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Run, Run, Run-away





COLL International Airport, more famous than Heathrow's terminal 5 finally had lift off today, 1st April.

And to mark this exceedingly auspicious occasion a very special pilot was selected.

WHO? well ME OF COURSE !




You may thnk that I have my head in the clouds, but listen up...

It may surprise you to learn that I am an excellent, fully qualified pilot,

and fly in the face of all adversity,
often by the seat of my pants
and definitely on a wing and prayer,

Not only but also...

I know my phonetic alphabet off by heart

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot.....

so Clear Prop everyone, final preparations

as I describe the scene of this very special occasion.

Pomp and Ceremony abounds as the celebrities and dignatories line up to witness the long awaited opening of Coll International Airport.

A famous S. Member of P has a huge pair of scissors to cut the red ribbon declaring COLL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, is FINALLY open for business.

and someone is eagerly poised to crack a bottle of champagne over my head
gear.

TV Crews, Newspaper Hacks and Officials from the Council all take their place outside the new terminal.

OKAY,

I'll just pop on my goggles and flying jacket, it gets really chilly in the cockpit.


So, the time has finally arrived...

Ladies and Gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts

we are ready for take OFF....




Oh!! the tarmac feels so nice on my under carriage,
all warm and soft and new.

GEESE, what geese?
Has anyone seen any geese ?

"What's that you say MADAM?"

Any parachutes on board?

and why is that man mopping his sweating brow..,,mmmm.


"Do we have any what?"

Shout up please, it's a bit noisy in the CockPit

Inflatable dinghy's?"

Now why would anyone want them?

"Eh you, get back in your seat, come back here".


Relax, relax, will-ya !!

Now, who's up for a few aerobatics, Tail Spin perhaps?

Or maybe a Loop the Loop???

Feel the G FORCE with a nose dive.

NO?? nobody up for that? Spoil sports,

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Right, I'll just put the plane on auto-pilot while I double up as airsteward and serve drinky-poos,

For you madam?

G and T, ?
Ice and Lemon?
very nice, but I must say your face is as white as a sheet, have you seen a ghost?

HEY, Just look down there at that friendly crowd of people outside the airport terminal,

waving up at me.

With their fists.

Whose that loony calling me on the radio.
Hello, What?

I need to refuel, get back to base

Roger that.

Well I hope you all enjoyed this inaugural flight of my TWIN OTTER

Throughout the summer I will be making flights everyday from Barra to Barbados

So, please don't delay and
make your reservation today.

My Website gives more details

Squidgy's SMILE-HIGH Air Services,
Service with a smile.

Finally, Like all competent pilots, I have to write up my Captain's B - LOG
for the day...

ENTRY:

1st DAY OF THE MONTH
Returned to airfield to refuel
April, Fuel.

Alpha, Papa, Romeo, India, Lima,
Foxtrot, Oscar, Oscar, Lima

Have a Good One.

XXXX

Yesterday I was working in the front garden, it was pretty late in the afternoon, when I was approached by a stranger.

He was a young man with a workmen's belt around his waist.

An Electrician from the mainland. He looked totally lost.

First he went to the Post Office, which was closed, then he looked all around him in despair.

Finally he spied me working in the garden and walked towards me.

"Hi there" he said,

"Do you know if there is any place I can use my cash card to get money"

Well, I told him the Post Office closed at 1 pm and perhaps he could try the Coll Hotel.

Had he a cheque book? No,
Had he a Visa/Debit Card, ... No.

He just had a cash card which allowed him to draw money out of a machine.

Why did he need the money I enquired.

Well, he was Hungry. He had been working on the Dr's Surgery all day, wasn't familiar with islands and he had no cash to buy his dinner.

He was catching the 7.30 pm boat back to Oban and had no money for food on the boat either.

Well, I felt sorry for this young man, so far from home, alone, and unused to island life.

I offered to lend him some money so that he could at least get a square meal.

But how will I repay you? he asked

Just send me the money back when you get to the mainland I said.

The young man looked at me in amazement.

"I'm a stranger" he said, "and you would do that for a complete stranger".

"Yes" I replied.

Now you may think that that was naeive and foolish of me.

But I look at it this way.

1. If the boy takes the money, he gets a square meal, he has been shown kindness by a stranger on a tiny island he has never visited before.
He will feel good about the island.

2. If the boy returns the money to me as promised, my investment in human nature has paid dividends.
He will feel good about his honesty and keeping his word
I will feel good because he kept his word.

3. One day, my son may be in the same situation, far from home, hungry and alone. Perhaps a stranger will show him the same kindness.

4. If the boy does not return the money, then I will feel sadness, but who will be the loser?

The boy who took the money and did not return it as promised
Will he feel bad about it? untrustworthy and unable to look me in the eye if we should meet again.

or will I be the loser?

