What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.
In case you have been lax and don't know my reference, check back here!
On Tuesday 14th August, the weather was even worse than it had been on the 12th if that could be considered possible. It was lights on at midday stuff. Gail and Bertie had originally planned to stay on the whole morning so that we could make another outing before they had to head back to Aberdeen. However, it was really - and I mean really - not worth the going out.
The YAMster is glad her Hutch is of a size that when such days hit (an' ye'll hae unnerstood by noo, they are mony) one does not have to feel claustrophobic. We lingered over breakfast and then we lingered in the lounge for the morning, checking frequently out the windows for any chinks in the weather. No promise came our way, so G&B decided that they may as well hit the road home. K&D and myself bid them very fond farewells and learned later that they drove into the sunshine. Meanwhile, we were left lingering in the lounge.
Well, Kristen at least did brave the outside for a walk around the wee toon; she returned with tales of having visited our quaint little museum and finding the food store, thus explaining the bulging pockets; chocolate without soy in them! (Soy filler is used in the UK, but not anywhere near the extent it seems to be in the North American continent.)
Drew had an arvo snooze, I read and tinkered on Voovoo the Vaio and in the evening we watched Daniel Craig macho his way through the Casino Royale. It was a restorative kinda day and we made our own amusement - if not exactly kakkul-worthy.
Whilst the visitors were here, the Bonny Land put on a standard show of summer... two not wet days and several that were. There was more time spent in the Hutch than might have been wished for. At least the stuffies were entertained by our not being entertained. Look at them, falling about laughing. "Welcome to our world," they seem to suggest!
Okay, not to weird you out or anything, but this is the mid-week break from the Suffolk Saga and something to give you a giggle; either with me or at me.
Trains. Yes, I love ships, and planes so it is so surprising trains come into the picture too? As it happens, I couldn't get a flight so easily back to the Bonny Land on July 1st so plumped for riding the railways. More on that in due course. Suffice to say, the Fudge was working hard through the windows and as we drew into Darlington, we spotted this...
Just a little bit drool-worthy. Right, the following info is for the train buffs among you - which, I know, means at least Madi's dad, the "B-Cat"!!! I think a few others too.
It's the "Pandora", her ID being 88004. That is to say, she is the fourth off the manufacturer's (Stadler) line in the 88 series of these duel-fuel engines. Hybrid cars? Why not hybrid trains?! Precisely; 25 kV 50 Hz electric and diesel-electric operation. They came into service only a little over a year ago with the 88003 "Genesis". You can see the "Pandora" arriving on UK shores HERE. Actually, for the really keen, there are lots of glory shots to be seen HERE! If that wasn't enough, I dug up this gorgeous little bit of film...
Oh she's a pretty thing. I just want to go up and hug her... what? Aren't you all having fun yet???
...and to wind up this particular little series of one-liners let me bark out that they have come to you from Mark Haggan. A British businessman and entrepreneur who likes to spread the smiles. I just couldn't resist passing them on.
I saw a sign on shop door that said ‘Guide Dogs Welcome’. I walked in and was greeted by a Labrador who thanked me for shopping and took my coat.
I know someone who has a dog that keeps eating garlic. His bark is worse than his bite.
A friend wanted to start collecting dogs. I gave him a couple of pointers.
A local dog gave birth at the side of the road. She got fined for littering.
Threw a ball for my dog last night. It’s a bit extravagant I know but it was his birthday and he looks great in a dinner suit.
I used to have a dog who liked red wine. He was a Bordeaux collie.
I know another dog who goes and sits in the corner every time the doorbell rings. He’s a boxer.
Local dog barks at everyone. He’s a cross breed.
Got myself a robot puppy. Dogmatic.
I called my dog Blacksmith. Every time I opened the door, he made a bolt for it.
They are getting cheesier... (and perhaps best read aloud)
After an explosion at a local cheese factory, the only thing that was left was de Brie…
What cheese do you use to hide a horse? Marscapone
What’s the best cheese to encourage a bear? Camembert…
A piece of cheese sees his cheese friend looking a little dishevelled. “Are you OK?” he asks. “I’ve felt grater”, comes the reply…
A local farmer tried hard to make some cheese, but didn’t quite make it. He fell at the final curdle.
What did the cheese say when it looked in the mirror? Hello me!
I tried to make some clothes out of cheese, but then I found that fromage frays…
Someone threw some butter, milk and cheese at me recently. I thought “how dairy”…. Then, they threw some more mild cheese. I thought “that’s not very mature”.
I had a ploughman’s lunch the other day. He wasn’t happy.
I saw a toddler with a tiny Edam strapped to his bike. Must have been his baby bell.
A bear walks into a bar and says to the bartender, "I'll have a pint of beer and a.......... packet of peanuts."
The bartender asks, "Why the big pause?"
