Poppies

I took mother by bus to Poppies restaurant/garden centre at Connel. This was a great idea, apart from one major flaw: the bus doesn't stop anywhere near Poppies! (There isn't a tea place in Connel village, and the one in Benderloch doesn't open until Easter. Hence the Poppies plan). 

A word with a fellow passenger resulted in him having a word with the driver, who stopped at a quarry. We had to cross the busy A82, and walk along a terrifying stretch of road, then down an old road to Poppies, which is a garden centre and restaurant overlooking Dunstaffnage marina. 

We had delightful views and food, and bumped into a friend of my mother's, but I was terrified of the walk  to the bus stop at Dunbeg village. Fortunately my sister K, who works a split shift, took pity and came rescue us. I bought her a strawberry tart as a thank you present.

K's second son, N was due to arrive on the train at Connel later that day, and a 'sleepover person ' was coming to stay over at mother's flat. My sister M popped in and out, then the sleepover woman, W, arrived, and I went out to meet K and her son N, to go aurora-watching. Unfortunately, the clouds had rolled in, and all our driving around looking for dark skies was fruitless. My suggestion of going out on along the North Connel road, where there is little to no light pollution, was vetoed (facing the wrong way, apparently) as was K's idea of going to Mallaig (too far). In the end, after we'd got as far as Ballachulish, and seen nothing but moon, clouds and a slightly green glow in the sky, we turned round and went home. 

The following morning, the newspapers and Facebook were full of sightings of the Aurora, including along the North Connel road and at Mallaig!