Who pulled the plug on the spring weather? It is absolutely freezing and I have to admit I have not ventured out today. I feel like going into hibernation.
Let's talk about the boys. In particular the Coast boys - Mark and Russell. These boys own and run the cafe/bistro in the village and they also live practically next door. I took my mother to Coast for lunch yesterday and the places was packed out. Coast is a place that draws people in and once visited it is on your coffee map for ever more. There is no doubt I am biased because Mark and Russell are good friends of mine but there lies the nub of it. Their personalities spill into their business and that is at the heart of the success. Mark and Russell care about what they do and it shows. They have a fabulous chef, Dot, and a wonderful team of waitresses but it is the boys that create the atmosphere.
Simply, but tastefully decorated Coast is a little bit of sophistication in a small village on a small island and there are many many of us grateful for that. Good coffee is a must in order to maintain a certain quality of life. I think Mark and Russell got this a long time ago as it is the cornerstone of their business. The boys work hard at their menus and I have never been disappointed. It is not easy running a cafe/bistro on a seasonal island that depends so heavily on tourists but Mark and Russell appear to have got it just right.
You can get the food, the drink, the service right and it can still lack that certain something. Mark and Russell are that missing ingredient and the combination is a true delight. Coast is a 'must do' for anyone visiting the island and a 'must have' for us locals. It sits right on the beach and shines very brightly indeed. Huge congratulations to both of them for such a successful business in such a difficult economic climate. At the end of this year of blogging I am going to list my top 10 favourite businesses on the island and they will each be included in my ebook 'A postcard from Arran'. I have absolutely no doubt Coast will be in that list and I don't think they will be lurking in the lower spots either.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Mark and Russell for all that they do and wish them continued success in the future.
On to other matters.....
Home school was a delight. Every year our family takes on a large fundraising campaign and this year is no exception. Last year we made and sold peg dolls to raise funds for orphans in Tibet. We had lots of local support in the peg doll making enterprise and we couldn't have done it without those people. After much searching we have selected our charity for this year.
EVERY 40 SECONDS A CHILD DIES OF MALARIA....
Shocking, I know. In school today we put together a six strand strategy to raise funds for 'The Butterfly Tree' who are based in Zambia. This charity is involved with health and education including contributing to the eradication of malaria. One mosquito net costs £5.00 but that net could save a life. Taking inspiration from their charity name we have designed a programme of events and opportunities to raise funds and I will publish the entire thing on my blog in due course. We never set a target because we don't need the pressure. Instead we just work ass hard as possible and, in the end, know that we have done the best we can. The short clip on Comic Relief of that small child drifting into a coma (from which he never recovered) will stay with me forever. Early detection of malaria is essential for successful treatment so there is much still to be done.
I hope that some of you might want to get involved once you see what we have planned. It is our most ambitious plan to date so we shall need all the support we can get. It took Max, George and I about an hour to put together the plan as part of home school after we had read the website. It would be wonderful if you could visit their website to see what it is all about. The boys and I then set about testing out the first part of the strategy which we then decided needs more work. We will stick at it!
I have also completed my Iluminated letter for the Women's Library in Glasgow.
Perhaps most exciting of all is the delivery of my sewing machine that Lynn kindly gave to me. My mother and her partner have lovingly restored it to its former glory and now I can start using it in my studio. The very first thing I am going to use it for is to make Lynn some lovely lavender goodies for her new(ish) flat. Lynn writes a blog most days Pearls and Oysters and it is always a good read. I find I read a lot more blogs these days and get so much out of them. I don't know why it has taken me so long to build this into my life.
Hope everyone has had a good Monday and that the warm sunshine returns for all of us very soon!
Until tomorrow. xx Picture is of one of my favourite parts of the grounds at Brodick Castle.
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