Wherein I Hiate!
I hiate. I flit, I flee. I vacate to Stornoway (Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Go United!)
For some 3 weeks I will be back in the land that birthed me. I will attend the wedding of an old friend; I will be Godmother to the child of another old friend, I will drink heartily and merrily with many old friends. I will be daughter, grand-daughter, niece and old chum. And mother, now, too. I can’t wait.
Dave will be with us for a week or so but he gets claustrophobic on an island and will probably go travelling in Europe for the remainder. It goes to show what the landscapes of our up-bringing will do to us. When I was in the Midwest, where Dave grew up, I could never yet feel quite settled. I couldn’t ever locate myself on any internal map because there were no coasts, no identifying rivers or natural borders to define where I was in my head. I liked Minnesota but couldn’t feel anything other than itchy there.
Too much identifying coastline, however, too little vast, scriptless expanse is what does for Dave. The very idea of being on an island that he has to wait ’til Monday (no Sunday sailings) to get off, drives him insane. It might be different, now we have broadband.
If time allows, I will most certainly be keeping up with you all from Stornoway. It might be some time before I post again, though. So, still not dead, and not planning a death of any sort for the next 3 weeks. I’ll just be on my holidays.
Toodle-pip!
May 10th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Eat some guga for us, Sam.
May 10th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
“I will be daughter, grand-daughter, niece and old chum”
and sister too don’t forget!
waved himself off this morning so he’ll be there before you!
hope you all have a wonderful hodilay.
May 10th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
“I will be daughter, grand-daughter, niece and old chum”
And sister too don’t forget, I waved him off this morning so he’ll be at home waiting for you on Thursday. Hope you all have a wonderful hodilay.
May 11th, 2006 at 4:28 am
And, as fate would have it…I will be spending the next three weeks in your neck of the woods. I’ll wave to you from the air. Have a fantastic trip.
May 11th, 2006 at 10:19 am
Oooh, have fun!
May 11th, 2006 at 10:55 am
Damn you. I don’t expect to be intellectually challenged before lunchtime, and here you are making interesting points about senses of geographical identity.
May 11th, 2006 at 11:51 am
You should just be in time to seek to locate a traditional peat cutter to lend a hand one stage of the annual activity there.
If you’re stumped for something to do, you could also consider doing a trip across the Sound of Harris on a Sunday, if you want to gat a true flavour of South Harris residents’ reaction to Calmac’s decision in April to start a ferry across to Leverburgh. It should provide Dave and the girls with a contrast to air travel.
Enjoy yourselves and your increased responsibilities as Godparent
Best wishes
Grandpa Bear
May 12th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Ohhh here’s hoping the weather holds (except it’s not forecast too!).
And hey, you might be in new ‘digs’ in three weeks… maybe…
May 13th, 2006 at 12:05 am
Go have fun! See you later.
May 15th, 2006 at 4:08 pm
Have a wonderful time!
I love to be on a island for a few days…heck, a few hours.
Write soon!
May 17th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Don’t forget to take your raincoat and waterproof mascara!
May 18th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
Me no understand … no internet in the Outer Hebrides? Or are you just trying to get away from blogging for a while. To be honest, I will miss your unique take on things.
May 24th, 2006 at 11:57 am
Have a good time!
June 3rd, 2006 at 1:04 am
So, like, are you back yet, Sam?
June 4th, 2006 at 11:13 am
…has it been three weeks yet?
June 5th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
Unlike Dave, I rather like the island mentality. I too am from Scotland…. the Mainland though. Helensburgh nr Glasgow. We used to go on holiday to the Hebrideas a lot. Barra, Coll, Tiree, Rhum, Eigg etc. I don’t think we went to Stornaway though. Love those Cal Mac ferries and the big old sea! The Minch…
How fabulous to find you in cyberspace. You must write back when you return from Scotland and tell all….
What brings you out here? I too have a David and he’s the reason we are all here.
June 7th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
Oh how cool! I’m actually going to be visiting Scotland in two weeks…it sounds soooo amazingly lovely. Can’t wait to see it for real. Hope you have a wonderful time visiting everyone!