Stormy Weather

Well, I made it back from sailing in the Inner Hebrides in one piece, and am still feeling enthusiastic about the sport, despite 48 hours lost moored to a buoy in a bay off Jura while we waited out some very windy weather. Scotland is a magical place and it is amazing to see it from the water. We saw seals and dolphins and so many interesting birds. As so often in the British Isles, the wind dropped and the sky cleared most evenings, so we also saw some extraordinary sunsets. Despite that, I was pleased that I had taken my thermal underwear, warm sweaters and one of my Shetland Wool Week beanies which was vital, especially as we did some very early morning sailing and it was chilly.

We visited Easdale Island which was a slate mine and is the site of International Stone Skipping Championships (who knew that was a thing!). We sailed close, but not too close, to the edge of the famous Corryvrecken whirlpool and gazed at the house on Jura where George Orwell wrote 1984. Apparently he did get caught in the Corryvrecken after a day out with some friends and his 3 year old son. They lost their outboard motor and were wrecked on one of the tiny islands in the area. Luckily they all survived and passing fisherman saw a fire they had managed to light, and rescued them. George Orwell, writing of the adventure to a friend, was superbly understated about the event and claimed that his son loved every minute of it.

We explored Oban for an afternoon as well. I was disappointed to find that the wool shop there closed in November – the owners retired. It seems so mad to me that no one is taking advantage of all that lovely Scottish wool and its heritage, especially as Oban is visited by all the tourists going in and out of the Hebrides. It is just well it is so far away, or I might be considering another branch! I did find a shop selling bales and bales of Harris Tweed which was very tempting and I might have brought back some packets of tablet which is my guilty pleasure. A lot of time over the week was spent eating and chatting, playing Scrabble. Best of all, I had hours and hours in which to sit and knit, when I wasn’t taking afternoon naps. I am still holding out for sailing in the Mediterranean, but it was an excellent break.

Nevertheless, I am pleased to be back in the shop. I am very lucky, I think, to have a job which I enjoy each and every day, no matter what it flings it at me. I will never regret walking away from my legal career, that is for sure. Still, I am grateful for that very odd organisation, the Law Society Yacht Club, which enables us to have this kind of experience.

As I write, we are hosting our Summer Retreat in Cromer, which seems to be going well so far. Mandy kept telling everyone that she was going on holiday, but she is looking after everyone in Cromer while I mind the shop for the day. I will be joining them all this evening and tomorrow. I do not think I have ever spent so much continuous time knitting as in the last few weeks!