Spectacular...

Playlist
Various - Holiday Hits
Various - Jukebox Playlist Arran No 2

Did I mention it's been raining since Saturday night?

Well it has and this morning was no exception as down it came again...

Up late (again) and Anne made breakfast today - bacon, eggs & tomatoes and toast, coffee & juice...

Then some relaxing around the house...

We also put out some bread for the wildlife and attracted a robin, some blackbirds, a few crows and a lovely wee red squirrel...

We finally hit the road around 2 - to Brodick for some tourist information and then back to Lamlash with a view to buying some steaks for dinner this evening. To no avail though, as the butcher was shut and the Co-op had none...

We opted for chicken instead - tonight it was to be Penny's turn to cook...

Then down the coast to a rain-lashed Whiting Bay (see wind-battered Xmas tree below) where we walked around getting soaked before visiting the art gallery - the worried wee dog outside awaiting its mistress was not for sale...

Drove to the Eden Bar for coffee, only to be told their machine was on the blink and received a recommendation for the Kildonan Hotel further south - we noted a pub-quiz was to take place at Eden on Thursday...

By now we were driving through mist and rain but finally found the Hotel in question - the coffee was superb and the wee biscuits which came with it enticed into ordering seconds...

After watching Superman and his mates playing pool...

..your correspondent was soundly beaten by Count Brodski by accidentally potting the black out of turn...

By the time we emerged it was dark, adding further to the treacherous driving conditions but that didn't stop us from vivsiting the Co-op (fast becoming our favourite haunt) for cakes...

We stayed in all night and Penny made a lovely chicken and olive risotto from scratch. Mmm, mmm...

Dinner was followed by copious amounts of drink all round as we headed for midnight accompanied by "Coronation St", "Eastenders" (A&P are fans), "River City" (ditto), "Only an Excuse" and "Still Game"....

For the bells we had some very smokey sparklers and champagne on tap...

Penny headed outside to get reception to call her folks and noted a bonfire along the shore so we grabbed our coats and some drinks and set off to see what the buzz was...

We came across some spectacular fireworks being set off by one of our neighbours - he'd paid over £300 for three boxes containing three separate displays, each comprising 1,500 or so fireworks...

Spectacular!!

We commandeered what turned out to be the abandoned bonfire...

We hung around here getting warm and drunk before setting off for home...

Finally went to bed around three after some excellent smoked salmon toasties from Penny...

Happy New Year!!!

Highlight of the Day : The red squirrel on our doorstep..