Absence makes the heart grow fonder

I am yet to make a trip to Bute this year and I must say that I am missing it terribly. Luckily, my little flat has not been lonely in my absence, with friends enjoying all its carefully curated comforts. But still, my heart yearns to return.

The latest visitors to my flat were Karen, Alan and Sheena. I worked with the wonderful Karen many moons ago in a company called "Cardno" (that sadly no longer exists). I always loved her sense of humour and style and we have happily kept in touch after all these years.

Karen is a keen follower on my blog and recently got in touch to see if a stay at the Kyles of Bute flat was possible. And of course, I was very happy to oblige. Although I know Karen and Alan well, I have not yet met Sheena. But, as it turns out, Sheena has the strongest connection to Rothesay.

Sheena's mum grew up in Rothesay as a young girl, and her uncle was a local funeral director. The sign still says "McNab" (her uncle's name) and is just down the road from my flat, opposite Bonnie Bling. Sheena's Grandpa McNab also worked in the local post office. It was lovely to know that they could see where Sheena's mum grew up! I was very pleased to know that Sheena found her family roots in Rothesay, as I know how special that is.

This is Alan and Sheena admiring the view from the kitchen.

As it turned out, my manual for visitors was very helpful - with Bonnie Bling well and truly winning this well travelled trio over! Breakfast there every day became a happy ritual, where Karen tells me that they fell in love with the coffee, food and the wonderful Amanda. I am not at all surprised, as it is one of my favourite places too.

Bonnie Bling was a winner!

I always enjoy seeing the photos that visitors to my flat take, and this set of snaps proved no different. They visited Ettrick Beach and Rhubodach, where they enjoyed watching the ferry and soaking up the view and sunshine. I do love that spot too, although I must admit that I have not yet just sat there and taken a moment to breathe it all in - I always seem to be going somewhere. After looking at these photos, I must remedy that on my next trip.

And of course, no trip to Bute is complete without a meal at the Kingarth Hotel (their best meal of the trip) and a visit to Mount Stuart. I particularly loved this snap from Mount Stuart, as I know exactly where it is and appreciate the beauty in looking out to nature from the ornate interior of the conservatory. Just beautiful!

The stunning view from inside Mount Stuart

Karen described their joy in sharing a meal in my little flat at the dining table, watching the sunsets and looking at the deer grazing opposite. Simple pleasures, but there is something spectacular about the summer in Scotland.

I hope to return soon, but Scotland has not been far from my thoughts for the last 6 months. In fact, Scotland has provided me with much inspiration and continues to do so! After 3 years of hard work, I finally launched my new venture on 1 July, Sprott Methods. It is a collaboration with business leaders around the world, and provides members with everything from practical business methods to a leadership masterclass.

And the connection to Scotland? Well, the logo is a unicorn - inspired by the Scottish national animal and an aspiration to create a community of unicorn business leaders.

Sprott Methods logo - my own personal unicorn

I remember telling my Mum a little of my plans during our trip to Scotland 2 years ago, when I insisted on buying a brass unicorn in an antique shop. I am pretty sure she thought I was slightly mad. I had a vision and that little unicorn inspired me to work at creating something that I am proud of.

My inspiration - a constant reminder of the unqiue magic of Scotland and my ancestral roots

A unicorn in business leadership is someone who can be a visionary, an innovator and an expert in their field all at once. They can take on any challenge and succeed at it. If you are interested, please take a look at the site and sign up for 7 days of free membership to see what it is all about:

Sprott Methods

As always, I can't wait to get back to Scotland. There are plans afoot for a trip later this year, so I am hopeful that will soon be confirmed. I truly can't wait to see my friends back in the UK, as it feels like a very long time in between visits. But, with Ange and Rich set to return to my flat soon for their third trip, I will be able to live vicariously through them in the meantime!