Just a pretext for avoiding stuff...?

We've been here, there and everywhere these last few days, despite the sometimes inclement weather.

Gosh it's a busy life being a four legged avoidance accessory.

So on Friday I was taken for a damp walk in Warren Wood, 'cos according to Gail I absolutely needed the exercise, and it was nothing whatsoever to do with her putting off cleaning the house.

On Saturday it rained heavily, but I was still made to go out, at least until it was time to slump in front of the telly and watch some men with big leg muscles cycling up the Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees. And so it turned out, purely by chance I'm sure, that there was no time at all left for Gail to clear that large pile of paperwork on her desk.

Sunday, in lieu of washing the car, we apparently needed to accompany Yvonne and Neil, else they would have been lonely on their walk around Loch Kinord.

Then on Monday, despite our lawn needing mowing and me giving every indication I would have been happy to rest up on the sofa,  Gail saw fit to take me along with Henry (her friend from Australia) for a walk up Clachnaben. No soon as we reached the summit for a picnic lunch than Gail and Henry were reaching for their waterproof jackets as the clouds and rain descended once more. So of course it was too wet to cut the grass when we got back home.

Finally, come Tuesday, with Gail at work, I had the opportunity to relax. Well at least until she arrived home, turned on the radio, heard confirmation of the identity of our new Prime Minister, and cried "Bertie, I can't bear to listen to this, we need to go out for a long walk...."

Imagine what it would be like if we actually lived somewhere with a half decent climate!

Is it a sheep or a rock?

I am sure regular readers who saw my last post will be relieved to learn that Gail and I are not planning to abandon hill walking for mall walking any time soon.

On Sunday we summited (is that really a verb?) Clachnaben in Aberdeenshire. It was a grey day, and boy was it windy at the top, but the autumn colours were still looking pretty, especially when set against my own varicoloured furs.

However, in my opinion the photos below are somewhat disfigured by the fact that I am wearing my 'flexi' walking string. Gail deemed this necessary due to sheep grazing at random locations along the route.

I might add that many of the objects Gail thought were sheep turned out, on closer inspection, to be rocks.

Perhaps kind friends could remind a certain person that a visit to the optician is overdue.

"More irritating than the midges"

Yes. I know you won't believe it, but that's how Gail's friend Michael described me last night.

You will want to hear my side of the story, I'm sure.

You know how exciting it is when you have visitors. This week Michael and his two grandsons are here in Aberdeen for a wee holiday. I was instantly attracted to Michael. He's one of those humans who insists on wearing shorts and sandals all the time in the summer, even in Scotland! It's rare I get the opportunity to lick so much exposed human flesh. Irresistible.

Surely, he should find it flattering that I pay him so much attention? But apparently not.

And worse.

We all went out for a hillwalk yesterday.

Once we escaped the midges in the trees at the bottom, we were having a fantastic time. Well at least until we reached the summit.


Michael and the boys climbed up the rocks to the very top to eat their lunch.

And Gail totally refused to lift me up the big rock to join them

It seems that Michael and the boys are too selfish to share their picnic.

I can tell you, when we came to some more rocks, Michael was VERY LUCKY I did not push him off....

And bearing in mind what he said about me and midges later, I wish I had!

(Gail says I should be grateful to be taken on such interesting outings, and need to learn that not all humans are fond of having their legs licked and their sandwiches nicked. But that can't be right, surely?)

Fine weather, fresh air, friendship, freedom, fun and frolics

Thank you friends for all your fascinating comments to my last post, providing so much invaluable  - and in some cases yes, highly novel - data for my big scientific project! Please, if you didn't already tell me about your 'canine indicators of Spring', there is still opportunity.

Meanwhile, I have been enjoying some leisure time in Glen Dye with my pal Jake. We have heard about a golden retriever who was bitten by an adder in these parts, but all we saw was sheep. The hill in the background with the nipple on top (a well known Aberdeenshire landmark) is Clachnaben. 

Clachnaben: the promise and the reality

A typical late summer hill walk in Scotland...

Oh, and our friend Alison (in the red fleece) wants me to point out that that is not her normal hairstyle!