We Had A Visitor

Personally I think people are mad to visit Orkney in November because chances are you will be stuck indoors while outside it blows a gale and chucks it down, but in fact the weather was good so we crammed  quite a lot into the 3/4 days she was here.

First up we did a bit of a jewellery day, walking along the road to Fluke in the morning. Later on we re-visited Sheila Fleet, including the now no longer so new café. I had a blueberry and cinnamon scone, which the cashier did not, as she previously had when I was forced to have an apple and cinnamon one, describe as 'odd' when it was paid for, which is progress. The OH had of course declared he would never set foot in the place again, but given that the visitor wanted to see it, he was as putty in her hands. I took a few more photos of some of the beautiful details in the building

The next day we re-visited the alpaca place that the OH and I went to in October; they had their festive shop open and we spent a fair bit of money there. All in a good cause, mostly things for other people. Our visitor really loved it there.  And she picked up Ty the goat, although I don't have the photographic evidence of that. 

The next day we spent over on West Mainland visiting craft shops (witness the hat) and also went, for the first time but probably not the last, to the workshop of Alison Moore, where I splashed out on a pair of moonstone ear-rings which will go with the multi-stone pendant the OH ordered for me. It was very difficult to choose a favourite; a re-visit may well be on the cards. Although as we have just sent off the figures to the accountant, that may well depend on how much the taxman wants off us in January. 

On her last day we spent the morning beachcombing, as she does crafty stuff with shells. You honestly would not think, would you, that this is the northern isles in mid-November. But it was. 

And we finished off with a trip to the Orkney Gin Distillery, home of Kirkjuvagr gin. Unlike the visitor, we're not keen on gin and on the rare occasion I want to drink a spirit it's a decent malt, or a vodka, so we hadn't previously bothered to go to the Kirkjuvagr visitor centre or do the tour. However it was hugely enjoyable and we're really pleased we went. It's a very small operation but seems to be doing well which is always good news about start ups in small economies. You were encouraged to take pictures so

the company logo, based on an old Icelandic 'compass'

their four current gins

a rather lovely individual copper still - the ones they use to make the gin are actually slightly larger than this! 

and our tasting glasses when we were finished with them. 

If you like gin, Kirkjuvagr I thought was quite nice. Archangel is the same flavour but much much stronger. They had one called Harpa which was their 'Summer' version, which the OH and I both thought tasted like bathroom cleaner (not, I hasten to add, that we have ever eaten any form of bathroom cleaner but it tasted like  what you would expect bathroom cleaning chemicals to taste like judging from the smell.) And finally there was the  soon to be released Winter/Christmas one, which is called Aurora. This was the OH's favourite but for me had too much clove in it. 

Visitor left on the midnight ferry on Friday night and I spent most of yesterday in my pyjamas and dressing gown recovering!  Today is a day for chores and catching up, because this coming week I have a lecture to deliver (already written) and a Ph D Literature Review to submit (which unhappily is not). Although to be fair I have an old version of the Lit Review which just needs expanding and I know what I'm going to add. But I  know form bitter experience that having something half done and knowing what else you're going to say doesn't necessarily make for a quick writing experience!