Procrastination is the thief of time

An impossibly monochrome afternoon, the island is dreich and damp. Chronic procrastination is allegedly symptomatic of creativity,  this bagatelle of a post as an excuse for not finishing a very long and tedious report in data mobilisation.
A friend recently sent us a photograph of our croft house (now Croft Garden Cottage) taken in the 1980s. This was the perfect excuse to look for photographs of the cottage taken since we purchased the croft in 2007.

Croft-house-1980s
Croft House 1980s
Croft Garden Cottage 2016
Croft Garden Cottage 2016



About 15 years ago the original stone blackhouse was renovated – the dorma windows were replaced by modern velux roof lights, the original slates replaced by tiles and the whitewashed stone covered in harling.

In 2013 we removed the leaking roof lights, replaced all the windows and door, installed new plumbing and central heating and the old croft house became Croft Garden Cottage.

Architecturally it has lost some of its rustic charm, but the the location is still as beautiful as ever. I would like to think that the garden also adds a little something, but that is pure vanity.
And the canon – the story of myth and legend, allegedly genuine, but we were just left the concrete plinth!

11 thoughts on “Procrastination is the thief of time

  1. Saila

    Oh would it not be cool to have one’s own canon to point at vacuum cleaner salespersons etc!
    Lovely cottage it was to begin with, rustic and charming as you say, but I’m sure it’s many many times more comfortable now. The view is spectacular.

    • The croft house was still very primitive in 2007, but now its warm and cosy with a spectacular sea view.
      I wish we still had the canon, I could think of some suitable uses.

  2. It’s an idyllic spot. I’d be pointing the canon at the bunnies 🙂

    • Please do not mention the bunnies – I’m almost at the stage where I might go out and buy a canon.

  3. While we procrastinate, the world shuffles about a bit around us, making room for that which needs to be done. There might be some difficulty in doing so: it’s best not to be too impatient to return to the task we set aside!

    • I’m a dreamer and procrastinator, but a deadline and threat of dire consequences concentrates the mind. But not today, the sun is shining, skylarks are singing and the garden beckons.

  4. I can see the temptation to procrastinate when faced with data mobilisation and used to be a dab hand at it when I was still working, although lesson planning, like your report, still hangs heavy until its done – but I am glad that you still feel able to follw the lure of the garden when the sun shines. I had to smile at ‘your’ cannon – are none of the locals able to shed any light on it?

    • March and April are procastination months – too much paperwork on my desk and most of it generated by the government.
      The locals are very canny about the fate of the canon (or even canons), lots of red herrings and dead ends. I suspect that they should have been declared to HM Receiver of Wrecks (what a great title, much better than Coast Guards) and so they mysteriously disappeared. Such a pity, they might even have been associated with our shipwreck on the beach – although it is a liitle small for canons!

      • Ah, end of tax year… 🙁 So it will remain largely a mystery – although I suppose there will be some sort of cannon expert somewhere who could have told you what country it was made in and when it dates from… Never mind

  5. And do you have a helicopter and pad just out of view to get you to a doctor if you need one in a hurry? Brave you are…kudos. Diane

    • We have excellent local medical services and for emergency treatment you get airlifted out and can be at a large hospital in 30 minutes; much faster than by convential ambulance on the mainland. We’re only 20 minutes drive from the airport and a helicopter could land by my front door if necessary. Oh and its free on the NHS!

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