406

Tis true, I have not posted here for a day or two. I have a life you know. Not much of one perhaps but what I do have is important to me.

So The Crofter has had to wait a little. But this morning, after listening to how the soft-southern Brits have been struggling with the wee strong breeze that crossed their path for a change, I tootled down in the warm sunshine and breathless air to see what was happening on The Croft. As it happens, not much. Mr Crofter Sir, him of the .... well you know - was working in the tooth factory. Mum Crofter was doing her thing in there too. While Dad Crofter dug a hole in the drive while we watched on to let the water drain off. It rained a tad overnight you see. I noticed the water splooshing down the river the other morning after another wee shower in the night. A wee shower that woke me from my fitful slumbers such was it's ferocity.

But the rain showers soon came back again as I watched them move across The Minch o'er there.

This two legged beast remained inside the byre while the rain spotted down.

And Dad Crofter later spent time doing muddy things and avoiding the white terrorists lurking nearby.

405

I forgot to ask Lizz if she photographed the Crofter in the bath!

404

He's popular again - as he should be I suppose what with all those animules and his generally pleasant demeaner. That sounds rather a back-handed compliment but it's not meant to be I can tell you. Mr Crofter Sir took Eve and I out for a lovely meal the other evening - along with the delightful Lizz from the USA who had been documenting The Crofting. Only, it was Dad Crofter who was 'doing' crofting things while The Crofter sat in his tooth factory making money to pay for it all.

Dad Crofter cleaning the box on wheels 

 Dad Crofter cutting up turnips while Lizz snaps

Dad Crofter catches his breath in the sunshine

Tired shoes

403

I wrote about this 'goings on' the other day. Trying to move a big thing full of water from down there to up there on the apportionment. Now I have some snaps to go with it. I should have waited but I have to admit to being rather impatient about such things. You can see the 'thing' is nearly empty above. That's because the water had been let out on account it couldn't be lifted by the Chinese tractor as it wasn't in it's five year plan. Or any plan at all it seems.

But the Crofter and Dad crofter pulled the proddy thing for the bag of the aforesaid tractor so as to fit it on the back. It's kept in the field you see.

 There was a certain amount of tooing and froing before the proddy thing was hanging where it should have been.

The water container sans most of the water was then crofter-handled onto a pallet then nailed to it - but not through the container itself. I mentioned that and got right funny looks I can tell you.

It was happening here - down on The Croft with the sea below, the big sky above and the chugging of the slightly off-colour tractor engine, It all got done in the end but i wasn't there to see it but snuggled up in front of the warm fire.

402

Sometimes, you have a nice camera in ones hands, some film loaded and an opportunity to snap someone up comes along - and you take it.

Dad Crofter

401

The Crofters are not averse to 'art' Far from it, they even consented to the creation of a Homage to one of the most memorable pieces of 'art' on their land. Only this Homage has been Hebride'ed up. A Homage to Murdo Duchamp rather than Marcel Duchamp. If you lived here you might realise what I am wittering on about. Either way I enjoyed myself and The Crofters were kind enough to ignore me while I defaced their sink.

Look, I am having fun and that's what counts!

400

Four hundred! Eh? What did I waffle on about then? Not going to read back to find out, you can do that.

It's not like this today I can tell you. Mr Crofter Dad may be outside waving at things, wondering what The Crofter said about something but, the rain is lashing down and there's probably a foot of mud and sh*te slopping around the place.

And if you think I'm going down the road in this today you have another think coming! Eh? I bet Turk is inside again dodging the wetness though. And Mr Crofter is ensconced in his tooth factory.

Sue Crofter will be sorting the house as usual, bringing a measure of decorum about the place.

I'm sat by the fire at home. Eh? Why not?

399

The geese won't be fooled, I tell you that for nothing.

Yes, yes I went down today. With loaded cameras. "Cameras" note, not "camera". That's just in case something happens and I don't run out of film.

Something was happening too. It was all going wrong and involved a great deal of 'botherations' and the like as gallons of water was put in this 'thing' for the coows up on the apportionment and then emptied again because the Chinese tractor lifting device at the back had gone on strike;. It wouldn't work anyway. So smelly oily stuff was poured in this special place on the tractor and apparently that will make it work. Probably.

Only I didn't wait the 2 hours to find out since I have a life to live. And don't get telling me the horizon is crooked you pinickity photo-pixel types. We are on the edge of the world up here and that's how it looks. At least, when the wind is blowing anyway.

398

Sorry and all that sort of thing ones says. Been away and been a tad under the weather too. But The Crofter and family are well and carrying on. I shall be off down to see them later. It's a little damp in the air so back to normal really.

I was down a The Croft just before I took a short sojourn on the mainland just over the water from the old place. All seemed to be fine except for some seriously dis-chuffed ducks ready caged on their way to a new home somewhere on the island.

 Ducks a la'orange box

 Nailing; apparently.

 Pigs on the loose [again]

Sue watches on