Slipping in a quickie (Days 347 - 353)

Day 347 - Trees up

Well I'm blogging a couple of days early between my Christmas visitors leaving and New Year visitors coming. Christmas week is always hectic - I have no idea how it manages to sneak up so quickly when I  have 12 months notice of it arriving each year. But I finally got my tree up on the 22nd just before my mother arrived.

Day 348 - Bananas

I must admit to being a bit 'bah humbug' as the shops are so busy and commercialism appears out of control. My cupboards are full despite my best efforts to cut down and the whole thing seems to be a bit bananas to me!

Day 349 - Mystical tree light

Working right up to the wire with a full workshop on Christmas Eve brought the usual winter challenges of managing the weather and keeping clients happy.  No problem with this group as they came fully prepared for the weather and nothing was going to dampen their spirits.

Day 350 - Otter has fish starter for his Christmas lunch

Christmas Day and a lovely walk along the beach.  The sun shone in between hail showers and a large dog otter sat lazily eating his lunch as we stood and watched.

Day 351 - Boxing Day dook

These brave and hardy souls joined in the annual Boxing Day dook at Lamlash pier.  A quick swim to the end and then a climb up the ladder before launching back into the drink.  Some wore full wet suits whilst others fancy dress or normal swimming costumes.  The RNLI provided safety, along with mulled wine, soup and cakes. There was a great turn out to watch the fun. Definitely worthy of two photo's.

Day 351 - Jumping off the pier

Saturday saw a beautiful sunny winters day with fantastic light and snow capped mountains.  A tad chilly on the tops with the wind freezing ears and noses, where hat and gloves were essential. But the views were spectacular (an album of the mountain pictures will be posted on my facebook page tomorrow).

Day 352 - Frozen mountains

And today everything was coated white - no snow just very thick ice.  Again the skies were clear and it was beautiful for walking with the camera and taking lots of pictures.  Now home with the stove lit and tea in the oven.  

Day 353 - Frozen wonderland

Mother nature at her best and worst!

House of Machrie

Well scrap the blog I had written and here are some photo's from today - day 4 of the crisis?  It is an island of two halves, the east have no electric and the west has 6 foot of snow, no electric, no phones, and in most cases no water (requires a pump to get it to the houses!).  I managed to get about, with extreme care and some help from the services.

Snow right down to the sea

Day one, Friday, the electric went off about 7am (ish) I was still in bed and I did not get my butt into gear but fully expected it to be restored in a couple of hours.  Without the news I had no idea of the extent of the developing crisis!  By mid afternoon news had drifted through that we would be off overnight, no worries, camping stove out, fire lit and watched a DVD on the laptop and off to bed with a hot waterbottle.

Outside the Lamlash fire station, hot food and drinks for free.

Day two, oh how I wish I had got into gear yesterday, now there is no gas to be had (not of the type I use), and I had to brave a cold shower.  But good news, feeding stations have sprung up,,, free burger and chips! Then I spent the afternoon out on the 'mog' (a new Arran business), and we really got stuck into the snow side of the island.  All normal roads across are shut.

The Mogabout vehicle

The retro phone, next to the defunct digital one!

Day three, Pancakes for breakfast, and I now have a phone.  Ok, its a bit retro, but it doesn't need electric.  Supplies are being helicoptered to Lochranza - roads still blocked.  Got a phone call from the dark side (west of island) - snow plough has cleared some of the road from Blackwaterfoot to Machrie.  Actually a nice day.  Read a horror story before bed, probably not a good idea!

Digging out the sub station

Day four, truly bad hair day!  More pancakes, and off to the dark side!  Thermostat in house reads 5c,,brrr.  Fantastic views and snow on the west side.  Got over before they closed the roads again! Then back to Brodick to try to source a generator for the Dougarie water pump (thank you Billy Bennett), and a lovely shower in the Fire station.

Why the cables come down

But the photo's say it all, snow right down to the sea.  So beautiful, it sort of makes you forget how cold it is!

Seascape with lots of snow

Lots of these popping up..

The dogs after a walk in the snow.

Lots of snow, even deep in the forest.