Tuesday 29 August 2017

One of the surprises of living down here is that you never know quite what's going to turn up on the entertainment scene. A far cry from booking Fleetwood Mack 6 months in advance and just knowing you'll be watching it in a concrete arena with the band tiny specks in the far distance.
Anyway, an e-mail from Crear reminded us that the following week there would be a string quartet playing at their  wonderful venue at Kilberry. So as usual we got together a picnic and trundled off on the hour's journey on single track roads to our little spot overlooking Gigha and Jura. Nicely sustained, we arrived at the venue for the most marvellous concert by the Gringolts Quartet. What a treat. A wonderful crowd of people sitting around tables listening to outstanding music with a brilliant view in the background. AND tea and buns at the interval!
Sadly the Crear Concerts are being discontinued, but no doubt something equally surprising will take their place.
And so to Carradale's treat last Saturday. Word got around that Lachie and Sheila were doing their 'herring thing' again. Fortunately we got a ticket as, arriving at our usual last minute, we found the hall packed to the gunwales (appropriate phrase). The presentation is the most unusual and fascinating mix of slides and video of the old herring fleet days interspersed with poetry, readings and music. Chris Stout, Carradale's favourite fiddler, just happened to be staying in the village so better and better. Tatties and herring were somehow doled out to everyone in the interval - a real loaves and fishes effort - and it wasn't until 11.30 that the show finished. A few stalwarts stayed on for music and dance afterwards.
So the moral of all this is that if you are staying in the village and see some event advertised , then don't miss it. It will probably be unexpected and very good, and you'll be made incredibly welcome.

Friday 11 August 2017


Wonderful news for the village - Heather and Johnny have taken on the Paterson's shop.

When Angie decided to sell there was gloom and doom - would the village be without a shop? would we have to cobble together a Community buy-out? (in Carradale!), but no, these brave youngsters are going to run it .

Heather is one of the extensive Mackinnon family (2 of whom work for us here in the casting business) and old hands will remember the wonderful days when Mum, Josie,  ran the Network Centre cafe. Amazing  baking - what about Effies' Heavy Stuff........?     Heather then went off to Catering College, and the next thing we know she's running 'The Green Room' above the harbour. More wonderful baking. But that closed and off she went to Glasgow, only to return with Johnny and a wee one!  Some girl.

So they took over at the beginning of August and  - breathing a sigh of relief - we all wish them great success.

As well as that excitement we had a busy time last week. The ladies in the church ran their bi-annual flower festival and this year they really excelled. The theme was 'Musicals' and we had everything from 'Singing in the Rain' in one corner to Les Miserables setting up the barricades at the end of the pews. Huge imagination and a lot of hard work made this a terrific display and it seemed a shame that it has to be so short lived.  

We then had the Camera Club's annual exhibition and again we saw just how talented so many members of the community are.  A great cross-section of ideas and subjects and over the years it seems to get better and better. While some Clubs in the village come and go as enthusiasm dies, the Camera Club seems to go from strength to strength  - if only the Bridge Club had been as tenacious.