Friday 30 April 2021
Spring babies in Torridon
Wednesday 28 April 2021
Behind schedule?
Monday 26 April 2021
Just in time for summer...
You know perfectly well Bertie that it's not a blanket for you, it is a new jumper for myself. You even posted about it back in January. Now please shift over and let me get on with the knit-one-purl-one crew neck.
A FEW DAYS LATER
Oh well done Gail. So you have completed your nice warm jumper just in time for summer.
To be honest Bertie, I am not sure here whether you are being sarcastic or are making a realistic appraisal of the weather conditions to be expected in a typical Scottish summer. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt...
PS The good news is that we have made it across to Torridon to check up on the cottage and, for one day at least, the sun shone warmly.
Friday 23 April 2021
Just dead wood?
Wednesday 21 April 2021
What I've learned about humans...
I bet I'm not the only pup out there who has learned a few new things about humans during this Covid pandemic.
OK, to be strictly accurate, I've learned a few new things about ONE PARTICULAR HUMAN.
For example:
- Unlike dogs, most of whom are naturally wary of the grooming table, it seems that the lack of availability of hairdressers causes a certain amount of anguish, even among humans whom one normally thinks of as not too fussy about their appearance.
- If a human was never, pre-pandemic, a fan of domestic pursuits such as decorating and gardening, then even if they suddenly have infinite time on their hands and nowhere to go, they are unlikely to become enthusiastic about these activities.
- The human might, however, display hitherto unsuspected talents when it comes to legalistic interpretations of new rules design to reign in other activities which they actually enjoy. For example, they might point out how a rule decreeing outdoor exercise (e.g. cycling, dog-walking) must begin and end not more than five miles from the city boundary is silent on where one ventures between the beginning and end of said ride or walk.
- Through spying on the human's electronic messages, one learns that there is among any human friendship group a 'hierarchy of obedience' and that it is not always easy to predict which humans will slavishly follow all rules and restrictions relating to the pandemic, and which will take an informed but more pragmatic approach.
- I had previously understood that taking the dog for a walk was primarily for the dog's benefit. How wrong I was. We pups are just handy accessories used to justify restless humans' need for frequent outdoor exercise and a degree of interaction with other human beings in their front gardens or the park. Suck it up, pups!
- Regarding food intake one's human can be quite disciplined (I gather this is not the case with all humans) but still be capable of creating time-consuming rituals to rival the Japanese tea ceremony. Er yes, Gail, your obsessive cup warming prior to pouring that mid-morning coffee of such precisely calibrated strength has been noted. I fear you might be turning into your mother...
- However hard one might try to persuade one's human that sitting on the sofa reading books about or set in other parts of the world while snuggled up closely with their favourite dog is the perfect way to travel, one can see that the human is not quite convinced...
'Before' and 'After' hairdresser visit |
Sunday 18 April 2021
Thoughts from Balmoral
It won't come as a surprise to my readers that, as soon as light dawned on Friday, the first day this year when we were allowed to drive into the hills, Gail was bundling me into the car and heading up Deeside to one of our favourite haunts, Ballochbuie Forest.
The spring sun was shining brightly on this unfrequented corner of the Queen's Balmoral Estate, and in carefree mode I even ventured in to the sparkling river for a wee paddle.
Only up to the knees mind you.
And as we wandered around the royal forest Gail remembered it was the the eve of Prince Philip's funeral, and her thoughts turned to our Queen, widowed after 73 years of what was apparently a strong and supportive marriage. We are told that, throughout their long life together, she and Philip enjoyed some of their happiest moments in this most lovely and tranquil corner of the Scotland.
Friday 16 April 2021
Freedom Friday !!!
M and J bursting through the gorse bushes in Warren Wood |