Easter holidays: Black Isle bliss in a Boathouse - and a beautiful baby, too

So, I said to the Liberal Democrat Voice team just before I headed off for a week in the Highlands mostly sans internet signal "Don't let anyone do anything interesting while I'm away." That worked out well.

A wee bit of insight into how normal people live, though. When I found out about Margaret Thatcher's demise I was in the car en route to my sister's for some baby snuggling. On arrival, I told my niece. In my own house, I'd have switched onto the News Channel and kept that on in the background all day. They were watching the Simpsons Movie. And they kept doing so. When it ended (a blessed relief, let me tell you), I asked if we could see some news. After just ten minutes, they got bored and put something else on. I always new that my political geekery was weird, so this wasn't a revelation

We stayed in the Boat House on the Rosehaugh Estate near Avoch. I've loved the Black Isle with a passion all my life. Rosemarkie beach is one of my favourite places on earth and my Great Aunt Vera and Great Uncle Sandy lived in Fortrose for over 20 years. 

The Boathouse itself is beautiful. It's very well equipped and decorated inside. I wasn't so keen on the evil spiral staircase, but I loved the view from the bedroom -  even though I wasn't quite to wake up to this on the first morning:

It wasn't a particular surprise that it could snow on the Black Isle in April. It did last year, just a few weeks before my sister's wedding. At least this time the power didn't go off, although we did scurry off to Inverness to buy a couple of torches just in case as there were none in the house.

The Boat House has a lovely terrace and I'd envisaged spending lots of time out there reading, but although the weather improved, the temperature only really got higher than Baltic on the last day.

Here is the house itself:

When it was originally built over 100 years ago, it sat on the middle of the lake, not at the end of it and was only half the size. The Estate restored it and added the extra wing which contains the kitchen and one of the bedrooms in 2006.

There are lots of walks round about. Just down the road is a very pretty waterfall.

The lovely people in the photo are my lovely brother-in-law, niece and sister. I'm on the nice safe path with the baby.

I'm not good at anything that isn't a nice path - but fortunately my husband and daughter are much braver than me.

One disappointment was that we totally mistimed our visit to Chanonry Point, arriving at high tide, so we had no chance of seeing the dolphins.

We enjoyed exploring the Estate. I just wish we could have been there in its heyday. It's so sad to think that all that's left of this magnificent house is its terraces.And the wine cellar.

We found these cute pixie houses, too.

The real highlight of the holiday was meeting my younger nephew Baby Ethan for the first time. I spent lots of time snuggling him and looking at him in utter awe and amazement. He's such a perfect wee thing. Not that I'm biased or anything. And he clearly adores his Auntie Caron. All my nieces and nephew are perfect, of course. And they all adore their Auntie Caron too.

I hate being away from the wee one, though - I saw how much he changed just over the course of a week and he'll be all grown up before we know it.

It was a lovely week away - and I coped better than I thought I would with the social media and internet deprivation.

Now I'm back and my to-do list is very long and scary. I'm sure there aren't enough hours in the day for it.

Caron's Catch-up - Easter special

I decided it was time to start a new mini feature where I could quickly write down all the things I don't get round to writing proper blog posts about.

Where I've been: Nowhere very much, a change from most of the rest of March. A trip into Edinburgh for some Lib Demmery was just about it.

However, that is all about to change as we head to a spectacular '80s party at Anne and Stevie's tonight. Complete with Bob's new fog machine.....

Where I've almost been: 

I might have gone to see Rory Bremner recording his new show in Edinburgh. My friend had a confirmation email, but we found out late on Thursday that that didn't necessarily mean we'd get tickets.

What I've watched:

An increasingly depressing House of Lords debate on secret courts.

Very interesting documentary about Mary Magdalene, which has offended some for the few seconds in which Melvin Bragg discussed and drew no conclusions on whether Mary had had a sexual relationship with Jesus Christ. The only thing that offends me is the way in which Mary seems to have been stitched up by the patriarchy of her day and beyond. Anyway, it's well worth watching so catch it on the iPlayer if you can.

Masterchef: I have to try making Skordalia. Sounds delicious.

What I'm reading: Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn. Not far in but enjoying the characterisation and style.

Highlight of the week:

Without doubt, the arrival of my gorgeous nephew, Baby Ethan. At a week old, he's discovered Cardigan Chic.

It's still another week until I get a cuddle with him - he'll be grown up by then! I can't wait.

Not loving:

The weather. Too darned cold, and I don't expect to have to drive through the snow to pick my daughter up for her Easter holidays.

George Carey: He has a very strange view of the word marginalised, I must say.  The Christian religion has special provision for schooling, reserved places in Parliament, and a highly privileged position in our culture. What is a shame is that he's been quite happy to marginalise women, LGBT people and anyone else who doesn't agree with his world view.

His comments on equal marriage are especially bizarre given that the Church of England has been given a specific exemption from the legislation. They are given more protection than they need. Why should they wish to stop other people from living their lives as they wish. Couples want to get married because they love each other, not to spite the Church.

North Dakota's new abortion law: the most restrictive of the 13 passed in the last three years by various US states.

Looking forward to:

Two weeks off with Bob and Anna. I think pandas and penguins might feature in the next week, as will the Science Festival in Edinburgh. And then we're off to the Black Isle.

