Still dry!

I think there may have been three days rain since my last post! One notable effect has been the absence of 'the midge'. I was out on a training exercise with some guys from the expedition team last week at Ardheslaig. It was overcast, warm and still...normally a recipe for lots of jungle formula, midge nets and/or running around in circles frantically flapping arms/hands/various appendages; however, we were sitting down chatting away about our day's activity in total peace and quiet, how strange! This set me thinking about how a continued dry summer would impact the total midge population of Applecross (as other areas haven't been as dry). If this continued through to the end of the summer and the first frosts, then potentially there would have been very few breeding midge, which would have a huge impact on every creature that has come to depend on the midges as a food source. From spiders and bats right up the food chain. There's no telling how it's affected this years migratory birds, but I know that there are far fewer swallows, swifts and martins around our house than in previous years.

On a different note, I have now taken my running into a new direction with huaraches from www.invisibleshoe.com these sandals are the closest you can come to coating the world with a quarter inch of rubber and running barefooted. So far, I have managed a varied four miler and a road run of six miles with no ill effects (blisters, chafing, etc) and have worn them everywhere for the last week.

Andrew & Zoë have had a week's holiday already and seem to be having great fun. I've joined them for a few days already, but am looking forward to spending more time with them next week when their grandfather comes to visit. At the week-end we all walked to Uags with Andrew's friend Finlay and spent a night in the bothy there. On the walk back we saw an eagle, an alpine newt, a toad of some description, lots of orchids and dragonflys and generally had a good time playing games and flying our kite. Unfortunately, lack of foresight to take a camera means no pictures, but we had a great time. More trips planned for the rest of the holidays.

A bientot,