Hello Friendly Friends - This is Jeannie Speaking...

I have been a very slack blog and email writer of late – my apologies!

I am very well – have had a great month.

On the first weekend of the month I went down to Warton – the family farm, where I met up with Helen. How nice it was to have a sister again! Many family members arrived at the farm for lunch – poor Aunty Jeannie was catering for 28. My cousin’s children are lovely!

It was a beautiful day, we ate outside - and were even forced to retreat from the sun. It was very special to see all of my cousins and their children. A very rare occasion for me considering that I usually live on the other side of the world to these people. On the sunday the troops abandoned us so we had a peaceful time, just Aunty Jeannie, Helen and I. We went walking and I had a nap in the sun.

The following weekend Helen came to stay at the beautiful flat in Glasgow. The first night saw us heading off to Mother India – mmm curry!

On the second day I sent her off to climb Ben Arthur. Armed with maps, directions, notes, lunch – I was very concerned when I discovered that I hadn’t given her any suncream, but was relieved when I saw her face cream was SPF 15 – my goodness what a worrier! I really am going to be a very annoying mother (I just realized that that could have been taken to mean that I am in fact going to be a mother – no need for panic and gossip, it is not an imminent prospect!).

On Friday I took a day off work and we headed to the shops. You should all be very impressed at my restraint. Between us we tried on the whole shop and only came away with one purchase. Not mine I might add!

On Saturday we took a trip to Glen Coe – despite the mist and drizzle it was a really lovely day out. It really is quite a spectacular place. Very open, and unpopulated. Wild even. We went on a woodland walk, invented by a ranger as we could not go up into the mountains due to the mist.

Sunday was a quiet day. We went to Chai Ovna for lunch and then visited the Kelvingrove Museum.

The following weekend I worked so there is nothing interesting to tell on that front. Last weekend I went to a house party – my first outside of SA – I don’t think they vary much no matter where you go.

This weekend we are off to Sweden – excitement… More news on that will follow shortly!

Greetings friends! This is Ronnie, reporting from the island!

I must say that I am quite enjoying life on the island. It is very relaxed and laid back, as one would expect island life to be. The Scotts, who own the island and the hotel are lovely people, and I am also working and living with some very interesting folk of a variety of nationalities. Since my last post, all the people I was living with have left, so I must introduce you to my new housemates. But first, an update. The shady little house I am living in is still very shady. It is called ‘the Birdcage’ by islanders and ‘the Shoebox’ by its inhabitants. There are currently six people living in the Shoebox, and it is disturbingly like Big Brother. The Chef is still there, but I told you about him before. Rachael, the other South African, had a fight with the chef and left shortly after I arrived. Konrad, the Polish man, finished working on the island and also left. Konrad has subsequently been replaced by two Polish men, Patryk and Kris, who are both friendly and can speak good English. Yay! They have been very obliging and have taught the rest of us as many Polish swear words as possible. My Polish improves daily. Patryk is an excellent guitarist and Kris bought a play station with him, so there is entertainment all round. Yay for Polish men!

There is also an Australian barman called Mark, who is also a musician who sings and dances and provides a great deal of comic relief. He has introduced me to fine gin, and a new favourite drink is a gin and tonic made with Hendricks Gin. An unusual drink with a slice of cucumber instead of lime!

Finally, Rachael’s substitute is an American girl from Los Angeles, California. Her name is Victoria, and her previous occupation was ‘professional dominatrix’. An interesting character indeed. She goes on peculiar adventures whenever we get a day off and so far she has tried to swim across the Loch in all her clothes while inebriated, been arrested and detained for the night because she was inebriated, and taken a bottle of whiskey in with her for her morning bath. She then came to work drunk, and after a few hours went and passed out in the Shoebox and left me to do the lunch shift by myself. Interesting indeed.

I have not got much news of exciting adventures, except for those of Victoria, the crazy American. I have a few photos of fun times on the island, which mostly involve the consumption of vodka. The Polish men insist on it.

Adios Amigos,
Ronnie

Mark the Evil Auastralian, Partyk the Chocolate Polish and Victoria the Crazy American. These are my new island friends. Unfortunately do not yet have a picture of Kris, the other Polish man.

Ben Lomond at about midnight

Full moon refelcting on the Loch