The plan for today was to make plans. Having had the email from Rum yesterday to say ‘yes come’ we swung into action making that all happen.
Having gone for 25th as Static Delivery Day we worked backwards to ensure we arrive before the static does. That left Monday 23rd – too close to Wednesday 25th, Saturday 21st with a choice of 2 ferries – 730am, too early or 235pm sensible time but it then goes on a tour all around the small isle and takes five hours to get back to Rum. Which led us to Friday 20th – ferry leaves Mallaig at 1240 to arrive on Rum at 2pm. Perfect 🙂
Booked that (scary cost with four people, vehicle and trailer), now just need to get the permit from SNH to show we can take the vehicle on the island.
Debated generators – should we get it delivered to us here? Pros – free delivery as it’s mainland address, will definitely have it ready for when we get the static. Cons – big and heavy to travel all the way up the country with. Or have it delivered to us on Rum? Pros – we don’t have to travel around with it, cons – it costs more to have delivered and we may not get it exactly when we need it. Decided to get it sent here, will sort that for when we’re back from Glastonbury. Then realised we need to sort petrol out for it in advance so rang the ferry again and booked passage for one jerrycan (they can only carry two per trip so needs to be booked on). Will get a jerrycan (complete with dangerous goods certificate and stickers) and fill it up at petrol station in Mallaig.
Next bottled gas for static – we tried to get the static place to add them to our order but they are not licenced to carry them (they are bringing our water containers for us, same sort of price as elsewhere and they can stick them in the static and bring them to save us the carriage), but we can buy them direct from Rum so have ordered a couple of those.
We’ll do a big food shop on the way for essential tinned and dried goods and stuff like loo roll.
Next on the list was working out the route from Sussex to Scotland and where to stay along the way, with a definite hamster and a possible puppy. One camping pod booking and a flurry of texts with a fabulous friend later that was all sorted (love you more than motorway Travelodges – mwah!).
We then spent ages and ages and ages trying to work out the best way to get a chicken coop to Rum. That quickly became best way to get a shed to Rum as actually chicken coops are stupidly expensive, particularly for people wanting to keep more than half a dozen birds. A shed will be better as we can keep the feed in there too (remember, no outbuildings on the croft to begin with). I think the best option is getting it delivered to Calmac who will bring it across for a small charge and we can just collect it the other end.
I had some nice tweets from fellow Rumsters with hints, tips and grim commiserations which was good. I’m enjoying feeling part of the community already and so pleased that they are all looking forward to us getting there :).
Tomorrow we’ll get in touch with Donald ‘the hen’ McDonald on Skye who is the poultry supplier according to Neil on Eigg and get our starter flock ordered and arranged and start the same process for polytunnels along with looking at seed catalogues with a rather more than casual eye we’ve previously afforded them.
Word from Rum is that another couple are moving there at the end of April so we’ll not be the only new people 🙂
Feedback from the viewing yesterday was that the house is lovely, perfect etc but the garden is too small for them – they have three kids. I guess if they are young children then it probably is if they were hoping for a space for them to run round in / have swings and stuff in but that is reflected in the price. Late this afternoon we had a phonecall from the agent to ask if we’d be okay with a tenant having two cats and a small dog to which we said yes – we have a ‘by arrangement’ approach to pets. I have no theoretical objection as we have always had cats and most of our tenants here have had pets with no issues arising but I would not want 27 cats or 3 dobermans. The contract would be drawn up to ensure that any pet related damage came out of their deposit and the carpets would need to be cleaned and house pest treated if necessary. Hopefully that will result in another viewing in the next couple of days. I am very hopeful it will get let fairly quickly which should tie in beautifully with us leaving so soon.
Bid came over to collect a couple of freezers from our garage – he is planning to sell ice creams from his market stall over the summer, very pleased to hear they have good plans and ideas happening. They are really enjoying living in the town centre close to everything, funny how one mans meat is another mans poison…
I made dinner tonight – quiche using some eggs Katy had given us from their hens on Tuesday. Ady and I ate all ours but Davies didn’t like the quiche but loved the potatoes and sweetcorn, while Scarlett loved the quiche and peas but was not so keen on the potatoes. They swapped leftovers so everyone was happy and full. They are so Jack Spratt and his wife 🙂
Tomorrow we’ll walk into Lancing and tax the car, drop off some rubbish at the tip, visit my Dad. Sunday we collect the car. Fingers crossed for diesel somewhere so we can get home in it and to Glastonbury on Monday.
Oh and blog title is brought to you today by our very old, tired and no longer up to the job camping mats. We bought them (love having such an info filled blog, have just checked and found the precise date!) in March 2008, so at four years old with many, many camping trips, a full year of being a bed in Willow and several weeks of full time bed on the floor here I think they have earned their keep! I do notice that I was funnier back then in my blogposts, must try harder to amuse now.