Wind, waves and a weird light shining down.

A new moon has brought very high tides.

Strong winds.
And more seasonal temperatures.

In the afternoon...

I did some pen and ink drawings.

Whilst waiting for a delivery.

The Dawn Patroller's new reading light! I have always wanted one of these, but never had the right home, space, money.

Despite gulping at the delivery price - yet another firm that thinks we still have stage coaches up here - I thought if I dont get one now I never will. So I did.

Turriff

Today we went to Turriff, for the Best of Banffshire and Buchan Bed and Breakfasts monthly meeting. Neil and Sally were our hosts and run Deveron Lodge. www.deveronlodge.com.

This is the story of the Turra Coo.

courtesy of wikepedia.

Under the Liberal government of the 1910s, the Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George introduced a scheme whereby National Insurance contributions (by employer) became compulsory for all workers between the ages of 16 and 70. This was enacted via the National Insurance Act, and caused outrage among the farmers local to Turriff, who claimed that their contributions were too high; and that, as they were rarely able to be off work due to illness like industrial workers, it was unfair for them to have to pay for a service they were unlikely to use.

In Turriff, popular protests were held in the Johnston and Paterson Mart, and Robert Paterson, a Lendrum farmer refused to stamp the insurance cards of his employees. This resulted in orders on 13 December 1913 for Turriff's sheriff George Keith to seize property to the value of £22 from Paterson's farm. However, this was more difficult than it seemed as officers could not move property without local assistance, and the locals refused to help in protest.

The Cow

Sheriff's Officer George Keith removed the only piece of property which was easily mobile: Patersons' white milk cow, which was led to Turriff on foot. The next day, the citizens of Turriff found the cow tied in the village square, decorated in ribbons and painted with the words 'Lendrum to Leeks' in reference to Lloyd George's Welsh origin, and representing the sheriff's and government's victory over the hostile farmers. The cow was put up for auction. The response was a near riot, and a 100-strong mob proceeded to pelt the sheriff's officers with rotten fruit and soot.

The cow was eventually sold to a farmer Alexander Craig for £27, but Bryony Miller, a local girl and wife of the Patersons' farmhand John Miller, with his help, rallied the local community together to buy back the cow for Lendrum, where the cow died six years later and was buried in a corner of the farmland.

A statue of the Turra Coo now stands in the town of Turriff to commemorate the event.

Now how many towns have a statue of a cow in their midst?!

Turriff is an attractive town. Yet another small town that has a department store!

Turriff holds an annual show which is extremely popular. Thousands of people descend on the Haughs, a vast, green space, and view cattle,sheep, horses, tractors, crafts, a fun fair, just about everything. One of the most exciting displays I saw there was the curricle racing (not sure about my description here or spelling,) laid back driver in small cart with high stepping racing horse in front? You get the picture I hope.

Today was somewhat more muted but still good fun. Instead of the usual home bakes, coffee and tea, we had the most delicious leek and tattie soup with a dash of curry flavours, cheese scones and chocolate cake to follow. Also mince pies, all home made, coffee and tea.

There wasn't much business, in fact I have dispensed with agenda and minutes, much to the disgust of one of the founder members of the group.....But when the agenda becomes

Apologies.

Minutes of last meeting - Where will we have Christmas lunch.

Matters Arising. Christmas Lunch.

Christmas Lunch.

AOCB Christmas Lunch Secret Santa.

Whats the point?

We will be returning to Turriff over the next few weeks. Delgatie Castle Victorian Craft Fair next weekend.

Oh - and the Christmas Lunch, the week after that.

Today's art class.

Our morning was spent on us being given a lesson on artists who have used pen and ink.

Paul Klee, among them.

More Paul Klee.
I have to be honest - he does not inspire me.

I do prefer a teensy bit of realism.

We were instructed to take our pen for a walk. Well my 'picture' ended up just like the doodles I do when hanging on the telephone listening to Nigel Kennedy on his violin whilst whichever customer care department decides to pick up the phone and speak human to human.

We did have a new pupil this morning though, which was quite exciting. At a guess I would say he was well into his nineties. Came in on a wheeled zimmer frame with carer in tow. She wasnt much help as she was obviously working part time for a customer care department as her mobile phone went off every three minutes which rather interrupted our tutor encouraging us to take the pen for a walk and what to do with it along the way.

At the end of the session the carer asked our newbe "Shall we put this up on your wall then deary?"

How she got out of their alive with the rest of the 'students' shooting daggers at her I shall never know.

What am I good at?

Trying!

Trying to take photographs. This is Cairness House, huge stately home we can see from our sitting room window. It was bathed in the evening sunset.

No - you can't see it very well - as I realised later I had the camera set on 'Use for Bright Snow Scene.' But I tried.

