Ten days of sanity

Hmm, the ten day thing is not great blogging.

A mad, mad week last week. Wednesday was Market Day which had me sitting with Ali selling stuff and Ady round at Sandy’s on the phone to the doctor persuading him that Sandy needed to be collected from the island and taken to the mainland for proper medical attention for his finger which was now seriously infected. Eventually at 11pm the coastguard boat came and took him away. This was a thoroughly exhausting day for both of us and led to conversations regarding how the time has come to extricate ourselves from Fliss and Sandy’s lives and focus back on us again. There is a difference between being a good friend and getting sucked in to someone else;s life to the point that you are prevented from living your own.

Thursday and Friday had Ady at the larder processing deer to make venison. The kids and I did the Sheerwater trip without him as he was not finished. On the Friday we met the Screen Machine off the boat for it’s overnight visit to Rum. More dashing about on behalf of Fliss and Sandy as Fliss had arranged to put Ian the driver / operator up at their house. A conversation by email about making up beds, ironing sheets, topping up tea and coffee etc was probably the final straw after a conversation with Davies about how he felt we were putting Fliss and Sandy above him and Scarlett – the wake up call I think we needed.

The cinema was how all good cinema should be, absorbing, enthralling, captivating and thought provoking. We saw Epic which was mediocre in my opinion and The Great Gatsby which was haunting and powerful. I felt very uncomfortable with having Davies and Scarlett there for Gatsby and really welcommed the fact that I walked home from the pier with them and Bonnie while Ady helped clear up the Screen machine, which is a bit like a micro machine or transformer as a big lorry converts into a proper air conditioned cinema. We talked it all through and processed all the film had to offer before getting home and having the latest of all late dinners.

I was up super early to sit on the boat for the four hour round all the islands trip to Eigg. I sat with Sean as far as Canna and was then on my own. I had my kindle and the view and made the most of both spending time inside and out wildlife spotting and taking photographs as I was treated to a view of Rum’s coastline I’d not seen before.

The meeting was the Small Isles Community Council of which I am now a member and representative for Rum. It was the AGM at which I was elected and appointed and we covered accounts for the previous year, doctor / medical provision, ferry stuff and other island related things. It was interesting and I like Camille and Alex who are the Eigg reps. I met Ewan who is the Muck rep too which was good. I had lunch, a pint of cider, a poke around the craft shop and some quick hugs with various Eigg folk which was all good. Then got back on the ferry for the four hour or so return trip back to Rum via all the islands going the other way.

There were loads of minke whales and some close puffins, which along with the stunning scenery and constant yet every changing view of Rum as we went around three quarters of the way around it’s coastland made for a lovely trip.

Home to cook dinner and collapse a little.

Sunday was our second go at Community Teashop. We’d taken it on by default as no one else was available and though I was close to wiped out we decided to do it. Despite some early stresses it all went well and we took over £100 which is excellent. The final straw of a couple of guests arriving for Fliss and Sandy’s B&B which Ady and I had to deal with (make up beds, show them where everything was in the house so they could self cater etc.). This finally decided me that we need to extricate ourselves from such a close relationship.

We had dinner at Vikki’s which was lovely, a really nice end to what had been a chaotic and stressy week.

Monday – the kids and I had planned to do shearwater monitoring up the hill with SNH but when we arrived to set off we were told it was just too hot and midgey up the hill so were offered the chance to help move a pregnant Rum pony plus a recently delivered foal and her mother instead. This was a pretty good substitute so we did that instead.

In the evening we called round to Fliss’ to welcome her home and have the slightly tricky conversation about why we just can’t be leaned on quite so much any more. I feel a bit, well okay a lot mean having reached a point where we were a very big crutch for them but quite aside from protecting our own time, energy and family life above all else I actually don’t think we were really helping in the scheme of things anyway.

Tuesday was a lovely day. We achieved loads on the croft, I did oodles of baking and preparing for Market Day while the kids hung out with me and it was just all very perfect and totally what we came here to do.

Wednesday was Market Day. Fliss joined me and all seems well. She is clear not to be taking any favours off us and possibly a bit extreme in that but I’d rather that than feeling as though I am constantly mopping up after her. It was a slow-ish day but a nice feeling in the hall.

Thursday was Shearwater – we saw loads and loads of birds and a few porpoises. Casey came and I chatted lots to her. On the way home I foraged some raspberries and turned them straight into jam. That always pleases me lots 🙂 In the evening we painted pebbles ready for Midgefest on Saturday.

Friday morning was BBC Alba coming to film us on the croft. They were with us for ages and took loads of footage about the croft and us. They loved the kids and have been back in touch since to ask if Davies and Scarlett are up for them pitching about their life to a CBBC documentary show. They have said yes.

In the afternoon I went down to Fliss’ and we were joined by Casey for the resurrection of Friday knitting and crochet.

Mike and Casey came for pizza Night in the evening which was lots of a fun and a Very Late Night Indeed.

Saturday was Midgefest – we had some kids crafts, some kids games and a quiz in the evening, all pretty low key and not highly attended but a fun day nonetheless. We headed for home after the quiz as Scarlett was coming down with a cold and we were all pretty wiped out from the night before.

Sunday was Community teashop by Mike and Casey so we wandered down to buy some bits from them before coming home for roast dinner and watching Life of Pi which we all enjoyed.

Monday – in the morning after Popmaster Ady and I called down to the village as I needed to do some printing at the trust office. We collected some more hen and chicks from Jinty’s (we have rehomed more of their chickens – two hens and 24 chicks!) and brought them back up, had lunch, all spent some time puzzling over the best way to pen around our chicken coop as we have three broody hens sitting on nearly 30 eggs too and then put the first posts in for our fruit cage.

Down to the village for Monday beer and collecting the veg order before coming home for dinner and me starting to go down with Scarlett;s cold.

Today I had a Visitor Management Group meeting all morning, then home for lunch. We were planning to finish the fruit cage but the kids lobbied us to eat popcorn adn watch a film with them which seemed a far better use of our time in the scheme of things so we did.

Afterwards I walked down to the village with the kids to deliver eggs, put some information packs in the Kabins and pick up something from the shop, then home to make onion marmalade and some pizzas that Claire has ordered from me for tomorrow.

And finally I’m up to date, Much glossed over, much missed out, but ready to start again tomorrow with a clean up to date slate 🙂

In the middle of it all a couple arrived to stay in the B&B having been booked in by Sandy during his drunkenness. More dashing round to change beds, pacify misinformed people and mopping up after Fliss and Sandy. This about sealed the deal for us and prepared us for declining further favours.

A lovely evening at Vikki’s where we’d been invited for dinner and had a good time AND dinner cooked for us.

Monday was supposed to be going up Hallival to check on Shearwater chicks but it was so hot and still that it was declared dangerous for us to take the kids up so instead we got to move the mother pony and her newborn foal and their pregnant companion into the castle field. This entailed making friends with all of them and then leading them through the village to the field. Davies led the pregnant mare, Scarlett spotted for the pony and I mostly took photos. Scarlett utterly fell in love and it was a really nice afternoon.