Summer Holidays - Week 4 - The week of the heatwave

Those weather forecasters got it right after all, last week. The heatwave did hit after all and every day saw temperatures of nearly 30C, which for us Scots is pretty hot.

I think the heat maybe did something to the internet though, as all over the island there were patches where the internet was down!

At the beginning of the week Alasdair (5) helped my dad out in the garden for a bit. Under the watchful eye of Fraser.

Also earlier on in the week, my husband took the three older boys to help take the peats home for an old friend of his. His old friend also happens to be a journalist who then wrote an article about bringing his peats home, and so I'll share more about 'the peats' in another post this week.

He had enough peats to give a generous amount to my parents as well and so David (8) was only too keen to show us how he could work the tipper on the lorry they used to collect them.

Alasdair managed to pick up the smaller ones and helped to sweep up the mess.

We called in to visit some other old friends of ours one evening. The dads and older boys went out on their wee fishing boat while the younger children stayed with the mums. I tried to to explain the basics of crochet without Fraser grabbing hold of the wool too much!

When the fishermen returned with about 10 mackerel, some of the children stayed out bouncing long into the evening.

By the middle of the week we decided the best way to beat a heatwave is to hit the beach. Again.

This beach is the one from the village my dad is from. The best beach on the island - if you ask my dad! It is a rather lovely one, and not the easiest to get to so you can almost guarantee to have it to yourself. Or if there is anyone else on it they are probably relatives of mine! 

That sea was gloriously warm to swim in!

The boys love the freshwater springs at this beach and always bring a bottle of it home for my dad. 

Another day we headed to the west of the island, to the village where the Cbeebies programme Katie Morag is filmed. Alasdair is a big fan and wanted to see Katie Morag's house.

For those who haven't heard of Katie Morag, it is a series of children's books. They are set on the fictional Island of Struay but Lewis made the perfect match for filming the TV programme based on the books.

The animals used on the show belong to friends of ours and so we popped in to say 'hello' to them too. Here are some of the boys with Katie Morag's Granny's dog.

In a couple of episodes there are some highland cows and these are the stars of those episodes.

While we were on the west of the island we also spent the afternoon at another beach.

Don't you think these waters could pass for tropical ones? The sand was even so hot that you could barely walk on it!

The sea on this side of the island is the Atlantic ocean so there is nothing else out there until you hit Canada.

The waves are also much stronger there too, although they don't look it in these photos, with some strong currents, and so despite it's beauty this beach wasn't as good for swimming as the previous ones we have been to.

Still, it was lovely for cooling down in if you didn't venture in too far.

Fraser found the splash of the waves hilarious.

When they had had enough of the sea the boys raced up the giant sand cliff so that they could throw themselves down it again.

And as well as all those beach trips there was also plenty of shinty around the house.

Some more barbecues.

Some tired out little boys.

 And the chance to spend time with family. Like great granny, seen here with Fraser, who despite being a little unsure when sitting on other peoples knees, always behaves impeccably when he sits with great granny.

It was quite a week!

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