2 more days of Scottish summer

 Oh dear…now I’m 2 days behind! You can tell that my energy is flagging somewhat. After 2 more great days of sightseeing and lovely time with the family, I am looking forward to a quieter pace as we head to Loch Goilhead for a few days.

But first…Tuesday. It was a beautiful sunny morning and I had a nostalgic walk to a park above Jude and Hazel’s house. It was the place I’d walked their little Jack Russell in 2012. So wonderful to see real people basking in the infrequent sunshine…so I appeased my homesickness by chatting to dogs and owners and to Millie and mum, who were feeding the resident swans and their 6 large grey cygnets. Then a visit to the huge old cemetery across the road…so many sad stories of loss and now a beautiful forest of huge trees and mossy gravestones!

Greenock always received a bit of a bad press from my parents. My dad left in the 50s to sunnier climes. And it was a rough shipbuilding town and the “murder capital of Scotland”, as Jude told me. My impression was very different as we drove just a few kms into the hills behind their house and were surrounded by lochs and lovely views over the Clyde. We stopped at a simple cafe at the Greenock Cut and walked some way along a path …and the sun kept shining!

Then we headed over to Parklea Branching Out, where Hazel is working ( on the way we passed the last remaining shipyard, Fergussons. My dad had his first job there. When it was about to go bankrupt the government funded it and so it remains a productive and huge business- doing a good line in ferries, which NZ could learn from). We also passed the old Gourock Ropes and Canvas- Dad’s 2nd job.

Branching Out has been going for 30 years  and grows seedlings for sale to the public whilst supporting and educating people with learning difficulties and autism. It’s a beautiful facility on the shores of the Clyde- large gardens and greenhouses and a public facility for changing and showering for the disabled. They even have a bike shed of suitable bikes for physically disabled people to borrow!

Hazel was employed to help facilitate the building of a beautiful cafe for which they’d received full funding. The architectural design won an award for it. What an amazing achievement and such a privilege to have lunch there. It is also used as a training centre for people with disabilities to learn hospitality skills.

Not sure you can read this….I can’t move it around

You can see some timber ponds in the estuary- the wood brought in for shipbuilding was stored in the water

Then a quick stop at the castle where Jude and Hazel married, and on into town, where I had fun in Marks &Spencers. Jude thought he’d lost me forever as he wandered around searching in vain!

Then my lovely Uncle Hugh arrived at the house (Wee Hugh)- he’s 91 and still fully involved in the community, despite a Grammy hip.  Great to catch up with him and also Cousin Judith and one of her daughters, Freya (23). We had the most enormous Fish Suppers”- 2 big bits of haddock and chips to feed an army. Hazel, Freya and I made short work of a couple of bottles of Prosecco and all was convivial as we caught up after many years.

It seems that Hazel and I share some family traits- we frequently close our eyes in photos, and we both believe that we can fit many tasks into the time between planning to go out and actually going out, thus making us late!!

And if it’s Wednesday, it must be Glasgow!

But it’s Thursday and I’m sitting in bed trying to catch up. It’s raining…

Watch this space…