Last Monday visitors from The US (and Blogland) arrived. We'd never met. We'd never spoken. In fact we'd only shared a few emails.
Mrs Slapthing aka Marcheline aka my brother
Scriptor Senex's Friend-uber-special together with her Mum and Hubby were 'doing Scotland' and ended up with me on Lewis for 22 hours: 22 absolutely wonderful, zany, experience-filled hours (brief sleep time excepted) before they continued on their merry way to see Harris before they got the (very) early ferry to Skye from Tarbert. The rest of my day after they left was very flat indeed.
Marcheline was very keen to re-visit the Callanish Standing Stones which she had visited many years ago before she was married. They drove to my home from the ferry and, after briefly settling in, we set off for lunch at The Woodlands and then Callanish.
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| Photographing the photographer |
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| It was as if Marcheline just couldn't stop laughing. Mind you with the strong wind I had the advantage (I was wearing a well anchored hat and, in any case, I don't have much hair to be blown around). |
Then we went to see
The Broch at Dun Carloway.
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| The angle and the lens I used made the broch look much squatter than it really is. |
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| Smile please |
We then went via the Garenin Black House Village to Dalmore where the oil rig had been stranded a few weeks ago. It seemed impossible to believe that the quiet bay had been such a hive of activity and national interest then.
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| An impressed and happy Marcheline's Mum. |
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| Relaxed and happy. |
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| It's definitely a stone! |
Then home and dinner and an evening of laughter and conversation; the sharing of information and experiences of four people who have never met before and who have so many years of experience to share.
What struck me very forcibly though was just how at home my visitors were from the moment they stepped through the front door. I am always delighted when people make themselves at home at Tigh na Mara and this was instant 'at homeness'.
The laughter stopped briefly whilst we all slept and then continued during 'breakfast' which went on for several hours.
One thing I have found is a fellow human who who can start three consecutive sentences without finishing any of them and who, instinctively, started finishing my sentences almost as soon as we met. People who know me well will understand the last sentence only too well.
Looks (and sounds) like a very good day in spite of the wind! :)
ReplyDeleteYes Monica it was a very good day in all ways.
DeleteLove the shots you came home with. The rugged shoreline and cliffs are really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazed me Mersad was that they were blown away by Dalmore Bay and, whilst it is a beautiful beach, it is only bottom of the first division in Lewis and Harris terms. That's why I sent them of to explore Harris after we'd finished breakfast.
DeleteHow wonderful to catch up with another blogger. Loved all your photos!!
ReplyDeleteLynda I've made some wonderful and close 'real life' friends through Blogland.
DeleteYour home obviously exudes the 'energy' that is you and which is why the visitors felt at home.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to think, Heron, that it does.
DeleteThat was a great whirlwind visit and oh those winds. I am reading The Black House and Peter May describes the continual wind on the Isle of Lewis. The photos are great and capture the fun of the visit and the beauty there.
ReplyDeleteTerra Peter May's books set on Lewis are wonderfully evocative of the Island and of many of its inhabitants.
DeleteTrying to control the green eyes monster! Would love to be back there seeing those sights.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed such a fun visit with like minded souls.
Oh Pauline I do hope you manage to return one day. There is so much more to see both of the Island and Scotland.
DeleteI'm fascinated by the 'broch'. I've never heard of these, but they look similar in some ways to the ancient 'Bories' hereabouts.
ReplyDeleteCro there are quite a few brochs in Scotland and only in Scotland are they, apparently found. They are Iron Age fortified double-walled buildings. As I understand it the 'borie' is an agricultural building generally much simpler in construction.
DeleteI can almost feel the breeze of this whirlwind visit - and in spite of its briefness, you still seem to have been able to fit in a leisurely breakfast. As for your visitors feeling instantly at home, I always aspire to that, too, when I have someone staying over. I guess I am not quite on the same level as you when it comes to being a great host, mainly due to my somewhat limited cooking skills, but I live in hope.
ReplyDeleteMeike your words are very kind and I'm sure that that kindness rather than cooking ability is the essence of making people feel at home.
DeleteIt was brave of you to accommodate these "strangers" but sometimes caution denies us happy experiences and life would be very dull indeed if we always played safe.
ReplyDeleteYou know, YP, it never occurred to me that I was being brave or that they were really strangers. They were friends of my brother and therefore, by default, friends of mine.
DeleteSuper photos, GB.
ReplyDeleteThanks CJ.
DeleteIt's lovely meeting fellow bloggers. You just feel as if you know each other so well right from the start, and on some level, you do.
ReplyDeleteJenny in my book that's absolutely right.
DeleteMeeting bloggers you've follower for a long time is a blast. that's what you had for 22 hours...a blast. Just think what would happen if a 1000 bloggers got together at one time!
ReplyDeleteRed my Blogland is very small and I'm not really a great one for crowds but I get your point.
DeleteI'm with Graham - I would rather meet up with specific individual bloggers one-on-one and really enjoy getting to know someone instead of milling about in a crowd of strangers. The time we spent with Graham was absolutely GREAT!
DeleteHow lovely that you already seem to have formed a close friendship with your guests before you even met them, and that it worked out so well. I'm still hoping that one day....
ReplyDeleteI really hope so too Frances. There's lots of horses here you know. We even have our own arena.
DeleteAh, I read John's post - and now yours tells me how the story continued. It seems that Marcheline just can't help having a good time! what a lovely lady she seems!
ReplyDeleteJenny there are some people who are capable of a serious approach to life and living which also involves a great deal of fun and humour and Marcheline, Bear and Star had that approach down to a fine art. They were wonderful company.
DeleteThey seem like fun house guests...glad you guys had a good time.
ReplyDeleteVirginia they were and we did!
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ReplyDeleteIt sounds like and appears everyone had a fun time! A wonderful time to be remembered. :)
Lee this is very weird indeed. I replied to this and the next two comments using my phone but obviously didn't get something right in the process. Apologies. And thanks for the comment.
DeleteIt was a magical couple of days... I'm just now working on the photos I took there. Thank you so much, Graham, for your wonderful hospitality! Indeed, it felt like we'd been friends for ages by the time we left your house.
ReplyDeleteMarcheline I am so sorry that my attempt to respond to this comment on my phone failed and that I failed to realise it until now. You were all wonderful company and I'm sure that we'll be friends for years to come.
DeleteWhat a wonderful joyful post with the photos to match the mood! JOY! That is the impression that I am left with having seeing your post!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kay. Joyful it certainly was. (And apologies for the late response to your comment).
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