Dad's summer report 1996 - extract from a letter

Tuesday 30 July 1996 

After nearly three years since we had the house built, I have finally managed to sow grass seed and I have just given the lawn its first ever cut this weekend. Seann Bhruthach means "old slope" in Gaelic and the land was formerly the site of an old dry ski slope which had to be dug out before the house could be built. Consequently there has been a lot of clearing up to turn the ground into a garden.

The house is about 260m above sea level and it was -25C here last Christmas. Despite this, most of the trees and plants seem to be coming along well. During the holidays I have been building a playhouse in the garden for the children. Jamie loves to be outside in the garden and he is not happy for me to sit inside when there is building work to be done!

The completed playhouse, 1997