Skeabost Overnighter 23rd Feb

We had a slow start to the morning, with just normal routine and chores. We had Spurtle Porridge for Breakfast - I’m getting pretty good at making it now.

Vince was doing some research on the computer so I took the opportunity to try my hand to make some traditional Scottish Shortbread from the little recipe book I bought ages ago at Uig Pottery of all places!

We saw Alan outside, speaking with another crofter and I invited them in for a cuppa and some shortbread, but they had to get on with their work - Alan however, did say he would “knock the door” when he got back from checking the cows.

We just pottered, and I did a bit more painting, as were going to visit our friends Ian and Gill in Skeabost tonight at 5.00pm for dinner, and I wanted to show him my finished note book he so generously gave me.

True to his word, Alan did “knock the door” when he returned and joined us for a cup of tea and some shortbread. We gave him the left overs to take home, and also the scraps we had collected for his chickens. We talked about dogs we have loved that are waiting for us as Rainbow Bridge - Peeko and Beau (Alan) and Jock and Skye (Karen) - you never can replace them but you will fall in love again!

Cini, Yohan and Pia, three of Alan’s sheep dogs, were waiting at the front door for him, so I gave them each a ginger nut biscuit. They are so cute and so obedient. I do miss my dog at home, Cebar, the big cocker spaniel fur ball that he is - can’t wait to cuddle him when I get back to Australia.

The rain and wind died down around lunch time and the sun briefly peeped out throwing gorgeous light across the fields outside our windows, beautiful!

Our friend Penny (photographer) has her mentor, Gary Hill, of www.artoftheportrait.co.uk

Coming up for a visit to see her and suggested that Vince and I might like to have a session with him to improve our portraiture. So we have contacted him and will see if we can sort something out - all depends on costs for us at this point, as this far into the trip we need to watch our money a bit more - don’t want to run out before we go home! LOL

I made us “Pot Luck Fritters” (with whatever was left in the fridge) for lunch and Vince spoke with his daughter in Perth for a while. Then it was time to think about making a move towards Skeabost (and packing an overnight bag).

Ian and Gill, and their Springer Spaniel, Rhum, live just down the road from the Skeabost Hotel, at “Lan-Mara”, right on the shores of Snizort Beag with access directly onto the seashore and estuary. Their home has exceptional views, and they even have a Hide, to sit and watch the tide going in an out, and all the wonderful wildlife such as otters, seals, sea eagles, oystercatchers, curlew and heron. In the summer the salmon come leaping upstream.

Both are wildlife fanatics, Gill is into the great outdoors with lots of diving and underwater photography (she has links to National Geographic) and Ian is a writer and artist, who loves cooking and gardening. The both do a lot of swimming - which I find astonishing in this cold weather, but they love it.

We left Willie McLeod’s about 3.00ish as we had to stop off in Portree to pick up some flowers to go with the After 8 Mints and a bottle of Amaretto - which I tried years ago in Italy and it was delicious. We had hoped to grab a bottle of the Australian Muscat we had at Kinloch Lodge, but its nowhere to be found on Skye, and even Mike, the owner at Rankins tried to get it in for us, but his supplier doesn’t have it. So Amaretto would just have to do.

We had a wonderful evening with our new friends, and of course Rhumdog - their Springer. Enjoying wonderful scenery, great company and of course delicious food. Ian tempted me to try Harris Gin, and I quickly became “Gintanstic!”

The bed in their spare room was soooooo comfortable, I think I had the best sleep ever, certainly the best I’ve had on Skye!