Category: Experiences
News from the Laundry House
Posted by stephaniewm on February 23, 2009
This morning was almost the most glorious thing I’ve ever seen. It was positively hot outside my front door . I put Jackie’s basket out for him on the snow which he loves. But then I went down to the bottom lawn to take a picture of my snowman (pathetic I know) and it was mightily freezing down there, sun mostly shaded by the big trees. In a minute I’ll take the rest of the porridge down to the birds. I’ve already cracked the ice on their drinking bowl and given them warm water.
You know that Gus and I and Jackie, Holly and pup went for a walk on Loch Eddy at the weekend. It was only on the way back that we thought how stupid we’d been not to walk over the ice to the island. We really could have done it.
We had a weekend of dire weather warnings – a freezing wind from Russia will engulf us in snow – and it came to pass. Gavin and Margo came last Thursday, before the icy onslaught began, for a long weekend. Daddy came too, with Holly and Angel who scampered in the snow with Jackie when we weren’t busy inside eating delicious meals, playing cards and having hot baths, the dogs lying like furry kippers on the sofas. Spoilt little things.
We also managed to get more cardboard and mulch on a further patch in the kitchen garden before the snow fell so now it’s doing its job squishing itself on the weeds and depriving them of daylight.
On the Saturday the colonel and his niece (the Scotty dogs) came with Tanya, Margo’s mum. All five dogs went for a walk down the front drive with Gavin and Margo. Unseen, the colonel sneaked through a hole in the fence and gave chase to the sheep. He was well underway when Gavin spotted him and gave chase to the hairy black shape sweeping its way rapidly across the frosty grass.
What a nightmare. Gavin, the colonel and the sheep fleeing hither and thither over the vast field. Jackie couldn’t resist giving chase at one point and a sheep cowered on the ground in terror, but he stopped as soon as Gavin called him off. But not so the colonel. I have to admit I didn’t witness it but I saw Gavin as he staggered back to the house, puffing, coughing and half dead. I don’t believe he has taken so much violent exercise for years.
Did I tell you that things are progressing on the animal husbandry front? We really are going to get some hens although seeing is believing as far as the neighbours are concerned. I’ve visited most of them, after an informal meeting with Tessa and Euan, in an effort to make it a community thing. Anyway Catherine has offered me a henhouse and Phil can get some wire. Now all we need are some fencing posts and of course some hens. I like the idea of rescuing some from the Campbell’s intensive chicken farm and maybe getting some bantams. Any suggestions will be welcome.
I also want to work towards the idea of getting a few wild boar (I know where we can get some at a bargain price) to start churning up the overgrown vegetable garden above Ian’s house. But for the moment I will tread carefully and try to achieve one or two simple things at a time. This will include putting cardboard and mulch in the fruit cage where the black current bushes are.
Now I’m in Edinburgh preparing the house for letting. It’s a depressing task but Gavin has made a list that would shame the most efficient of government departments. It is a list of things to do and an inventory. He has a special programme that no-one else in the world seems to have and if you click on the bold headings you get a further sub-list. For example click on linen. You then see sheets, napkins, towels. Click on towels and you see bath towels, hand towels, soft towels, beach towels. Click on books and you have fiction, non-fiction and children’s. Click on each of these and you get further sub-categories. Then you get names of helpers and tradesmen who will be summonsed. Click on their names and you will get their list of tasks.
Tomorrow he’s bringing his camera and all will be photographed for posterity and for those who may want various items: books, furniture pictures, ornaments, you name it, it’ll be the list somewhere. I listen and watch bemused, admiringly, hoping it will progress from list making to action. In a week or two a sergeant major will arrive from Bucharest who will hopefully whip us all into shape so we can finish off the job and let the place for loads of cash.
Stephanie Wolfe Murray, 10th February 2009
One Response to “News from the Laundry House”
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February 24th, 2009 at 16:43
Stephanie,
I know I have no business snooping on your family blog (you should give Rupert a lashing, or at least put him in a time out as he is the one bragging ’bout you). You really must write about your life at the Laundry House (think James Herriot meets France Meyer).Enough with the blog squandering.