My work in progress at the moment is this hoodie for a 3 to 6 month old. The bigger they get, the more tedious the knitting! The buttons are wrong, fortunately not sewed on yet so I can change them for something a bit more chunky. But I am trying.

My water colour of sheep in a snow storm. Did not really think snow fell in clumps as big as I have done them. But this will be our Christmas Card this year. Very trying for the recipients!

My motto is - "If a jobs worth doing badly, its worth doing."

Decorating the Christmas tree draws nigh, never got that right either, but I try.

A new dawn a new day.

Tis Monday. The Dawn Patroller goes off to do the shopping and I do the cleaning. And the washing, and if I feel really silly I do the ironing. Didnt feel silly today.

I am planning my next art project. Our tutor asked for pictures of buildings and dry stane dykes. (Walls). We are to do pen and ink on Wednesday.

Putting this one in as it raised a smile. On your right part of the butchers display, the old delivery bike. To the left is a wee customer's bike.

Fisherman's cottage Cairnbulg.

More.

And a church in the middle of nowhere, which according to the sign is an active church.

Just up the road from us. With a dry stane dyke at the front of it.

Cottage in Inverallochy. Ripe for some property developer.

I went to the library this afternoon and requested books for beginners in water colour painting. Took the pictures above. Managed an hour of painting before the light went. Then had a blissful hour listening to opera, full blast, all within the Summer Hoosie/shed/studio.drinking den, whilst watching blue tits, coal tits and great tits decimate our bird feeders.

This evening I shall be continuing trying to finish the latest baby hooded jacket.

Tomorrow its back to school and more teaching on Catties Tails.

Did I mention I had retired?

Oooh what a night it really was....

Well if I was going to book a stretch limo I would not have it look like a white van. One's worst nightmare having this bearing down on you on the M6.

Here we all are about to get inside.

Lady approximately in the middle in black with a glittery yoke is the bride to be. I am on the end looking as if I have a maternity smock on.

Inside the stretch limo. Plenty glasses and serviettes and coolers and music and screens and flashing lights. No booze tho - we had to bring our own.

This is me and friend Thynna who discovered a few minutes in to the drive round Peterhead that the strobe lighting was making her feel ill.

From then on, she closed her eyes, and I gave a running commentary.

"Harbour again."

"Wetherspoons - again."

"And here's the harbour, no, its the Marina - again."

"Oooh, the recycling centre."

"Morrisons."

"Harbour again."

Thynna did promise me a reference for being a tour operator for the partially sighted.

After an hour of drinking our way round Peterhead we ended back up at the Waterside Hotel and had our meal. Which was very nice, even nicer with more booze. And a song from the bride to be. I do have a video, but I think you have had enough.

This is not what I got through during the night, following many glasses of red wine, although I was very near.

No, this was the Fraserburgh Half Marathon which went past our house this afternoon.

She looks to be enjoying herself....

Which I did last night. Although, I have to say, I shall not be going in a stretch limo again, doubt I will do a hen party again and no way will you find me doing a half marathon.

I always thought that was a pub crawl. And I am past that as well.

Lonmay Quiz.

Here is Lonmay Public Hall. Built in the 1800s. The Dawn Patroller took these pics this morning.

Not very pretty is it?
The following two photos are taken at the end whilst waiting for the scores. I have seen the signs saying tray bakes, but always assumed they were cakes etc that had been baked on a tray.

Well, no, you actually get a tray groaning with home bakes. Scottish pancakes, scones, little cakes, petit fours? Plus tea and coffee.

There was an extremely good turn out. All the tables were full. Quite a good spread of ages although the older end were in the majority.

Cars were parked all over the place. Field gates, the entrance to the cemetery was blocked, but I doubt anyone would want to go in there in the dark, double parking, but who cares. We could have walked I guess. But I would still be there if we had. And everyone, but us, had a torch. No street lighting in rural Aberdeenshire. Good. Note to self - add to already full handbag - one wind up torch.

We came home and had yet more coffee, me more beer. The vermin patrol were on high alert as the mouse from B&Q (see previous post) had moved from dining room to sitting room behind a book shelf.

This morning I found a dead, very skinny mouse in the sitting room. Il mort.

Minerva McGonagall subsequently pointed out another live one in the utility. We managed to get that one outside and alive.

We are currently quizzing Puzzle as we strongly suspect him of bringing them in alive as he hasnt quite got the nous for going in for the kill. A bit thick. Certainly wouldnt come third in a quiz.

The Dawn Patroller, Moi, Mike and Kerry. Kerry is not asleep - she is looking smug as we came joint third.

It was a really good, fun night, enjoyed by all.