Need to do better on the pictures front

I have borrowed a card reader as mine has not turned up anywhere during the unpacking. I think I have out it somewhere safe.....hmmm!

Anyway, what this sorry collection of photos proves is "I need to do better" - but here are the ones I have taken since arriving

This one summarises the ferry crossing from Ullapool to Stornoway - N took it about 20 mins before I threw up! I promised him we will never travel that route again - Uig Tarbert is much shorter and much calmer so we have promised each other "never to forget":

Noah's first walk down the drive in the morning to catch the school bus. This was at 0840 am....and even just 2 weeks later we have lots more light at that time of day now:

This one is the wee boy waiting for the bus last week......see much lighter!!

Last Sunday, the day after the gale, we went with our friend I over to the West side to see the waves at Dalmor and Dalbeg - here are a few pictures I was expecting to be more spectacular. The waves looked much bigger in real life:

....and then on the way back we had snow.....this is about a mile from our house

The Post office!

I had a lovely trip out at lunchtime to go the Post Office. Since I arrived I have had quite a lot of work post to send out as it is "end of year review" time, and ink signatures are still essential. So, I have been "popping" to the Post Office next to Charley Barley the Butcher, just in Stornoway. I knew there was a Post Office in either Luerbost or Crossbost, so I set off today in the sunshine to find it.....and what an adventure!

I was sure the Portakabin in question was in Leurbost, so I took the back road from Grimshader, through Crossbost and crawled through Leurbost at 20 mph looking out for the PO. Reached the road end - no sign. I went to the shop at Cameron Terrace to pick up milk and asked for directions to the PO in the shop. I was told it was just past the Village Hall on the Leubost Road.

So I crawled back through Leurbost, probably looking slightly dodgy! Found the village Hall....but no PO. So, as a typical woman, I stopped again to ask for directions - this time a local man, in his garden. The garden is an impressive feature of houses in the country on Lewis - not many houses have them. This one was laid out with flower beds and the best collection of garden gnomes than I have seen outside Surrey. This gentleman explained that I needed to "go past the graveyard, turn left up the hill and it is just there". Thanking him, I leaped back in the milk float and set off confidently towards Crossbost graveyard. At last, I thought I had found the hidden PO

But no.....I got to the graveyard and there was no left hand turn. Maybe there was another graveyard which I had sped past in my enthusiasm? So, back I went towards Leurbost; couldn't see another graveyard, but did spot another likely candidate for direction-giver extraordinaire. This was a wonderful old man - very deaf, so we had to huddle up to communicate. And he did enjoy the huddling! He asked where I was living, and when I told him the village, he asked which house and told me "I'll be up to visit tonight then" with a twinkle in his eye. He turned out to be 90 - although he didn't look it. I have seen many old ladies in Lewis with fabulous skin, but never seen an old man anywhere with such a wonderful complexion. Anyway, he gave me directions, again involving the graveyard, but a turning before the graveyard

Off I went, this time checking on the way with a man on a tractor, who confirmed the location. Turned left from the Crossbost road, towards Grimshader, and there, not 10 yards from the road was the PO. A fine portakabin, proudly announcing itself to the world - I has driven past it about 40 minutes before on my way out. How on earth I didn't see it I will never know. The postmistress emerged from her house, unlocked the PO and weighed my mail. I explained my PO hunt of the best part of the last hour, and she laughingly told me I must need new specs. So, I now know where it is - close than Charley Barley's, and I will continue to go there in the hope that an extra customer will help keep the place open. Again, when I find my bloomin' card reader I will put up a photo of it

First Full week

We have now lived on Lewis for 9 full days, and they really have been FULL days!

We left on Weds 07Jan for our adventure. Following our good friend I in a big van full of "stuff" we drove up the A9 to Inverness, which is a new route for me. When visiting the Island in the past we always travel via Skye, so it added an extra "it's different this time" element to the journey

Our crossing from Ullapool to Stornoway was eventful for both N and I - it was apparently quite calm and yet we were both dreadfully seasick for an hour in the middle of the Minch. Luckily N went to sleep, during which time my breakfast and I parted company, so we arrived feeling wobbly and embarrassed! With lots of help from cousins C and J we moved everything in and settled in for a windy weekend. It was quite consistently blowy, so that when I woke up on Monday morning, it took me a few minutes, lying in bed to work out what was different. It was that the wind had stopped!

N started at School on Monday - I drove him in the his first day, in his new uniform. He was a little nervous, but went off with the secretary to his classroom without a backward glance. Coming home on the school bus was a first for him - he got off the little bus, and ran down the drive with a big grin on his face. The first thing he told me is that the children all brush their teeth at lunchtime, and that there's homework most nights! He now races through his morning routine and breakfast, so he can be outside early for the bus - great for his independence

He has already done some things he has not had the opportunity to before. As the school caters for children up to 14, they have a home economics room, with cookers etc. So I have been informed he will be making flapjacks next week. In PE they learned some basketball skills. Travelling on the bus every day is a great social opportunity to get to know the other children in the village. He had previously met 2 families of children, but he has made another friend on the bus who we hope will come up for a play today. The boy is thriving!

I was a bit twitchy last night as there was a severe weather warning, anticipating the worst winds since 2004. We were in town at lunchtime and it was getting blustery. In Tesco's our checkout operator was asked if he got the bus home. If he did he would have to leave early as the buses would not be running out to the country after 1800. N and I settled down to watch TV, candles on, torches in hands.......the water went off sometime in the evening, and we were advised the power would almost certainly go off. One of my fab neighbours (more on them later!) rang with advice about the best place to park my car to make sure it was still here in the morning. And the wind blew harder and harder outside. We decided to sleep in the downstairs bedroom, as out rooms are in the roof, and I haven't bought my red "Dorothy Shoes" with me.
Off we went to bed shortly after 2100 as the anticipation was killing me - read for a while, switched off the still-working light and slept very well. I am not sure if the power went off at all, don't think it did, but interestingly our water is still off

Photos will follow when I can find my card reader - I know it's here somewhere! Hoping to complete the unpacking today, so I am sure it will turn up

We are on our way!

Things went in our favour this morning at Chester Court and N and I will be on our way to Lochs tomorrow, hopefully around lunchtime!.....more to come when we arrive

We are truly delighted and excited and can't wait to start on our adventure

Thanks to everyone for messages of support and encouragement - so here we go!

Cleaning instead of Leaving!

This morning should have been when N and I left for Lewis......a long drive in the milk float, followed by a lorry carrying all our "stuff" for a year. It's a very frosty morning, here in Cheshire, and 6 days to go until we get a go/no go decision from the court. We are staying with our fantastic friends K,J, M and E and having a ball - could not be in better company for laughing!
We had a good New Years Eve. I slept on the sofa for about 2 hours in the middle, but then perked up for midnight. N fell asleep at about 1130 and could not be roused for the bells - we are a lively pair!
So, our house is empty - all that's left is to clean, so that's what I am off to do now. Will post again on 06Jan.....