With all the enthusiasm of two weeks off work we packed up the car with just about everything but the kitchen sink. Two bikes on the back, tent and basic camping equipment and normal holiday bits and bobs. There was even a little bit of room for two adults and a teenager. First mistake, we didn’t set off as earlier as we might usually manage, which meant we hit every little bit of traffic and therefore had the longest of journeys, not arriving until almost 11pm.
The bright side to a late arrival would be the chance to see the new road bridge at night….
No matter, we were here. The shoulders relax, the brain unwinds and we are back in Crail, a home from home. Up to our attic rooms and a good nights sleep and a whole week to look forward to.
Day one and we start with a walk around Roome Bay before I go back for my breakfast, the only time I ever have bread rolls for breakfast is when in Scotland, for some reason they are so much better than any we get round where we live. Number one boy is desperate to find out if the rope swing is still in place in Denburn Woods and I finally give in and let him go to find out, with the proviso to look, but don’t swing. Over protective mum I know, but that’s my job!!
All good, ropes swing is there and boy back in one piece. Then both grown up and teenage boy decide to go on a bike ride, not a long one, just to open up the lungs to the fresh sea air and blow away the cobwebs, although why there would be cobwebs in their lungs heaven only knows!
A wee while later and hubby arrives back, not too bad shape, but minus the boy. No problem, he’s down at the woods playing on the rope swing!! Doh! Ah well, what could possibly go wrong?! A short while later, sat at the dining room table I spot said boy coming up the path, jokingly I tell the others he is back and walking, so all good, he’s in one piece…. As he comes in I call out to ask if he’s okay, ‘not really’ is the response – oh sod!
First thing to strike me was he was filthy, well that’s okay, boys are washable. Then I see the blood on his face, right by his eye, not a good sign. A quick hose down in the shower so we can see what we are looking at and he has managed a cut by his eye, grazed face, arm, knees, a sore wrist and broken glasses – not bad going!
The cut by the eye is quite open, so a quick photo and hubby is sent to the local chemist for supplies and advice – soon to return with saline solution and steri strips to clean and close the cut. Cleaned up and the only real concern was potential concussion and his wrist, so off we go to St Andrews and the wee hospital there.
Fortunately we had an idea where it was, as the signposting was rather conspicuous by its absence, then when we got closer there were signs stating there was no A&E, but there was a Minor Injuries Unit – that’s fine, he is still a minor and he has injuries, so in we go. Of course the boy dared me to say as much to the receptionist and being a grown up, responsible individual I did – ‘I have a minor, he’s been injured, where should I take him?’
Very impressed with how quickly he was seen, taken for an x-ray and then cleaned up, given a splint and sent on his way – my butterfly stitches were deemed good enough to not require removing and reapplying, his knees and face were scrubbed again and a splint applied to his wrist as it was confirmed he has fractured his distal radius. Glad to escape without a plaster cast we made a break for freedom and to the town centre to get his glasses fixed. It would appear that he had a screw loose, so loose it fell out of his glasses and the leg fell off. Thankfully this was a quick fix and meant we were able to get a medicinal application of Jannetta’s ice cream organised before returning back to Crail!
Lesson learned? Maybe, maybe not, we’ll see. In the meantime we are counting our blessings; no serious injury, no plaster cast, glasses were easily repaired and sense of humour was definitely left intact – that’s my boy!!
