Tobermory Tales

The day of the move finally came around and our furniture disappeared off-island on Thursday last in the back of a big lorry. We followed on Friday in the Landrovers with the kids and cats.

We're all very sad to leave Mull but are looking forward to a new start in Carradale down on Kintyre. This is our new house:


It used to be the village primary school but has since been converted into a spacious family home. It has suffered with neglect and needs a fair amount of money spending on it to bring it back to its best. No doubt we're going to be kept pretty busy.

We'd just like to say cheerio to our many friends in Tobermory and elsewhere on Mull, and if you're passing Carradale don't hesitate to drop in. We know some of you are already planning to visit.

Despite Kintyre being described as Scotland's 'Mainland Island' it doesn't really qualify to be in Island Blogging and so this will be the final entry for Tobermory Tales.

So long, and thanks for all the fish!

Cheers
Gary & Steph, et al...

The new pontoons are down in Tobermory Bay. Here's a picture of the Dawn Treader, one of the cutest little boats you'll see. I think she's what they call a 'creel boat' but I'm not really up on these things:


On the way home from the shops Spike decided he couldn't wait any longer. Maybe he saw the sign for the Fire Station and decided it was time for a bit of hose practise?


And finally in this blog some real news: Tobermory Tales's days are numbered. We're shortly to complete upon the purchase of a house in Carradale on the Mull of Kintyre and so will soon be leaving Tobermory. More details soon.

Cheers
Gary

Bit of a mixed bag today.

The new chip van has been sitting on the Fishermen's Pier for a few months now. It replaces last year's van which was a bit on the cramped side with not enough ventilation. First rate fish'n'chips!


Whilst tripping off down the street on my daily pilgrimage to the pub I was ambushed by a spiky friend. The hedgehogs are waking up! By the time I'd pulled out my camera she was making for the bushes again but I managed to snap a quick shot:


Meanwhile Auntie Beeb has returned to the Island for more filming of Balamory. The weather has been mixed for them but they seem to be getting plenty done. Our own Spike is turning into a bit of a star, as are several of his friends from nursery.


These and lots of other new photos have now been added to our website at http://www.balamory.org.uk

Cheers
Gary

Wow! What a way to celebrate the Summer Solstice!

As a late father's day surprise Steph organised us a trip out on a boat last night.

We left Tobermory Harbour around 9:30pm aboard the Solais Na Mara and sailed westwards.


There wasn't anything like enough wind to drive her but the trusty diesel took us out past the lighthouse in the direction of Coll. Amongst the sealife we saw were several seals and porpoises, breaking through the waves.


Solais Na Mara is a gorgeous boat. A converted fishing boat I'd guess. Wood-built she almost oozes charm.


We arrived back in Tobermory around midnight and it was still light enough to read a book outdoors. It seems strange that the nights will now start to draw longer, just as summer has arrived in the Hebrides.

If anyone is planning to visit Tobermory over the summer then I can thoroughly recommend they take a trip out onto the water. Go and see Sarah (OzChick) in Trips and Tours (next to MacGochons) and she'll sort you out. (Oooer!)

Cheers
Gary

And still it rains... I feel sorry for the holidaying families here on Mull at the moment. The weather remains wet and blustery, and for visiting families there's little to do that doesn't involve getting drenched.

Today we've had our biggest visitor to Tobermory Bay so far this year. The Seabourn Pride is a luxury cruise yacht and dwarfs the other vessels.


If anyone has a spare transmission brake expander unit for a Series Landrover laying about then I'd be very grateful as the handbrake on my tatty old Landrover decided to explode the other day.

We're all looking forward to a bit of warm weather soon so we can all dry out a bit.

Cheers
Gary

We've had a few damp days on Mull this week but by and large the weather has been mild and at least the raid has grounded most of the midges.

The Hebridean Princess made one of its regular visits to the bay yesterday and was accompanied by another as yet unidentified cruiser in similar livery.


There was also a very expensive-looking cruiser of the 'floating gin palace' genre. No-one seems to know who it belongs to but they're clearly not short of a bob or two.


Cheers
Gary

In a small community like Mull it doesn't take long for news to get around and in this case word r3eached Tobermory almost before the ferry's ramp was down that the island was being invaded!

Vikings? Vandals? The Irish? Aliens from Outer Space?

Well, almost: Three unmarked Police traffic cars.

They're here to check up on speeding motorists and other threats to future of civilisation as we know it (Jim!)

Given that the island is only 30 miles long it seems rather unnecessary. Perhaps someone on the mainland fancied a few days by the seaside?

You'd think they had better things to do, eh? Like catching crooks! I didn't notice a rush of re-inforcements arriving to solve the mystery of the vandalism to cars and my bike a couple of months back (for which no-one has been brought to book). Too tricky, perhaps.

They're also keen on stopping motorcyclists and giving them the third degree, issuing rectification notices for louder-than-permitted exhaust systems. Clearly these people have never been riding home in the dark and had three deer jump into the road in front of them.

Anyhow, my bike's staying under its storm cover until they've gone home again, as are those of several other residents.

No doubt the smoke-signals will go up when they're safely back on the ferry and heading home again...

Cheers
Gary

It's been a few days since my last blog and in the meantime I've been working like crazy whilst all around us summer has arrived.

The weather recently on Mull has been wonderfully sunny and mild, although it still rains for a bit each day.

This picture was taken at 10pm just a couple of days ago and gives an idea of how light it remains up here, and there's still 3 weeks to mid-summer!


Cheers
Gary

...well today's news is that the BBC are in town for a fortnight filming a new series of Balamory.

(For those without children this is a surreal TV programme for young children transmitted on the CBeebies channel and occasionally others, and set in Tobermory.)

My youngest boy, Spike, and several of his nursery friends were involved in filming on Tuesday and from what I can gather they all had a whale of a time.


No doubt there'll be much more to tell over the coming weeks about the exploits of our heroes, Miss Hooley, PC Plum (Plummy to his mates!), Spencer, Josie Jump, Penny Pockets and Suzi Sweep, not forgetting Archie the Inventor.

Here's my eldest daughter, Natasha, preparing to hijack the 'Daisy Bus'.

More to follow...

Gary

Well done to the Ukraine for winning last night's Eurovision Song Contest. By far the best performance, regardless of how well they could sing or whether the song was any good.

The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the high-spots of the television year, so long as you don't take it at all seriously. You don't watch it 'cos its good - you watch it cos it's so bad!

We always have a whale of a time - a few years ago a friend invented a drinking game to be played whilst it was on. If there's enough interest I might post the rules, but basically it involves drinking a lot of booze.

In case anyone missed it (shame on you!) the Ukrainian entry involved a female lead dressed like Xena the Warrior Princess plus assorted male Goth-types, leaping and prancing on stage. Lots of flesh, leather and whips in evidence.

The UK seems to have been forgiven a bit for Iraq and actually managed to get a few votes this year too.

Anyhow, enough of this nonesense. Bravo Ukraine!

TTFN
Gary