I really miss blogging, I miss the actual act of typing out my day, of sharing what I’m thinking and have been doing and I really hate not having it all recorded as I know those days now blur and slip away from me merging into all the others. But I will try and get back to it as soon as it is feasible to do so and life is too short to be filling my head with regrets of things I’ve not done, so I’m shrugging off these unrecorded bits and writing them off as time spent on stuff which was more important at the time.
Parents Visit.
Mum and Dad arrived on Friday 29th June and stayed until Friday 6th July. They had a fairly action packed journey up but got here okay. After teary hugs and kisses at the pier and a first meeting with Bonnie Ady drove all their stuff up to the croft while the rest of us walked up there. It was fantastic to see them, I’ve missed Dad loads and to be able to share Rum with people for the first time was just brilliant. To walk them along the roads, introduce them to the people here and show them the track we got the static along and then bring them to our croft was so good.
They stayed with us in the static – Davies and Scarlett shared Scarlett’s room, Ady and I had Davies’ room and Mum and Dad had our bedroom. It worked okay although the kids definitely enjoy having their own space now, however small so it was a big ask to have them share again. Ady and I both slept badly in the very narrow twin beds in Davies’ room (we normally take one of them out to give him more space in there anyway) but it was fine. The toilets were a challenge for Mum and indeed for Ady emptying them. Dad got his head round trying to make sure he used the loos in the village where possible but Mum never did. We seemed to spend a lot of time cooking dinners and washing up but in the main it was just good to have them here. Dad totally got it, against all my worst fears that he would not understand what we are doing at all. Mum fell in love with the beauty of Rum but struggled with the active side of our lifestyle with all the walking everywhere and carrying heavy things about.
Overall it was a successful visit really. I think although it would never be something they’d want to do they can see how happy and settled we are here, already part of the community with lots of friends and making a real start on building a life and home and business here on the croft. They watched me baking cakes for the teashop, making stuff to sell at the weekly market days, swapping eggs for salad and selling more eggs to the shop and I think this is the closest they have been to proud of me really. They can finally see me throwing my all into something which I suspect they have never felt I’ve done before. I would argue with that but it’s irrelevant really so I’ll just be pleased they are happy :).
We tried to take them out walking to explore the island but an ill fated trip to Kilmory ended with Mum spraining her ankle so the only real trip we did was on Thursday on the Sheerwater. It was Mum’s birthday on that day and we’d arranged a private castle tour for her and Dad in the morning which the kids went along for too and then on to the Sheerwater. After several weeks running of great cetacean sightings we were all fingers crossed that this would be a good week and it was the best yet. We saw a fairly big pod of dolphins close up and then had an amazing encounter with a minke whale for about 20 minutes. So special 🙂
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They left on Friday which was rather tearful all round. Made easier for Davies and Scarlett by the knowledge that Julie, Jack, Maisie and Lorna were arriving the following Monday!
I’m not sure when they’ll next get up here. They did the drive home all in one go, arriving back in Sussex at 5am which I think is pretty crazy but is up to them. We’ve talked on the phone since and I think it is easier for us all to talk now they know where we are but possibly slightly harder for them too knowing just how very far away it is.
Life up on the croft is brilliant. We have loads to sort out – compost loo is top of our list to get dealt with, closely followed by water, polytunnel and then energy. The list of research keeps growing. I got a book today on Earthships and we watched Garbage Warrior at the weekend so are inspired anew in that direction I think. But we’re still exploring the croft and getting to know the land really. We had 40 fruit bushes arrive last week so have our first crops planted in – nothing else is worth doing until we have the polytunnel otherwise it’ll just be deer fodder really. We have a goose and gander arriving at the end of the month though so our livestock continues to grow and thrive. All the hens are now laying, the ducks are settled if not laying yet, Dave the cockerel is really doing well and Tom and Barbara the pigs are lovely 🙂
Julie and co arrived on Monday. Maisie is sleeping up at the static with us, Jack and Lorna are down with Julie in their trailer tent and Julie’s Mum is in her own small tent next to them down at the campsite. We simply cannot accommodate them all in the static and they need showers / loos really so they are better down there with their own space. It’s lovely having them here, the kids are just having a ball. Julie is struggling with a cold and this is only night 3 for them anyway but they are here for another two full weeks so she is slowly settling in and getting her head round everything.
Other highlights: we hosted a birthday Barbecue for Vikki at the croft last night which was fab. We’re planning a croft warming barbecue at the weekend if the weather stays kind. I sold out of cheese scones today again at the market day and am enjoying that little regular earner each Wednesday. I am involved in a sort of Village Fete in August we’re calling Midgefest which we are having weekly meetings about and is also taking up time coordinating. Life is busy but very good 🙂