Sad, but good memories.
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Hebrides
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Wind
South veering southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time, perhaps storm 10 later.
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Sea State
Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
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Weather
Rain then squally showers.
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Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.
Although the forecast has changed, for the worse, waking up at 5.20am to hear that the weather today is going to be 6 to 8 increasing severe gale 9 is not the best way to start the day so I did not. Day after day this has been happening and we are now experiencing a pretty severe winter with no apparent let up before christmas. At 9am it was almost dark and tells me I would struggle to survive further north. And now at 3.30pm it is dark with the rain lashing the windows and the broken gutter emptying its contents into a barrel. This rain water was used on the garden in the summer, to think. A couple of days ago the sun showed briefly over the south end of the Sound and thought it worth a wee shot. Could not be more different today, seeing Ardban was an effort.
Yesterday had a little spark in the evening when I headed out to the Inn for the staff Secret Santa. Been won over since last year as the presents bought have hugely improved from the Chinese tat of yester year to very thoughtful ones these days. Last year got a cracking book and this one was a wood wedge, nice one as they say.
At the other end of the bar life went on as usual.
The proceedings were started of by a toast for Norman who passed away a couple of days ago. He used to be an ever-present at the end of the bar for not much short of 25 years. Had many a conversation with him over fishing and rugby, mainly Welsh rugby, and although he had not been in much recently due to ill-health he will be missed. Funny the little triggers you have when some one you know dies and driving past his house on the Street and seeing his little blue car there is somehow poignant. As he became not so good on his feet when he left the Inn we would nip out and drive his car up to the Inn door to make it a wee bit easier for him to get home. Received many a curious look from visitors but that was just what you did. Seeing the wee car parked outside his house knowing he will not be making the short journey to the Inn again…..
Called in for a cup of tea on the way to the toilets and there, heard the very sad news about Rossie. I do not usually say anything to give plenty of time for close friends and relatives to find out properly but having seen it on the Kyle RNLI site I can assume this has been done. Rossie ‘s passing has brought back lots of memories. First came across Rossie in the back of the Co-op in Kyle when it was on the Main St. He was in giving John Don (Stride) a hand in building a wee office there. Going fishing with Ruariadh and Don I used to walk past the Mackerlich’s Workshop every morning…hardly missed any fishing days back then, and again going to sea with Sandy and Ali Ruadh. Guys who were there would be Duncan Lel, the Robertsons from Skye, Doiks and many more from a different era. Never, ever forgotten a couple of tales of Rossie and they sum up his humanity and kindness. When I organised my Dad’s funeral back in 2000 he immediately put me at ease after finding out I had not much clue what to do. Told me the tale of a local funeral where there was a wee incident at a graveside where a ladder was needed and there general mayhem for a short time. The way he told me you could not help but laugh and at the same time was he in any way disparaging about any one involved in what had happened. Telling me this tale was to tell me that whatever happened it was going to be alright at my Dads and he was right. Dave told me that he went to visit his mother-in-law in An Arcasaid who was in the throes of alzheimers and the first question she asked of Rossie was “What day is it?” and quick as a flash the reply came, “Any day you want it to be”. Such an adroit and humorous reply and without any hurt to any one. There will be many others as he had lived life to the full and many stories will be recounted over the next few days. Still makes me smile to remember the tale and although I only saw him occasionally I will miss him. He was part of the Kyle I grew up in.
The Dave who had told the last tale is Dave Hardy who hopefully will be coming over to Applecross to play in the near future, told me about his new website of life around the Skye Bridge. Educational and fun for kids with lots of photos both above and underwater. Good to chat and although the circumstances were not the best, a conversation with Dave is always to be recommended if feeling a little flat.http://www.lifearoundtheskyebridge.com/
While I am in this reminisce mode Gordon also forwarded the school photo of the Applecross children in around 1922/23. Only guessing as my Dad was born in 1917 and is in the front row, third from the right, beside his cousin Kenny ‘ain Dungan from Culduie. Lots of memories of days gone by.
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