“My knickers are well known all across the country…”
Written by John Macpherson
The Kyle of Tongue, Sutherland, Scotland © John MacPherson
…said the elderly lady, her reply to my request that I might take a picture of her hanging out her laundry in a spectacular North Sutherland location.
“Aye certainly you can take a photo, wait and I’ll just get out of the way!”
She joined me on the road, smiling. “The number of times this washing line has been photographed, so many times, appearing on newspapers, in magazines all over the world, and it’s usually my old knickers I’ve hung out on the day they take the pictures!”
I smiled “No underwear problems today then, just sheets and pillowcases. But you’ll need to make sure you make a good job of cleaning those knickers though, just in case eh!”
She burst into fits of laughter “Och away ye go with ye, ALL my washing is immaculate, especially my knickers!”
I had to agree “Yes I can see that, and you have such a responsibility, you’d not want to spoil such a fine view with some saggy old drawers!”
She laughed and laughed and laughed…
Wee Highland moments. They’re just the best!
Author — John Macpherson
John MacPherson was born and lives in the Scottish Highlands. He trained as a welder in the Glasgow shipyards, before completing an apprenticeship as a carpenter, and then qualified as a Social Worker in Disability Services. Along the way he has cooked on canal barges, trained as an Alpine Ski Leader & worked as an Instructor for Skiers with disabilities, been a canoe instructor, and tutor of night classes in carpentry, stained glass design and manufacture, and archery. He has travelled extensively on various continents, undertaking solo trips by bicycle, or motorcycle. He has had narrow escapes from an ambush by terrorists, been hit by lightning, caught in an erupting volcano, trapped in a mobile home by a tornado, kidnapped by a dog's hairdresser, rammed by a basking shark and was once bitten by a wild otter. He has combined all this with professional photography, which he has practised for over 35 years. He teaches photography and acts as a photography guide & tutor in the UK and abroad. His biggest challenge is keeping his 30 year old Land Rover 110 on the road. He loves telling and hearing stories.