Jonathan >

Since late October, almost two months ago, our posts have been few and far between. A flurry of photos on our return from Navarra. One post each about croft and craft – and that’s been about it. We’ve neglected our WordPress acquaintances, too.

The editor and principal author of this blog * has been – how shall I put it? – ‘preoccupied’.
* ICYWW – That’s me

For me, the past six weeks have been a day-and-night struggle getting to grips with legal requirements and official procedures spanning three countries, three legal systems, and two languages, concerning two quite separate affairs. [No, not that sort of affair!]

One has dragged on for almost a year, with the legal professionals locked in a petty tussle over the precise form of words that will express in proper legal form – to the satisfaction of all concerned – a simple matter of fact which no-one, absolutely no-one, disputes. (Nor is there, for that matter, anyone with a legal interest in the matter to dispute the fact.) None of them would give ground : it’s been a battle of wills! In the end – with Denise in tears of frustration yet again, I set about my own research, and then made a short phone call – to the Clerk of the very Court that will decide the issue, and within less than an hour got a definitive answer on what would be acceptable. So much for the bloody professionals!

For the other business – which kicked-off on our return from Navarra, it’s been a combination of complexity, difficulty, unfamiliarity, and simple bad luck.  Bad luck as in important documents going missing in the post – and not a chance – especially in the ‘run up to Christmas’ – to get new documents made and delivered in time. Not once, but twice! And as to complexity and difficulty : every requirement met seemed to beget yet another even more devilishly difficult to satisfy, and ever less time left to do it.  After six weeks of day-and-night effort and anxiety – and there’s still lingering doubts as to whether it will all work out as planned, I’m profoundly tired. Exhausted!

All very cryptic and mysterious, you’re thinking? Well, it will have to remain so for now. Certainly until these things have run their course and we have definite outcomes.  Perhaps just a few weeks more.

But, for now, there’s nothing more I can do.

Denise and Tilly, Tipperton, South Uist

Denise and Tilly, Tipperton, South Uist

Denise and Tilly, Tipperton, South Uist

I’d just like to empty my mind, enjoy simple things, like a walk on the beach, try and capture on camera the beauty of Uist in winter.  Or something useful, like finishing the new fencing at the croft, or the annual decorating at Carrick. There’s plenty of practical things to do! They’ve all been neglected, too!

Heaven only knows how I ever used to design and manage complex, innovative engineering works!  I couldn’t do it now. I wouldn’t want to.  That’s probably largely due to the neurological conditions which first became apparent two years ago – and which were then the primary reason for retiring from professional work. And the other reason? Because I wanted to spend more time doing the simple things we came here to do – like grow food, fix fences, feed animals, take photos, and – well, to write this blog.

Normal service on which returns tomorrow!