Homeward

Catching up again … Yesterday was the end of our retreat, and late last evening I was home again. Still somewhat hampered by the previous nights dinner, I had to clear the little bedroom under the eaves, try to look useful in the more general tidying and sorting downstairs and find my pink shiny pen which had mysteriously vanished in the course of our stay. (Under a cushion - a last minute find.)

All this time we were aware of the wind - great gusts of it, tearing at the trees around the Croft. We tried not to think about it. We headed off at 10.40 to rendezvous with Sr C in the art gallery café overlooking the ferry terminal , drank coffee with our farewells, joined the queue of cars. The boat was late - this boded ill. We were ensconced next to a window in the Mariners’ Cafe onboard when we heard the announcement that the delay was caused by gales in The Minch. I put my Seabands on and ate a bowl of chilli and rice, washed down by a little wine…

It was fine. The sun came out, the sea turned a deep blue, I went on deck. Yes, we were still late - we didn’t dock in Ullapool till 5.30 - and yes, it was a long shot that we’d be in time for the 10.30 ferry to Dunoon. But the evening stayed fair, our one stop was brief, the traffic only moderately infuriating, our driver apparently indefatigable (she’s a few years younger…). We made it just as the ferry rounded the breakwater.

Blipping the Croft (on the right) as we left and the wonderful sky somewhere to the north of Perth taken through the windscreen  as well as the wonderful sea on our crossing.(extra).