Sad news from the Oilman

I have some very sad news to tell you this morning. 

You remember a couple of weeks ago when Gail and I went for a windy walk with her friend the Oilman and his Westie Lucy and we left Lucy's companion Florrie, also a Westie, at home? Well, although thirteen year old Florrie was no longer up to hillwalking, she seemed that day to be quite well and still enjoying life. But Oilman has now reported that dear Florrie passed away peacefully last Tuesday.

Florrie in her prime

Florrie was a frequent walking companion of my predecessor Hamish the Westie, and they stayed with each other a few times as well. Florrie and Lucy had recently been living in Guernsey while Oilman was away in Yemen and their thrilling trip back to Scotland by private plane was described on my blog last year. 

Although we will all miss Florrie, I do hope that her best friend Lucy will continue to be one of my walking girlfriends for a long time to come.

PS from Gail: I am remembering, with fond sadness, the first meeting between Hamish, then four years old, and brand new puppy Florrie. I never saw Hamish run away so fast as when wee Florrie attempted to latch on to him as her missing mother substitute. Hamish most definitely did not want to know... Fortunately, over the course of many enjoyable adventures in the hills of Aberdeenshire and beyond, a degree of mutual tolerance and respect was established.