Talisker Bay and Back on the Roller Coaster - Maybe! 11th March

We had an easy start to the day and headed out to Talisker Bay for some photography, but it was hailing when we packed the gear in the car, and although we had all 4 seasons throughout the day it was mostly rain, snow and hail!

So although we enjoyed the drive around the countryside the cameras never came out due to the unfavourable conditions. So not photos today.

We did stop in Portree and check on the hand sanitiser situation - still nothing! We had breakfast at the Cafe Arriba and then we returned a pile of DVDs we had got from the Charity Shop - so they could resell them again.

Then we headed down for the drive to Carbost and along the way we checked out a few properties Vince had seen on the internet. The B&B idea has not completely gone to bed just yet - as although we dearly love our children and grandchildren in Australia, our financial future is totally uncertain when we return and the opportunities on Skye seem like a gift - do we really want to throw it back? We have gone off the Beach House due to access issues now, and Vince is just keeping a watchful eye out.

We stopped in at Jan’s in Portree on the way home from out unsuccessful photographic trip and had a drink and a rock bun for afternoon tea. Vince wanted to replace the bag of de-icing salt we used from Lorraine’s shed the other day to get up the drive way, and Jans is the place to go - a bit like Bunnings on a smaller scale from Australia.

Whilst we were at Jan’s I was looking on the property website that Vince had seen something in Staffin but I came across a new property just listed today…Vince fell in love! So we have arranged to view it tomorrow at 9.45am. No obligation, just a look see and keep our options open.

As we headed home we stopped in to view the property and it looked pretty amazing - from the outside it has everything we were looking for in terms of views, access, space and potential for a B&B. To top of it, we think it comes with croft land where I could have some animals - who knows “We may buy the Farm!” LOL! Seriously, at this time of life, who knows what’s ahead. It pelted hail down whilst we looked around outside, but we didn’t care we were just enjoying the views.

We headed home to Willie McLeod’s and Vince caught up with Alan, the crofter who was just leaving (his dog Pirrko had 6 puppies yesterday, but I haven’t seen them yet). When we got home yesterday he let us know about the arrival of the puppies but was a bit flat-out as he was off with a hacksaw to help one of his cows that had caught up in the feeding ring and needed to be freed. After saying hello, I went inside and started to unpack the camera stuff and started a fire. I also replied to an email from the Le Miserables people as we have been trying (so far unsuccessfully) to get a refund on our London tickets given my health and the advice of 10 Downing Street for people with medical conditions not to attend large public gatherings. So now they want my medical evidence thus was busy sorting out copies of my Drs letter from Australia - so fingers crossed that will get the job finally done and we will get our money refunded (it did!).

Dinner was just left over Pot-Luck Pie and we enjoyed a “Dram” for Vince and a G&T for me. The world is a confusing place financially at the moment - who knows what’s ahead but its always a good thing to keep your options open. Moving to Skye is our plan B - plan A would always be to try to stay with our children and grandchildren.