Today’s excitement was an appt with the dentist, during which my Birmingham friends left for their long drive. It has been perhaps seven months since I have been to the dentist, and I could detect that I am a couple of notches lower, strength-wise. Last time he spotted a couple of teeth that needed attention, and I persuaded him to wait until Covid had retreated. This time, when I was about to suggest a further postponement, he had his drill going before I could (so to speak) open my mouth.

 

So now I have sounder teeth (I hope) and less money. Dentists must have had a hard time lately, along with a lot of other people. Everything was very hygienic.

 

No knitting. The dentist’s office is very near, but straight up hill. It took a lot out of me. But I have been making kimchi, and have but to assemble and pot it before I go to bed.

 

Here is my report to my nearest and dearest on Day Five of the cruise: 

We got up early and went to Cape Wrath and then turned around and came back again. A long day. It was the first time the Majestic Line had reached it. This is a fairly new cruise and several iterations of it were cancelled last year and this. The others were impeded by the weather. The crew had themselves photographed there -- I'll try to get a copy (and who was driving the bus at that point?) 

 

Now we are anchored at Loch Nedd. The skipper chose it from a chart, never having been here. The sun is out. It's a beautiful spot, a beautiful evening. The able-bodied tried to go ashore but couldn't find a landing. Then the feeble were given a tour by tender. We saw deer -- grey, sort of donkey-coloured, not like Perthshire deer. And a seal.

 

You saw the picture of our crew at Cape Wrath a couple of days ago.

 

Here is C’s picture of Cape Wrath itself::

 

The lighthouse is by one of the Stevenson family, as are most of the great lighthouses of Scotland. They regarded Robert Louis as rather a weak limb on the family tree.

 

And here are two other pictures by C., from Loch Inver the night before. She has a brilliant eye, like her mother and like her uncle, my husband.