Dinner Party

Sitting in the Raasay Hotel with Deb at almost midnight. Had a lovely evening with Roger and Caroline and their friends, Sadie and Monica. Drinks, dinner, music, conversation. The rain beat down outside, but it was cozy inside their house, complete with two kitties -- Coco and Charlie. They are leaving on holiday tomorrow -- got to catch the 8 a.m. ferry -- so we're lucky to have gotten to see them and spend time with them.

Roger fetched us at the appointed time. The Raasay Hotel is run by a family with a lot of kids, who double as staff. It is cozy and friendly:



So the scene was a bit loose, but they turned up the heat for us, and all was well. I think only two other rooms were occupied. Anyway, it was just up the hill from R&C's place. But then, Raasay is small, so most things are near each other.

He made us gin and tonics (with lime but no ice ... it didn't freeze fast enough -- talk about roughing it!), and we listened to some music. He made me choose, and I was thinking kinda background-y stuff, so I picked Dido's first album, and later some Nina Simone, but I think he wanted more rock-like stuff b/c he took over during dinner and played the Verve and later some Snow Patrol, which was also groovy. We had some chat time with just Roger, and then Caroline came in from work and we met her. Then came Sadie and Monica. More drinks, then dinner (vegetarian meatballs in tomato sauce, french fries, salad, wine, and ginger cake with cream for dessert ... mmm). The conversation was lively -- about Scottish history and religion, how different countries do or don't teach certain aspects of history (ie, English schoolkids don't get anything on the War of 1812 -- that is, the second time we kicked their asses; German kids of Monica's generation didn't learn much about WWII; my generation barely heard a mention of Vietnam). Lots of talk about music, writing ... and great stories. Roger and Caroline told a fairly amazine one about Coco bringing in a duck through the cat door in the middle of the night (fortunately they saved it and got it back outside). Sadie topped that with a story about a huge male cat she knew of that once brought in a lamb!! Effing hell. Cats are definitely top of the critter food chain on this island.

So I told coyote stories and hawk tales and other fables of the backyard. Which I am far better suited to than history of any kind.

We stayed pretty late but not too late, I hope. Roger did not drink, and at the end of the night he returned us safely to our hotel doorstep. Goodbyes and thank-yous were exchanged ... I felt kind of glow-y from all the friendliness and camaraderie. I am glad Mick hooked us up. Also during the visit, Roger phoned up another of his and Mick's pals from the swinging London '60s days, the legendary "Boss" Goodman, and introduced us over the wire. I got his digits and said I'd call when I got into town. And we will meet up.

But tomorrow we stay put on Raasay. I cannot stand to move around again another night. Deb is going hiking, and I am gonna do my nails.