Island Life

People that say this place is crime free really do live in cloud cuckoo land!! There was a huge drugs bust the other day that was all over the news. Some little ned tried to nick my music player when I was out walking.... Tell me how is that crime free. Yes it might be a lovely place but there is still murder, suicide, theft, rape and all the other nasties of the world that go on here to!!

Also I am one of the few that seems to want to stay at home and look after my kids. And without living off the state cos my husband goes out and provides for his family. Even with all these people that still think there are no foreign workers here taking an awful lot of local jobs. Do they not go outside??

And as for these people that say 'oh you'd know all about it if you lived in a city'. Well I wish I did but unfortunatley thats not a choice that can be made rigth now. Living on an island isn't always the idylicc little life that people seem to think it is. It can be hard going. Especially with quite a lot not wanting to move with the times. Some seem happy being stuck about 10 years behind the rest of the planet.

I might have a wee moan now and again. Why shouldn't I? I don't force anyone to read this. If I didn't then I might end up like quite a lot of the narrow minded folk that think I shouldn't dare complain about Harris. I could go on and on and on but I really have lost the incentive now..............

There are far more important things in life to worry about and stupid me for thinking that people would take this as light relief as it was meant. I only started doing this as a bit of fun but it has changed into something quite ugly. There are a few people on here that have made me have a chuckle and a few that helped me through some yuckky times. Some just don't like to accept others opinions but there is no need to get so personal.

Some people are just far to bleeding serious its nots funny..............

Seems to have been ages since I was here so thought I would just drop a line to say hello and hope everyone has had a good start to 2008! (Bit belated I know)

We are all chocked with the cold but it seems to be doing the rounds just now - thankfully thats the only bug that has attacked so far!! The poor kids are just miserable with it - they don't know what to do with themselves :(

Both my babies seem to have grown an awful lot over the festive period. My wee girl is so grown up now and she's only 2!! The wee man will be having his first birthday soon too and thats pretty scary!! Not sure what to get him though it seems so close to christmas and the house is still bulging.... We will think of something though :)

Well going to have to go and comfort the wee man he's in need of some cuddles and by the look on daddy's face he's not quite sure what to do...

Hope everyone had a fandabby christmas! We had a fantastic day with family and friends - thought the house was going to burst at the seams!! The kids got spoilt rotten by everyone but they had an absolutely great time. Think I have finally found a home for all the stuff they got. I think the bit they enjoyed best though was having (quite a lot of) the family round about them - and well thats what it should be all about!
Unfortunately the only down point of the day was no snow - but I guess we cannae have it all. It was blowing a hoolie and was really wet but it didn't manage to dampen anyones festives spirits. No doubt we will get some snow when the baby lambs are due to be born thats usually the way it goes!!
Now its time to think about the New Year resolutions........Just incase I don't get a chance between now and then hope you all have a great New Year and its a happy and healthy one :)

It is unbelievably chaotic just now and its brilliant. We have been to the first proper christmas party where my wee girl told santa he was wierd!! Out of the mouths of babes. I think all her excitement is contagious cos I think I am as excited as she is - think it might be me going through to wake her up early on Christmas morning :)
Thankfully the only black dog that has been appearing a lot over the last few days is our own black dog (my sanity a lot of the time)! Although its not all good quite yet actualy saying it out loud (so to speak) on here has helped a lot. I didn't get treated like a freakazoid, which is what I feel like most of the time. I'm not very good at talking out loud about it all and I spend a lot of time writing (when I get time) but I was kinda just reaching a dead end doing that. This is something that has come and gone as long as I can remember, since about 12 or 13 I think. The only problem with treatment for it over here, or should I say my experience, is that docs are quite happy to hand out the happy pills but don't really seem interested in getting to the root of the problem. Don't get me wrong some of the pills have helped take the edge off, others have just made it worse but I don't want to be on pills for the rest of my life, or for prolonged periods in my life. Its still very much a thing over here that people know about it but no-one wants to talk about it. Don't know if its pride or what but its about time the stigma with it got stamped out!
Complete change of subject I think before I bore anyone too much!
Don't know if any of you have seen the Lewis peat calendar that has been on sale for charity, but I was flicking through e-bay last night and there is a signed one on there - man they are brave baring their bums to the world - all for a very good cause though! Hope they get a really high bid for it it was at twenty quid or so when I saw it last night.
Going to head up to the big city over the next few days to get the last odds and sods for Tuesday. Do't think I have forgotten anything but you never know eh?!
Well I guess I better go and try and get these kiddies off to bed, they slept in the car tonight when we were out so they are having their second wind now.....:)

My humble apologies for my last bleak posting I normally just 'get on with it' but I felt really useless yesterday. Thank you for all you comments though they cheered me up no end! Normally I just put on a smile regardless of whats going on inside but I just felt very stuck yesterday. I think its made worse by the fact that I have a great hubby, two adorable kids and I kind of end up feeling that I don't have any right to feel so crap. If that makes any sense at all. It was just one of these days I guess on this bumpy road....
On the plus side my wee girl is going to meet Santa on Thursday at her nursery party. I can't wait to see her wee face. She is so looking forward to Christmas this year and she will love having all the family down (well a fair few of them). No doubt she will keep us all entertained - she is a real wee character. If I could bottle up and sell the energy that she oozes I would be very rich indeed!!
Well it was just a quick post to say sorry and thanks really, so sorry and thanks...:)

What do you do when you just feel so crap you don't know where to turn cos you don't want to drag everyone down with you? To take a line from a song "..the drugs don't work they just make you worse...". Its a very evil circle. Pills or no pills nothing seems to work anymore. Surrounded by people but yet feeling so lonely. The happy face just can't be forced anymore... Sorry people just having a bad day!

