Responsibility

06/20/2007

I am told that The Observer newspaper, too left wing for Glen Trollaigh, has produced a great number of free wall charts on a variety of subjects over the past months, apparently this week’s offering featured a rather disappointing “51 British Prime Ministers”. Without exceptions these wollahs are complete no hopers, adding insult to injury the “51st” PM was one Gordon Beastly Brown MP, shortly to be responsible for the U.K. and international affairs. GBB will certainly the shortest serving and least popular PM on even The Observer’s wall chart, the problem for us humble citizens is just how much mayhem and chaos he can conjure up in those few months.

The spring garden colours of white, pink and yellow are fading away to be replaced by the deep greens of summer, and with this change of season comes a welcome visitor to a rather damp and midgie Glen Orchy, Mhairi Katharine has arrived to visit her grand parents at Arichastlich. This has resulted in several agitated calls to yours truly from “Gramps” asking advice on looking after little girls, a slightly fruitless quest as my parenting skills with two daughters ran to paying school fees and funding the odd pony. However we managed to avoid some of the obvious pit falls such as showing Mhairi how to sharpen a chain saw, or the knots required to attach barbed fishing hooks to a line, both apparently contemplated diversions. The first aid panic was a call about patching up superficial facial damage following a head plant into the concrete pit of the cattle grid while the top was off for cleaning. The alarm was caused by the expected arrival of “Mom” before the phsyog had time to heal. I have been told that the general count of scrapes, bumps, bites and bruises has risen with lots of outdoor activities including hiking, learning of the dangers of handling barbed wire (even accidentally), horseback riding, fly fishing, ATV rides, dam and castle building, looking for Badgers and a trip on the ferry to Mull, the narrow gauge railway to Torosay Castle (with super fast slide) and views of Duart Castle, back to Oban and the grumpy car park man. Personally more concerning are the rumours that indoor amusements centre around a chemistry set, soil and environmental testing, although a simple train set is also in use. Questions about Boris, the dog’s “bits”, frequently on display, are being fielded back to Daddy. Farm visits have yielded more dogs, sheep, lambs, hens and a bunny rabbit.

Sounds like a busy time at the far end of the Long Glen, tranquillity will return next week. Yours aye, Archie, The Baron Trollaigh.