Baby Ethan is here!

How gorgeous is my lovely younger nephew, born at 12:20 am today? Unlike the rest of his siblings, we knew his name and what he looked like before his arrival due to the wonders of technology.

He may have been due last Sunday, but when he decided the time was right, he didn't hang about. I got a text from my sister saying she was off to hospital at 11:18 pm.

Next thing I knew, his photo appeared on Facebook. He is the second of my parents' grandchildren to have been born on a Saturday. The others  have all been born on Mondays or Fridays. And they have all been gorgeous too. And still are.

He is an enormously lucky little boy. Apart from his parents, he has five sisters and a brother to dote on him, two sets of grandparents, two aunties and uncles and 3 cousins to spoil him. And did I mention how cute he is, even though it's blindingly obvious:-).

I've had Anna's baby photos out today. She is unimpressed at the number of dresses I made her wear as a baby. She's only worn one in the last 5 years or so and that was for my sister's wedding last year.

So, welcome to the World, Baby Ethan. Hope you find it as full of love and hope as you find yourself surrounded by today. And well done to my amazing sister, too.

Looking forward to Baby Ethan's arrival...

At some point in the next couple of weeks, my new nephew, Baby Ethan, will be born. We already have a little idea what he looks like from one of these full colour 4D scans. He is the spitting image of his Daddy which, according to my friend, is one of those primal biological arrangements to ensure said Daddy recognises him as his own and doesn't eat him. Anna was my husband's double when she was born, so there may be something in that.

This is the first time we've known either the sex of the baby or their name in advance. It's all very exciting. Baby Ethan is my sister's fifth child and her husband's third, so six siblings are eagerly anticipating his arrival. My sister has form for giving birth at the most inconvenient times for my Liberal Democrat activity - both Laura and Aimee were born during Liberal Democrat conferences, Emma was born during the 1997 election campaign and Ru was born when I was 32 weeks pregnant on the very anniversary of the formation of the SDP. Lucky boy.

We've had a bit of a family sweepstake on when he would arrive and how much he would weigh. I reckoned, for maximum inconvenience to me, he would be born today, just as I head to Brighton for the weekend. If it's not today it's bound to be next Thursday as I head to Dundee for Scottish Conference. 

My sister's pregnancies don't come uncomplicated. She has been so amazing in the way she has dealt with a pretty difficult time. She's kept smiling for much more of the time than I would ever have managed and just got on with stuff. I have nothing but admiration for her. She is absolutely brilliant. I can't wait until she has her gorgeous wee baby boy and I have another little sweetheart to adore. I'm so looking forward to a wee cuddle with him. I'm not sure I'll be allowed though. When Emma was a week old, I changed her and put her outfit on the wrong way round. I don't think she or my sister has ever forgiven me...

As I published this, I realised that it was my 3000th post on this blog. Quite an auspicious moment. 

Starbucks tax farce is one thing - but messing with my unborn nephew is another

The idea that you or I could just turn up at our local tax office and tell them how much tax we were going to pay them is utterly ridiculous. I'd kind of like to try, just to see their faces. It seems that corporate muscle will allow you to get away with a multitude of sins. I don't see what's wrong with Starbucks working out what profit they make in this country and pay tax on it. It's not rocket science. and it's what, as Christine Jardine pointed out in the Scotsman the other day, the little independent coffee shops do.

Your average Starbucks Latte costs around £2.80. For a wee bit milk, some coffee and a scoosh of steam, even with overheads, I really have difficulty with the concept that the company is not making  a profit in this country. 

I was pleased to see our Stephen Williams taking them apart in the Telegraph:

It is extraordinary. People have been joking that some of these multinationals seem to think that paying tax is voluntary. Well, Starbucks have just confirmed the joke really. Tax is something that is a legal obligation that you should pay. It’s not a charitable donation in order to gain brand value.

If every branch of Starbucks upped and offed because they were forced to pay a fair rate of tax, that would surely leave a massive gap in the market to be filled by entrepreneurs with independent shops. The demand for these places is surely there.

One person might miss them rather a lot, though. I'm fairly certain that the chain will be making a profit now, even if temporarily. My sister is currently expecting her fifth baby. Little Ethan is due to arrive, like his big sister did, in the middle of a Liberal Democrat Conference in just 14 weeks time.

It greatly distressed my little sis when I told her, very gently, yesterday, that the eggnog lattes she is currently craving and imbibing in industrial quantities will not be available after Christmas. So, she rang up Starbucks customer services to see if she could buy bottles of the special eggnog flavoured milk that they use to make it and they told her no. So, not only are they not paying an appropriate amount of tax, they are also depriving my sister and little Ethan of what have clearly become an essential part of their daily lives.

When I told my Facebook friends about this yesterday, one suggested Advocaat as a substitute. I think the brandy in that may not be good for little Ethan. Someone posted a Martha Stewart recipe for eggnog for my sister to make which I'm sure she'd do if she was desperate, but it might not have the same appeal. Starbucks sell their ground coffee, which fiendishly tempts you as you queue. Surely it wouldn't hurt to add some of their additives/milks to their merchandise range. It could only add to their profits and help the UK's coffers. What's not to love?