Doreen in Inveraray

We spent the day in the village of Inveraray.  Lunch was at Loch Fyne Oysters and we visited the castle - home of the Duke of Argyll.  

Doreen in Scotland, aye.

Doreen is enjoying the food, the hot running water, not having to hand wash her clothes, shopping for clothes, fast internet, and being a tourist.  She does find it too cold here and wears a fleece most of the time.  Today she went to Glasgow to visit the Kelvingrove Museum and Glasgow University.  Tomorrow we are planning on visiting Inveraray Castle and possibly the old jail.  Next week we are visiting Kilmartin, Seil Island, and the Isle of Iona.  On Seil Island we will go on a boat trip to view wildlife near the Corryvreckan whirlpool. 

Doreen Photo Album

Doreen has arrived!

 Doreen flew Emirates from Entebbe to Dubai, having a 7  hour layover there.  I booked a Meet and Greet company so someone would escort her through a very large and confusing airport.  I also booked a lounge so she could rest comfortably and get all the food and drink she wanted with no charge.  She was then escorted to her departure gate in the morning.

She arrived in Glasgow on time but we became quite stressed as she didn't appear for a long time after it seemed that everyone on her flight was long gone.  Finally, the immigration office phoned me and asked for confirmation about statements she'd given him.  Fine.  She arrived soon after. 

Doreen enjoyed the food on the plane and in the Dubai lounge.  She was surprised to see sunshine when she arrived in Glasgow, but had to inform her that it's not a daily occurrance.  Our dishwasher, washer and dryer, hot water out of a tap, drinking water from the tap, and freezer were items of interest for her.  New food today:  grilled corn on the cob.  She loved it and found it very sweet.  The very large Tesco supermarket was a place of interest to her as well. 

On the ferry from near Glasgow to the town near our house:

Doreen is visiting!

The girl we help sponsor and support at university in Uganda has finally been approved for a visitor visa!  She was rejected once as the UK worries about visitors from certain countries staying illegally.  She's reapplied with help and has the visa.  Her flight is due next week.  She'll stay for 2 months and we'll travel around Scotland and the London area.  Culture shock!  Stay tuned.

At her university hostel in Kampala

just a few pics

Sunset down the loch

Crannog in Lock Eck - ancient artificial island (about 5000 years old)

Lock Eck and gorse

Rhododendrons at Benmore Botanic Gardens

A few springtime pics...

At sunset across the loch from our house...

Due to an unusually harsh winter this year, most flowers are blooming later than normal.   Some in our garden.... rhodendron, azaleas, magnolia tree

Finished redecorating living room!

We've been extremely busy since we came home from our travels near the end of January.  One more room is now finished - the living/dining room.  Now on the lookout for some nice art for the walls.  The large wall hanging was purchased in Uganda, as were the woven baskets, bowls, trays, wooden masks and wooden boat, woven placemats, pillow covers, cloth, etc etc.  Also on display are photos of our Ugandan friends and artwork by one of our friends. 

Photos of our redecorating and remodeling

Isle of Colonsay, continued

We enjoyed our week on Colonsay even though it was quite cold much of the time.  Choices were to stay in the house in front of the fire, or bundle up and go out.  We did lots of walking and biking and most afternoons we spent some time in the lovely Colonsay Hotel with pints of beer and wireless internet access.   Colonsay's history goes back nearly 9,000 years.  Intro to Colonsay

On our final night the ferry arrived in Oban just before 10pm so we spent the night at the incredible Falls of Lora hotel before driving home this morning.   Falls of Lora Hotel, Connel by Oban

This was the first time we stayed at this hotel and we were in awe of the incredible collections in it...large brass items, antiques, an eclectic collection of paintings and photos, etc.  

More of my Colonsay Photos

Isle of Colonsay

Danny are I are spending a week in a rented cottage on the wee Isle of Colonsay.  Our 10th wedding anniversary was April 17th.   Our cottage is a 3 bedroom traditional stone cottage which faces the Atlantic Ocean and it's the same one we stayed in for our 5th anniversary.

Colonsay is 17 square miles with a resident population of less than 200. 
http://www.colonsay.org.uk/

Sunday we rode our bikes to Balnarhard Bay, a stunning beach.  The ride was gorgeous but there were many steep hills we had to walk the bikes up.  Well worth it though! 

Updates

Danny and I are still doing DIY in the house.  It's been years since the living/dining room and the doors were painted.  All have now been painted except the back doors.  Even got a shiny new gold letter box in the front door.  Except for one door, all the doors in the house are the original from 1927.  A couple of them even have the original hardwood doorknobs.

We are now awaiting our new carpet and I will upload pics of the living/dining room when it's complete. 

In just over a week we are going to the Isle of Colonsay for our 10th wedding anniversary.  I'll be taking loads of pics whilst there and will share them. 

I've learned that my second grandchild will be another girl!  The magic event will occur in August.  Her big sister who will be 5 by then is thrilled that she's going to have a wee sister.

We have purchased an airline ticket for our Ugandan 'daughter' Doreen to visit us this summer.  We didn't realize how difficult it is to get a visitor visa to the UK from Uganda.  Her first application was rejected and she is reapplying.  We're trying hard to get it approved. 

The weather here has been changing from one day to the next, as usual.  Here is a pic from last week when there was still snow on top of the mountains across the loch.  I'll be re-photographing all the flowers and plants in our garden as they bloom this year.