Idle chit-chat

em...Reading your words has made me decide for sure..I need to go home...to Dundee...to Broughty Ferry to be precise..to the Stony Beach and the Sandy Beach..to the Castle and Visocchis...
To breath home air..drink a decent cup of tea and hear my ain tongue again....

I have noticed over the many previous visits home, that each river has its own sound..and the Tay speaks to me in familiar words.............

I am SO lonely here in Lancashire.....not for people...just for the sense of belonging.

Of being home.

greenmossgeil - indeed it has. The gallery underwent a face-lift some time ago and a new room for paintings and pottery opened. Also, did you know that the marina is undergoing vast improvements and the walk-ways now have picnic tables and benches and troughs of flowers? We think that if Tarbert could afford to spend on giving a few of the sadder-looking buildings a much-needed coat of paint, it could be a wee jewel. Campbeltown is looking much smarter, thanks to input of cash from the lottery fund.

I've got you, supernana - by the way, the Gallery used to have a good book section - is it still there?

greenmossgiel...yes...you would be on the right path. Only a short distance from Loch Fyne Gallery, with harbour on left.

Thanks, supernana! I'm trying to picture Luckenbooth. Do you mean that you walk past Loch Fyne Gallery and outwards, with the Harbour to your left? I don't know when I'll be back there, but I don't think it'll be long!

greenmossgiel numberplease Another pleasant but exeedingly small coffee shop for you to visit when you're next in Tarbert, is Luckenbooth...it has very few tables and a couple of comfy sofas. You'll be surrounded by brilliant gifts...many locally made, and paintings. You walk past Loch Fynne Gallery on the quay, past the dental surgery and wander a short distance until you see hanging baskets and a dog bowl with water for any thirsty pets. The lady who owns the shop, is a brilliant glass etcher. Some examples of her work will be for sale. The Argyll Hotel has had a face-lift. We were there recently.The food was very good and prices reasonable.

im a new member but im loving reading your comments scotland has many happy memoris for me i was a landlady for many years and went on a lot of whisky trips but the best trip was with my late husband and son we toured round for ten days and had sun shine every day brill

You really must give the tearoom at Muneroy Stores a try, numberplease! I think they are closed on a Wednesday (so don't go then!) Frances is a great cook and her baking is wonderful! The prices are very reasonable and the portions are generous - which is just what you're looking for on holiday! It's maybe just as well you didn't go in June, as so far the weather has been a bit wet and wild, I think!

Greenmossgiel and Supernana (what a lovely title) we haven`t yet tried either of those places to eat. We did call in at the Argyll Hotel at Bellochantay one evening on the off chance, and had a lovely meal, and we do like Lite Bites in Tarbert and the Caen Loch Diner in Campbeltown. They`ve also got a great chippy at Tarbert! We used to like eating at the MacDonald Arms at Tatinloan, and The Glen at Carradale, but sadly they`re both closed down now. This will be our first time in August, we usually come up in July, decided to change to June this year, but circumstances forced a change of plan.

greenmossgiel You are so right about the brothers. We live closer to Clachan and so use the tiny shop/post office/petrol pump owned by the most wonderful couple - Cathy and Callum. Going into the shop is like a gathering of the Clans - much laughter - good-natured leg-pulling...a bit like an ongoing party...

Oops - made 2 typing errors there! Forgot to preview before posting - sorry!

It would be a massive undertaking, supernana, I can imagine! So, so worth it though! The whole of Kintyre is exceptionally beautiful. For about 15 years p until a couple of years ago we holidayed there sometimes twice a year! If you happen to pop into Ian Sinclair's wee shop at Muasdale, you have to prepare to wait a good length of time till he's chatted (lengthily, but very interestingly!) to the customers in front of you! It's a tiny shop, but has a great choice of good produce. I think his brother runs the nursery at Glebnbarr? You'll very likely have called in to Ian's shop though, so you'll know what I mean?

greenmossgiel Isn't it silly, we live not so distant from Muneroy [Southend] but have only heard about the coffee shop that you recommend, very recently. We shall have to sample Frances's hospitality - sounds marvellous. The Glenbarr tea room is called The Watering Can.

Do hope that the weather is much improved in August for numberplease. We've had terrible fierce winds and buckets of rain for far too long. Mind you, we didn't move here eight years ago [from Cornwall] for the weather. The move was a huge step for us and we had many setbacks leading up to purchasing a wee plot and building a wee home. However, it really was worth all the effort and we never cease to count our many blessings.

Oh don't I know what you mean, supernana! I haven't tried the Glenbarr tearoom, but absolutely love the tearoom at Muneroy (Southend). Frances, who owns and runs it does wonderful lunches! Her baking is fantastic, too! The tearoom is in the Art Deco style, and is filled with lovely old pieces of crockery (teapots especially). You've probably been there already, but it's a great place to call into after a walk along Southend beach.....oh, I can feel myself heading there quite soon! I see that Numberplease is going to Muasdale in August - lucky lady!

numberplease and greenmossgiel Motored through Muasdale yesterday on way to supermarket in Campbeltown. Our doctor's surgery is there. When next you visit, maybe you would enjoy a coffee and toastie in the new Glenbarr Nursery tea shop...not so far along the road.

Whilst enjoying early morning tea in bed, we watched as four Greenfinch fledglings sat side by side on a branch doing that "fluttery feed-me thing" whilst the parent birds did their utmost to satisfy their hearty appetites. I thought to myself, I know how those parents feel...

Certainly will, in my case, on August 15th! Can`t wait to sit on my favourite rock at the water`s edge again.

Aha! I can see that you've stood in the same place on that beach as myself, numberplease! As Rambo said (though not in the same context), "I'll be back!"

Greenmossgiel, your poem is beautiful, and as you know, I share your love and appreciation of Muasdale and Kintyre. I hope you make it back there sometime.

I'm quite new to gransnet, having joined only last week and I've been having problems working out the abbreviations for things. I'm ok with MIL, FIL, SIL etc, but there are others that I can't suss out! Could someone help, please?

Thank you Nannyliz and supernana - that is so kind of you! supernana will recognise the 'look' of the sea at sunset in the area. We've not been there for a couple of years now, but I'm beginning to feel myself being drawn back. A magical place indeed!

Greenmossgiel, your poem stirs the spirit. Well done.

Greenmossgiel, that is beautiful. You have a real talent. Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem with us.

Would the Japanese verse be 'Haiku'? From where we stayed at Muasdale, Kintyre, the sunsets were unbelievably beautiful. At that time I used to do a bit of poetry, too. This was one that I wrote while there - the area does do a lot for your imagination!

The sea is silver, pewter and pale, pale blue
Shimmering coldly with changing hue
Then, parting its smoothness, the seal broke through,
To stare and question my presence.

And, as the sun fell into a blackening sea
She threw a golden rope to me:
Will this be the rope that sets me free
To pull me out to my horizon?

The seal knows and beckons as she flips her tail high -
Now I say goodbye to the darkening sky,
And moonlight is searching to catch my eye,
With her cold arm pointing me forward.

We love the area! We regularly go across to Gigha to stay, and have had many holidays at Muasdale. Magical!

Annobel...The Paps of Jura are looking awesome today. The ferry is gliding past on it's way to Islay. We have not a drop of Scots blood in our veins [being English] but moving here in 2003 was the best step in our lives...we love Scotland and it's people to bits...