Triathlon time ( again)

Five Corners, five bikes, two colds, a toothache and several sore joints headed down to Lochgilphead on Sunday for the annual triathlon. Wonderfully this year all five of us took part, despite fears that cellulitis in his knee would halt Toby, and more crucially all finished safe and sound. Everyone did themselves proud and we bought home five prizes.. 1st MJ and fastest T2 ( Toby), 1st FJ ( Freya) 2nd FJ ( Rosie) 3rd FV ( Fee). The thrill of competing together was addictive and I hope there are more moments like this to come. No rest or time for celebration at home though as University Mum had to deliver Son back to his other home... A looooonnnnggg drive home alone.

Autumn times

In the full throes of the heaviest cold I have suffered for a while...the joys of having chills when suffering simultaneously from hot flushes is not to be missed...if you are masochistic in any way (I am not). So, the exercise has tapered but that was the plan anyway with the annual triathlon at the weekend. Son and heir is surviving in Glasgow, still intending to come and compete on Sunday en famille so no dropping out because of a snivelly nose for me....not that the idea had entered my head. Swimming is a bit painful right now so it is to be hoped that the small irritating creature inhabiting my head and banging around sinuses and ear canals has succumbed to Lem-Sip, Sinu Tab and whisky by Sunday.
Argyll at its mellow best at present...dropping night-time temperatures and red raw rowan berries amongst the yellowing, fading leaves.hedgerow blackberries for the taking. The roads are quietening and the evenings darkening..I love the autumn! Took the Leicann walk with my pal Lyndsay and her two Labs today...soggy underfoot but beautiful and cleansing for the mind, soul and body.

Red Hot Swimming Hats.... Or something

A whirlwind of a weekend after a week trying to get Toby into gear for Strathclyde university life. Duly delivered on Saturday and no communications since so I am assuming he is still alive. There is a strange Toby sized hole now so what to do? We filled it with guests and more guests, the Best of the West festival at the Castle featuring the best Stovies ( google it) ever and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers ( likewise). They did a set with the Inveraray and District pipe band ( Also worth a small wander of the google-ing finger) which was amazing, all very energy fueled and NOISY!! Sadly due to an impending chemistry test tomorrow Rosie and I had to bid farewell and head home to wrestle with some complicated stuff that frankly I have never heard of nor will ever have to. Six pm and I am
wading out to knee depth in Loch Fyne complete with wet suit, wet boots ( fill with water and weigh me down and then for suction reasons are IMPOSSIBLE to remove) and a wet hat Circa 1750....I am getting better, I must be but it was chilly!! Awesome... There was a cheeky, nosy wee seal tracking along besides us as the weather segued from torrential rain to rainbows as I reached the boat buoy marking the turning point. Still with the rain ripples marking the water the sun was bright behind my sighting point for the return making it hard to fix. I chose to sight on Richard who is determined to make me an open water swimmer somehow and followed him along the shore. I think I was steadier than last time counting strokes to ten before sighting... At one point fingertips brushed a starfish larger, much larger than my hand. The chill was manageable but I left Richard to swim
on and headed for coffee and a battle with the afore mentioned wet boots.Now sipping a little glass of Scotland's best to dilute the effects of swallowing some of Loch Fyne and a suspiciously sore throat.

Summertime...

Summer must be here as the TV is full of Wimbledon. Happy days and here come the excuses to stay in the kitchen and watch for the next two weeks... So far today home made rolls and soup being made for tea and lemon loaves ready for the guests this afternoon. The sun is shining over Claonairigh as well Centre Court where the grass is looking as lush and green as an Argyll lawn. Garret meanwhile on his way to work has become distracted ( see photo) with providing a better view from the double room and our bathroom. He has just watched a red squirrel release itself from the squirrel proof bird feeder....they seem to be getting braver around our house which is lovely to see.

Rain everywhere...

Except in Argyll. We have definitely had the best of it here recently. Whilst England wallows in burst river banks and flooded village/ town streets we are dusty and dry. Our field is a comparative desert... This is approved of by Poppy the goat but the new ducklings are not so keen. Great guests including some " off the road" Yipee!! These visitors have been a rare species in the last year or so but we are pleased to see them back, they are not off the endangered list yet but numbers are creeping up. Toby is enjoying a last few days of freedom this week before entering a few weeks of servitude at the Woolen Mill cafe for the summer. Last Sunday we all entered the same event at Loch Lomond Shores with the girls doing a 5k and boys the 10k. It was great to all be together at the end with everyone pleased with their times etc and all with a race story to tell. There were great goodies to eat post race... For a price but we succumbed anyway. Happy Family times...

Weekend shenanigans

The big family race on Sunday became slightly smaller after it was unanimously decided by me that Garret would be potty (technical term) to run on a mending broken foot, Freya was on the verge of breakdown with a week of sleepovers and almost constant rehearsals for Grease.... She is first or second trumpet ( depends...).So Toby and I trundled off far too early on Sunday morning to Campbeltown. I drove, he slept. It is a great event with lots of locals and lots of friends taking part. Toby had a fine run doing the 10k in 38:03 and coming fifth overall, 1st junior.... I decided to hang back so as not to shame him and finished with my sore feet at 54 minutes. All friends very happy with their times etc and the goody bag was great!

The Moth Man

It takes all sorts and the endless variety of interests we have is diverse and wonderful. In our time in B and B land we have only met two who have shared with us their interest in moths. Permission is asked to place a live moth trap in a discreet location where the bright attracting light will not bother anyone and left to do its stuff. Last night's moth enthusiast caught many, many midges and around 40 different moth varieties including two rarities... The Birch Mocha (bottom) and the Saxon (top).... I sound wise and knowledgeable in the land of lepidoptery but alas this is merely google acquired.

Other excitement last night included a trip to The George to celebrate the end of exams for Toby and Rosie, and Toby's girlfriend Fabienne. Shortly after I retired to bed post meal to read a wee bit of the excellent Robin Hobb the other guests discovered that leaving their car in Inveraray after a pint and getting a lift home from The George staff was a great idea until they remembered that their room key was in the car.... in Inveraray. Thank goodness for spares.