A duck walks into a bar and asks, "Got any grapes?" The bartender, confused, tells the duck no. The duck thanks him and leaves. The next day, the duck returns and asks, "Got any grapes?" Again, the bartender tells him, "No -- the bar does not serve grapes, has never served grapes and, furthermore, will never serve grapes." The duck thanks him and leaves. The next day, the duck returns, but before he can say anything, the bartender yells, "Listen, duck! This is a bar! We do not serve grapes! If you ask for grapes again, I will nail your stupid duck beak to the bar!" The duck is silent for a moment, and then asks, "Got any nails?" Confused, the bartender says no. "Good!" says the duck. "Got any grapes?"
A dog walks into a bar and hops up on a stool. He looks the bartender in the eye and says, "Hey, guess what? I can talk. Have you ever seen a talking dog before? How about a drink?"
The bartender thinks for a moment and says, "Sure, the toilet's right around the corner."
Now you all get to LOL, BOL, MOL - or just cry yourself silly - at the sight of the YAMster getting togged up for the Blogville visit to Paris, this fine Valentine's day. Mayor Arty and his admin have requested that we all send postcards to commemorate the occasion. No worries! (You may have to biggify the back of the p.c.s, cuz I got verbose and the print got small!!!) It's a bloghop so why not visit as many as you can and see what we are all getting up to?!
Yes. A birthday. I share it with Princess Leah's mum. We are day twins, yet to meet in the furs. One day soon I hope. Enough of that. Wednesday's round here are for taking a lighter look at life.
Well, it has to be cattle, right? This bull loves her some cattle.
They's just so... hunkytaurus!
Go on, don't they make you smile???
One of my favourtist songs eva...
Go for it Annie Cownox!!!
The next one below is just plain sweet...
THIS ARRIVED - HAD TO SHARE IT - WHAT FOND MEMORIES OF MEETING IN THE FURS!!! My thanks to HiC, BCat and Madi for this...
Here's the thing. We turn off the A894 onto the B869. For those unfamiliar, the later the letter and the higher the number, the closer to sheep track driving one might expect. You may surmise, therefore, that we moved from a 'major' road (i.e. one which had, at least nominally, two-way traffic) to a 'minor' road.
The Drumbeg road is one of the most daunting tracks in the Bonny Land! We had already traversed several single-track roads, but all of them with reasonably clear view of oncoming traffic. This one not only has many blind corners, but also frequent blind summits, very steep climbs and very sudden downturns. It's a fabulous, extreme, adrenaline-pumping ride!!! It required all driver focus, hence no photos actually got taken of this amazing track, and I have a small regret about that. Then again, nothing could really convey the sense of breath-holding, heart-thumping, outstanding beauty. You'll just have to take my word for it. What is amazing is that this forms part of the recently formed NC500, Scotland's answer to Route 66, without the straight bits and the speed.
It has occurred to me that there will be others who are into dash and helmet cams who may have this on show... and sure enough... yet even this doesn't really convey the incredible topography.
Anyway, Kay had been saying that she thought the roads had been okay... then I turned onto the B869. The change was dramatic. From an average 35mph we were down to 25mph and third gear. Plenty locals would yell out 'wimp', but to be frank, it was as much as Li'l Ren could manage. In fact, on several of the real upright parts, she was down to second and, on one occasion, first gear! Her horn was a-blowing too. I needed anyone coming close to know we were round the corner and over the hill. Then I also had to give my passenger adjustment time. If you're not used to them - even when you are - these roads can be downright scary.
Now, earlier in the trip, Kay had been tickled to see the following sign on several occasions;
It is seen around all areas of town where there are a prevalence of elderly folk. To add to the fun collection of different road signs, as we came down into Ardvar crofts, we were met with this one;
It was accompanied by a hand-written board..."Also ducks, chickens, sheep, goats!" We had a giggle, but absorbed the warning. It took till we are at Drumbeg, however, before we met one of these;
..and one of the actual...
Indeed, the 'actual' was guarding the public toilet. I found that the ladies was locked. Then a car appeared from nowhere over the blind summit, stopped in a great hurry and a young lady rushed out with purpose - headed straight into the mens loo. Fair enough. Needs must.
There was even a flush and soap on the sink.
Getting back in the car, Kay went to drop her window, but for some reason, it refused to open. This was new behaviour and it wouldn't budge even from the driver control panel. Oh well, not important for the moment. Being auld biddies, we both forgot this inconvenience when she later opened the window for a photo. Must just have been a momentary glitch. Right?
Barely half an hour later, I needed to drop my own window. That photo of Suilven was worth the stop. Now, however, the window would not rise. Not more than one inch at least. After a few minutes of confustication and blustering at electrics and 'why did they ever take away the winding handle?!!', we decided we just had to keep driving anyway. The ice-force gale did not bother me and there was the big fluffy blanket for Kay to wrap in.
About five minutes later, I tried again and it rose another inch. No more. No less. Okay. Another five minutes and the same again. On the third rise of one inch, Kay began giggling and that set me off. She wondered if I was kidding her on. I was not. It took no less than 18 goes of one inch lifts to get that window closed. At least it provided a bit of light relief and I am certain all those wonderful negative ions which were acing through the gap did us an immense amount of good. Neither was our giggling over and done with.
