Pippa & Pippi on the Isle of Bute

Hi,
Just an update on what Pippa and Pippi have been up to over the xmas and New Year Hoidays. 
Thay are both safe and sound, Donna Dawson and Mary Millar.

December 17, 2011

We arrived safely in a very dark parcel through the Royal Mail on the Isle of Bute.  We were delivered to Margaret Williams who is a chldminder.  Margaret’s home is really big and she runs Bute Babies (which you can read about her). Her home has three floors and the ground floor is just for child minding.  Margaret has 2 assistants who work with her on a part time basis and this allows her to care for 12 children at any one time.  Six under 5 years old and Six over 5 years old.   There are 15 children on the books of Bute babies ranging from 8 months old to 13 years old.  We are looking forward to meeting them.

December 18, 2011

After a lazy morning because we were so tired, Margaret and Don (her husband) took us for a trip around the island to see the scenery.  It is really breathtaking.  We decided to read the Sunday Papers and just have a lazy day.

December 19, 2011

Today, we met some of the children that Margaret cares for.  We also had a visit from the local newspaper (The Buteman) who interviewed us.  We were very quiet as we were shy and not sure if the reporter would understand our accent so Margaret spoke for us and told the reporter all about us. We had out photograph taken with some of the children.

December 20, 2011

A busy day for us today.  We went to “Bute FM” the local radio station who did another interview with us.  We are still shy so didn’t say much, but Margaret who never stops talking spoke for us.  It was very interesting and we asked for a song to be played for IFDCO.  They played “Tie me kangaroo down” by Rolf Harris.  Strangely, everyone though this was funny although we don’t know why.  In the evening we went to the Glenburn Hotel and watched the local pipe Band and the Highland dancers.  Marcela, one of Margaret’s minded children was dancing so we had a photo taken with her and her friends in their highland dress.  It was really good and we enjoyed it.

December 21, 2011

Today we went to school with Elena (another minded child).  Her mum took us in the car although it is not that far away.  We stayed in Elena’s class all day and met her classmates and her teacher.  The teacher made us very welcome and Elena was allowed to go around the other classrooms to introduce us to the whole school.  It was exciting but there were too many children to remember all their names.  We had a photograph taken with Elena’s class and her teacher.  We then went home on the school bus with Elena and Ronnie and walked up the hill to Margaret house.  Phewwww we were tired that night.

December 22, 2011

We decided to have a rest today because we had been invited to the Fire Station Christmas party at night time.  The local fire brigade has a children’s party every year for local children.  They clear the appliances out of the shed and fill it with children, music, balloons and play games. We all played games and danced.  We then had some lovely party food.  Back into the shed and we had to sing jingle bells very loudly.  Next thing we hear the sound of the fire engine siren.  Santa arrived on the fire engine.  Everyone got to meet Santa and we did too.  We had our photo taken with him.

December 23, 2011

Today we went to a puppet show with Margaret’s mindees.  That was good but the weather was pretty bad with high winds and lots of rain.  Margaret’s relatives arrived for the Christmas break and so did Chris her son who is 23.  He is at University in Glasgow.

December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve.  The weather has turned very nasty and the boats have all been cancelled. Thank goodness Margarets relatives arrived a day early as there are a lot of folks stranded on the mainland.

December 25, 2011

What a day!  We got up early to help open all the presents under the tree.  There were an awful lot.  Margaret got us a wee tin suitcase so we cold put our souvenirs from Scotland in.  We will be taking this back to Brisbane with us.  We had a lovely Christmas dinner with Margaret, her family, relatives and friends.  Everyone ate so much Christmas dinner and pudding.  Two hours later they were all hungry again and wanting Turkey sandwiches.  We don’t know how these cottish people survive all that food (and drink).  We had a lovely day with ots of visitors coming in and out.  The weather is better today, though still no ferries until tomorrow.

December 26, 2011
We had quite a lazy day except we went for a walk with Margaret and saw some more lovely scenery.

December 27, 2011

Today we traveled to Wales.  Margaret and family had intended to go tomorrow but the weather forecast is to be very bad and there will be no boats again.  So we are doing our traveling today.  We are going to North Wales to a place called Tywyn.  Margaret’s husband is welsh so we are visiting his family.  It was a long journey but we stopped in Glasgow for a while as we were taking Chris back to University.  I liked Glasgow; it is very big and busy.  We arrived in Wales very late so we went straight to bed.

