Willa Cather once wrote Winter hangs on too long in country towns; hangs on until it is stale and shabby and old and sullen. Perhaps people in the country are more attuned to the weather because they work in it, walk their dogs in it, and go to shops and to visit with one another in it rather than drive as city folk do. It certainly is true that when the sun shines, you feel glad all over and when it turns grey and cold (which can happen around here in just 5 minutes), you feel it's time for a complete weather change. Of course, all of Britain is experiencing a massive weather change. We saw on the news the other night that 2006 was the warmest year in Britain in 348 years—since records have been kept. In fact, last summer the heat in the south of England was really brutal at times, especially as most places are not air conditioned.
March must have roared in on yesterday's gusty winds. It's only mildly windy today and although it was a gorgeous morning at 8 o'clock, by 9 it had turned overcast and there was a real chill in the air. Not long after that, Don went off to play golf with Gordon while I made Knobby Apple Cake for the White Church Community Lunch. It was my last "duty day" for the spring season. I'll be back on duty starting next autumn. We really missed going to the lunches this spring but with my diet, there was nothing on offer that was "allowed". My total weight loss since January 10th is 15 lbs. Even bundled up in winter clothes, people have begun to notice and comment that I look noticeably slimmer. (Dieting over here is referred to as "slimming".)
Don, who has gone on the diet with me for some breakfasts and lunches and all dinners, has lost between 5 and 8 lbs. He looks terrific. His knee is not giving him quite as much trouble as it was, but he's still wearing one of the knee braces and being careful. His appointment with the surgeon is 16th March. He's relieved that he will know more (about whether surgery is necessary and if so, when) prior to our journey to the States (29th March through 10 April).
During February we attended many excellent musical performances, from jazz in Edinburgh on the 1st, to three Celtic performances in Glasgow on the 4th, to two Scottish folk-rock groups in Perth on the 10th and the 18th, as well as a classical music performance by harp, viola, and flute on the 14th as part of the Strathearn Music Society's series. That doesn't count the weekly programmes Don has enjoyed in St. Fillans each Tuesday except this week, which was cancelled due to snow.
We've had snow a couple of times this month, but neither time was it particularly deep or long-lasting. This most recent snowfall was gone by that night because the temperature just kept getting warmer all day and the snow turned to sleet and then rain. All in all it's been a fairly mild winter so we aren't complaining.
Just think, this time last year we were complaining about bad weather holding up the progress on our renovations and when it wasn't weather-related, whinging about workers or supplies—or both—failing to show up. We are thoroughly enjoying our "new" house and find it much cozier this winter than in the past.
Don hosted this year's Superbowl Party. (You may recall that last year, his friend Peter Innes was the host.) This year, though, the party didn't have to start at 11:30 p.m. Sunday night because Don taped the game while we slept on Sunday night/Monday morning then had the party at 7:30 on Monday night. He didn't have to worry about running into anyone around here who would blab to him ahead of time about how the game turned out! It was an exciting game this year which he, Gordon, and Peter thoroughly enjoyed.
Don's golf game has been improving lately. It helps that he plays nearly every day now. He plays at two courses and with many different friends and acquaintances. He's still loving the game, even when he's had an off day. That only makes him more determined.
I don't mind being a "golf widow" as I have plenty to keep me busy. I had a day out with quilters last Friday when Helen Rae and I joined members of a Perth quilt group on a coach to the Spring Quilt Festival in Edinburgh sponsored by the British Quilt Guild. This year's show was even better than last year's. Meanwhile, I'm hard at work on 2 of at least 3 quilts I will be entering in this year's Loch Lomond Quilt Show.
After a year's urging by our friend Norma Nairne, I have finally joined the Crieff Writers' Group which meets two Monday mornings each month. My first meeting was on 19th February and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My first assignment was to write two poems—one rhyming, one blank verse—to be critiqued by Perth's Writer in Residence, Ajay Close, at next Monday's meeting. It will be interesting to hear what "the professional" has to say and to see what the next assignment will be. (It also will be a treat to meet with Ajay Close in person because I've read her short stories, newspaper articles, and a novel since the mid-90s.)
When Don isn't on the golf course he is either doing administrative work for Strathearn Music Society or doing his online teaching and consulting. He will be talking with officers at AACRAO while we're in the States about the next steps for their online educational efforts and how he can help them with those.
If you visit the blog fairly regularly, you'll have read and seen photos of various aspects of our lives. If you haven't, here are some you may find of interest (which you can access by clicking on February under Blog Archive on the right side of the page http://highlandline.blogspot.com):
• Deer we encountered on a walk on 17th February
• Comrie's remaining standing stones on 14th February
• Glasgow scenes at the end of 7th February and the beginning of 6th February
• Quilts on 9th, 16th, 25th, and 28th February
We'll be arriving in Bethesda on 29th March and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible while we're there.
