Scotland Travels

Dornoch is a small village in northern Scotland that has become very dear to us over the last fifteen years. When I arrived on August 12, Steve, Allene, Jim, Lisa, and Charlie had already been there for three weeks, making new friends. Temperatures never rose above the mid-60s and the pace was moderato, especially compared with my Northeast Travels. I walked through the woods with Allene, I walked on the beach by myself, and I had time for reading and spa treatments–ahhh!

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Mary Thomson took us to ANTA, her friend Annie’s Tartan shop in nearby Tain. Annie started the enterprise over 20 years ago. She employs about 35 local workers to produce exquisite home furnishings and gifts.  On the way home Mary drove us past the barracks used by Allied Troops to practice the Normandy landings on the Tarbat peninsula. She mentioned a just-published novel set in that time and place, which the Dornoch Book Store quickly ordered. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Effie’s War by Philip Paris. I count Mary a new friend.

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After posting about the delights of Dornoch on Facebook, I heard from Lois Cameron, mother of Joe Cape, our Scottish exchange student in Arlington, 2002-03. She and her husband, Jon Cape, were planning to drive from their home in Bridge of Allan to the Orkney Islands and saw that Dornoch was only a few miles off their route. We had stayed in touch, but not seen each other for more than a decade. What a joy to share lunch and visit the nearby Cathedral. When I played Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring on the piano there, it brought tears to Lois’s eyes. Her father had played that piece as a church organist.

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Since August 22, Steve’s 75th birthday, was to be a full day of travel back to the States, we opted to begin celebrating in Dornoch. On the 18th we served cocktails to a dozen friends, read messages from the folks back home, and sang Happy Birthday. Then we proceeded to Luigi’s restaurant for a gala dinner.

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Our Scotland travels concluded with two days at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, an informal contrast to the Edinburgh International Festival that Elizabeth and Jan and I attended last year. We chose five events from the vast array available each day. The one we liked best was Alba Flamenca, exuberant Spanish music and dancing with a Scottish accent. The city was teeming with international visitors; free shows could be found on every street corner. A special treat was to have lunch with Joe Cape, whose parents we had just seen in Dornoch. 

As we made our way home on August 22, we were expecting Lilli and David and their families to join us for a family birthday celebration on the 25th. Surprise! Shelby came, too! Her family stayed in Dallas, but we were delighted to have most of our family together for two days. Happy Birthday, Steve! Seventy-five is the new sixty!

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