December 28, 2011

The weather here is very very cold.  The mountain tops are covered in snow.  We went for lunch and on the way back we met our welsh cousin, another Koala that lives in Tywyn.  We had a picture taken by the “welcome to Tywyn “sign.

December 29, 2011

Today we went to a surprise 50th birthday party.  There were lots of children there and I had my photograph taken with Alison who hugged us all during the party.

December 30, 2011

Back to Scotland via Gretna Green.  Margaret bought us a wee pair of bag pipes and a postcard from Gretna Green.  Gretna Green is were people from England elope to, to be married.  You can get married in Scotland at 16 without parental consent so English runaways used to (and still do) run away to be married here as it is just over the border.  It was very nice.

December 31, 2011
Hogmanay
We had a party at Margaret’s house.  There were lots of people of all ages.  No one arrives till at least 11pm so we had a very late night.  We had our picture taken at midnight beside the grandfather clock.  There were fireworks and Chinese lanterns at midnight.  All the boats in the harbor hooted very loud and then a piper arrived and played a few tunes (very loudly) in Margarets Living room.  I had my picture taken with Daniel, the piper.  There were many tall dark men who came to “first foot” Margarets family bringing whiskey, shortbread and bits of coal.  Margaret explained all the traditions to us the next day.  We went to bed at 3am but the party continued till 6.30am.

January 1, 2012

We slept in very late.  Had a huge breakfast and had a lazy day.  There were visitors coming and going most of the day, first footing us.  We went out for dinner to Rob and Jos which was nice.  We sat on the table and kept an eye on everyone.

January 2, 2012

Oh dear, we woke during the night to Gale force winds and “huge” waves n the sea,  No boats today because of the weather, lots of storm damage.  Trees down everywhere.  Margaret’s home has been lucky, only a few slates off the roof but some others have not been so lucky.  There is damage everywhere.  Unfortunately the power lines have been damaged by falling trees and there is no electricity on the island.  We have a gas cooker which works but no heating.  The island is cut off from the mainland.  We have land lines but no mobile signals.  The day is spent looking out a the horrible weather and keeping warm.  Margaret makes soup and fills flasks of hot water for neighbors who have no gas.  We spend the evening in candle light and go to bed early to keep warm.

January 3, 2012

Still no power, still terrible weather, no TV and no radio signal now.  We are keeping our spirits up by playing board games.  Margaret gets a phone call from relatives on the mainland to say that the Isle of Bute has ade the national news as we are still cut off from the mainland and have no power.  We can’t watch it as we have no TV but it’s quite dramatic.

January 4, 2012

Things take a turn for the worse as the land line phones are now cut off.  Margaret was due to have the children back today but with no power, heating or telephones it is not safe or practical. None of the children arrive.  The local hospital has to move patients from the hospital into an old folk’s home which has a generator.  The wind has died down a lot this morning and the ferries are going to run.  We hear that there is going to be a generator and a soup kitchen coming from the mainland on the 4 o clock boat.  They are going to set up a place of safety for the vulnerable in a local hall.  They will be able to serve hot food and people will be able to go to keep warm.  One of the mums of Margaret’s mindees comes to ask if Margaret has any nappies.  She has run out of nappies and baby food and milk for her baby.  Margaret is able to give her nappies, some ready made emergency milk cartons and some baby food jars.  The mum is very relieved as there are no shops able to open and anyway the cash machines outside the closed bank are not working due to the lack of electricity.  Margaret ends down all the Xmas chocolates and tins of biscuits down to the Safety hall for the volunteers and guests.  Don is away volunteering at the hall and Margaret is still feeding the neighbors.  We all sit down to a hot meal at 6pm which Margaret has made.  Some neighbors join us and we all sit around the kitchen table.  At 9pm the power finally goes on.  Everyone is relieved but worried it may go back out.  The land line phones are now working too.  Margaret phones her relatives on the mainland o let them know we are all safe.  We stick the central heating on, blow out the candles and go to bed.

January 7, 2012

Margaret has been too busy emptying her freezers as al the food is spoiled and goes to the mainland to buy food as there is no fresh food yet on the mainland.  We stayed at home and have had a few lazy days getting over the drama of it all.

January 8, 2012

The minded children are all back today and have great stories to tell of their Xmas and New Year holidays. And also their power cut experiences.  We have watched them painting pictures of their Xmas presents and their Xmas trees.  They are all very chatty.  Tonight we are going to visit Barbara and her family.  Barbara is in charge of the local special needs club which helps with adults who have learning difficulties.  We are going into their class tomorrow and will join their activities till Thursday when the nice man from the local paper is coming to take our picture again.