May your weather be bright if not always warm or warm if not always bright and if all else fails, may you stay dry.
Love,
Lynn and Don
March must have roared in on yesterday's gusty winds. It's only mildly windy today and although it was a gorgeous morning at 8 o'clock, by 9 it had turned overcast and there was a real chill in the air. Not long after that, Don went off to play golf with Gordon while I made Knobby Apple Cake for the White Church Community Lunch. It was my last "duty day" for the spring season. I'll be back on duty starting next autumn. We really missed going to the lunches this spring but with my diet, there was nothing on offer that was "allowed". My total weight loss since January 10th is 15 lbs. Even bundled up in winter clothes, people have begun to notice and comment that I look noticeably slimmer. (Dieting over here is referred to as "slimming".)
Don, who has gone on the diet with me for some breakfasts and lunches and all dinners, has lost between 5 and 8 lbs. He looks terrific. His knee is not giving him quite as much trouble as it was, but he's still wearing one of the knee braces and being careful. His appointment with the surgeon is 16th March. He's relieved that he will know more (about whether surgery is necessary and if so, when) prior to our journey to the States (29th March through 10 April).
During February we attended many excellent musical performances, from jazz in Edinburgh on the 1st, to three Celtic performances in Glasgow on the 4th, to two Scottish folk-rock groups in Perth on the 10th and the 18th, as well as a classical music performance by harp, viola, and flute on the 14th as part of the Strathearn Music Society's series. That doesn't count the weekly programmes Don has enjoyed in St. Fillans each Tuesday except this week, which was cancelled due to snow.
We've had snow a couple of times this month, but neither time was it particularly deep or long-lasting. This most recent snowfall was gone by that night because the temperature just kept getting warmer all day and the snow turned to sleet and then rain. All in all it's been a fairly mild winter so we aren't complaining.
Just think, this time last year we were complaining about bad weather holding up the progress on our renovations and when it wasn't weather-related, whinging about workers or supplies—or both—failing to show up. We are thoroughly enjoying our "new" house and find it much cozier this winter than in the past.
Don hosted this year's Superbowl Party. (You may recall that last year, his friend Peter Innes was the host.) This year, though, the party didn't have to start at 11:30 p.m. Sunday night because Don taped the game while we slept on Sunday night/Monday morning then had the party at 7:30 on Monday night. He didn't have to worry about running into anyone around here who would blab to him ahead of time about how the game turned out! It was an exciting game this year which he, Gordon, and Peter thoroughly enjoyed.
Don's golf game has been improving lately. It helps that he plays nearly every day now. He plays at two courses and with many different friends and acquaintances. He's still loving the game, even when he's had an off day. That only makes him more determined.
I don't mind being a "golf widow" as I have plenty to keep me busy. I had a day out with quilters last Friday when Helen Rae and I joined members of a Perth quilt group on a coach to the Spring Quilt Festival in Edinburgh sponsored by the British Quilt Guild. This year's show was even better than last year's. Meanwhile, I'm hard at work on 2 of at least 3 quilts I will be entering in this year's Loch Lomond Quilt Show.
After a year's urging by our friend Norma Nairne, I have finally joined the Crieff Writers' Group which meets two Monday mornings each month. My first meeting was on 19th February and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My first assignment was to write two poems—one rhyming, one blank verse—to be critiqued by Perth's Writer in Residence, Ajay Close, at next Monday's meeting. It will be interesting to hear what "the professional" has to say and to see what the next assignment will be. (It also will be a treat to meet with Ajay Close in person because I've read her short stories, newspaper articles, and a novel since the mid-90s.)
When Don isn't on the golf course he is either doing administrative work for Strathearn Music Society or doing his online teaching and consulting. He will be talking with officers at AACRAO while we're in the States about the next steps for their online educational efforts and how he can help them with those.
If you visit the blog fairly regularly, you'll have read and seen photos of various aspects of our lives. If you haven't, here are some you may find of interest (which you can access by clicking on February under Blog Archive on the right side of the page http://highlandline.blogspot.com):
• Deer we encountered on a walk on 17th February
• Comrie's remaining standing stones on 14th February
• Glasgow scenes at the end of 7th February and the beginning of 6th February
• Quilts on 9th, 16th, 25th, and 28th February
We'll be arriving in Bethesda on 29th March and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible while we're there.
May your weather be bright if not always warm or warm if not always bright and if all else fails, may you stay dry.
Love,
Lynn and Don
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