how to start the year?

 enough to  make a seal laugh? On Gress Beach
we didn't....

 they did......ready....

 go!

 and....

 back again....

 that's why..

we sponsored our friend from the village shop in North Tolsta

Christmas at Tolsta

with a full moon on 25th December.

We had a much needed break, recovering physical and mental equilibrium.

We're back into full swing of moving things and trying to organize help...empty promises for the most part...not helped by the stress of worrying whether we will get our rent deposit back....at least we know we'll be leaving this place better than we found it.

Not having taken my usual laptop computer, I loaded the images from my camera all at once, instead of day by day....I'll need to sort them properly when I have time, as they didn't land entirely chronologically...at least they are all there!

Chillin' and keeping warm.,

We are on The Western Isles, relaxing keeping warm and observing the weather, of which there is plenty!!
It is doing us good but even so the big bad world outside keeps sticking its oar in!
 I've started drawing at least once a day and writing as well.
I set a challenge as well... Learn to use the tablet computer I've been given. I think I'm getting there but writing this without seeing what I'm writing feels weird!
Back to The Mainland soon, weather permitting, then hopefully there will be time to sort all the photos we've taken.
Lightbulb moment..turn tablet 90 degrees... to see what one is writing..

Back home to temporarily get both cars serviceable as mine is longer and has roof rack and a towbar, so can carry bigger things in, on or behind on a borrowed trailer....

Our heartfelt thanks go to our hosts, the author of Boxes and Bellows and lovely Eve.   Putting up with us and looking after us.

All this and we missed seeing the Aurora last night by ten minutes... Couldn't stay awake any longer !!

Coming back Home

 Back to Mainland Scotland....

We'll be back as soon as we can!

Friday...

We didn't go anywhere....The Pirate filled the coal scuttle..tended the fire..and we stayed warm all day!!

bus shelter for Dru

Bus shelters on the Isle of Lewis have four sides...so whichever quarter the wind is you'll be ok!!      Some even have the "sides" sticking out further than the flat roof.

No seats though...

This one is in North Tolsta where we were staying, in the Western Isles.

mess!!

Sorting and de-cluttering, ....whatever you do, in whatever field in your life, it looks worse before it looks better!

Papers in boxes LOOK very tidy...and its a mess when they are being sorted/shredded/used for lighting the stove, recycled.....and even, a small amount, filed!   
Have you noticed that people never seem to visit when your home is tidy?

As Winter draws in we'll have less gardening to do and less money to travel, so more time to tackle this mountain of sorting....one box at a time.

Yesterday the Pirate had his latest appointment with the oncology nurse...all well so far, just keep on keeping on...six weeks down of hormone treatment, one hundred and fifty to go....

It would be easier for him if his op had left an external scar...then he'd have a visible reminder of having had a fairly major op.

Winter makes him sad as it is, the treatment could make this worse.  However he is through half of his worst sad part of the year, not long to go....then he can get me through February and March...

We are booking our tickets for our Hogmanay trip to Eileann Siar today. We're both looking forward greatly to that.  I must buy a spare pair of rechargeable batteries for his camera that I'm using, so that we're never caught with flat or chilled batteries and no camera!!

We went to the Burns Centre for lunch yesterday...pictures hopefully next time!

going to Eileann Siar..

Not me, yet, but a storyteller and artist, Rima Staines......go if you can...dates and other places in Scotland on her blog....
http://intothehermitage.blogspot.co.uk/

The shop she sells her work in, in Chagford, by Dartmoor is inspiring too...have a look!