Seven Days

It has been a beautiful week, and we have been out and about in the good weather. I finally managed to climb up to a new monument that has appeared at the road side not far from home. It commemorates the site of the first Lewis agricultural show. It is a stunning setting to be sure, looking over towards the hills of Harris, and the land is just beginning to take on a tinge of gold.

With that in mind, it was good to take advantage of the sun, and get some tidying up done in the garden. The first of the equinoctial storms were forecast, so I needed to secure some of the taller plants and make sure the wind protection was in place. The bees were working hard on the last of the borage flowers, and I worked long into the evening, clearing beds, sowing and planting for winter crops, planning for next year.

Banana cream pie made a brief appearance on the kitchen table. James and I have been following the Great British Bake Off on television, so each week we make a dish based on the theme. This time it was pie week, so a great excuse to make the recipe from this book.

I've had a slow puncture on my car for a few weeks, and John has been diligently re-inflating it for me. It was really high time I took it into the tyre repair shop, but it was one of those things I never seemed to get round to. This week, on a drizzly afternoon I managed to cross that job off my to-do list. The garage was busy, as it usually is, and I had to wait for a while. Still, it was pleasant just being there - leaning against the door post, the soft rain falling, the warmth of the shop, the mechanics going about their task - slowly and methodically, the sound of the local Gaelic radio station playing in the background, people coming and going, that special garage smell, and the oil stained advertising signs - exotic names like "valvolene" and "yokohama" - just waiting my turn. I had a nail in my tyre, which was duly repaired, and I was back on the road.

We had a wonderful Community night out - a celebration for a  very special person - our Croileagan (Nursery School) leader, who retired at the end of the Summer term after  27 years of service. She has played such a big part in the lives of everyone in the township. As testimony to the love and esteem we hold for this lady, many people turned out to this event, and there was so much hilarity as we recalled the various highlights of her time there. The picture shows the " Guess the Santa" game.  Santa invariably gets stuck on the mainland and can't get to the Christmas party, so over the years, numerous men from the community have had to step into his shoes. Could she tell, blindfold, who the Santa's were? Amid gales of laughter, and a few lines that maybe the children didn't quite understand,  a score of 5 out of 5 was recorded.

I am still picking flowers from the garden for the house. A mix of cottage garden flowers, and a new favourite - quaking grass - so pretty and delicate.

I had lunch in town yesterday with my loves, at one of our favourite restaurants. Nice relaxed place with such good food - I just love their warm crispy chicken salad.

Afterwards we licked ice cream cones as we walked along by the harbour - the water was so still and reflected the blue sky and bright colours of the fishing boats moored there. We wondered if this was the calm before the storm, but in fact, the gales here have not been quite as bad as predicted.

So that was my Seven days. A few small  moments of joy, that I can take with me into the week ahead. Wishing you all a week full of delights.