Well I am sitting infront of my fake fire, with all the christmas decorations up, both babies asleep on the couch and wondering how much longer we are going to have power! It is absolutley howling out there. Had to go out a wee while ago to take the washing in (quite surprised it didn't end up in Kilda) and I had to rescue some plant pots that decided to start flying round about the garden!!
It is absolutley freezing out there too ~ but there's nothing like sitting in a warm toasty house and hearing the wind howl down the chimney! This is definately my favourite time of year.
All we need is some snow....maybe by the time santa comes to visit ~ it's certainly getting cold enough for it. And maybe if it gets really cold it might kill of all these bugs that the kids seem to be coming down with constantly just now. They both no sooner got over having a cold, then they both got a tummy bug and now they have ear infections ~ they really aren't having a good time of it just now, poor wee souls. Think the worst is over now though they both seem to be on the mend now (until the next bug hits!) There is some snow on the very tips of some of the hills so lets hope it starts making its way down soon.
Just listening to the last load of washing for the day doing its final spin. It really sounds sick and I mean very sick......Think I'd better call a washing machine fixer manny on Monday ~ hopefully it will hold out till then.
Well guess I'd better go and help hubby pop these kiddies up to bed. They both keep waking cos of the wind but they seem pretty zonked now. Don't think I will be far behind them either....... Night folks :)

One of the cutest things has hapened in my wee girls life ~ she realises who Santa is and it is just so cute!! She keeps talking about him and how he's coming to our house and how she is going to give him spag bol for tea ~ no mince pies here!! We even have to leave a light on so he can find the house! Kids don't you just love them?
At times I long for five minutes peace but seeing them developing right in front of your eyes is just the most amazing thing ever. She is only two but is so on the ball. Being a full time mum can be such hard work and you can feel very unappreciated at times but it is all so worth it.
I am looking so forward to Christmas morning and seeing her wee face light up. Her wee brother is probably a bit too wee to realise whats going on but you never know eh? This is the first Christmas where we have actually managed to get the kids some decent presents ~ I know thats not whats important about Christmas but the giving adds to it. We are having the family down for Christmas lunch so the house will be bursting at the seams and I can't wait!! I think I might be more excited than the kids.
The icing on the cake would be some snow. I only really remember one really snowy winter here but I don't think the island has ever looked so beautiful. We went for a walk round the Castle Grounds in Stornoway and the branhes of the trees were heavy with snow ~ it was just breathtaking. I have photo's of it that I could show you all but I haven't got a scooby how to put photos onto this thing yet!!
Theres one other bonus about the wee one believing in Santa to ~ I have told her all about the little elf thats sits up on the chimney and tells Santa if she and her brother have been a good little girl and boy.......... Is that really scroogely of me????

Went to get petrol the day before yesterday. Just as well we were sitting down though. And good that we have strong hearts (well we did anyway). The price in one retailer in Harris is £1.19.9p a litre!! Oh my goodness gracious me. That will be more or less all of hubbys wage now going on petrol no doubt. And then there will be the knock on effects - food prices go up and so does everything else. I remember when it cost 74.9p a litre and I'm only in my twenties!!! Still quite gobsmacked about the price of it so I'm still a bit lost for words!

Went to take the kids to the playpark a couple of weeks ago when we actually had some good weather. But for some reason we forgot where we were/forgot what day it was, and of course the park was closed cos heaven forbid your kids should play on a Sunday in Scalpay! Where else in the world would you see a big sign outside a park saying CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. NOT TO BE USED AFTER 9PM. Its crazy. I should have known better I have lived on these islands all my life but in this day and age? It must have been a moment of temporary madness to even think about going to the park. Somewhere safe to let the kids run about and have some fun. Its quite sad really. I wonder what would have happened if we had just jumped the gate and gone for a quick swing?! You really do have to wonder about some peoples mentality at times. They will ignore drink drivers or make excuses for them. Nothing gets done about the groups of kids hiding behind buildings smoking. Or the underagers that get drink at the weekends and drink themselves to oblivion. But they will close a park on a Sunday???????? It just doesn't make sense.

Thought I'd make some extra pennies in the run up to Christmas, so started selling a few odds and sods about the place that arent needed/used anymore. Seemed like a good idea. Until the last buyer struck! He's having an argument with me over postal charges. By the time I got the paper to wrap it up (which cost £4.95!!!!!!!!!!!! for brown paper) then the postage which was just under £4, then the sellotape to make sure the package was nice and safe, the total came to just over £10. So I charged £10 actually making a slight loss to myself. No one is more gobsmacked than me at the price the 2 sheets of brown paper cost. In hindsight I should maybe go back to make sure the price was right on the paper. Might do that later though. Anway I have explained all this to him but he's still being quite arrogant. Like I told him I cannot control the prices over here. Even as a goodwill gesture I knocked the packaging costs down to £8 which is a loss to me, and he's still not happy.

I have lost count of the amount of times that I have paid well over the odds to get stuff delivered here. Either that or you pay for postage twice, because the company won't deliver to the islands. So you pay for stuff to get delivered to a mainland address and then you pay for the delivery to get it from there to over here! And most of the time it costs a lot more than £10!

Even on a few occasions the postage has cost more than the worth of the ordered goods themselves! But what can you do? I have tried to be reasonable. So far I have managed to remain polite. It will make me think twice in the future though. Yet again though its all about the cost of living on this beautiful island........