Ephedrine at Acorn Bank

After a superb breakfast at the Black Swan at Culgaith, Cumbria, we visited the nearby National Trust property at Acorn Bank, and spent a happy couple of hours wandering around the gardens, herb garden, orchards, woodland and working watermill, enjoying intermittent sunshine as we shipped our coffees in the courtyard cafe. The herb garden was informal in layout and some of the plants grew over six feet tall. Benches and seats were dotted around in handy locations. I must find out what Ephedrine is used for. Ah! Thanks, Wikipedia. I knew I'd heard of it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephedrine

Some time after that, we finally crossed the border, had a few stops at Abington, Callander, Loch Lubnaig, and Glencoe, before arriving in Duror, my mother's village, at about 7pm.

Everything and nothing has changed. Duror is the village where we first lived after we moved from Ireland in 1974. Three years later, we moved to Loch Etive side. Now the Etive side house is let and my mother is remarried and recently widowed and back in Duror. The village shop and Post office closed years ago. My mother has carers coming into cook for her, because she is diabetic and has been having hypos this year. She is fundamentally the same but different. I hadn't seen her for two years, because of CoVid and the fact that I can't drive, and my having to work during school term time in England, which does not often coincide with Scottish term times. Mother's memory is not what it used to be, and conversations break down mid-sentence, or take surprising turns. Physically, she is slimmer, but not as frail and I'd expected, thank goodness.

I organised three different suppers for the three of us, and the evening passed in no time. Went to bed at midnight (this is a back blip) and found at least two wasps buzzing around my head as I tried to sleep. There must be a nest in or near the house. Apart from the buzzing of wasps, the night is silent and utterly still.