The plan for some building work in the springtime just got brought forward to next week. Just at the end of a ‘quite’ busy week, several phone calls and a visit or two and here we go, a wee lean to at the back of the holiday cottages. But what about last week.

Breakfast

I was keen to continue looking for stags, especially ones that have been in the forests all summer. So Wednesday morning I was out early and saw a couple of nice young stags above the forest across the Bay, but more important was the carpet of chantrelles, yesterdays were drying but this lot were for breakfast and I certainly enjoyed a fry up of mushrooms on toast after a long walk.

Getting There

Calum arrived mid morning and we set about fixing the outboard,

Ready For Refitting

Off with the back up and on with the repaired (we  hope) engine. We got it fitted quicker than when we took it off but had to wait for the tide. That was first thing and within the hour Iain the joiner arrived with Kevin and Pam to look at the new project, the lean to at the back of the Dry Harbour cottages.

Battery Deliverye

With them on the ferry were the new batteries from capitol Batteries in Cumbernauld. 24 x 2 volt cells at 500amh each. Skye Express delivered to the pier in Portree and Pam and Calum (Pam’s son) duly loaded them and at 33kg each not easy. After much huffing and puffing we got them up to the genny shed . We had a site visit and after the ferry left we got MV Rona floated and were very pleased to have the repaired engine start. Sea trials were next and after a couple of runs round the bay everything was ok and we tied up to the pontoon, success.

A Stunning Day

Almost Afloat

Sea Trials

Next day Calum fitted the batteries and immediately we saw a difference, the old ones were 11 years old and although they had done very well, they were pretty tired. They are our National Grid where we store our wind power and generated power. Once they get over 7/8 years they start to loose their ability to hold the energy.

Installation Time

Once that was done Marc arrived and an hour later we went South for a stalk.

Practice Stalk

We saw the Master stag holding 10 hinds out on the flats at the South West corner. Just round the next hill we stumbled on this guy above, an old stag just lurking on the edges. We did not shoot but enjoyed the stalk into the stag Marc was keen to get close, there will be more of that when our guest arrives next week.

Happy Campers

Saturday came too soon for Marc, Clive, Lesley and Nicola (plus the dogs of course). It was a lovely morning as they headed back to Portree, Calum had headed off to Fladda for the rest of the weekend just before Spindrift arrived. No guests arrived so it was nice to put the feet up and have a read of the papers.

Late Autumn Sun

Sunday was another lovely Autumn day, but with life just about to get even busier with the Dry Harbour work most of Sunday was spent clearing up from the previous week and putting together ‘stuff’ for Monday morning.

Trying Out The New Camera

Last thing I had to check the mink traps at Dry Harbour, Marc and Clive had caught 4 the week before with freshly baited traps, just goes to show there are plenty of the beggars about. I’d just managed to ebay buy a new camera (to me) so I was keen to try it out, but the light just wasn’t too good. Better luck next week, I’m taking it stalking a D300, my D200 (Nikon) is pretty worn although I’ve been using the Panasonic GF1 since I started the blog

Making Start

Monday after shoveling 2 tonnes of sand and gravel into the tractor I headed over to DH to start the lean to. The lean to is a utility room with a wash machine and sink + drying area and store for firewood. Lorraine is changing round the kitchen and taking the wash machine out of the houses. It will reduce the power demand and give more room, but there’s a lot of work.

Long Reach

Thank goodness for Hugh’s JCB, the shovel is a bit tough on the back. The weather been really good and dry, warm too so the midgie’s been about, not so good behind the house out of the wind though. There’s a lot of prep’ to do and cables everywhere so I have to be careful. I made a start but Kevin and Pam were over  yesterday with a load of building material which gets us well ahead, so I downed tools to unload. To-day I had a full day and got quite a lot done.

Extra Dig

I measured out the found for the build and dug that square as per the joiners’s instruction! I had to shift the gas bottles and one of the central heating units. That was a worry because it has sat outside for 12 years. But surprise surprise it was in pretty good order and not too rusty, so I was quite pleased to get it done.

It has been a stunning day and non stop, three yachts in Monday, only one stayed, ‘Yacht Fair Maid’ Laurie and Ian stayed until this morning and i’m sure had a good sail South.

Concreting tomorrow so an early night is in order.