It is a long way, a very long way to travel when your journey takes you from Bournemouth all the way up to Stornoway via the Ullapool ferry. When it's in the motorhome, that becomes quite a test of stamina, given that you can go up to 60mph in the van and the mileage is getting on for 675 miles. That meant having an overnight stay in Carlisle, not for the first time as I usually take a stop there in the car anyway, and I made good use of the stove to cook myself up some chickpea curry and rice.
The next day I set off at 7.30 and was in Ullapool with plenty of time to spare so I did a quick shop before strolling up the hills where I took a couple of photos of the scenery and of the motorhome in the Tesco car park. It was nice that it was dry, which was a pleasant change, but I don't think it really stopped after that.
The shots of the motorhome by the side of the road back from Harris via the mountains were taken in driving rain and fierce winds. Two of the air vent covers blew away during the visit due to the gales and it was terrifying crossing the mountains due to the buffeting which made a straight line something to dream of. It didn't help that a motorhome had toppled over just a couple of days prior to my visit and I was certain it would be a fate which befell me, so I took the bus over the remaining visits to my mother in the care home in Tarbert, safer and cheaper.
I say safer; the bus had a blowout on the final occasion and the gales meant that having opened the door to check the tyre, the driver couldn't get it shut again as the wind howled back, pressing it firmly back to the side of the bus.
The motorhome is an S reg, 1999, but had only done 24000 miles and it performed admirably, allowing me to average 55mph and to relax a little on the final stage of the drive home, another overnight stay in Carlisle breaking up the journey. The only problems were:
I spent a good deal of Saturday getting the motorhome ready for the long drive north taking me to Stornoway via a stopover at Carlisle. Lots of packing for what could be a fortnight or more away, depending on how mum is doing. The space means I do have plenty of gear with me and somewhere to sleep, as well as cooking facilities.
Once I was done I went for a long run on the woodland paths to Slough Lane and then round the back fields which gave me a great view of a buzzard which was enormous when up close as this one turned out to be, along with a small flock of lapwing, something I'd not seen here before. I tried to get a photo but they were too distant.
We watched 'News of the World' in the evening, the latest Tom Hanks movie which was on Netflix and enjoyed it.
Today has been just about the drive to Carlisle. I left at 8.00 and got here just before 3.00 having done 356 miles which I was pleased with. The motorhome does up to 60mph, the speed limit for a vehicle of its size, so we did well which wasn't too surprising after the Covid restrictions ensured traffic was light.
Just the 300 miles tomorrow to take me to Ullapool and then across to the Isle of Lewis.
I took the opportunity to have a good walk waiting to collect Joseph from school and what a walk it turned out to be with lots of sightings of note:
2 hares
1 buzzard
1 kestrel
2 song thrushes
several goldfinches
2 partridges
2 red kites
I was able to stop and enjoy wathing the kites and buzzard through the binoculars, very different tails and body shapes making it easier to tell them apart. I'd done a three mile run earlier and so got my 15000 steps plus in fairly easily. It was nice to listen to 'Circe' again as I walked.
I did home made pizzas for tea and home made oven chips too - plenty of carbs.
Now for packing the motorhome to get to the Hebrides to see mum. It has started which is always a bonus and I've got the tank filled to take me on the first leg up to Carlisle where I am intending to stop overnight at the J42 Premier Inn and then onto Ullapool on Monday for 5.30 crossing, weather permitting.
The weather has continued to be very chilly indeed and I have maintained the recent habit of wearing long trousers instead of shorts. It does feel strange but I think it's the sensible thing to do for now. However, I am in shorts when running still and I went for 4.5 miles yesterday through Remedy Oak golf course and then over to Slough Lane. Nice and crisp underfoot but you have to be careful not to turn an ankle with the ruts starting to harden.
I was listening to 'Circe' again and thoroughly enjoying it, both in terms of the myths it is weaving together but also in the character of Circe, at least up to this point.
Amelia was over for the day and we had a walk stamping on the ice on the puddles down Whitmore Lane. Not a long walk by any means but it was fairly sedate and we were getting cold by the end. Maisy also had a walk up to the top of the hill which is quite some way for her these days.
Tea was roasted root veg, roasted peppers, aubergines and canellini beans in a tomato sauce with pasta. MMM it turned out well and there's plenty left over.
Book sales continue to mount up and after less than two weeks I have already hit the number expected of a new book in total. Three ebooks went yesterday and one paperback and there's been seven paperbacks ordered already today. Exciting!
