Referendum - final say & moving on.

"If Steve does not live in a house how come he is able to vote in the Scottish referendum?"

Barbara reliably informed me this was the question fired at mum Kirsten by six year old Angus as he was being driven to school.

We were visiting Barbara's niece Kirsten, partner Pete and children Angus and Rowan in their lovely rural Scottish Borders home. The previous night Barbara and I had thoroughly enjoyed a concert in 'Kelso' of Scottish Folk music by Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain. Two highly accomplished musicians with a wonderful line in banter. The evening was excellent and so was the walk back to Sadie afterwards. We were parked up for the night right outside the concert venue and a lovely park where Tanya could be walked.  

We were now twisting our way up a narrow lane toward 'Woden Law' which looked on the map to be a good 'Cheviot Hills' walk for a sunny and warm autumnal day. As I drove I pondered on the question asked by Angus. A six year old asking such a question sums up the almost unbelievable involvement by all strata of society in the recent roller coaster Scottish referendum. Schools from primary to senior had been involved as well as people from all walks of life. Many of whom had never before been motivated toward any sort of political involvement.  

This was the 'win win' of the referendum. From six year old youngsters to the very aged. All had got involved. Got involved enough to think about things and ask questions. Got involved enough to enable 3.6 million individual votes to be cast. 3.6 million votes indicating the governmental staus quo of the United Kingdom was not, in it's present form, OK.

The vote is over. The backtracking and mistrusted slippery political manoeuv'ring has now resumed. Oh but Wow! Scotland! What a place to be those few weeks before the referendum. I don't suppose I will ever experience anything quite like it again in my lifetime.

Now the leaves are dropping and the time has come for Sadie to turn South. Saying farewell to the little cottage called 'Sunnybraes' and Barbara contains an emotional roller coaster in its own right. One we both understand and know is the key to our times together being

 enhancing of both our lives.

Bye bye East Neuk of Fife and welcome to new travels.