Meeting People is Nice

There are irritating things happening to the fabric of the house, and spring is slow in arriving; but there is still Human Interest, though I have been a bit slack writing it up.

The time before last when we were there, Peter Thomas, the free lance ghillie, fish and stalking expert, visited to ask if he could come to an arrangement with one of our boats, as he had just discovered from one of the other glen people (a Norwegian whom we have not yet met) that we had bought Ruurd and Meike's boat. We are delighted for him to use any of our boats; and as what he needs one for is taking people on to the inland lochs, as he already has a boat on Loch Hourn, he is going to use the red boat whenever he needs it. He is going to bring us some larch logs in return. It is very nice, being part of a barter economy.

Then last time we were there Ian Lothian came over the ford from Poulary to visit. I have never met him before, as his times there have not coincided with ours so far. He is a retired oil man, from Cupar originally but now living in Toddington. Very genial. He has had lots of pipe freezing problems and is thinking of replacing all of his with plastic.

We are still a little distrait as the pump system is still not mended and water has to be pumped up in 100 litre gulps; and there are still holes in the plasterboard where the pipes had to be replaced at New Year. The paint on the west wall has almost all become detached from the harl - most provoking; and a slate has come down. The track needs a hefty application of gravel in the upper parts; and the rhone on the north side looks as if the weight of snow may have slightly bent it. Still, no signs of moth or rutht yet.

I have plans for persecuting Alasdair the builder and his brother Donald, in the friendliest possible way, for the house works, and a fencer for fence works, when we are at the house for two weeks over Easter. Anyone wanting to come and visit then will be extremely welcome, particularly if he or she is prepared to dig, carry stones, destroy rushes and saw up trees.