This post is for Friday the 31st of August which was a whirlwind day. We began the day with a tour of the Cordiner's sawmill (the elder Cordiner is a Rotarian) and a discussion with the owners about the market for their wood products and byproducts. It was really interesting learning a bit about the machines that turn trees into lumber. This was followed by an excursion to Craithes Castle. A well reburbished and apppointed castle nearby to Banchory. Some intereting features were the thick walls, spiral staircases (always clockwise to aid in defense), painted beams overhead in some rooms, beautiful gardens on the grounds, and the ornately panelled ceiling in the upstairs room (used as a court or tribunal).
After lunch (which included venison burgers for Ben and me), we returned to town for our "afternoon off". Well, no one took the afternoon lying down. Ben and Emily went to Dunnottar Castle. They RAVED about it and I am jealous that I didn't go. Jim went golfing and put me to shame, scorewise. I think he reallly had fun and said the whole course was uphill, though I find that hard to believe. Casey went fishing in the Dee River and learned some new techniques, discovered some new gear, and had a great time. Sadly, the fish had already learned the new techniques and new gear, and they too had a good time avoiding his hook. Oh well.
I went to a Blind Shooter's Competition. I learned a lot about a new sport that will be in the ParaOlympics in Rio in 4 years. Perhaps there are some folks back in the USA, who could take this up. Maybe I will follow up on this upon my return. I would like to.
Dinner was in various homes. Emily and I ate in the home of Jim and Tina Hammond, along with my host John Kaighin, and had a wonderful time (though Emily did have to put up with a bit more talk about the Blind Shooting). Tomorrow: off to Braemar.