No school run today so it was straight into home school with Maria working on film trailers, probability, computers of the future and personal finance. Once that was done I spoke with the doctor at the Harris House care home regarding mum. My sisters are on their way up to visit over half term, leaving on Friday to arrive 8.00 in the evening. I am expecting to be going up on Sunday.
It was quite a difficult morning with the concerns over mum's health and I took myself off for a run to help clear my mind. I managed 6 miles in the cold and stopped to take a photo of the two donkeys who were not very enthusiastic in their appreciation of my efforts.
One of the most lovely things in the day was a message I received from an ex-student regarding my book. It really makes writing it feel worth the effort, as if I am actually a writer.
'Your book also came two days ago and I was sat for hours reading it last night and got to chapter 18, I’m definitely intrigued to find out more about Catrin and her journey I can relate to her already. I literally couldn’t put the book down. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it so far and have definitely read things that feel familiar. It’s such a good insight to the perspectives of the teachers and what goes on behind the scenes, it is so well written and you should be so proud, what an accomplishment! I’ll be passing the book onto Yazmin when I’m done as she’s also excited to read it and I’ll share my thoughts with you when I finish it!'
I was listening to the audiobook 'Circe' during my walk but I also made some use of the magnifying glass I got the other day, as suggested by the guest on 'Desert Island Discs' this week who said he would give one to every child under the age of 10 to encourage to look closely at their immediate environment and not focus solely on the big and obvious attractions e.g. foxes, deer and so on. Fascinating to stop and look at the lichen and the ice puddles.
Worth mentioning the curry I made last night. Sweet potato and butternut squash curry with the veg roasted first and then added to the curry suace I'd made. It went down very well with everyone.
Very exciting to receive the first review for my book which said it was 'thought provoking!
A truly honest account of the relentless frustration of education. His eternal passion shines through - through memories, humour and the love of his career, the students and the community.
Nice to get a 5 star one to start off with!
No photo today but I have been out for a 5 mile run in the cold. We have missed out on snow but it is certainly cold. The reason the run stands out is because I really did get stopped by a guy who asked me if I was Iain. He'd seen about my book! Fame has found me after many years!
We have had Evie and Amelia today as it is Joe's birthday and he is celebrating with Kate. I did get out on a run though and rocked out 10km in 58 minutes which was a surprise, it b eing so quicky (relatively).
After lunch we went to the woods and had a great time finding lots of collectables, stones and twigs, and played on a dumped trailer that has been in the woods for years. The other photo is from my run when I stopped to admire the snowdrops.
After a pasta tea, we watched 'The Wizard of Oz' and loved it. What a film!!
The other two photos were taken by Maria. She is keen on taking photos and has captured Maisy licking her nose playfully. I also liked the reflection of the shed in the pond. She did well to find a sunny spell in which to take it!
I have used Kindle Direct Publishing which is part of Amazon and allows readers to download an e book easily to their devices as well as ordering a paperback version. Obviously I would like to have an agent and then a publisher in a more traditional sense but it feels as if there is a very closed world out there when the books which appear to be selling and being promoted are those brought to life by existing celebrities. Like Hollywood and cinema where franchises and sequels, the already tried and tested and commercially successful dominate, the book world is increasingly the domain of the privileged.
KDP democratises publication and it means I don't have to put anything up front. Whatever I might feel about Amazon, the fact people can read the book via this platform is exciting.Incredibly, people have been buying it and I am looking forward to hearing what they think of it.
It has meant getting back on social media and I have actually felt like being at work over the past couple of days. Writing back to people takes time and I don't want to appear ungrateful to them for getting in touch. I have been so amazed to see comments from teachers and students I barely remembered but they have taken the trouble to get in touch.
More usually I have been out and about on the bike and for runs and walks and they are a godsend. It is so good to be able to enjoy the hints of spring and milder days, desite the rain continuing to fall. I did a ride yesterday which was invigorating and took the time to stop and enjoy the countryside along the way.
I popped out for a ride on the mountain bike despite it being a little on the cold side. I was lucky enough to see a sparrowhawk ggliding just above the ground toward a group of farm buildings. It really is a beautiful bird.
The photo is up from Horton to the tower at the top of the hill, as well as two trees which will be in leaf in a few weeks hopefully. Roll on spring!
I was completely wiped out after yesterday's exertions with a run, dog walks and then a few hours at W allotment digging over beds ready...
