Lochs - Living the Dream

I meant to add this picture when I posted last weekend about our peat cutting trip, but I forgot

Over Easter we went back to Cheshire for N to spend time with his Dad.  My neighbours were obviously keen to make me feel at home, and to remind me of the Hebrides.  They kindly put up a peat stack on the “moor” (or garden!) just for me

How kind!

We spent a couple of hours out on Arnish Moor yesterday, helping our neighbours cut the peat. The Welsh Idea and Dr DoLots cut enough peat to have a fires on chilly evenings. We all commented how much hard work it is….and that if this was your only source of energy for keeping warm, cooking, heating water for washing etc, then life would be very tough.
Dr D and I also were discussing the fact that many ladies of Lewis have beautiful skin. We wondered if it was anything to do with the peat

Washed this off in the bath later and now am certain I look about 20 years younger than before

I wanted N to have a go, so he can at least say he has experienced this ancient traditional part of Lewis life. So with the help of Welsh Idea N cut his first Lewis peat

The photos are a little blurry - it was raining out on the moor and not ideal photographic conditions. However, hopefully they capture our experience!  All in all, a very dirty afternoon - the kids loved being out (for a little while anyway!) on the moor in the rain…with an open mandate for getting filthy

The cut peat is truly delicious to behold….looks like a big sticky slab of chocolate…..scrummy!

What a weekend……here’s a quick run down for you

Saturday, the weather was showery.  Now, in England, showery means that it is grey and cloudy all day, and sometimes it rains.  Up here showery means that the weather changes from glorious sunshine, with blue skies, to a torrential downpour in about 15 mins…..so much more exciting!  That was what it was like on Saturday - and in between showers, it was a beautiful day

N had a swimming lesson, but he wasn’t feeling 100%, so we skipped it.  Drove across the Pentland Road to Breasclete to buy some handwash from The Soaplady.  Introduced myself and had a yarn about the fun of blogging, and the mystery of Nat.  The Soap Factory is well worth a visit if you haven’t been and the soap is to die for.  N has his favourite “flavour” too, so not just for the girlies

On the way I decided to take some photos of N, so I can get some prints for family “down souf” who need to get some idea of just how big the afro hair has grown in all this rain.  He wasn’t feeling like having his photo taken, until I told him he could say a rude word, just to get him to laugh - won’t tell you which one he used, but it did the trick

Later on we helped D next door who was castrating lambs.  Well, N helped a bit, I just stood around petting the little lambs and feeling sorry for them.  Anyway, all part of N’s growing knowledge of crofting life (he didn’t believe me for a second when I asked D if he was clipping the lambs’ nails!) Some when they had the elastic band treatment didn’t seem to notice….others looked very worried and spent the next while sitting down, wiggling their bottoms and looking quite upset.  At least Eric was spared the indignity! 

Yesterday was a prince among days.  We spent the afternoon on Gress Beach with friends…..and an ocean canoe.  What a serious amount of fun.  The sun was out most of the afternoon, although it was still a little chilly when it went behind a cloud.  Dams were built, a paddling pool constructed and some of us had a wee trip in the canoe, trying to surf the waves back to the shore.  Weekends don’t get much better

I have never been in a conoe before….there a clue in there about how funny it was.  I had to wedge my big bum into the seat and try get balanced, given that the sea was moving, although slightly.  Just about felt OK, and then in jumped Archie (one of the 2 mad springers) - yes, you guessed it, the boat tipped up, I ended up sitting in the sea, the canoe turned right over and Archie got on the top and wagged his tail.  Hilarious!  if only S had managed to work out how to switch the camera on there would have been some funny photos of me in the water…….but probably for the best. As it is there are just a few very attractive ones of me squeezed into a life jacket, fully clothed, soaking wet, and as I am in charge of what goes on the blog, you aren’t seeing them!