Catriona

I promised that I would blog about Catriona, now preferring to be called by the trendier (in her view) name of Cat. 

Catriona (old habits die hard) and I first 'met' when she was 3 years old and living in New Zealand to where her family had emigrated. They were living on a 5 acre life-style plot in Poraiti near Napier on the East Coast of North Island. I had known Wendy and Martin since 1989 when they came to live on Lewis but moved away before the children were born.

Probably the first picture I took of Catriona was what has become one of my iconic favourites of the first visit I made in 2005.

Catriona's fourth birthday occurred during my first visit to New Zealand which was only 6 weeks long. On her birthday there was a party for her at her pre-school group to which parents (and honorary grand-parent) were invited. After the party I promised Catriona that I would be there for her for her 'graduation' from pre-school to school on her fifth birthday.

That was a promise which, unknowingly, was to change the rest of my life in so many ways.

The seasons of Scotland and New Zealand are, of course, the reverse of each other. My visits to New Zealand always included their summer. 

When I came to book the plane for my next visit to keep my promise to Catriona I decided on the outward journey date in early September. I entered the date and suddenly realised that I'd given absolutely no other thought to the visit and, in particular how long I would stay. 

Our elder son had just died on my birthday and rational thinking about anything was rather outwith my capabilities.

I do, however, recall sitting at the computer and my brain suddenly saying "Wotthehellarchiewotthehell just go for 6 months". So I entered a date 6 months from the outward trip.  Then I had to tell Wendy and Martin. 

My promise to Catriona was fulfilled and my new life was about to begin.

More about Catriona soon.

For those who are new to my blog my New Zealand life was covered in my blog A Hebridean in New Zealand (See link in sidebar).

Thankful Thursday

Despite hurricane force winds, torrential rains and even some frosts (unusual for this house because it's so close to the sea) these two Snowdrops have decided that it is spring.  Such optimism and such a positive attitude reminded me that it's been a while since I wrote a Thankful Thursday post. 

To be honest I've found it very hard in the moments (and there are many of them) when my mind finds itself on the other side of the world: I miss The Family and my friends and croquet and The Handbag. So much is happening there but perhaps most of all I miss seeing Catriona and Fraser grow from childhood through their early teenage years.

At Seilabost 2010 - Fraser doing what Fraser does!

Catriona being Catriona - 2010

Fun in the Lews Castle grounds - 2010

Catriona being impish - 2010

So I concentrate on the Good Things I have experienced this winter: seeing more of my friends here  on Lewis and in Scotland; going to concerts in Glasgow (something I haven't done regularly since I left Cheshire in the early '70s); seeing my garden through the winter and knowing that I will be able to do things in the garden in the early spring that I haven't done for a decade.

And I will see daffodils: mine are already showing their shoots through the ground all over the garden.

After The Party

After the wedding party in the People’s Palace in Glasgow we had a problem getting a taxi.  The first company just didn’t arrive and no one else could provide a car.  Eventually the supervisor at one firm took pity on us and a car arrived within minutes.  Apparently, the driver told us, there was a big gig on at Clydebank (I assume he meant the SSEC) with 10,000 people all trying to get home after midnight!  Anyway two tired littlies, one glam mum and one oldie all got back to Anna’s sanctuary – late but grateful.