First snow

OK - it's hardly time to get the skis out but this morning we had half an hour of hard hail/sleet/snowy stuff and it didn't feel like anything to rejoice about. For the past week we've had strong winds and lashings of rain and even though it brightens up beautifully from time to time it still feels as though the interminable onslaught they call winter is setting in.

And already the wind has started to peel away the new roof we've put on the end stables. It has been windy - but it's not been really really windy as we know it gets up here. This isn't good news at all.

My sense of siege has been heightened this week by a wicked cold - the worst of which I now seem to be over. But it was a grim affair. Of course I battled on in a spirit of total self sacrifice and I don't think any of the family noticed I had a cold at all. Well maybe a little.

But it's been a busy week (all things are relative). We've had a visit from a man who's advised what to grow (try it and see!), a Govt Fella to check that we've been telling the truth on grant applications and a meeting with a Govt Lasssie about another set of grant applications we're planning for. The plans have arrived all ready to go of for permissions for renovating the house (although we've had to return them because there's things missing), we've sourced a male (in Arbroath) and some extra kids to keep Flavia company, and organised the van to be serviced before I go off and collect them.

And Rebecca is coming to see us this weekend. Yippeeee!