Bluebells and Idiot Drivers

I've not had time to post lately - not an auspicious start is it? We have the house up for sale and one couple wanted to view not once, but twice in a week - but still no news. Still, as we had to get out of the way whilst the estate agent showed them around I decided to go and photograph the bluebells in Glen Mooar. This is something I mean to do every year, but usually leave it until it's too late. It was a glorious day, and the birds were singing their little heads off in the glen. Near to the waterfall at the head of the glen are the remains of a keeil (early Christian chapel), it is quite magical. The waterfall is called Spoyt Vane - and at the moment I cannot remember what the English translation is from the Manx. I must look it up.

You can just make out the outline of the chapel - it's only about 7-8 feet long with just a bit of the base left. I haven't worked out yet how to put photos farther down in the post. I'll have a play around and then post some photos of the waterfall.

My photography is similar to my embroidery - beginner's basic. Plus, I haven't got around to buying any filters yet (my camera was a birthday present from the family two years ago - I won't say which birthday but it was a BIG one).

We drove back in a happy mood - and then it happened. A car came at us from around a bend - going far too fast and almost right over onto our side of the road. The car missed us by about six inches. This island is beautiful but lethal too. Kids can learn to drive at 16 yrs old and there are no speed limits outside the towns. I hate driving around and seeing flowers left at the roadside here and there - many of the young kids killed recently have been friends of my nephews. It's such a waste.

It's never too late!

This is my Grandad - Wilf. Today would have been his birthday. I meant to get some flowers for the house to mark the occasion, but forgot in all the hussle and bustle of Saturday shopping.

Grandma and Grandad had a corner shop in Lancashire. They honeymooned in Wales - riding a tandem pushbike, we have a photo somewhere of them posing on the bike. In later years they loved to visit Scotland and the Lake District (but by car).

One day Grandad came home with a cine camera - it was the latest model. Grandma scolded him for spending money on it. He said "I'm not saving up for an old age I may never have".

He got a lot of pleasure out of filming - family holidays, local characters who came in the shop, and days out to places like Chatsworth House. We have had some of the films put onto disc, it brings back so many memories. Building sandcastles on the beach in Anglesey, my baby sister sitting in her pram inside the shop - she's within arms reach of the apples and cheekily pinches one when she thinks no-one is looking. There's a little girl riding her 3 wheeled tricycle (me!), various weddings of friends and neighbours, and my auntie filmed by Lake Windermere in the 1960's.

A few years after he bought the cine camera Grandad was diagnosed with cancer, he died months later, aged 55.

Grandma carried on running the shop on her own until she retired. When she was over 80 years old she 'emigrated' to the Isle of Man - her family had come from there originally and she had fond memories of visiting cousins. She loved to go out and about on public transport, sometimes coming home hours later after doing circular tours of the Island by bus. She never tired of living there. It was her dream come true. She was very proud of her Manx heritage.

So - the moral is it's never too late to do something you really want to do, or too early.

Cats

May 1st.

My very first post. I'm entering uncharted waters here. It feels like a very big adventure. I'm setting sail to share stuff with you - it'll probably be mundane but stick with it! I may have some interesting tales to tell.

I have Moses and Dave for company. Moses is my elderly Manx cat, he's black and white and very sweet natured. Dave adopted us two years ago, he's very vocal and needs to diet. Dave likes to sleep in plant pots - he's a very strange cat - but very good at finding himself a 5-star home!! Here he is sleeping in the garden, not a care in the world.