Thursday 19 November 2009

Walking the plank!



Yesterday the flooring arrived. It looked tiny on a large lorry and I wondered if Niels had got the calculations wrong!

It was exciting. Had we made the right choice? It wasn't what we went looking for, but once seen agreed it was that or nothing - and as we've had nothing on the floor for quite a while I really felt it was time we made a decision. 

We carried it in. I was ever so keen to lay it immediately. But it must stay at room temperature for a week to ten days acclimatising and  getting used to its new surroundings.

But I have had a little poke about and unpacked one or two planks, and played at pretend flooring and tried to imagine how it will look when it's laid properly.

We made the right choice. It's warm and mellow. Smoked oak. Each knot is filled by hand. It has a  rustic look. The grain is grey, it will match the decor perfectly!

I can't wait to have floor. It was more than our budget  but we've compromised and the hall, stairs and upstairs rooms (all the other rooms in the house basically!) will have to wait until next year. We are driving to London in the morning and plan to be away for a week. Then on our return the floor laying operation should get underway.



Sunday 15 November 2009

Rebecca's garden


 This is the view from Rebecca's sitting room. Rebecca lives here with her mum and dad and baby brother David. We went there for lunch today and Rebecca showed me her garden

Rebecca has without doubt the best view seen from a garden swing anywhere

 only she's too busy to notice
 
and besides gardens are for running around in
 
and wondering what to do next.
Rebecca's Dad until recently was a deer stalker on the estate here in Kylesku owned by the Duke of Westminster. 
We had a lovely relaxed and enjoyable lunch with them, marveling at the view and watching the deer from the window.
Rebecca and her little brother are two very fortunate children growing up in an environment that allows them simply to be children, to play and to discover all that is wonderful around them.

Friday 13 November 2009

Please do not adjust your sets


It isn't dust on your monitor - it's snow! Added by me because I thought it was fun. It isn't real snow but full stops and apostrophes apparently, which is quite good as my punctuation isn't, and now its all over the place and can be added where needed! You may have to wait a moment for the snow to start.


Thursday 12 November 2009

Bit by bit




This might be one small step for a painter decorator, but it's a giant leap for me!

Painted window sills!
 
Only down stairs mind - don't want to go overdoing it!
I will put some pictures on here of the finished rooms but at the moment there are cupboards and pictures waiting to go back on the walls. The wood for the floor is about to be delivered and there is a large miter saw and stand taking up rather a lot of space in the sitting room - only the window sills pass the vigorous 'can this be photographed inspection!'


I saw these pretty little hearts on Emma's stall at the farmer's market in Inverness. She runs her own business Lochbroom Pottery and had some lovely stoneware on display. I loved these hearts. I'm  not sure what to do with them but feel better for having them!

I've washed the windows! It happens every now and then! I like to think they have a certain sparkle, and look only slightly smeary!

Sunday 8 November 2009

A weekend to remember


The weekend weather has been glorious. Yesterday we drove into Inverness to do some shopping and to order the chimney for the wood burner. The first smattering of snow has appeared on the top of Ben Dearg
 
As we came out of Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness we were met by (Oh, I do hope I've got this right!)
"The Inverness British Legion Pipe Band"  Please somebody let me know if they're not. And the tartan is the Royal Stewart, and maybe you could let me know if that's wrong too!

Up and down the square they went while young cadets stood nearby with trays of poppies. How do you pin a poppy on a lapel? We got in a terrible muddle and were very relieved to discover peel and stick poppies in a nearby garden centre.

And then,  this afternoon, in Ullapool at around midday, after church services finished, people gathered by the war memorial on the main road coming out of Ullapool
 
 for a short service and the laying of wreaths for "Remembrance Sunday"
 
 It was perfect, not a cloud in the sky
 
 and slowly but surely




the Ullapool Pipe Band came marching down the road

 The first wreath was laid
 
and after the final wreath, a lone piper played

At the end of the ceremony, the traffic, such as it was, waited patiently for the road to be handed back.
It was an all together unhurried and dignified affair, made all the more poignant by the beautiful surroundings so far away from war.

Monday 2 November 2009

Monday Morning



There was a lot of weather in Ullapool this morning.

It followed me home
 
 I stopped the car opposite the house on the lochside


and watched as the rain slowly but surely travelled up the loch in unhurried but determined manner. I stepped out of the car and took some photos. The rain passed me by with inches to spare.

  On it went up the head of the loch and beyond
 
 The sun shone where moments before there had been rain. The excess water thundered off the hillside in cascades of silver ribbons

 
Looking back towards Ullapool the next weather front was heading up the loch

And, if all that excitement wasn't enough, within moments of arriving home a large noisy flock of fieldfares settled on the surrounding trees
 
 I rushed for the bird book, binoculars and camera lens - some people have all these things to hand, not us.  The birds waited patiently while I identified them. Towards the left of the picture and down a bit  is a redwing, often seen in the company of fieldfares. These birds will have spent the summer in north and eastern Europe and are now coming south for the winter.

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