Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Annoying Midges
06/01/2005
A super Spring day on Tuesday, but I am confined to the office, fielding the messages from all the people who have enjoyed a long weekend and therefore decide that they have to do twice as much on Tuesday, a strange logic. Wednesday sees a complete change so typical of Argyll and the first day of June, the morning dawns grey and wet, by midday we have a full, chilly easterly gale and it is tipping it down. This weather is forecast to continue for forty-eight hours, so I should have just switched the phones over to the answering machines yesterday, enjoyed the warm sunshine, and then locked myself indoors to-day and tomorrow. One benefit of the gale is that the midges are grounded, as yesterday’s still evening had them out by the million. Speaking of midges, I did have one bizarre call from someone called “Midge” exalting me to support a popular protest against the G8 summit scheduled to meet at Gleneagles, he suggests that “I do my duty” and help third world debt by throwing Glen Trollaigh open to tents full of protesters travelling to Gleneagles. It seemed churlish to remind “Midge” that the eighty-mile extreme cross-country hike from here to Perth defeated even Bonnie Prince Charlie, with a pack of Red Coats snapping at his heels. The Prince was forced to return to Glen Trollaigh disguised as a milkmaid to have his blisters ministered to by the eighth Baron’s daughter, Frederica. There has always been some speculation about the services Freddie supplied, but she was later granted the title, “The Maid of Awe” and given Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. There has been a long running legal battle spanning several generations over the Edinburgh house, the current German and Greek squatters have been particularly rude, however the title is still used by the Baron’s eldest daughter, whilst still a maiden. Speaking of which, I have heard virtually nothing from the Trollaigh ladies and their friends apart from a crackly mobile call from Cannes, something about “going to the pictures”. My bachelor status suits me well especially as I have picked the lock on the drinks cupboard, Cheers! Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.