Land of the Big Sky.: Getting oot and aboot.

Yesterday I attacked the upstairs bedrooms (2).
I made up the two beds. One Super King size which is also twin beds when unfastened, and a double. Bearing in mind we have down sized from seven bedrooms I had thought I had freecycled a lot of bedding, and pillows, but somehow have ended up with enough pillows for a ten bedded hotel..... I will do another recount and may then have another load for charity. Also hung some of our many pictures. Again, I seem to have far more pictures than walls, so another re-think there.

In the evening was Rotary. I took my friend, who has showed an interest in joining, for a second visit. She still wasn't put off and is to join.

This morning Mike and I went in to Fraserburgh to sign up at the doctors. The computers were down. Just hope I do not have any health problems till after the Royal Wedding and May Day, the day after which "They should be back on." So they are going to Westminster too?

We then slowly drove up and down streets looking for an alleged 'Garden Centre' - in the middle of a town???? We found it. It was one of those gems of a place which you enter and it goes off in all directions. Full of pots, hardware, plants in a sunny courtyard at the rear, naff water features, garden ornaments, paint, pet food, bird food, fire hearths, grates, guards, buckets, food containers, seeds, stuff you havent seen since you were a child. Total bliss to be honest!

We bought (hopefully) the right attachment for our hose to fix on to the outside tap. A pot to hold one of my now re-potted orchids, a packet of Californian Poppy seeds, and managed not to buy a very cute hedgehog planter.

Next was the electric shop. I have never in my life seen such a big television as was on display! Almost as big as the screen in the cinema I went to as a child for Saturday matinee. But all we wanted was an aerial connector to extend what I have on in the bedroom so I can watch my rubbish, while Mike watches the more serious stuff. I could watch t.v. in the kitchen, where our predecessors left us the wall mounted t.v. But somehow this is too decadent for me, and too disturbing for our parrot who is in bed and asleep by 7p.m. She doesnt bother about us trundling around doing kitchen stuff but would be totally unsettled by 'Britains Got Talent'.

Then it was on to a bike shop. Mike wants to get a bike to tour the countryside in. He is up at 6a.m. every morning and walks. His other plan for the bike is that he can cycle to our friends who live nearby, leave the bike at their house and get on a bus. This entails him obtaining a bus pass, which he is entitled to, but the hoops one has to go through I wouldnt bother. But then I get sick on buses.
He was shown a variety of bikes and received lots of good advice. But the prices of said bikes was - to me - a quarter of a car. In a very low whisper the shop person said, "Go on the internet." However, he cant wait that long, and has subsequently purchased one in Peterhead for much less money.

Then it was time for coffee. Last night, at Rotary, my friend who is the superintendent (?) of the Fishermen's Mission in Fraserburgh and most of North Scotland actually, had told me about the restaurant there. So that's where we went. What an experience! I am not sure the other patrons were fishermen. They did not have the yellow wellies, or the tan cowboy boots which do seem to be de rigeur around here. Howsomever, none of them batted an eyelid at the ancient couple buying coffee (instant yeuk), and the female of the pair hurtling off to the loo.
Half way down the coffee I asked the woman who had served us if himself was in. Establishing he would be in the office, I went down the corridor, knocked on the door and astonished himself! He came and joined us, and then gave us a quick tour of the place. Upstairs was a Memorial Room for all those lost at sea. This gave the bereaved a chance to visit, somewhere to mourn as of course there would be no grave. I did find that very moving.
The Mission supports families who "Fall outwith the tram lines" of help and assistance from any other organisation. And that support continues until the children, if any, reach independence, be that starting work, leaving college, or, even older, leaving university. Or if the widow finds a new partner. The other fact I came away with was how many millions are donated to the Lifeboats and how very little finds its way to the Mission.

We had to then shoot off to the Lighthouse Museum. Here we were meeting the Best of Banffshire and Buchan Bed and Breakfasts group for lunch.

After exchanging all our news and taking up most of the cafe there, which overlooks the sea, and is one of my favourite eating places, saying Hello to Virginia who is the curator/manager or whatever she is called, can never remember. We usually get a full on promotional talk from Virginia, but this time she just limited herself to threatening us with a FULL guided tour in the Autumn. I think she considers us good practice. We then moved on to visit the Fraserburgh Heritage Centre. This was set up and is run by volunteers. And all credit due. It is a fascinating trip down memory lane in all sorts of directions of Fraserburgh and its many worthy and famous citizens.