Tick tock….Tick
tock…
Wow!!! This
passed week Scotland has been giving us it’s best in blessing us with more
sunshine than we have seen for a good long time!! A great farewell gift to us!
It reminded us so much of the weekend in May 2000, when we arrived in Glasgow.
It was wonderful, hot sunny weather. Everybody was in the Queens Park and we
were out with them, enjoying our first Scottish pizza!!! (We were also
introduced on that occasion to the well feared and well respected Scottish
midgee.) Full circle. Scotland is greeting us in the same fashion than she has
welcomed us all those years ago.
Since we moved
out of number 18 Eday Crescent, we have had a quite a memorable Scottish
adventure. 3 weeks of visiting long over-due landmarks and re-visiting family
favorites. It started with a final return to Port Ban camping field, outside
Kilberry. Port Ban is located on a small quiet road on the Mull of Kintyre. We
visited Port Ban in September 2008 for the first time. Philippa was two weeks
old. We were told of this little gem by friends and just had to go and check it
out for ourselves. Our love affair with this Scottish holiday village started.
Since then, we’ve made many returns, always camping on one of the front beachside
pitches. Crabbing, smoky-marshmallow bonfires and swimming on the ‘white’-beach
became our feeling-better-on-a-rainy-day favorite-thing Sound of Music
equivalent!!! Arno joined us for a night and we were sharing old wisdom and
good memories with one of our first Scottish friends, around a late night
campfire. Absolutely idyllic!!! This was the McPhail family’s first visit to
Port Ban and we are delighted to pass the baton onto them!!! Theron legacy at
PB will continue in them!!!!!
 |
| Hanging out with the McPhail clan |
A quick
changeover, washing and drying of 3 loads between 10pm and 10am, unpacking,
hanging out wet tent and repacking were setting us up for the next week in
Aberdeen. Now at this point I must just tell you about the most generous, kind
and selfless family McDonald. The 6 of us were invited to move in, even before
we were officially without a house. They have made us feeling extremely welcome;
sharing their whole house….basically their whole lives with us. They’ve made it
clear that we can feel totally at home here and stick to their words like old
glue hanging on the thin paper!!!
Cooking and cleaning for us…even
babysitting!! Proverbs 17:17 has got a new meaning… A friend loves at ALL
times, and a (spiritual) brother/sister is born to help in a time of need!!
 |
| One last movie with Sarah and Sam |
First things
first…we were taking Thandi, our 8 year old Labrador to her new owners Tasha,
Andrew, Kyla and Shona (doggy sister:Cloe). On our way to Aberdeen we had to
make the requested lavatory-detour, which took us to the TESCO in Dundee.
Another full circle!! It was here that Arno came all those years ago to pick up
our new Labrador puppy. She was born on a farm in Peterhead (just north of
Aberdeen). Her owners (then) brought her to Dundee and Arno met them at this
same TESCO!! She was now heading back in the direction of her birthplace. This
doggy-friend did not only love us as an expanding family (Thomas was 18 months
when we got her), but loving everybody who walked through our front door. The
bestest family pet ever.
 |
| Thandi's new family |
The goodbye was
over too quick and we got settled at the house of Mandy and Bernard, Arno’s
host family. (Arno has been a lodger with this young couple since start of May.)
They’ve opened their house to all of us. The cottage is gorgeous and we all
fell in love with it straight away. They kids begged me to get a house just
like this for them to live in once we hit the African continent!!! We used this
as base to visit our Aberdonian friends and to relax a bit!! We also stayed for
a few nights with Donna and Graeme and their 3 sprogs. Again, children were
giving up bedrooms and beds to accommodate us and we are so thankful for the
generosity of our friends!!
Aberdeen is such
a lovely city and we have explored only just a tiny bit. Duthie Park is the
children’s favorite and we were so excited to locate 2 out of the 50 ‘artistic’
dolphins there. Wish we had more time to find some more. We will always host
fond memories of this city and it’s lovely people…and of course…it’s Thandi’s
new home. So who knows, we might visit again…soon…
After a brief
visit to the Highland Game Park outside Aviemore we were re-united with our
Killi-host family. This was leading us into our last Scottish week. Sunday
kicked off with final farewells to our church family, Bridge Church. How
awesome to have been blessed with life changing, future generating spiritual
wisdom and leadership through Pastor Bernie and Nan Mclauchlin. Through your
faithfulness in carrying the gospel to all people, we’ve grown in our spiritual
walk with God during the last 4 years. Now we are prepared and ready to step
out….where ever the Holy Spirit is leading us!!! We are excited to explore a
bit more of the unattainable goodness of the God we serve and to be a blessing
to those from every nation, tongue and tribe!!!
Our last week in
Scotland started with a re-grouping, washing, finishing off work and last
play-dates. I took Thomas and his friend to our local Ice-creamery: Catrine
House. A working farm with barns, bouncy pillows, outdoor cars and tractors to
be scooting down the grassy hills…and the Scottish sun started giving us her
best!!!
Tuesday was the
day we hoped for, planned for and longed for….for many years!!! Arno and I
planned childcare and decided that this time…regardless of weather…we will be
going to the top of Ben Nevis!! This is the highest mountain on the British
Isles. We’ve tried to achieve this so many times over the last few years, but
was stopped every time by unforeseen circumstances. So this was it!!!! And what
a day it was!!!!!! Beautiful sunshine with vistas as far as the eye can see.
(I’ll tell you in a separate post more about this mini-adventure.)
The rest of our
last week got filled up with good laughs, way too much food while saying
goodbyes to all our lovely friends and Scottish family, many late nights and
wee mini-trips dowan memory lane. We had an amazing evening with the folk of
the Salvation Army church in Kilmarnock, as we celebrated the countries of the
Commonwealth by watching the Opening Ceremony on a big screen and devouring
tasty treats from around the world.
And the Scottish
sun was shining……..
We were privilege
to share in the highs and lows of the rhythmical gymnasts in the Hydro. Great
representation of South Africa!!a (Alana started practicing cartwheels with a
hoop around her foot the moment we got home!!) We shared in the victory of the
South African men’s hockey team over Scotland and in the South African netball
teams success over Trinidad and Tobago.
And the sun was
giving us her best…..
I was really
surprised to hear our Scottish born children, by own choice, starting to
support South Africa. (We’ve got two flags, Scotland and SA…but they loved
waving the SA flag around!!!!!) Might have something to do with the fact that
the winning teams were South African……
Super woman was
at work most of our last day in Scotland!! I managed to get ALL our camping,
cooking, clothing and entertainment in the travel bags. Arno was sorting out
the admin…BIG job!!
A wonderful last
evening spend with the Lannie’s, who also drove us to Glasgow Airport this
morning. Another family we expect to see soon again!! A big thank you also to
Catherine and baby Joel who come to greet us at the airport. BIG DREAMS!!
So now we are in
the air. Our first flight is with IcelandAir and we are stunned by the
improvement in onboard tech…I-pads were handed out to all who wanted one,
shortly after we took off!!! This is also the first time that Nina is sitting
in her own seat. She was sooooo excited!!!
OOOO we are
nearly there..landing gear out. Will try to post an update at least once a
week. Untill then…
Mar sin Leibh,
Alba!
Farewell
Scotland!