Certainly, my purse will have a hole in it, my faith in human nature dented a wee bit, but still I have the knowledge and comfort of the act of kindness.

So, out of the two, I know who would be the biggest loser?

Don't you?


Have a great weekend all, and wrap up warm !!

xxxxxx

Morning all..

G'day

My name is Tommy Titmouse and I am a green canary.
I belong to Squidgy and live in her home. She feeds me, gives me water and cares for me very well..

In return for her kindness, I sing for her at least 12 hours every day. My dishes are filled with special canary mix. I eat small amounts. I am not a greedy bird.

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Hi, we are starlings, with brilliant, shiny plumage. We live in Squidgy's garden. She feeds us and in return we amuse her with our chatter and mimicry. Squidgy often stands and watches us as we squabble on her bird table. We share our food with our neighbours, the sparrows. We are not greedy birds.

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Hi, I am a Skylark, I live in Squidgy's garden too. I scurry around on the dry, bare ground, and now that Squidgy has seeded the garden, I help myself to her grass seeds. Squidgy doesn't mind and in return I fly high above her home and sing a beautiful melody. Though the garden is filled with seeds, I take only what I need, I am not a greedy bird.


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Greetings, Island Bloggers, I am a blackbird. I live in Squidgy's garden too. She feeds me with pieces of cake, suet and other tit bits. In return, I sing for her every evening. I am building a nest close by, I trust her with my young. I am a ground feeder and share my food with others, I am not a greedy bird.


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Hello, I'm Robin Redbreast. You may remember me from last year when I flew into Squidgy's house and she stood in a tin of paint trying to catch me. Ahh, but Squidgy has forgiven me now and feeds me with pieces of cheese. Squidgy is gardening and turning the soil over. What a feast, juicy worms and grubs. In return I sit by her bedroom window every morning and sing my sweetest song. Though I love cheese, I do share it with others in the garden. I am not a greedy bird.


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Whot you lot looking at then?

Never seen a seagull before stuffing his face?



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You all know me, and if you don't, you should. I'm George, George Seagull and I live where I like. I'm raucus and rude and talk with my mouth full. But who cares ?? These birds ' round here are small fry and if I could eat their grass seed I would too.

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Share my Food? What are you? CRAY-ZEE? I share my food with no-one, I am an opportunist. I spy on the garden from above and when the coast is clear I swoop, taking not only what I need, but everything in sight. I leave nothing for no-one. Why should I?

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It's the survival of the fittest - Right?

Loyal? me loyal? you must be joking mate. I flit from garden to garden
and feed where the feedin' is good.

When it's all gone in this garden, I'm off to the next. Now shuddup and let me scoff this bread.

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What do I do for Squidgy in return?

Well, I'll tell you what I do, I do this.




And from a great height too !!!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The sun rises early and my garden is alive with the sound of bird song. As the light filters through the curtains, Tommy Titmouse, my green canary bursts into song. He will not stop for at least 12 hours.

I now have three feeders in the garden, all attracting many different species of birds. A tiny wee wren, greenfinch, chaffinch, Redwings, Pied Wagtails, Skylarks, sparrows, Robin, Blackbird and the comical starlings.

Generally, they all rub along together whatever their size, taking only what they need from the table and returning when they need more.

The blackbird is busying herself with nest building and the chatty wee wren flits in and and out of the dry stone wall. She too has a nest.

Seven Redwings forage for grubs in the newly turned earth and Robin Redbreast sits atop of my garden spade watching the world go by.

I feed them twice daily, once in the morning and again at teatime.

Each bird takes his share and no more.

Except for George.

George sits and spies from the Chimney top, watching and waiting. Then, cautiously at first, he makes his move toward the pieces of bread and cake.

Within moments the food is gone. He swallows the food whole in rapid succession. He leaves nothing for others.

Why does George do this? Why does he eat everything in a few ravenous gulps?

Is it greed or need?

Selfish? or Self Preservation?

Working in the garden for hours on end, I am able to observe bird behaviour at close quarters. The hierarchy, the pecking order.
The shy and the sly.
The needy and the greedy
The givers and the takers
The carers and the sharers

Bird Behaviour eh??

Not at all like human behaviour. None whatsoever. mmmm

The sun is shining beautifully over Coll this fine morning and another Red wing has just landed on the fence.

George is lurking around somewhere, the wee rascal.

Only a mother could love that BIRD !

xxxxxx

PS: To all the twitchers out there, the "blackbird" may in fact be a CHOUGH. It has an orangey red beak and orange rimmed eyes and I think legs.

Some birdwatcher me. Whatever will Mr. ODDIE say?

