Island Holidays Blog

White Christmas

We were very lucky up here in Perthshire - enough snow for a white Christmas but not so much as to make it difficult to get around.  That was until during the night on Boxing Day (Saturday night) when it dumped about 4 inches (I still can't get my head round centimetres!) on top of ice.  And it's freezing again.  Very beautiful with the sun shining, but the roads are awful.  It's probably OK when you get to the main road but that's the challenge - especially the very pretty hump back bridge which you cross to get there.  We once had a party for that bridge to celebrate its 200th anniversary.  Great fun.  Now that's going back a few years ......

One of the disappointments caused by the snow was that the "steam up" on the Comrie Railroad which, for those of you new to this blog, runs past my back door through the woods had to be cancelled 'cos nobody could get here.  Not quite true:  some folk made it from Oban but it wasn't the big event it usually is.  Thank goodness I'd decided against having a party this year - what I'd have done with lunch for 100 people doesn't bear thinking about.

So today it's back to work in a desultory way.  Karon's got another week off - she'll be back a week tomorrow and then I go off to St Helena the next day.  Talk about ships that pass in the night!  I just hope this snow has gone by then.

Are you ready?

Have you noticed how people are beginning to ask if you're ready for Christmas at the beginning of December?   I reckon some folk get ready in the January sales!  Certainly the whole point of Advent is preparation - waiting and watching.  We've kind of lost sight of that, haven't we?   Not much time for watching in the run up to what should be a really wonderful and joyful day.

Not to worry - I'm going to be avoiding Perth like the plague over the next week.  I thought I'd be smart a couple of weeks ago and put in an on-line order for a Tesco delivery but there wasn't a slot to be had.  So I'll just live without Tesco.  Anyway, it's good to do a bit of the shopping locally.

Now I have to do my proud auntie bit (again).  My nephew Marcus has got this band called Mumford & Sons and it would seem they're hitting the big time.   They were featured in Vogue this month - photo by David Bailey would you believe?   They're currently touring in India and then they're topping the bill at the HMV Forum in London on New Year's Eve.  Then it's off to Australia and the US before returning for a UK tour.  My sister said "I'm pink with pride while my blood runs cold"!  Know what she means.

Anyway, there's nothing worse than people going on about the achievements of the younger generation of the family so I'll leave it at that.  For now!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, things are relatively quiet as usual at this time of year.  There's always plenty to be done but the motivation isn't really there at the moment so I'm taking it relatively easy.  Having said that, I leave on 6 January for St Helena and so will need to get my act together.  There's always lots to be done in terms of preparation for a tour.  Fergus has rebuilt my laptop so that's working better.  I can also now connect with this computer in the office from anywhere in the world which is rather exciting.   I know - it's been possible for ages but you must remember I'm always a bit slow on the uptake.

Anyway, if I don't get round to doing another blog in the next 10 days take this as a warm greeting for a peaceful Christmas.

One day at a time

Someone has sent me a postcard.  It says on the front "I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me at once."  Know the feeling?  I know I do.  But right now it's relatively quiet in the office - a good opportunity to catch up and get everything in order before leaving for St Helena again on 6 January.  

We had our first snow of the year yesterday but it's now raining and the white stuff is getting washed away. Can't say I'm sorry.  When you live on the top of a very steep hill snow is nothing except a nuisance.  I got the car to the bottom before the snow fell, but there's still the challenge of tottering down without going head first!   What I need is a stenna lift!!!!

It's really dark this morning and my light box is in action.  I really do think it helps quite a bit - I just have it on for an hour on days like this which are so gloomy.  It certainly brightens the place up.  Does any one else use one?  

The first calendars and Christmas cards have started to come in and soon it will be time to look out the decorations which I'm sure only got put away last week!  I've decided against doing a party on 27 December for the trains (newcomers won't know that a 7 1/4 inch steam railway runs past my back door).  With leaving on 6 January for 4 weeks there's enough to be done without feeding about 100 people!  Too exhausting even though it is fun.

That's about it for now.  The post is just about due to arrive and a whole load of emails need to be seen to so I'd better stop waffling and get on with it.