Very shortly after passing Drumbeg, we met thea sign for Culkein. You'll recall that was the aim of our day - which was now already up past the midday hour. I was a little surprised to find we were in the croft almost as we turned off - not what I had expected from the map studied the night before. However, we followed the road to its end (barely a mile) and found there a place called Culkein Lodge. A photo was duly taken and then a very hairy backing up and three point reverse turn executed to get us out of there. It was very pretty and yet, somehow, a little bit of a disappointment. I was sure there was a shop/PO marked and those were definitely not in evidence. Hey ho. Back onto the B869 and towards Stoer. As we came out I noted that the sign actually said 'Culkein Drumbeg', which I thought a little peculiar but did not remark at that point.
We had gone barely another ten minutes when I spotted a sign which said 'Culkein Stoer'.
ANOTHER?!
This road was much longer and, I realised, the one I had originally intended we travel. The map had not shown up that there were two Culkeins in such close proximity. We got to the end of this road and found our goal. This felt much more like it - though why we should feel that, we could not say. Then I spotted the sign for the shop. We drove up... only to find a sign saying it was closed till Oct 31st. ..aaaaarrrggghhhhhhhhhhhh. All hope of a postcard or souvenir craft piece was dashed for the MacKenzie descendant. Such a shame. I took this shot though, to prove we were there.
As we left and contined back along the B869, we met another, less seen sign.
Well, it does get boggy round those regions. We headed for Lochinver for lunch. Which we both thoroughly enjoyed - Kay having Summer Isles hand-gathered scallops and me the baked goats cheese salad. This place also offered prize-winning pies and we bought a couple (sweet potato, butternut squash and goats cheese with curry spices) to take back for our meal that night. I added some instant potatoes and fresh snowpeas and we dined well. It meant we didn't have to traverse that awful stair at the FBI anymore than we needed to.
I did a bit of research on the Culkeins, having decided that it must mean something akin to the French 'cul-de-sac'; my father happened to phone right then and he said the same thing. Well, it turned out that there is a third Culkein - Achnacarnin, which we did not spot. All were the last settlements on their respective roads. In the Gaelic, 'cul' means 'back' and 'cinn' means 'heads a place behind several'. Pretty much a cul-de-sac right enough then. Or, as I giggled to Kay, given how much it took to find the place, it could be interpreted as 'the back of beyond'!!! Time for bed.
Did I mention the plumbing? There had been hints of trouble the first night, but nothing too much to bear. The noises outside the room were more invasive; doors banging and shaking the whole building, loud music from somewhere, the exhaust pipe of the kitchen giving a hum and vibe to our gable-end wall... on this second night, later in the evening after we had lights out, Kay went to use the toilet and added to the cacophony. Not intentionally. The flush set up a rattle and roar to equal - as Kay put it - a jet engine. The home-handler in me knew full well it was an airlock in the pipes, but oh my goodness, it went on and on and on and on...... and of course the YAMster started giggling and then snorting. Kay emerged, glad that the place was in darkness, but couldn't resist the giggles either, once she'd overcome the shock. We were like two kids in boarding school after that, both fully awake and needing to chitter chatter. I had not gone to sleep because each time I closed my eyes all I could see was single track sheep roads with blind summits, then thinking how proud I was of Ren for coping, even if she did throw an electrical wobbly or two. Kay talked about her first car, then I remembered mine and so it went on. Then sleep came and we both got a good rest.
Here are three fun things which came out of my visit to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic - which you will read more about on Friday. Each has two parts...
"Merlin", who has his own livestream camera! Depending on your time of day, Merlin may be asleep. He's noisy when he's not...
...but here's a bit of entertainment nevertheless... June 19th, Sunday morning meditation and was joined by this little dude...
There, didn't that bring a smile anyway?! These other fellas came and joined me under the mighty oak too...
The woodpeckers were quite the character chappies. Not so happy at sharing the spoils. The finches, on the other wing, are highly social little peeps. The woodies were a M and F of the Downy Woodpecker variety. Maybe they were just having a lovers' tiff!
The female did not appreciate the YAMarazzi.
Are you looking at me?.. are you looking at ME!!! Just ignore her Wifey - show 'er yer hind feathers...
The YAMster is glad her Hutch is of a size that when such days hit (an' ye'll hae unnerstood by noo, they are mony) one does not have to feel claustrophobic. We lingered over breakfast and then we lingered in the lounge for the morning, checking frequently out the windows for any chinks in the weather. No promise came our way, so G&B decided that they may as well hit the road home. K&D and myself bid them very fond farewells and learned later that they drove into the sunshine. Meanwhile, we were left lingering in the lounge.
The YAMster is glad her Hutch is of a size that when such days hit (an' ye'll hae unnerstood by noo, they are mony) one does not have to feel claustrophobic. We lingered over breakfast and then we lingered in the lounge for the morning, checking frequently out the windows for any chinks in the weather. No promise came our way, so G&B decided that they may as well hit the road home. K&D and myself bid them very fond farewells and learned later that they drove into the sunshine. Meanwhile, we were left lingering in the lounge.
