Brett asked about the weather, its cold! Today I have two layers, boots and a raincoat to walk across the street to the library. Generally its been cloudy for the past 2 weeks with sprinkles and sun breaks but I haven’t been caught in a deluge yet. On Sunday at Findhorn there was a cold breeze from the sea that I couldn’t escape, and there was incense burning at the vigil and back at the B&B so by the end of the day I had a sore throat. Last night I coughed until 3am when I finally went to sleep.
I was feeling a bit envious of the families at Findhorn with the wee children and all the company they provide. When I got to Beauly (about 2 hours travel west) I walked up and down the main street, well the only street, and all the single rooms were taken, even in the huge and formal Lovat Arms Hotel. It was starting to rain so I went back to the first spot and got a double room as I was about done in. After a nap I went to the lounge to make tea and while I was relaxing on the comfy couch a young girl came in and shyly said hello. We chatted for a bit and she had been walking up and down just after me, having gotten off the bus from Edinburgh by herself, with no place to stay. So we decided to explore Beauly together and I found out she is 15 years old, her parents think she is spending a few days with a friend near home, but she has come to see her ex-boyfriend so they can sort things out. She’s become quite fond of me, and vice versa, and so we spent the evening together too as he had to work. The hostel owner and I have been discussing her situation, she’s not exactly a runaway since she’s going home tomorrow, on the other hand, she’s only 15 and a long way from home staying with people she’s just met. We two mothering types are feeling responsible for her already and have had a few “chats” with her about deceiving her parents. The girl has spunk that’s for sure, and hopefully we’ll all live happily ever after.
That leads right into Brett’s other question about Global Warming. Yes, everyone here is very concerned about climate change as the hot weather in the US has been in England and southern Scotland and a lot of people are suffering. They are more energy conscious as a whole, petrol being over £4 a gallon, all the cars are small and the buses are well used. The water heaters for showers have a off/on switch which I had forgotten, and towels in b&b’s are changed only on request. Still, they all are more accepting of the facts of life and want something done than the sort of Americans who think climate change is a left-wing ploy. I think they also feel powerless to change things as we do when people like bush are in such positions of control.
I’m just staying put here in Beauly (beautiful river) until I return to Edinburgh on the 15th (a day earlier than planned). There’s the huge music fest on Friday and Saturday that costs £60 so I am going to have to really want to go to spend the money. It’s outdoors, camping included which I won’t do, 9 stages, all sorts of music so it sounds like a lot of fun if I’;m feeling better. Tomorrow I’ll go to the wee town nearby where my dad’s mum was born and see if I can find a long-lost 3rd cousin.
A PS for fans of the book Outlander. I haven’t seen anyone who remotely looks as I imagine Jamie Fraser to be. This is Fraser country though and Beauford, his manor, is just up the road. It’s been bought out of the Fraser family although the present clan chief is trying to get it back. Most of the scenes from the book take place along the river just north of Inverness so as soon as I feel a bit better I’ll go exploring.
Much love to you all. Ellie
