Life is good despite Hassles.

What I like about Applecross is you can be as busy and stressed out as working 70 hours a week in The City, although I think there is far more purpose to life here and the stress is only really in one’s head. Fantastic weather and it is forecast to continue for the foreseeable future. Took a day from fishing yesterday to try to sort out my charging problem on the boat and headed over to the Kishorn Yard to pickup a replacement alternator, although back in plenty of time to replace it the flu bug kicks in again with a vengeance. As it turned out I did not have the right size of allen key to get the pulley and fan off so it was a quick trip back over the Hill and not wasted as I watched two engineers get together to loosen the nut. It was on for 8 years. Back out in the engine room today and the prognosis is not that good as the gauges do not indicate I have solved the problem. Now its a check on fuses and connections, which is logically some thing I should have done first but I am not logical. As usual trips over the Hill are combined with other events and Kishorn Port Authority were putting on a display about the possible reopening of the Kishorn Yard, this time for building wind turbines for the expected western offshore wind farms. Not a lot of new information but got talking to one of the environmental consultants and it’s certainly of interest….may even be a tourist attraction!!! Possible 2/300 jobs involved but so much up in the air. As far as I can make out KPA refurbish the site and attract a company in to build the turbines, glad I do not live in that high risk world. As I was waiting for my alternator to arrive at Kishorn I wandered off with Dougal up the lower reaches of Russel Burn and despite feeling very unhealthy Dougal is good company and I do live in one of the most beautiful corners of the world.

Some in my family believe Dougal has little or no intelligence, I strongly disagree although his spaniel tendencies have to be catered for on a fairly regular basis. The Hills of Applecross I think are one of the defining features of this community, an island on the mainland and maybe makes some of us a little awkward and contrary. The Keoch Nose looks majestic from any angle but I am never going to climb it.

Tonight involved a trip out to the Community Hall to see a nature film by Nick Wright and sound by Stephen Deutsch. Very enjoyable and they are planning a film on Applecross that will involve some of the contraries as well as the wealth  of nature that we live amongst. To get there meant a lie down , a 20 minute shower and breakfast, first food for two days apart from the small bowl of veg soup at the Inn but it was well worth it and Nick is coming out on the boat for a day’s fishing, health and alternator permitting. Today’s trip over the Hill was combined with nipping into Lochcarron for a box of scallops. Really bad news on the bee front is that Audrey has found that she has varroa in her hives and has kindly given me the organic as possible solution and instructions to treat. A job for this weekend, Wandered over to the hive today and nice to see some activity. Such a shame as Audrey had tried so hard to keep her hives mite free and that was the reason for me waiting to get bees locally so I would not have to deal with varroa. As Sean has once again fixed our broadband it’s a wee spell on iplayer to catch up on Spiral and Dancing on the Edge.