The Cottage - Day 8
The first day in almost a week that the dog doesn’t get up before me. Grey and windy outside, but judging by the sea maybe the worst has passed.
10 miles away the waves and their spray at the western edge of the near end of the far island, hide from view the far end. Even with the naked eye it’s a fantastic sight.
There is no water in the porch so the partially done paintings I left on the art table and leaning against the wall are all still dry. Being acrylic they wouldn’t be ruined by drops of water, though sitting in pools of water would do some damage to the wood the canvases are stretched on.
I was wrong about the weather. As the dog gets up it starts lashing and I shrug as I explain we’re not walking anywhere.
An hour later we have a repeat of the insect drama, only this time with a bumble bee.
-Dog-dog will you stop leaving the door open. I haven’t got time to run an insect rescue sanctuary.
The spider was probably miffed that I’d taken his weekend roast away from him yesterday so wastes no time with the bee. It takes seconds for him to pull the bee into a buzzy graveyard. I return to my tea glad that I can’t fly.
As the rain continues I look at pipes around the immersion heater to see if I can understand what is what. I can’t.
Bang my head on the way out of the bathroom.
It continues to rain.
I hear the familiar sound of a car pulling up. Given that cars don’t pull up I take the familiarity of the sound as a sign of how much at home I am.
For some reason I know that the people in the green car, my first visitors, are the the Polish family that rented the cottage before me.
I step out into the rain and they climb out of their car. We are all smiling at each other whilst being attacked my midges in the rain.
A dog gets out of their car as well. A big dog. Dog-dog and the visiting canine run around playing in the rain.
The family are here to show something they left behind to a couple of potential buyers. We chat in the rain for 15 minutes before we see a car come across the bog and I return inside to leave them to their business.
When the family are done I invite them in away from the rain and the midges.
-Do you know about the wind, the father asks me? And before I can answer he turns to his wife and asks her in English if I know about the wind.
-After the first two days a storm came from the east, I tell them, and I thought the house was going to take off.
-Ah, you know about the wind, they both smile.
Because I am lazy Long Grass is in the porch. The mother says,
-I would love to live just by bicycle but with the kids…
-Yes
-We had just one car when we came to this house but we needed to get a second one.
I encourage them to come in properly, to come into the kitchen. From their faces it is clear they love the cottage. They turn to each other and smile.
-It is very beautiful, they both say
They love everything inside the cottage and everything about its location. Until 3 months ago it was their home for 3 years.
I ask about their new home in a fishing village a few miles away.
-Are we settled? Yes. Yes, we are. We have 6 rooms now.
-Who do you know in the area, they ask me?
-Not a soul.
-You are like we were in our first winter. We walked a lot.
I ask about the quickest route to the beach on foot, and it doesn’t sound quite right to me, but they did live here for 3 years.
Their kids play with Dog-dog who is thrilled with the company. Both kids sport fringes that weren’t cut in a hairdressers. At the window in the rain their large chocolate lab-like dog presses his long face as he looks at me with his big sad eyes, and me alone.
-He always did that. We kept him outside.
I remember that I have post for them and I ask them for a forwarding address in case I get any more. They give me their phone numbers and tell me that if I ever want to socialise or just ask them anything to just call.
The kids play with Dog-dog’s toys and the youngest has to be persuaded to leave one behind.
It is dark when they leave and I stand out in the rain fighting off the midges as I wave them away.
Back inside I burn the last of the logs I picked up on the drive from Dublin over a week ago.
Outside it rains.
Read the Next Day at the cottage
Read the Previous Day at the cottage
List of all the Days at the Cottage
More from The Cottage:
• Day 1 at The Cottage
• Photos of The Cottage
• Posting the Cottage Chronicles
• 12 Photos of Scenery Around The Cottage
• 12 Photos not all Mountains and Islands
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
Dog-dog seemed to have a great time with your visitors. Seems to be quite a bit a rain there lately.
Dog-dog loves company, especially human. I think it’s fair to say there’s quite a bit of rain here all the time, though particularly in winter, which we haven’t got to yet.