Monday 31 May 2010

The corporate wife in Fife

I have over the 20 years of so that we've lived in Scotland joined Mr FF on various business events, dinners, sporting fixtures, concerts etc where he and I have entertained guests on behalf of his company. We've had some lovely occasions and one of our regular dates is the May bank holiday summer weekend with his fellow professionals when the chairman of the Scottish branch selects a venue and entertainment for about 25 couples including dignitaries from head office. We took our turn a few years ago when Mr FF was chairman so I know how much planning and organisation is involved to make a successful weekend. This weekend we went to St Andrews, home of golf, the oldest university in Scotland and a beautiful seaside location. I'm quite partial to a couple of nights in a hotel, no housework, gardening or cooking and plenty of time for leisurely baths and lounging. Our hotel was nice enough though we didn't enjoy a sea view from our room just from the dining table. When we first started attending this event it was usual for the men to do manly things on the Saturday, either play golf or visit some feat of engineering while more gentile entertainment was provided for the ladies, nowadays things are a bit more equal. However, we never join in the daytime activities as we prefer a good walk to discover the area. So we took ourselves off with a couple of friends to walk along the beautiful Fife coastal path, sunshine, a bracing breeze and salty air, lovely.We finished in the much photographed fishing village of Crail, you may have seen it before on jigsaw puzzles and the like.
Each morning big cooked breakfasts featuring kippers and smoked haddock were followed by a lot of chat, some fascinating conversations about a trip to Bolivia and some really boring ones about the finer details of railway bridges or children's forthcoming examinations. It is the duty of the corporate wife to listen attentively to people who consider conversation a one sided event but luckily this wife had her sock knitting to keep her occupied during the duller moments.On the way home we stopped off at the lovely Hill of Tarvit, a National Trust property that is now open only on certain dates and run almost totally by volunteers. A beautiful family home in gorgeous gardens and parkland, full of interesting items and complete with a tearoom that served quality tea in a china pot with delicious home baking. This is the kind of property I pay my subscription for the Trust to maintain and I can feel another Mrs Angry letter coming on complaining that they prefer to spend millions on swanky new visitor centres (that provide a teabag in a mug and bought in confectionery) while these little gems, often left as this was to the care of the Trust by the family, are neglected or closed.

11 comments:

  1. Oh what a lovely weekend Jenny. The views are very picturesque. I agree with you about the National Trust properties. It is such a shame when the best are often the neglected. Hooray for sock knitting to the rescue though. Ros

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  2. That looks a really lovely spot. Maybe I could get Mr. G up to Scotland for a holiday sometime? Must work on him!

    Trouble is with the National Trusts that the swanky new Visitor Centres bring in the money, as everybody buys the knick knacks covered in twee flowers, and books and cards etc. The lovely ones serving real teas tend to get left out of the loop.

    Sometimes I think people go to the NT places just for the shop!

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  3. Our eldest daughter went to St Andrews University, so the photos of your trip this weekend have revived some happy memories of visiting her there.

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  4. Oh I'm so jealous!! I'd give almost anything to be able to walk along the coast of anywhere again!! Lakes are just not the same..
    What a beautiful place is St Andrews. When I was working I had many clients who would fly from here to golf there and I always wanted to be packed in some ones suitcase. It never happened though!!
    That is a beautiful National Trust house and they are well worth preserving.

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  5. What BLISS! Now that's a lovely way to spend some days... aaahhh... Glad you had a wonderful time Jenny. Beautiful photos! :o) ((HUGS))

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  6. Loved this entry. When we lived in Scotland we vacationed in St. Andrews for years--renting student digs for a few weeks in the summer. Happy memories!

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  7. Great photographs and oh, that beach!

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  8. "Each morning big cooked breakfasts featuring kippers and smoked haddock..." -- the visuals alone of that glorious-sounding breakfast. Love it!

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  9. Scotland looks absolutely beautiful. How lucky for you! Those ocean views are breathtaking!

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  10. What a lovely weekend. Ditching the housework and heading for a hotel sounds like bliss! Glad you both had a good time.

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  11. The beach photos look stunning. Love the fact you take your knitting everywhere!

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