Later we took a trip to one of the close by beaches- can anyone identify this? We could not, but they were all over the beach! I think the hole must be from a clam, but what about the "sand poop"?
Maddie was so excited about the water and not anxious to pose for a family photo, as you can see by the disagreeable look on her face!
This beach was not super long, but it was plenty long for our purposes and very pretty. We quickly found some sea glass and sea poreceline, which I had never seen before coming to Jennifer's and seeing it there!Maddie walked over to Jennifer and Robin at one point, took them both by the hands, and started walking with them. It was absolutely adorable! We sure wish they lived closer so we could see them more often!
The newlyweds! They were so generous to keep us all in their house, but after a week solid of house guests both in this house and in the house Robin had been staying in, I'm sure the smiles in this photo may have been partly due to our imminent departure, and them finally having some quiet time to themselves to really relax and enjoy the start of their new lives together!
It sure was hard saying goodbye to Jennifer and Robin- only made easier knowing that we'd see them in California in just a few weeks for the US version of the wedding! Maddie blew lots of kisses and Jeremy and I daydreamed about just sending for our things and staying on Stronsay...
waving goodbye from the pier...
A view of the ocean and some of the Islands...
As the Volcano ash was still in the air, our flight was not flying, so with Jennifer and Robins help, we had found another way down to Edinburgh. The ferry arrived around 7:30 in the evening to Kirkwall, then an overnight ferry would take us (leaving about midnight) to Aberdeen, where we could get a train. While on the ferry from Stronsay to Kirkwall we saw a couple, Ruth and David, who were at the wedding. We had a wonderful conversation with them, and when they received a text message that there was a cabin available for them on the Aberdeen boat, they called and checked whether it was a 2 or 4 berth cabin. It was a 4 berth cabin and they felt so bad for us being on the boat with no cabin available, they arranged for us to stay in the cabin with them! How fortunate!
We also saw Isabelle who is one of the first people that Jennifer met when she went to Stornsay. She is now living in Kirkwall and invited us all over to her house for tea before we caught the ferry to Aberdeen. We explained we had just planned to wait in the Kirkwall hotel reading room and take the bus to the ferry, as we had no car, but she said she would come and get us after we had some dinner! So kind! So we had her phone number and all made a plan (David & Ruth also) to meet up at Isabelle's for tea later.
We walked off the boat and over to a fish and chips shop to get some dinner- who do we see inside but Isabelle! so we all sat and had dinner there, then Isabelle brought us right away to her house, and immediately her daughter Rhoda (she has a "grandmothers flat" attached to her daughter's house) came over and started playing with Maddie! It was very relaxing to have her entertained by someone else!
Isabelle asked us when we all arrived if we wanted a "copper". She had just complimented us on not having too much trouble with the Orcadian accent, so I admit I was terribly embarassed that I just had no idea what she was talking about! With both Jeremy and I looking at her blankly she said, "cuppa Tea or Cuppa coffee?" Ahhh! Cuppa! not copper! oh....now we get it!
David & Ruth came after they finished their dinner, and when it came time to go to the ferry, Rhoda gave us a ride to the ferry.
Inside the ferry terminal- Maddie slept through a good part of this, as it was 11:30 at night!
The main desk inside the ferry! I was so surprised! It looks as fancy as any Asia hotel that I stay in!
Our berths! Maddie slept in bed wiht me and she slept very well! She woke up just once and I was able to get her back to sleep very quickly!
When we got to Aberdeen, we walked over to the train station and after a short wait, we got our train to Edinburgh. Maddie loved the snacks on the train...(kamut from home!)
And she loved watching the scenery go by!
Maddie and Baba
Beached boats waiting for the water to come back in...
we saw several fields of daffodils
Mama and Maddie
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