Except for three days just before Christmas it is over a year since we saw the four grandchildren.  Covid had put paid to planned visits since and also to their planned camping holiday in France this week and it is annoying that they could have stayed with us except for the current restrictions.  Instead they decided to go to the Outer Hebrides stopping off near Aviemore on the way so today we drove there and spent several hours with them trying to keep social distance.  We walked through the ancient pine woods round Loch an Eilein with views towards the castle ruins on a tiny island.with the Cairngorms in the backround.. Much to the amusement of four ducks (extra) they went swimming in the loch and we left after watching them tackle the exhilarating challenges high above the ground on the Treezone.   A very enjoyable way to celebrate a birthday.