down too low to put the chicken in!!); bottom right is the convection oven, and top left is the warming oven. TOTAL BLISS!
Of course there was a drama with the installation: the delivery men easily pulled out the old 110 Rangemaster and hooked up the new 110 Rangemaster and then proceeded to slide the new 110 Rangemaster into the old 110 Rangemaster space.
You guessed it: the new 110 Rangemaster WOULD NOT GO IN where the old 110 Rangemaster had been not 2 seconds before.
Lots of ringing back and forth to the store. My main point being that if Rangemaster is going to use laser measurements then they should rename the cookers: try '110.25' or '110+' or maybe 'around 110.'
After I emotionally threw up with despair, I gave my head a shake and then asked how much 'up' leeway they have with the legs ... "Spot on" was the reply and we were able to get it in comfortably that way; so, the top of the cooker is resting on top of the countertop and isn't flush with the countertop which is not a big deal, but not the installation it should be.
And because of the pushing and shoving prior to my bright idea *lighbulb on* there are some scratches on one side that no one can see unless they happen to be there - and I am looking there compulsively - (because it is above the countertop and not hidden by it) BUT point being I did not plan on buying a scratched cooker.
Apparently the Rangemaster rep is to get in touch about the whole thing: I think that a BIG voucher to the Accessories store would be a nice start. I have, however, been waiting since Tuesday for the call so I had to write to the Chairman of AgaRangemster ... He should have the letter on his desk on Monday morning.
Hmmm ....
Note: I'll be interested to see how this post comes out as the preview shows two different fonts and I can't get them to match up ... always something!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Pressure and I have only myself to blame
My stunningly talented - aspiring author - daughter wrote the most amazing piece ABOUT ME in her blog today (Mother's Day in NA - Mothering Sunday was last month in the UK).
I decided to show off and make a comment, of course I had to be 'logged in' and now you know - I can write directly to you as you are my only follower: how funny is that? - it took AGES for me to get it all set up and as I predicted I have done nothing more about it ....
In fact, just now I couldn't remember how to find my blog. Luckily I got in through you, and my Mac keychain remembers my password!
The NY Resolutions lasted less than a day.
I have no idea where the time goes in my day and I am chronically exhausted wondering about that.
Obviously time management is an issue.
I will work on it.
Anyway, what with Facebook and blogging, does this mean that the WHOLE WORLD NOW KNOWS HOW GREAT A DAUGHTER YOU ARE? If so, then I can stop shouting from the rooftops ... but it doesn't change the sentiment.
XXOO
I decided to show off and make a comment, of course I had to be 'logged in' and now you know - I can write directly to you as you are my only follower: how funny is that? - it took AGES for me to get it all set up and as I predicted I have done nothing more about it ....
In fact, just now I couldn't remember how to find my blog. Luckily I got in through you, and my Mac keychain remembers my password!
The NY Resolutions lasted less than a day.
I have no idea where the time goes in my day and I am chronically exhausted wondering about that.
Obviously time management is an issue.
I will work on it.
Anyway, what with Facebook and blogging, does this mean that the WHOLE WORLD NOW KNOWS HOW GREAT A DAUGHTER YOU ARE? If so, then I can stop shouting from the rooftops ... but it doesn't change the sentiment.
XXOO
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