The highs of B and B

The guests that we meet through are bed and breakfast are, in the main interesting, pleasant people with whom I enjoy sharing our home and sometimes we get a glimpse into their lives too. There are many who pass through and many who return to see us again. There are some who erk one slightly (as in the four adults recently who allowed a willing Freya to take their many bags up and down the stairs to their rooms without so much as a thank you..) but these vanish from your mind when you meet people such as the ones that we have been lucky enough to meet this weekend. The Sneddons are very special people who were back here to scatter a mothers ashes at Kenmore right over the hill from us on Loch Fyne where she grew up. They led us through a fascinating picture of her life both written down by her and remembered by her daughter from tales and reminiscences. In these days of internet, fast travel and modern life it is so interesting to read of similarities that exist from that world 80 or so years ago. She tells of going to the "big house" for a party hosted by the Duke's sister at Christmas. This is a tradition which is still followed now with my own children going from the age of 4-11 invited by the Duchess. We do not put on our best clothes for the Games as she and her brothers did but we do still see it as a major day in the calendar and most locals will go. She tells of taking wood from the forests around them to supplement the coal which was so expensive and arrived by puffer boat aka Para Handy style...although our coal now comes on a lorry we are also feeling the cost of it in recent days and are trying to use some wood to keep the Rayburn going along with the coal to maintain the steady heat. Finally apart for the pleasure that these people bought to us with their stories and living- history attitude Margaret gave me a copy of Duncan Williamson's " The Horsieman" a book that I have been keen to get for ages recounting a childhood around the shores of Loch Fyne. I was so touched that she had one to the trouble to get me it...from one stranger to another who are now friends bound by the past and present. We also met a lovely single lady who arrived last night and is staying on pleased with the peace and quiet here and abouts.....