Rain, Rain, Go Away!

It rained on Monday and it rained today, a light rain, but rain nevertheless. Tomorrow's forecast calls for heavy rain. We haven't seen our workmen since last Friday and now it's looking as though it will be Thursday at the earliest before they show up. Thursday's forecast calls for sunny intervals and no rain, but by Friday the rain is expected to return. The good news is that the weekend and Monday are to be dry (but all could change by then).

It's bad enough to see no progress being made on the renovations, but what is worse is the fact that the ground all around the various building areas is now turning to brown and gluey mud, or"glaur." It's almost impossible to keep it out of the house, but I am working hard to confine it to the kitchen where the floor at least can be easily washed.

But this won't be just a rant about the weather. In fact, it cooperated with us on Sunday. Our trip to Arbroath on Sunday morning was virtually dry and when it was time for Bill Campbell and Don to head out to the Carnoustie Golf Course, the sun came out. They had sun until it turned cloudy at around 2, which was just before they finished their game. Don held his own with Big Bill who remarked about how much Don's game has come on since they last played back in September. We had a delightful visit with Val and Bill and a lovely meal. The journey home was no problem; we were home by 7:30.

On Monday, Don went off to play his usual Monday morning game at St Fillans and did quite well. I spent the morning doing laundry, the Hoovering, and general tidying up. It's a good thing I did, too, because at 11:30, our friends Jackie and Eric MacEwan phoned and asked if they could drop by for a coffee. They are just back from 4 months in New Zealand, visiting their two daughters and their grandchildren, buying a house, and getting papers filed for a residency visa. If all goes well, they will leave Comrie in April to move to New Zealand. We had a good reunion visit as Don came in from golf shortly after they arrived. They told us about their new house and showed us photos of the grandchildren. We are going to miss them sorely when they move but then, that will give us an excuse to travel to New Zealand, won't it?

This morning was Don's regular game with the Comrie Senior Men. He won the sweetie which means he came in last. Well, you can't win them all, can you? While he was away, I began work on a new quilt using some of the fabrics Marion gave me. I spent the morning culling through fabrics and, in the process, packed up two more boxes to put in storage while the dusty part of the renovations take place. (See? I am confident we will get there eventually.) As I identified useful pieces of fabric or trim that would coordinate with the fabric I am using as my focal point on this piece, I pinned them to the design wall. I am liking what I see although it will take lots more thinking and moving about of fabrics before the final design gets close.

In the afternoon, while Don was at the St Fillans Music Circle, I made a pot of spinach soup and then, because it's Valentine's Day, baked Don the cherry pie he's been saying he had a yen for. In return, he cooked tonight's dinner. Tomorrow is a busy day. He has Probus Club in the morning and I have the regularly scheduled morning coffee at the Royal Hotel with some of my alto friends from the chorus. In the afternoon, Don and I are going to Perth to get passport photos made and so I can go to a dermatology appointment at the Perth Royal Infirmary (PRI). This will allow us to stop at Tesco's Superstore on our way home and stock up on items that aren't as easy to come by in the village.

In a short meeting yesterday afternoon with our contractor, he reassured us that the work would likely be finished by the time we leave for our spring visit to the States in April. We hope and pray that it turns out that way.