Saturday, January 15, 2005
Some Normality
01/15/2005
Another Atlantic front rolls over us, with South to South East winds, plus 12 degrees, dry am, but steady rain in the afternoon. A make and mend day, starting up the systems that have been damaged in the power cut, batteries for the fax, charging phones, walkie talkies, lap tops etc. unscrambling a glitch in the TV satellite systems of which we have two which makes fault finding a lot easier as we can swap bits about between them. As I find time for coffee and phone calls I begin to realise the scale of the “Hurricane” which hit Argyll and the West Coast on Tuesday night, I hear of loss of life and property, more so on the coast, with graphic photos in local papers such my favourite Obna Times. So we have been lucky compared to many. January is a time that we plan ahead, making lists of jobs to be tackled, with some degree of priority, but these lists must now be juggled as money and time must be found to repair some of our damage. We must put off some of our general improvements and this is depressing, no Crisis Centres set up for those that must live in rural districts! But I do like a challenge and I walk briskly with the pack along the road as the light fades for fresh air and a fabulous view of the River Trollaigh which never fails to inspire me. Back to the Tower of Trollaigh and slipping an Ardbeg I feel very positive for the first time this week. I think I heard Spring bird song today, certainly the snowdrops are pushing up. Yours Aye, Archie, The Baron Trolliagh.
Friday, January 14, 2005
The Batteries Did Run Out
01/14/2005
My word, no electricity for 60 hours, worse than Ted Heath’s cock-up years! We did see linesmen at 2.30 am this morning but they disappeared again (Dotty offered them tea in full night attire) and the lights did not come on till 5.00 pm this evening. We have managed fine, but it’s odd not to be able to charge up one’s mobile, or to be unable to check e-mails, so important nowadays. I am sure that accountants with doubtful qualifications now rule public services and that the 95% rule applies; its fine if 5% of customers are daft old buffers up highland glens who can be ignored or who drop dead “out of hours”, this attrition rate is acceptable. But one does learn from experience. Firstly Ikea supply huge bags of small candles for pennies called, as only Ikea can, “Glimma”. Secondly, I asked for and received a head torch for Christmas from my daughters. I find this invaluable for tricky jobs in dark places, but it has really come into its own over the past three days. It is excellent when both hands are needed, for example, wielding a corkscrew, or best of all when a Gent needs to keep a true aim while taking a pee. But always remember not to look in the mirror, it takes simply ages to get your sight back. Mhairi was the only other person to suffer, as she toiled in the kitchen she continually curse modern aids that failed to respond, like dishwashers! The lack of a hand blender at lunch time produced the finest thick soup I have ever tasted, equalling my favourite Riboletto, served in El Ruggero at the Roman Gate in Florence, the city where I can never stop eating. Having an electricity free morning, I toddled over to Lix Toll Garage with the motor as it was still making an odd noise, as usual Billy immediately spotted a collapsed wheel bearing and it was replaced in a couple of hours. I passed my waiting time in the company of CC, now a ranger on the West Highland Way, but who has spent all his life as a farmer in Zimbabwe, until, after a lifetime’s work he, his wife and family were forced from their home, with more or less the clothes they stood in by that despicable, short-sighted Mugabe. I am not entirely certain that I would have the strength and resilience to survive that degree of trauma. On a lighter note, we had a few hours of hard frost last night and enjoyed our first awe inspiring January night sky. The milky way almost within reach, and Orion now in full splendour to the South. TV satellite system has crashed, so no detailed forecast, but a fair breeze from the South, South East, plus 6 degrees and light rain showers. Hope for even better things tomorrow, Saturday. Yours Aye Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.