Oh, it's such a perfect day
I'm glad I spent it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me blogging on

Just a perfect day
saw seals in the bay
Then later
an otter, too, and then home




Oh, it's such a perfect day
I'm glad I spent it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me blogging on
You just keep me blogging on

Just a perfect day
Housework all left alone
The beach on our own
it's such fun

Oh, it's such a perfect day
I'm glad I spent it with you
Oh, such a perfect day
You just keep me BLOGGING ON
You just keep me BLOGGING ON

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On Wednesday I was taken to a beach I had never been to before. The sun was shining, the sky cloudless, and the sea crystal clear, a sparkling turquoise.

Along the way we saw new born lambs and pretty primroses peeping shyly through the machair.

The children led me over the sand dunes, "We're nearly there" they shouted encouragingly as I dragged behind muttering, "Is it much further, chunter, chunter?"

We're here, came the shout.

Well, I have been known to wax lyrical about the beauty of Coll's beaches, but nothing prepared me for North Shore. The beauty left me breathless. It wasn't just the sparkling waters, the colour of the sea nor the dazzling whiteness of the beach.

The sheer tranquility, It was like being in another world, an era of long ago.

Four seals swam in the bay close to the shore, simply watching us, totally relaxed. Such peacefulness.

Well the children played happily on the sand dunes, making a slide.

The sun shone

The sea sparkled

I went for a walk, and climbed a way up a hillside above a rocky inlet hoping to photograph the seals.

Suddenly, a shiny brown tail caught my eye on the rocks below.

An Otter had appeared out of nowhere.

I had two dogs with me, the children's shrill laughter could be heard at the other side of the bay, and yet here was an otter, as bold as you like.

The wind was in my favour. The otter had not caught my scent, nor the dogs.

I watched him for a while, and took a few shots. I only had a standard lens with me, so close ups were out of the question.




I kept perfectly still, the dogs knew the otter was there, but sat close to my side.

The otter played on the rocks below, blissfully unaware of our presence. In and out of the water he went. Then scampered along the beach to the burn.

I did not want to follow in fear of frightening him.

He reached the burn, and was gone !

But Oh what an amazing day !!

A day I will never forget

An otter - What a perfect way to end a perfect day.

Have a good weekend everyone.

XXX

Saying goodbye to someone you love is so hard for any mum

You say it's just for a while, as you force a smile and hope they understand.



This tiny, forlorn figure is my son going off to school in Oban.
He will stay in the hostel. He will not be here with me.
No more night night hugs or cuddles at bedtime.



Can anything be stronger than a mother's love for her child? From the moment our children are born, they receive the most dedicated, most unconditional, most devoted and special love.

Throughout their lives, we nurture them, educate them, keep them from harm and protect them with our lives. A mother would lay down her life for her child.

Children cost an arm and a leg to raise, often we will do without so that they do not.

Children are so special. They bring us joy and at times they break our hearts.

Untidy, sometimes cheeky, noisy, demanding and clueless about where money comes from... yet..

now my boy is gone, the house is empty, I am lost,

no more can I nag

Have you brushed your teeth?
be back soon, eat all your tea up, turn that tele down,
are you on that computer AGAIN?
Tidy up that Bedroom!!

How I miss him. But soon he will ring, full of the day's events, the football, kayaking, archery and his new friends.

And what will I do. I will nag him over the telephone.

Watch the road, don't go out in the dark, put all your dirty clothes in a bag.
What are you eating? don't eat anything with E numbers in.

Yeah, yeah, yeah mum, he will say.

I have moped about for days.
Not visiting the beach
nor my friends the seals.

But today something came in the post which cheered me up. A new telephoto lens.

I roused myself out of despair and took a few photos of some other mothers and their babies.




The primroses are now peeping through and the beautiful pink thrift is out already ...



The seal pups, sunbathing on the rocks, soft and white and round.

One cheeky character rolled over as if she wanted her tummy tickled.



Photographing birds was more challenging. My new 55 - 200 mm lens, though a vast improvement on my standard 18 - 55mm lens, still does not allow me to take the superb close ups I strive to achieve.

The two dogs don't make it any easier and I have come to the conclusion that dogs and wildlife photography is nigh on impossible.



Shellducks, Skylarks, George Seagull, oyster catcher and high stepping greylag geese.

For a few hours, my mind has been occupied with photography, but now I sit and wait for the phone to ring.

Has he run out of credit, forgotten his phone charger?
Worse still has he forgotten his mum??

At least I derive some comfort knowing that he will be home on Saturday.

For just over 24 hours,
then its back to Oban.

Is he happy??

Oh yes mum, I'm a striker in the football team
I've made millions of new friends.
I need 拢10.00 not 拢5.00
拢5.00 isn't enough

But have you missed your mum?
The phone goes quiet. He is not alone,

then I hear a hushed whisper....
barely audible

Love you Mum.

I love you too, son.



xxxxx