I’ve been wanting to just jot down a few things about my everyday life instead of just one thrilling adventure after the other! So today I decided to take a rest day and hang out at the hostel by myself. Last night Irene and I were having dinner when two man/woman couples arrived and then two men about 30 minutes apart. Most of them had been cycling south and were drenched and chilled as a big storm came in yesterday.They got settled and we chatted a bit and I’ve finally had to share my dorm with other women, which was fine. One of the single men is from France and had been fishing so proceeded to clean his trout on the table and then left them on a plate in the fridge overnight. We all assumed he was having them for dinner, but oh well, I didn’t want to smell fish just then anyway. I went to bed about 10 but he stayed up til almost midnight talking quite loudly to one of the other men, who is from Belgium I think. Finally Irene got up and told them to quiet down and then I went to sleept until 6am when I was awakened by a loud alarm. I jumped out of bed and started walking toward the door to the common area still half asleep thinking maybe it was someone’s clock going off. But no, the French man was cooking his trout and had burned the butter which set off the smoke alarm! By this time the whole place was in an uproar, Irene came from the other direction to take charge and I stumbled back to bed, telling the other women who were in various states of undress that all was well. I finally got up after every one else left and then Irene and I laughed all morning about the expression on “your wee face, Ellie”. I wasn’t thinking any evil thoughts but really, I could hardly believe this guy was standing at the stove cooking fish at 6am completly oblivious to the alarm going off.
The rest of the day was calmer, the only problem being I went to the post office to mail yet another package home of things I don’t want to carry anymore (even 5 colored pencils I haven’t used) and found out the post office closes at 1pm, 1300, on Wednesdays. So back up the hill I went and will try again tomorrow.
I thought I would do a few categories of things to report about.
Blunders: The worst so far which everyone enjoyed was when several of Irene’s friends arrived last weekend. They cooked an amazing meal and we were drinking wine and in between I got out my colored pencils and did a wee mandala for Irene that represented the colors of clothes the six of has on that night. It was a six sided mandala, very simple, from my book and so at the center was the color of each person’s hair, all shades of brown, and me with grey. Then each person’s shirt, all olive green or blue, then trousers, khaki, black or blue jeans. One woman, Marie was sitting at the table and I couldn’t really see her pants so I said “What color are your pants Marie?” Now no one really knew what I was up to as they were all doing something too, and trousers is really the word for outside leg coverings while pants refers to underwear. Shall I just leave it at that? Luckily they all have a great sense of humor and there’s nothing more fun than laughing at Americans anyway so we all laughed most of the evening and what color are your pants is now a private joke than I’m sure they will ask each other for quite awhile.
Writing: Besides the blog, my two journals and scenes from my book I’m writing some other fiction and a bit of verse. If I ever have nothing else to do and free internet I’ll post the tale of a Viking crone and her ceremony at the Ring of Brodgar. It may have to wait til I get home.
Pack: My backpack and add on day pack and my shoulder strap purse are all working very well. If I’m walking more than a block I put it all on my back and I can go for a couple of miles. If I’m just hopping on and off the coach I tuck in all the straps of my big pack and it turns into a duffle which I haul on and then usually just put on the seat next to me as there is plenty of room. For longer trips, the coach stops and the driver puts the pack underneath the bus with other luggage and packages. I’ve sent so much stuff home or used it up in the time I’;ve been here that I think I will be fine heading back to the city in 2 weeks.
Lodging: I’m heading south in another day and after Findhorn and going back north a bit to the town my grandmother was from, Dingwall. From there its just half an hour to a castle that is now a hostel and the accomadations are supposed to be the best. So I hope to have time to do that. Speaking of time, Lorna’s closing her shop and my time is up for today. Thanks for the emails and comments. Love from the Highlands, Ellie
