I have one of those ‘X years ago’ type reminders on my phone of photos taken on this date. For most of the last 18 months it was the sort of thing you would not want to look at as it just reminded you of the Beforetimes when there were friends to be with, places to visit and a life outside of lockdown.
Eight years ago today I did the long Saturday round trip of the Small Isles for a community council meeting – 4 hours on the ferry for 2 hours on the Isle of Eigg, where I had hugs with some Eigg friends, drank a cider and then spent another 4 hours to get back to Rum.
Five years ago we’d been out on the weekly boat trip looking for cetaceans and then spent some time fishing off the pier. We’d seen nothing and caught nothing, but the people who took the boat back to the mainland had spotted an orca.
Three years ago I’d been up my hill and then taken a photo of a newly sheared sheep who was trashing a croquet arch. I miss croquet on the croft – the garden here has no flat ground at all, which is ironic given the slope of the hill on the croft.
Two years ago we’d been to Rum for the day – to pick all the soft fruit (I’d made 29 jars of jam), slaughter and butcher the remaining sheep and bring a wheelbarrow of stuff back from the island.
One year ago we had Ben Fogle and the (very small) film crew here with us.
It’s a funny old life isn’t it?
In the last month I’ve been on TV again -this time on BBC Alba for the Gaelic news being interviewed talking about my job as editor of the the local newspaper. Later this week I’m on local radio talking about wild swimming. I’ve had columns in the local paper, am about to put out my first issue of the other local newspaper as editor, I’ve been mentioned in the neighbouring local newspaper (which was our local one on Rum). I met our MSP (member of Scottish parliament) last week.
Life is certainly not quiet.
Meanwhile it carries on ticking away. We have our nephew / cousin staying with us for the summer so are back to a household of five again. It’s nice to feel the house is being fully used and have new and interesting viewpoints tossed about over the dinner table.
Ady is still enjoying his job and learning lots of new skills as he takes on different challenges. Davies is signed up for his next unit of study to start in the autumn and is continuing to enjoy his time at the art gallery each week.
Scarlett has an extended contract at the croft and is really enjoying being there. She is loving spending time with the animals, particularly the goats and is learning a lot. Over the winter she will be learning more about some of the crafts at the croft including wool crafts and candlemaking.
Two of our hens co-hatched a chick which is currently being co=-parented by them. The garden is doing well with an abundance of flowers, mutant potato plants, so many peas, brassicas which are growing wild, strawberries aplenty and lots of lovely salad leaves and herbs.
Meanwhile although we are cautious about what life may bring next we are also keen to restart life again as much as possible and have been making the most of being able to book music, comedy and other live events over the coming months with some day trips and even overnight adventures for various combinations of us planned.