Rusty McD is back with another 5-minute interview on the subject of those beloved pets - furry, feathered or scaly - in the community!
5 minutes with...
Catriona McGeoch
... and ‘Wilma’
This month I made myself comfortable amongst the beautiful cushions and footstools in Sula Furnishings to talk to Catriona and was entertained by Wilma, a very friendly golden Labrador who plods over to greet every customer that crosses the threshold.
So tell me about Wilma! I’ve had Wilma for 5 years. She was a breeding lab who needed re-homing following two c-sections. I had been told about her not long after my previous Labrador died. He collapsed on Christmas Day and we had him put to sleep on Boxing Day. My sons Joe and Andrew were 13 and 12 at the time and we were all incredibly upset. My Mum then died in January. It was an awful time and we hated not having a dog. Wilma came along at just the right time – she has a lovely nature and is always cheerful. She lifted our spirits just when we needed it so we regard her as a very special dog. Wilma had never been in a house before but adapted really well – I have only heard her bark 3 times in 5 years. She comes to work with me every day and has a very important role in the shop - she does the meet and greet service followed by a floor show which usually involves her sitting on customers’ feet then lying on her back to show her tummy. So would you say she is good for business? Oh yes, the shop wouldn’t be the same without her. Wilma is a real ice breaker and when tourists come into the shop who are missing their own dogs it is a good talking point. Are you enjoying running the shop? Yes, I’ve been going for just over year now. I used to work from the shed at my home in Strathyre before that. Since opening the volume of work has increased and the majority of my orders are local which has been fantastic. It has been wonderful to meet more people from the area and I really enjoy showcasing other people’s work in the shop – there are so many local talented artists and craftsmen/women. Have you always worked with tweed? No, before I had my children I had a career in scientific research. We were involved in the genetics of breast cancer and melanomas. Wow! Did you wear a white coat? Oh yes, and safety glasses! I was in the Human Genetics Dept and was responsible for identifying whether patients had the breast cancer gene . Sometimes I can’t quite believe I did it – I feel like a completely different person now. How did you get into creating beautiful things from tweed? My mother was from the Isle of Lewis and there was always weaving going on near my
Granny’s croft. The looms never stopped clacking. Also I had an uncle who worked at a tweed mill and he was always coming home with bolts of tweed. The smell is so evocative of my childhood. Once my sons were at school I started making a few cushions for the Balquhidder Christmas market and from that I got enough interest to start to grow a business. Making cushions, throws and curtains fit in well around childcare and looking after my mother who had developed Alzheimers. If had my time again would have been a textile designer - I have always loved fabrics and making things. What does ‘Sula’ mean? Sula is gaelic for ‘gannet’ – the birds who live in large colonies on the island of Sulasgeir which is 40 miles off the top of Lewis. My Father was the first to take photos of the men who gathered the gannets from the cliff faces. They are prized piece of protein! His records are a piece of social history and later featured in a book about the island. What do you like about living in Strathyre? It’s a great little village and feels very safe and friendly. It has a brilliant primary
school and my children really feel part of the community and the village. I grew up in the small village of Aviemore and wanted the same for the boys – with kayaking, dens and freedom on the doorstep. What do you do to relax? I love to garden but don’t get a chance very often. If the textiles business doesn’t work out then I think I would start selling plants. People often pick up my plants and bring them in to buy them. Sometimes I don’t have the courage to tell them that they are mine and not for sale! I still have granny’s croft and like to get there as often as I can. I also go on a boat trip every year around the Scottish islands and get away skiing if I can. The shop takes up so much of my time at the moment though that there’s not a lot of time for other things. Wilma helps me to relax though. She is such an endearing dog, especially with her routines which she is fixated upon. Every morning she crosses her paws, rolls onto her back to get her tummy tickled before the day can start. At night-time she has to have her head rubbed and her paws patted before she’ll retire to her bed. Rusty’s back next month with more animal ‘tails’!
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