My cousin and her hubby are transplanted Scots, now living in Kent. They are currently on North Ronaldsay, re-building the sheep’s dry-stane dykes, and later this morning, are arriving in Kirkwall with their four English friends.
Unbelievably, I can sleep seven people in my peedie wee hoose. There’s the master bedroom with a double bed, and the guest room with twins. Because I couldn’t get a double bed the first week I moved in, there is a cheap and cheerful single in the boxroom (I will sleep there) and again, unintentionally, I ended up buying a convertible sofa-bed (it was the cheapest one that still looked good). I did have to buy a little bit more in the way of bedding and linens. Not much, because again, without planning it, I happen to have more towels and sheets than I would normally have needed (okay, they’re the dog’s towel & sheet, but if I don’t tell the guests, they’ll never know. I did wash them.)
I did buy a couple of things this week – 2 pillows (on sale for a ridiculously low price at Lidl), a bath towel (a hideous shade of green which is why, I am assuming, it was so cheap) and even the facecloths at Tesco were four for a pound – perfect. I cleaned the house. I went to all the wee shops on the high street and bought local cheeses, meats, crackers, gin, wine (well, the wine was only local in the sense I picked it up at Tesco). I booked us a table at Oot The Back, a local outdoor patio pub. I cleaned out the car so their luggage would fit, if necessary. I had the washer & dryer on hard rotation for four days, the dog was locked out of several rooms to keep them clean, and by 9am this morning, I was ready.
I should point out, I love doing this stuff. This was not work. I love prepping for company, matching towels to the room’s decor and folding them nicely, preparing charcuterie boards (in this case it was two dinner plates of meat, cheese & crackers, as the only board in the house is a white plastic cutting board with beet stains on it, but you know what I mean). I love planning out activities and booking the perfect pub and finding sites to show off in my town. I love every minute of it. (Also, the car did need to been cleared out.)
So, we’re all ready. I’ve even brushed Scout after our trip to the County Show this morning.
It is 10:55, they are due in 30 minutes and my cousin has just texted to say their flight to Kirkwall from North Ronaldsay has been cancelled due to low ceiling, and the airline hopes to get them out sometime after Monday. Hopes to get them on a flight sometime after Monday.
Well, great. Yes, I realise that all six of them have connections they will be missing. They will have to find accommodation until they can leave. They all have jobs to get back to, and children, and dog sitters, and their holiday is ending on a bad note. But, more to the point, and absolutely worst of all, this is my weekend spoiled. Great. Just great.
Edit: 1:35 pm. I’ve just been advised that the airline has come through and they are arriving in less than an hour. Excellent. Disappointment averted – let the fun begin!
Post Script: My cousins and their English friends may read this, so I want to re-iterate – I LOVED arranging to have them come & stay. I am absolutely NOT complaining about the work involved. My Canadian friends and family know this is true; they know I was in heaven doing all this prepping and organizing. I hope these people come again in the future, because the worst part about having them come this weekend (other than the delayed flight) is the fact that they won’t be here long enough for me to really show them around.