Well, a new year, and I am sitting here in a new pair of hiking boots that I bought so that I could march about at home and wear them in. The ankle part feels like a vice and I could quite easily lean over in a force 10 gale, and not fall on my face… providing my other muscles kicked in on time. I think I shall return them tomorrow after giving them a quick carpet trial. Maybe something a little more flexible? John sent me a text whilst I was in my literature class at the university on Friday, where I was learning all about Macbeth and the court of King James: ‘How do you fancy walking the Hebridean Way, 155 miles?’

Enough said! Immediately I had visions of the long beaches on Barra, and the standing stones on the Isle of Lewis, and I remembered lovely lilting tunes about boatmen going to Eriskay and Mingulay.

‘Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys

Heave her head round to the weather

Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys

Sailing homeward to Mingulay…’

Our tutor was talking about the book of Revelations and witches and all I could see was the wind whipping the waves as we crossed on the MacBrayne ferry from island to island.

At this time in January, we normally like to go to the local café and have a ‘business meeting’ and plan the year. Where shall we go? What home improvements need doing? – But this year we have been overwhelmed with family so no meetings or resolutions have been made.

Now – we have a goal. First for me is to get fit and for John –  he has to get over his cough and cold. He has been so miserable throughout all the festivities, and eventually he saw the doctor who organised an X-Ray and blood tests and antibiotics. Thank goodness he is on the mend.

Today is the first day in five weeks that we have had no one staying. It feels odd and quiet, and we both feel a little decadent, lying about reading our books and idly talking about walking boots and accommodation.

Christmas was wonderful; I was so lucky having everyone under the one roof, including Nick who arrived from Australia on Christmas day.

We borrowed a play pen, that became the Jail and saved all our sanity. The children loved it, turned it into their play house and gave us all peace.

Hazel and I ate porridge every morning at dawn, Bonnie decided that the sofa was actually a horse or a camel and rode it tirelessly, and Darcey just loved getting outside in my horrid red garden shoes to help Uncle Nick at the barbecue on the last day of the year. And Dillon  roamed and roamed, completely cut off by the play pen sections from anything that he could possibly break or pull over. He is like Bam Bam from the Flintstones.

I drove Natasha and family to Culross where we explored the ancient Abbey,

playing hide and seek, and posed on plinths. I taught Hazel the finer points of a good pose.

We found a very very old cemetery full of mature Yew trees and I hid inside, completely hidden from view.

Bonnie searched everywhere, and I heard Leo saying, ‘Your mum and John take this game very seriously don’t they?’ I was quite alarmed as the wintery sky darkened and they had still not found me. A place full of graves dating from the 1600s was not really where I planned to spend the night.

Natasha made bread, they all played on the beach, Leo set up his studio upstairs and continued with the film he was making, and John coughed and laughed and drank his whisky until it was time for him to go south and visit his own folk. Poor Matthew was recovering from a knee op, James had flown back from Hong Kong,  and Becky and Patrick had the new star attraction, little Jenson, who lay back and amused everyone.

Natasha, Bonnie and I went to see Peter Pan in Edinburgh (not at all like the Disney version), then afterwards we went to have tea and scones with my lovely friend Rose, whom I met in Doha. She and her husband Kim, and his sister, chatted to Tasha and Bonnie, whilst Rose and I talked and talked and talked. It felt like just yesterday that we were sharing our days at City Centre Mall or at the Souk or at the Tuesday Ladies’ Group. So good to meet up.

John and I did go to the Messiah on 2^ndJanuary at the Usher Hall, and drank our prosecco and ate our smoked salmon sandwiches and felt very tipsy and woozy as we dangerously swayed during the Hallelujah chorus. Dangerous as usual we were way up in the gods, and it is all very precarious. A silly Chinese family brought their very young children to the show, and the baby started to howl…everyone turned and tutted and snarled and gave him dirty looks….it was ironic really as the baby chose to cry during the passage, “for unto us a child is born! And unto us a child is given” Ha ha!

And now my children have all gone. I was bereft as always when Bonnie and Hazel left, then Nick left yesterday. My heart felt so sore as I drove back from the airport. Australia is just so far away, but he left so much happier and healthier than when he arrived. He spent days exploring and fishing and gathering all the detritus on the beach to make a raft. It is so empty without his tall silhouette framing the sea behind him.

Thank goodness we have Darcey and Dillon. Gerry asked her if she knew who/what God was, and she replied, ‘Yes, it’s when you go o-oh!’

‘You mean when you make a mistake or do something wrong?’ said Gerry.

‘Yes,  you say, ‘God!’

I did escape one day after Tasha left and went for a walk down to the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh… it was so quiet, and peaceful. I felt the whole place was in a waiting place, poised perhaps before the true winter arrived. Rhododendron leaves were splayed, ready but tight. Huge naked trees looked like monsters, their roots curled like toes digging into the pale grass. Above the branches stretched out to a cold blue sky. I liked my day away.

And now I have to read the Book of Revelations. Horses and angels and devils   – I believe that is what it is about. I just know all the great poets and writers were obsessed with it. Why have I not read it before?

Odd really, as I had my fortune told the other day, and in it I was told that the Angel Michael (who fought with the Archangel Gabriel against the devil) is looking after me. I must pay attention. Who was this special angel?

My fortune reading also told me that there are new beginnings to come, and sunshine and the smell of fresh cut grass. I love it, what a perfect beginning to a brand new year!