Friday, April 08, 2005
Yellow Daffodils, White Snow, Page Three Girls.
04/08/2005
Awake to a thin covering of snow around the Tower of Glen Trollaigh. We are blessed with a bitter North wind bearing frequent light snow flurries. All the dogs and cats seem to anticipate a fair day, as they are desperate to get out and romp about the policies. I decide, rather unusually to let the whole lot have their head and open the boot room door to release them. Perhaps I have that same yearning for freedom as the blue skies and sunshine appear giving us the unusual contrast of hosts of yellow daffodils against pure white snow and our added backdrop of 3500 foot alpine hills to the north of us. When I eventually get my wellies on and go to round up the pack, I meet up with Mhairi who is cradling the corps of a breeding female Crossbill that has collided with a kitchen windowpane and broken its neck. In some ways a sorry sight and Mhairi is upset, but an opportunity to compare a relatively rare wild bird with the reference book. I have heard them calling around the pinewoods over the last couple of years, and even seen them, I am fairly sure that Crossbills wintered around the Tower for the first time this year. I do so hope that they will flourish. I am drafted in to Arichastlich later in the day when the Daily Record newspaper prints a most splendid photo on Page Three of a naked model with a very small number of Diana Drummond Shower Straps to cover her modesty. The switchboard lights up and e-mail overloads with orders and enquiries, all in the name of PR for next week’s Country Living Fair. I wonder if the reporter will introduce me to the model and I can ask for a signed copy of the delightful image, all in the name of research of course! Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Big Brother Is Watching
04/07/2005
The wind turns northerly and it feels cold, snow on the tops, grey cloud cover with glimpses of blue sky. We do get a wintery flurry every now and then, but it is mostly dry with the River Trollaigh falling. Reports come from Oban that it is much windier on the coast, a full northerly gale. Two topics concern me to-day, the first is the launch of the general election campaigns that brings waves of lies and unbelievable drivel from all political persuasions. Does anyone actually believe any of this nonsense? I once was foolish enough to vote for the Liberal party after the local candidate had reassured me of his commitment to a particular issue close to my heart. Needless to say, the chump was elected and promptly abandoned his support for “my” issue in exchange for promotion to paper-clip convenor. It is interesting that the Liberals are campaigning this time on a platform of trust! Amongst all the rarefied economic and political razzmatazz, it is good to see that the cornerstone policy for the Scottish Nats is the promise of two extra public holidays in Scotland, surely a major vote winner. My second concern was the broadcast of the fact that more CCTV cameras than any country in the word now watch us. This erosion of liberty in the guise of safety and security by big brother appals me, as such a level of surveillance does not appear to have any effect whatsoever on crime, indeed violent crime is on the increase. The Identity Card legislation that has failed to get a hearing in this parliament is something that we must rail against to the bitter end. Any party that is opposed to the introduction of increased control of British citizens and their inalienable historical right to liberty will get my vote. Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.