Hmm, stuff that’s happened today:
Exchanges of emails with Rum – it looks unlikely we’ll be able to get hooked up to the SNH owned hyrdro power electricity at any sort of sensible price, if at all. In many ways this makes decisions easier as without that as an option we are pushed towards self sufficient energy which is where we started as our ideal anyway. Options include diesel generator either as a starting point and emergency back up or as sole energy. To be looked into further but prices on generators and red diesel are not actually that scary (not terribly green either mind you…. will also look at recycled cooking oil conversions). The email I got copied into between IRCT (need to introduce this acronym really, suspect it will be used on here lots – Isle of Rum Community Trust, the body that the village of Kinloch, approx 25% of Rum is now controlled by with a planned gradual independance from SNH altogether. The organisation that is offering the crofts and trying to build the community) and SNH was on the bleak side and said stuff like ‘the person who take on croft 2 and tries to build a house either needs to be very self sufficient or have deep pockets!’. I emailed IRCT back to say we most certainly do not have deep pockets but we do have plenty of energy and enthusiasm and hopefully the right skills to make things happen albeit in unconventional ways. We’re off to look at the Earthship in Brighton next weekend and hopefully our visit to Rum the week after will either galvanise and reassure us it is worth all the potential challenges, or put us off sufficiently to have gotten it out of our systems ;).
I exchanged several emails with the woman organising the crofting course and got that all booked up. Need to sort accommodation now – I am seriously considering getting Willow back on the road – between at least one night in Mallaig and at least three in Inverness I’m thinking it’s quite possible even the additional costs of petrol, tax and insurance might prove cheaper than four nights in hotels! I’ve checked local B&Bs and campsites for Mallaig and can’t get cheaper than £70 per night. I can get a youth hostel space for just £10 per night for me in Inverness as the SCF (Scottish Crofting Federation) subsidise it, but costs for the other three and getting a family room rather than all bunking in with loads of others look scarily high. I’m also waiting to hear back from the hostel in the castle on Rum about 2 nights stay there which I think might be £16 each per night. Eek! Have also arranged a visit to a nearby croft for all four of us through her which will be good. By then I think we will know what we are planning to do next croft wise.
I’ve had another ‘sorry we’re full’ email from a potential WWOOF host but it looks like we have somewhere for all of April if we want it, just checking if we can camp onsite with our tent – it sounds good, loads of woodworking and bodging, they make charcoal and have lots of off grid living experience. I reckon we’d learn a lot there and it sounds like an interesting one for Davies and Scarlett.
I spent most of my day outside with Ady today, bored of inside the cottage and being online. It was good to be outside (in the snow!!) and we did some lifting and digging and siting some rainwater barrels and talked lots and lots. Also spent time with all the animals, leaning on the fence chatting and planning and sharing anxieties and excitements.
Davies and Scarlett spent the morning packing up their stuff and starting to tidy the room they’ve been sharing and the afternoon watching films, playing with geomags and Humphrey. I am really looking foward to spending some time with them in the next couple of weeks. Davies has a few projects he wants some help and input with and as lovely as this time in Glastonbury has been we’ve still been in the 9-5 mindset with too many distractions. I read them a couple of chapters of a book at bedtime and I’m looking foward to that being what we do every night at bedtime again.
I had an email from Sue on Eigg confirming our WWOOFing dates with them, so that will be nice whatever happens on Rum – good to see them again, to spend some time on Eigg and know what questions we want answers to, and to see the croft up for grabs on Eigg too which remains an option.
Whilst cleaning up tools with WD40 I realised my face was getting itchier and itchier so stopped. I’m hopeful I did so in time to prevent a full on outbreak and of course it may have been something I touched before rather than that but a bit of a google reveals latex and WD40 allergies seem to have some link and latex was one of the things I had a positive test result to on the prick testing. One of those things that could well have been present for all previous attacks as it’s always around for starting the car in the damp, cleaning stuff, oiling squeaky things but I would not have necessarily noticed and made the connection. I have my patch testing on Friday anyway so will mention it to the clinic and see what other results I get back. It would be excellent to have identified it though.
I crocheted yet another string bag but despite spending hours on it I don’t love it enough not to pull it all out again. I’m liking crochet but need to actually make something I’d use!
Argh to the deep pockets quote!!
wwoofing plans seem good though. Hoping that the tenants leave today with no hitches!
Comment by Kirsty — 31 January 2012 @ 6:10 am