Flailing Flores

Monday 4 August: Flores – the storm, now almost forgotten, had arrived. Wild white horses raced up the loch between shores where helpless trees flailed. The air was warm but moving at an unusual rate. Driving anywhere was a questionable decision, but I took Tash to the coach in Tarbert then met my friend Simon. There was no way we could do a river survey so instead I had coffee with him and Carrie, in the shed they’re currently in while their cottage is rebuilt, then came home. There were no trees down and my electric chainsaw remained in the back of the car.

Clearing: my current task is clearing the site, tidying away the ‘temporary’ wood stores, constructing a new store and taking unusable wood to the recycling centre. I’d like to have made a noticeable impression on the site by the time Tash returns from the Edinburgh festival – where I have just shared a week with her.

And over by the workshop the (more) temporary wood store, created when we had to make room for Tash’s ceramic studio, kilns, wheels and assorted kit, has gone too.

I still can’t resist salvaging useful bits and pieces; in this case a dozen long screws from a rotted pallet. Removing them was an easier way of demolishing it than smashing it to pieces.

And I’ve finished the new wood store, though Nutmeg’s ladder to the roof is still to be built. I thought she might have a go when I was at the Fringe.

Before leaving for the Fringe I made, and paid for, a repair request to Olympus (now OM Systems), packed my bent camera in its original boxes (destined for Portugal!) then took it with me to the nearest pick-up shop, which happens to be in Glasgow. Eight days later, when I came home, the camera was waiting by the road-end. Typically for these parts, a ‘signed for‘ delivery, unsigned. I expected to learn that my lens was damaged beyond repair and hoped, but was in no way confident, that the body would be ok.

Turns out the lens has been checked, repaired and cleaned; it and the body are fine. All I can do is say that I think the service has been remarkably quick and I’m relieved not to have to decide whether to make an(other) insurance claim or shell out eight hundred pounds for a new lens. The fee was a predetermined one hundred and seventy eight pounds, including transport.