Overall, not a bad day.

DEAR SPOOK, I got up this morning and dressed in your old overalls. Of course, whilst this looks very effective on the hard work front, it usually means that I don't achieve very much. True to form, it was your father and Frazer who got the dirtiest and I just handed out some nuts and bolts. They were good for keeping the wind off though. Aileen and I went to the coal yard to get some bags for the braziers. She loaded the van while I chatted with the coal men. They offered me a job, as the office girl has 'jacked' and Dougal said I would fit in really well, as most of the rest of them stood around talking while he did the work. Aileen got really dirty, but your overalls are still clean. When I made further enquiries about the job, however, it turned out to be a serious office/invoicing job, full on until April. Not what I need as a filler. Still, as you could imagine, the craic with the boys would have been great. A bit like being a tree-planter again.
It was similar at the Quarry when Frazer and I went to confirm last minute plans for marking that part of the course. It was full of Highland men, standing around exchanging light-hearted banter and not in a hurry for anything. When we went in, they were discussing a mate going in for ultra sound and how scared he was. I tutted about how unscary ultra sound was - especially when I heard that it was just for his stones. They had to spell out to me that his 'stones' were not his kidney ones, but the outer ones in his nether region. It did help to remind me why I had liked it here so much. Mostly I have been seeing the busy Lochaber town, queues of traffic, queues of people in the supermarket, and finding it just too much. I went to the big supermarket to buy food for the marshalls and it took me a long time to get round. A combination of size, time of day and number of people I knew. Meg was horrified that I hadn't removed the overalls. There are not as many women in overalls here as there are in the Wanaka supermarket. At least mine were clean.
I still feel it very sad that we are not doing the 2nd year in NZ, but the children are so happy to be back in their comfort zone, that I think for them, it has been the right decision. I never thought about the potential for rumour, with you not returning with us. Lenore did ask, tentatively, if you were coming back. I wonder how many people are thinking the same thought, but too scared to ask. With me cutting such a dashing figure in the overalls and my Kiwi hat, I know that there can be no doubt in the strength of my charms.
I hope you had a good night at the Turner's house.
xxx