Thursday, March 03, 2005
Swiss Absinthe
03/03/2005
We are promised a dry morning with rain later. At 7.00am, it is freezing with clear skies. The wind veers all the time right round to the southeast. The wind should back to northwest by nightfall, and although we are having dry weather, there is much talk of blizzards and deep snow to the east of us. The coming weekend it predicted to be the best skiing weekend so far this year. The morning news informs us that Switzerland is considering imposing helmets on skiers because the modern carving ski is letting folk ski beyond their capabilities, turning too wide and too fast, resulting in 50 mph car crash style injuries, rather than the normal multiple limb fractures that skiers favour. It is interesting, but not surprising that today also marks the day when the Swiss legalise Absinthe distilling after a fifty-year ban following the consumption of the said gut rot leading to domestic violence. God only knows what it does for your skiing. Only time will tell. We are enjoying the best weather in the country and this has certainly brought many visitors to Glen Trollaigh, from sixty odd ice climbers in the corries to fast jet pilots in turbo prop trainers. These trainees are at least keen to waggle their wings at you, where as the arrogant ice climbers and even worse the howling F16s treat the whole landscape as their own. Dearest Dotty claims that the south facing windows of the Tower of Glen Trollaigh require more cleaning because the F16s fly in at 200 feet from that direction, spewing unburnt kerosene from their after-burners. The ice climbers, equally unthinking just leave empty plastic coke bottles and tissues decorating the landscape. They are, of course committed urban recycling environmentalists to a man; one hopes that they will step in beaver poo in years to come. Not unnaturally, nobody gives a toss about what we country trogs think. The fires are lit, and the frustrations of country living can be calmed with an Ardbeg. Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
North Winds Do Blow
03/02/2005
Snow on the ground this morning, strong northerly breeze and it is pretty nippy. However, the clouds are whizzing overhead and sunshine touches the Tower of Glen Trollaigh by 9.15. Today I am up in good time, with a list of tasks to perform in a full programme. Good news from Oban that my mechanical plant man has found a three-ton excavator in Carlisle, which he thinks is just the thing we need to progress dearest Dotty’s garden plan, without the baronial back giving way. I trust Alan’s judgement in such matters and look forward to sorting this out. A phone call to Glen Orchy finds the Kerr’s in a panic because they are to give a presentation on Diana Drummond and Seaweed to the Dunblane Horticultural Society today. First, they have not prepared, despite knowing about this for months and second, an overturned Tesco lorry blocks the A85 and they will have to find an extra 45 minutes to drive round by Balloch and Drymen. I enjoy a day of striding round the policies and the Home Farm, well wrapped against the chill making plans with Lachie for the springtime labours ahead of us. Of course, we are rustling sheaves of paper to make sure that we are carrying out risk assessment and COHSS checks on every possible activity that could even remotely take place on our premises. An extra filing cabinet in the office is already groaning under the weight of new regulations. Half a drawer is devoted to the matter of disabled access to the byre, although every detail of size, shape and gradient is specified, the rule does not indicate whether this provision is for visitors or the livestock. It is all very worthy, but I know in my heart of hearts that most member states in the EU will be ignoring it. At least we can produce whisky better than any country, anywhere, and a good measure of Ardbeg; with my family around me in front of the great fire does much to restore my good humour. Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.