They used to run the re-enactment group I belonged to, but their dream was always to have a farm in Scotland.
Last year, they made the dream a reality, and this was the first time I'd had the chance to go up and visit them.
The journey took 9 hours - I had to set off at crack of dawn on the first bus. It was the last scheduled run of the school buses, and the schools had already broken up for the summer holidays, so I practically had it to myself, and got to chat to the Gurkha bus driver. When I said I was going to Scotland, he said he had enjoyed visiting Edinburgh with the army, and liked it during Festival season - but as the weather this year was so nice, he was planning to spend time on beaches around Wales for the summer holidays, a few days at a time.
When I got off the train at Galashiels, my lift for the rest of the way (a bright orange landrover) was waiting for me, and he took me first to the local pub that they frequent (local meaning within about 10 miles of their house - they really have gone for remoteness!) The Foxy Blonde beer was much appreciated after the long journey!
Then we followed the river up the valley, and further up, and through a small flock of chickens that scattered in front of us like an old film cliché (we managed not to hit any of them), and a bit further, until we arrived at the 90 acre hill farm they share with 27 sheep, 11 horses, 7 dogs and 3 pigs.
Within five minutes of me arriving, the pigs had got into the utility room.... and the caravan they had been going to put me in was out of bounds because wasps were building a nest in the electrics box. It was that sort of a holiday.
But I had great fun. They took me to Melrose Abbey, where the mummified heart of Robert the Bruce was buried, and I enjoyed playing at being an archaeologist again. The ruins are impressive; there's a good little museum, and look out for the bagpiping pig!
Oxford Sandy and Black pig and bagpiping pig
Melrose town is lovely too, and they have a shop there which is like a mixture of Shepherds Ice Cream and the Fudge Shop in Hay. The peach melba ice cream from Orkney was lovely. The town is also close to Trimontium Roman Fort, and Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott - maybe I'll manage to see those next time!
On the second day they took me to see a neighbour of theirs, a retired potter. That's to say, he's retired from selling his pottery, but he hasn't retired from making it, so his house and garden are full of wizards, goblins, sheep, Highland cows, castles with lots of round turrets.... and his art work covers every inch of the walls inside the house. Some German visitors told him that he was very like a children's character in Swedish picture books, Pettson, who has a cat called Findus. While we were chatting, he showed us how to make pottery mice.
So I had a magical time - but the train journey back nearly wiped me out, so I'm only just getting back to normal now.
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