Some Thoughts
January 11, 2012 § 7 Comments
Just a riff on a dark, wet, windy night.
I know this island inside out, not as well as some, but as much as most. So it’s been a surprise to have been surprised by life here.
- It’s heartening to have plenty fuel for the fire, food in the fridge and wine on the rack. When one of this triumvirate lacks things get niggly, an expedition is needed. There’s a pretty good feeling to know the cottage is stocked up for a good few days.
- I like seeing the lighthouse at Tiumpan Head blink early in the morning and when it gets dark. I can see it through the kitchen window.
- If there’s a ship sheltering in Broad Bay I know the weather is about to suck badly. I’ll always check it on Ship AIS to see where it came from.
- There are always rabbits in the garden at 7am. We eyeball each other through the bathroom window in the morning. One day I’ll pop one with an airgun and have it for dinner (just kidding).
- Wood stoves are the greatest thing ever. I never want to live without one ever again. Lighting and keeping a fire going all day is great, cooking on one is awesome. Socks dry great on it too. Coal is better than wood, to my chagrin. Peat would be nicer.
- Harris Tweed weaving is the thing I was born to do. This may be a sad thing or a grand thing. Either way it’s true.
- It’s a doddle to live without a mobile phone.
- I’d be screwed without the internet. Properly, screwed. Much as I can handle a bit of solitude, the connection keeps me sane.
- Boats are cool. As are buzzards.
- TV is awful, just awful. I never watch it these days, even the news drives me barmy. Thank God for films.
- You can get by with a pretty limited wardrobe. I currently have 2 pairs of jeans, two shirts, four teeshirts, a jumper, a set of waterproofs, two wooly hats, a scarf (and enough underwear to get through a whole week since you didn’t ask).
- The streetlights get switched off here at midnight. Stars are pretty awesome.
- Sunrises and sunsets are incredible. You just need to to be up and out to see them.
- The silence is deafening. It took weeks to get used to it at night.
- I really need a car, buses just ain’t cutting it. Although the music and gaelic banter is worth the ticket price most days.
- Things I am looking forward to: Sea kayaking to islands to camp on, putting on gigs, making gin, illicit whisky making, getting a dog (and possibly a cat), getting the Airigh stuff rolling, summer, buying a telescope, lambing season, hens, reading and writing more, traveling more.
- Real life work is a joke. Less than 6 weeks off a year? Go fleek yourself. And knocking your pan in to make money for other people? Pfft. Feel like a total mug having done that for so long. And for what? Nothing, when it really comes down to it.
- Proper butchers. Yes, I will have the tripe, oxtail, ham hough, lamb kidneys and chicken livers thanks. Have yet to tackle the fishmongers but, yes, herring please. Pretty darn good delis here too.
- I am still decompressing, weights off shoulders take a little time to fall.
- I would not like to be a single man here. If school girls and married women are off limits then your pickings are slim.
- Taxis are expensive but whisky is cheap.
- I miss people in Glasgow I thought I wouldn’t. And don’t miss others I thought I would.
- Family is more important than I ever knew.
- No regrets.
Forgive me for hijacking your blog, consign me to the WP bin if you so wish.
- Fuel, food and wine in stock, we try not to go into town too often
- Been checking AIS since we got here. Sometimes ships anchor the other side of the Braigh and we can see them from the kitchen window
- The wood stove has been in for a couple of months now, it only took Fergusons five weeks to deliver it and four weeks after that to invoice it, but that’s Lewis. Our neighbour gave us a bucket of well dried peat. It is magical stuff and burns with a totally different flame than wood or coal. It glows and the flames lick lazily around it. Might have to find a peat bank sometime soon.
- One day I’d love to watch you weave
- I’d be screwed without the internet
- TV is awful. I’ve just upgraded to Windows 7 and haven’t reinstalled Digiguide. Haven’t watched ‘live’ TV since we got here
- I’ve had a limited wardrobe all my life. Never had the need to impress anyone
The streetlights here go off half an hour before yours. Stars are awesome but difficult to photograph although I have a couple of pretty amazing photos of the Milky Way
The silence is awesome although a few times a day the bus goes by and breaks the spell
- Things I am looking forward to: going to some of the gigs you might put on, drinking whisky, photographing things that others have not beaten me to (I had in mind a book on shielings but may have been beaten to it ), summer, buying a telescope, being invited to the sheep dipping again, getting chickens this year (hopefully), travelling about the island, meeting up for a drink and having a longer chat. Sea kayaking? Well the thought is great, might still have it in me though may have to settle for a hike up Clisham or maybes a cycle or walk from the Butt to Vatersay
Real life work was always a joke. Spent 15 or more years working for myself then was lucky enough to land a job for ten years where I only had to work a few hours every week. Working for yourself is infinitely harder but so much more rewarding
Life in England? No regrets, no tears goodbye, don’t want you back, I’d only cry. Tom Rush was the man long before you were last living in Lewis
If I knew which light was yours across the bay I’d give a wave!
No tweed in your wardrobe?
Aloha! I am not sure how I stumbled on this–but am so glad I did. On an island too–but way off in the Pacific–on Oahu, Hawaii. Also just got off running a marketing communications agency so I could spend less time being in 24/7 response mode and more time with my own company, writing, cooking and feasting with family and friends. Cooked and baked up a storm with my daughter, husband and son over the Xmas and New Year.
http://freecatholic808.com/2011/12/29/from-yule-log-to-buche-de-noel/
Retreated even further to the peace and incredibly starry skies of Lanai for a few days as our Xmas gift to our adult children and ourselves–a pledge of time with each other and no more (well, far less) gift-buying for each other that we have kept with spotty success over the past few years. p.s. Wish I had a wood stove too! My mother used to cook on one aeons ago in Malaysia. Dawn
No herring for a while yet, but drop into Islander shellfish and you’ll find fresh mackerel and cod roes, for a short time only. I’m looking forward to the gigs
Splendid comment Les, we’ll hook up next month when I have some money coming in to ply the bar of the Crit?
Chikashi, surprisingly few Harris Tweed pieces in my wardrobe up here but have a nice Folk Clothing jacket and the scarf are both the genuine HT article.
Freecatholic, thought the Cayman Islands hosted our most glamourous readers but you might have the honour. Aloha to you too!
Sophers, sounds good, see you soon!
I have to admit to shooting rabbits from my bath. Well, they’re a nuisance and they taste good so if I spot one while standing in the bath showering, then I’m not going to miss an opportunity for a very fresh breakfast.
I jump out of the shower (still lathered on occasion), nip through and get the air rifle, jump back in the shower (I can’t get a good shot while standing on the floor), shoot the rabbit out the window (open because of the steam), put the rifle back and after a quick scan to make sure there’s no one around (unlikely) I nip out to bring the rabbit in before finishing my shower. After a quick skinning and butchering job, I fry the joints with bacon and onions, make some gravy and have the rabbit on toast. Perfect start to the day.
Imagine the furore if someone did that in the city: “Naked gunman kills toddler’s rabbit Dibbles”. I love the country life.
Have to admit to laughing my ass off at this
Can hear my Glasgow vegan pal squealing from here at the double ignomy of the wabbits demise. Air gun recommendations?