Smile

By Morag MacLeod

My life in a few words and chapters. Will you enjoy it? I hope so. There are funny bits but also sad bits. Yet that is what our life is made up of. One thing I try and do every day, is to smile and find something positive to smile about! Go on - you know you want to - read about what I got up to. People tha

• Language: English
• Publisher: Morag MacLeod
• Release date: Nov 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781913704988

Book preview

Chapter 1

How do you start writing a book? Everywhere you look, someone new seems to have written a book about some subject or other! Me? I just want to let you know how I cope being a part-time crofter, part-time agony aunt, part-time shop assistant at a local filling-station, a part-time mum and a very part-time wife! What I value most is my faith in God. I have one or two best friends and I am thankful to have a soul sister whom I love to the moon and back. Of course we have had disagreements but hey, that’s life. I have one blood sister but we are like ‘chalk and cheese’. There were three of us but my brother died four years ago. He and I were like two peas in a pod. To say I miss him is a massive understatement! But as the years pass, you learn to deal with it. You know you will never get over it but yet you are thankful for all the memories you have.

Now we come to Belle, my dog. She is a cross Collie/Lab who is as daft as I am. This equals FUN! She was born into a litter of nine! I went up to choose a pup. But she chose me! And her unconditional love for me gets me through many a day and night.

The next bit is FUN as well. I am the proud owner of six cows. Their names?

Bonnie – black

Snowy – speckled white

Rosy – big, brown and a white face

Annie – older cow: brown and white

Morag – also older: brown with a white face

Kirsty – she is Annie’s daughter, so is also brown and white

In fact, I went to see my cows earlier on. I had a touch of depression, menopausal upset and just feeling fed up. So I jumped on my quad bike, took my dog with me and went to spend quality time with my girls and one boy (a calf)! I know I shouldn’t have favourites but I do! Her name is Bonnie. She loves to be spoken to and to have her back rubbed. I felt so much better after talking to her! Honestly, I did. My dog, Belle, was a bit jealous, but she does understand. My only male calf and one of the female calves will have to be sold. Sad but that is the joys of crofting! One of the other things I like about crofting is the fellowship amongst us all. I am very small fry compared to some of the big boys! And girls maybe! (Don’t want to be labelled as being ‘sexist’)

So that is it. My male calf and one of the female ones, ie: Willie and Katie Morag have been sold. Yes, I have been assured I got good prices for them! You see, in the great scheme of things, money means nothing to me. Next stage for me and my girls (my cows!) is to get ready for winter. Sort out their feeding.

I am well into feeding my cows and the two calves. The calves’ names are Daisy and Bunty. I’ll give you a laugh. When Bunty was born, some of us thought it was a male calf. Now as soon as a calf is born, it’s mother becomes a lethal weapon! And if you dare go too close, the cow is indeed capable of killing you. So, with this in mind, and bearing in mind I had named this ‘male’ calf Kevin – turns out Kevin is a girl! People that know me well, know I am quite crazy. But I didn’t want to be taken away by the ‘white coat brigade’, so I changed Kevin to Bunty.

The fun doesn’t stop there! The other calf, Daisy, likes to pop in to a neighbouring crofter’s field. So as I am writing this, Bunty and Daisy are making new friends! Never fear, they are coming back home to me tomorrow.

I love working on my croft. Even the paperwork does not put me off. If I need help or don’t know something – I open my mouth and ask, politely!

Earlier I mentioned that I suffered from depression. This was made worse when I was made redundant from my job in the filling-station. In my letter of termination, the reason I was dismissed was ‘that my attitude and verbal challenges did not fit in with how the company was being run’! At the age of fifty-three, I have never been sacked from a job. Not that I can remember? And so, it sent me to the Pit of depression. I lost my confidence. It made me take a good, long, hard look at myself. It was very much a Learning Curve! But it made me a stronger person. Made me more of a fighter. And far more important, some of my confidence has been restored.

On the employment front, I managed to secure a few hours in a local café. But after my first shift, I thought to myself, I am too old for this and too grumpy! To set your minds straight – usually I am a very laid-back, cheery, sort of a person. But woe betide you if you get on the wrong side of me.

Now, of course, through the natural wonders of the Menopause and keeping on top of my Black Dog – I lead a very emotional roller-coaster of a life. And at times, it is fun! What else can one do but burst out laughing!

The only positive side of suffering from mental health issues, is that it helps me try to be of help to other sufferers. At times, all I need is someone to listen, maybe provide a hug or at times some advice. Over the years I have learned to recognise these signs in other people. So I try to help them; by listening, by giving them a hug and if I can, advise them.

The people who have helped me know who they are. They know how thankful I am to them.