Day Ninety Six

Festis 

Well Emmet made it safely back to Cork. In spite of a few hours of delay the voyage was uneventful.

Uncle Dugal and I stayed up watching the aircraft on his telephone until it landed in Dublin. 

Furrgus did not make it past two am. 

So as a result he conducted the morning patrol by himself. Serves him right.

But being the well brought up gentleman he is, he brought back six of Ichiban’s cheese buns for us.

Though it was a little bit of a surprise to him that the flurries were as long lasting as they were.

And the accumulation was also a surprise.

But it is a week into January what could one really expect. 

But according to Cousin Morag, who has returned from her Hogmanay excesses, it is no warmer in Lochaber. 

But the cattle are well sheltered in the far redoubt. We turned that into barns ages ago. 

And the deerhounds are ensconced with her in front of the great fireplace in the old kitchen. 

So all is right at the castle.

That is the kitchen with the connections to the various basements.

It was the kitchen when the castle was at it height and had to feed scores of retainers.

But it was far too enormous and our great great grandfather turned it into his own retreat.

And a new and efficient kitchen constructed in what was the north gatehouse. 

A few decades later the arrival of his enormous Italian stove was the talk of the village for years, as I remember. 

Took two full teams of horses to bring it down from Inverness. 

That was a day let me tell you. 

Free ale at the pub for everyone. 

Grandfather was a well loved Laird. 

The town never quite got over losing him at Gallipoli along with so many of his own Royal Scots.

Well anyway enough of that, Zita was well into her work when we arose. 

We were soon followed by Craig.

He made a large cup of her favourite café latté before he made an espresso for himself.

And even before he had finished Niamh appeared.

She was still crafting letters to her favourite professors asking for recommendations. Before she went off to work. 

So Craig wisely went to the den to drink his coffee this morning. 

After those rather filling cheese buns the three of us ventured forth on the afternoon excursion. 

The exercise did us all the world of good, let me tell you. 

Zita talked to the people who are arranging little Miss Pancake’s airplane ride. My goodness me. An airplane ride. At her age.

The people are rather like our Mister McCord’s company, who gets Zita and Emmet’s airplanes to and fro with little drama. 

But they do it for dogs. 

You know I was nearly four before the Laird allowed me to fly our Tiger Moth and terrorize our neighbour the old McDougal. 

A cruel and nasty man was old Alister McDugal. Once took a shot at Lachlan’s old shepard RoriRhur.  

I heard that one night, soon after, Alister stumbled off a cliff. Or so they say. 

Bounced all the way down. Or so they say. 

After lunchtime Dugal informed us that tonight is the year’s first full moon, and on Epiphany at that.

So we will certainly redouble our attentiveness and bring our sword-canes when we go on patrol.

Full moons are nothing to trivialize. 

Now while myself have not witnessed this, the gillies say on full moons they often see Aonghas Beag MacDhòmhnaill, sitting on the mainland shore. 

According to them, he is waiting on a tide that never comes in, trying to get back to Tiroam after Culloden. 

So common sense requires us to lower the portcullis on full moons. Just in case. 

And perhaps pour an extra dram or two. 

Emmet sent a note to Craig asking for some pictures of Miss Pancake for Alice. That was nice. 

Now she will recognize Miss Pancake when she next visits us over here. 

Niamh arrived home just in time for an end of a busy week’s dinner. 

Very fancy hotdogs were on the menu.

Because Niamh really likes hotdogs and she is very fancy. No one would ever doubt that I must say. 

Last night Craig and Zita watched a detective program and they could not stop talking about it.

Because not only do the two ladies solve mysteries one of them makes fabulously delicious food. 

And she shows everyone how to do it while they solve the mystery.

My goodness. We would watch it, but it might get us to try cooking again. 

And history shows us that would be a universal mistake. 

Delightful cafés and smart fascinating restaurants are more our style don’t you know.