January 2012

This was a busy Christmas in deed.  We travelled to Scotland and the Isle of Skye to spend Christmas with my sister and her 3 kids.  We flew into Inverness and spent the night there before my sister picked us up the next day and drove us to Skye.  We had an awesome time with her, Seumas, Angus & Lillie not to mention Willie.

With Lillie being the artist, we made these wonderful melting snowmen cookies!

While there, my sister got me addicted to the Masterpiece Classic series on TV called Downton Abbey.  We went for walks with the dog but pretty much stayed inside due to the weather.

My parents gave us all a dinner out at a very posh hotel on the island for our Christmas present.  We were ushered into the "sitting room" for drinks before dinner, and this is where the fun began.  Someone had the brilliant idea that we should move the sofa closer to the fireplace.  When they went to move it, one of the legs feel off!!   We were scrambling to get the leg on securely before we were found out!!  This is Kent and myself on the sofa in question. As you can see, our behaviour didn't get much better.

They day we were to leave Skye, the wind was blowing so bad that the Skye bridge was closed and we had to stay an extra day.  My sister and the kids drove us to the airport in Inverness.  From there we flew to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands.  Dad met us at the airport there and we drove into town to have dinner at the Kirkwall Hotel.  We spent the night at the hotel before taking the ferry over to Westray. 

We got to spend a week with my parents being in the New Year at their house.  Although I have been there many times before Kent and I walked the mile up to Noltland Castle and I took lots of photos there.

We found a reason everyday to walk down to Bill & Margaret's (the local store)

Mum & Dad took us back by ferry to Kirkwall and we spent a day there, doing some travelling about the Mainland (the main/largest Orkney island).  We had dinner at the Stenness Hotel which is just a stones throw from "Little Barn House" which is where my father was raised.  We drove round to see the Standing Stones of Stenness and also the Ring of Brogdar

It was a little bit windy!!

My dad taking pictures of me taking pictures!!

We spent the night at "Heathfield" with my dad's cousin Mary.

The first time I stayed there was in 1964!!  I have stayed with Mary many times since and it is always a treat.  She is one awesome inspiration.  Mary has been battling leukaemia for years now, but she keeps on keeping on. 

Dad & Mary

Mum & Dad took us to the Kirkwall airport where we flew back to Inverness.  There it was another night at a local hotel and they we flew back home the next day.

It was an awesome trip and made much more enjoyable by having the 'down time' worked in.  It meant we were gone gone 3 weeks to spend just 1 week with my sister and 1 week with my parents but breaking up the actual travel meant I was able to enjoy my time with my family.