The drive back from Lochness to Strathyre was horrendous, as the murky sky had now became like a vicious, roaring monster itself, and the wind blew the heavy clouds hither and thither, as if he didn't know what to do with them. We were going to look for somewhere to sleep over, but in the end Liz decided that as it was not all that far to go still, she wanted to sleep in her own bed.
As she is one very nervous woman, specially after five if she had no glass of red to fortify the old nerves, she became like a woman possessed, and I must say, watching her from between my hat and scarf, as I was yet again covered like one mummy on the roll, and seeing the shaking hand holding the cigarette, and the wildness of eye when she gave me a stare, I felt a wee pang of nervousness myself.She is actually a very good driver, and I never felt any pangs when driving with her, but tonight, with the wind howling around the car, and my layers of clothes blown almost of my body, and the long, long pulls Lizzy took on one cigarette after the other, I almost lost my nerve.
But we made it, and poor Benny was so glad and excited to be home, and not having to go through the torture he was going through the passed two weeks again, that he ran around like a wind-up toy, his tongue hanging out, barking like he would never stop. I felt so sorry for the poor old boy, as he just was not a good passenger!
As always I was a bitty teary when driving into Strathyre after a longish absence, as I had found so much joy and happiness with the people, and in the mountains and loch Lubnaig, and the river Balvaig that so softly and gently made it's way down to the loch. The fact that I would be leaving in a few days did not help, so I walked down to the Balvaig, and sitting down on a tiny beach on it's bank, the lovely song, 'Bonnie Strathyre' came into mind, and that just opened the tearducts, and I cried, not exactly knowing why.
Here are the two first verses of Bonnie Strathyre.

There's meadows in Lanark and mountains in Skye,and pastures in Hielands (highlands) and Lowlands forbye, but there's no greater luck that the heart can desire, than to herd the fine cattle, in Bonnie Strathyre

 Oh, it's up in the morn and awa' tae the hill, when the lang (long) summer days are sae (so) warm and sae still, till the peak of Ben Vorlich is girdled with fire, and the evening fa's gently on Bonnie Strathyre. 

Oh how I loved that place. You will find Ben Vorlich just before coming to Strathyre, where it keeps vigil over loch Lubnaig and the surrounding countryside, while on the other side my beautiful loch Voile keeps watch over the bewitched Balquidder Glen!  Ben Vorlich is called the mountain of fairies, and I could well believe that fairies and elves lived amongst all the old trees with their gnarled roots growing in the most amazing patterns!