Week Fifty - Happy New Year

Well as I write this we are only two days away from the dawn of another year - who can believe it's 2015? Why is it that the older you get the quicker the years slope by?

I always think New Year is a bit of a fresh start, a cleansing moment where we re-energise our focus on our goals and ambitions - physical, personal, career/work.  I'm not a believer in New Years resolutions but I do like those couple of days of taking stock (and obviously making lists).  So what are we all refocusing on this year?

And as 2014 comes to a close what better way to see it out than with a great bunch of friends in one of the most amazing settings in the world - The Highlands of Scotland.

As we speak there are fifteen of us slowly congregating in the massive dining room of our accomodation in Gairloch for the big fry breakfast we start another day that follows broadly the same pattern each day - breakfast followed by a walk (so far it's been the beaches rather than the hills as it is really really icy up here though a few of the boys braved a Munro yesterday).  After our walk it's cake and coffee (not directly correlated to the energy burned walking). After that it's time to hang out in the snug whilst we all take it in turn to cook dinner and the night then crescendos into a revelry of music song and sadly dance!!

And then it all starts again.  The young people are leaving us today so that will raise the tone of events - not!!!

So as a wee end of year gift please find below a selection of photographs of this beautiful part of the world taken by this weeks guest photographer Sammy Potter - some really lovely shots....

Unbelievably we had to abandon our cars yesterday as this lorry blocked our only route back to the house!! After a couple hours holed up in the pub and no sign of the truck being able to be moved, we were somewhat ironically reliant on the Munro climbers coming to rescue the beach walkers!!

Whilst hanging around, wining and dining I...

...HUNG OUT AT...the snug in the house in Gairloch...

...WINED ON...a beautiful Swiss red Hilary and Steve brought with them...

...DINED ON...a selection of beautiful dishes being made by us for us including red currant roast lamb, boeuf bourgignon and tonight we're on pad Thai noodles and Thai Red Curry!!! 

Post script - I changed my mind - New Years resolution is to stop eating and drinking!!

Have a wonderful new year and may 2015 be everything you hope for

And Happy Birthday to mum too.