Things going awry...

With other Spring travel plans having gone awry, Gail and I are making a quick visit to friends and relatives in England. Given the way things are in the UK, coronavirus-wise, this could be our last trip away from Scotland for quite a while.

The daffodils in Yorkshire were looking cheery, but there was such sad news when we reached Gail's brother and sister-in-law's house on the edge of the Peak District. I don't know if you remember my poodle cousins Percy and Coco? Percy had reached the grand old age of fourteen - a fine, long life for a HUGE, (and frankly rather bossy) fellow. But just one day before our visit, dear Percy had apparently suffered a stroke and his humans were forced to make the hardest but kindest decision on his behalf, and so Coco is now an only pup.

After seeing Coco, we made a brief stop in the nearby town of Chesterfield, and I couldn't help but notice that there was something amiss with the church spire. Gosh, I was beginning to wonder if the whole world was becoming a bit out of true, but Gail tells me the spire at least has always been like that.

We are now staying for a few days with Janet in Nottingham - she's one of my favourite people, as you know. The three of us went for a splendid walk across squelchy fields yesterday, but I still can't understand why we had to sit at an outside table for lunch at the cosy looking Cowshed café. It seemed all wrong to me...

"Muddy paws? Moi?"

I am eight!

It is my misfortune to live with a human who is in general totally useless at birthday celebrations.

So yesterday I reached the grand age of eight years old and all I got was a rawhide bone, pigs ears and Dentastix (like a toothcare product counts as a present?) plus a quiet domestic night in Nottingham with Gail, her lovely friend Janet and Janet's lovely young friend Helen.

In fairness, Gail was tired after all the running around after Human Granny, Helen was tired 'cos she's at that stressful stage of writing up her Physics PhD thesis, Janet was tired after her recent influx of visitors, and I was a bit below par 'cos my paw problem has flared up again.

Well I must say I found Janet's piano playing most beautifully mellifluous and soothing. And now I understand why Gail is so modest about her own lack of talent in this area.

And then there were wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen where Helen was relaxing by cooking a delicious (although from my perspective disappointingly vegetarian) sweet potato chilli supper for the humans.

The highlight of the evening came just before bedtime, when Janet introduced me to a blissfully yummy new treat - sliced pear.

More please!

All in all not such a bad way to celebrate one's birthday, I suppose.

Greetings from Nottingham (er, burp...!)

Well I want you to know that Gail and I arrived safely in Nottingham. As usual we're staying with lovely, kind Janet, and I am having a fine old time so far.

Yesterday, while Gail was visiting HGY at the care home and helping her to write some Christmas cards, I accompanied Janet and her friend Steve for a drink at the Victoria.

Gosh it's a splendid place, the 'Vic', a proper 'local' with great beer (so I'm told) and a warm, friendly atmosphere.

I was so happy to be taken there. Everyone made a big fuss of me and it was all very jolly.

I really did not want to leave.

And later I begged Janet not to tell Gail that Steve had to carry me home.

It had absolutely nothing to do with the beer. Honest!

And no, this is not a picture of me 'sleeping it off'.

Aberdeenshire highlights

Gosh I am sorry I haven't been around much these past few days, but between you and me, I must say I have been run off my compact little paws showing Gail's friend Janet (the Nottingham one) around all my favourite Aberdeenshire haunts.

Every visitor to these parts has to go to Dunnottar Castle where I was delighted to discover that, in addition to all the interesting (to some) history about hiding the Crown Jewels of Scotland from Oliver Cromwell etc. etc., they also now have a kiosk selling yummy ice cream.



A tour around the gardens of Crathes Castle is also a must, so I dutifully allowed Gail and Janet to wander off to look at all the flowers while I waited patiently in the car.


Rules for dogs are not so strict at the Forvie Sands Nature Reserve. The regulations are clearly stated on a noticeboard at the entry point, which I think is polite.




No trip to this part of the world is complete without ascent of Bennachie to inspect the Pictish hill fort, and I am pleased to report that, once I had gently reminded Janet that quality tour guides expect rewards, she duly delivered the goods.


Finally, back home in the evenings, I was able to show Janet the correct way to relax after a nice day out in my home territory.

It serves her right

Really, our humans, you can't let them out of your sight for one minute.

Well I say it jolly well serves Gail right for leaving me at Janet's house on Saturday and heading off on her old bicycle (without me) to visit Human Granny again.

So Gail returned eventually, looking a bit sheepish and mumbling something about a large twig getting stuck between the mudguard and the wheel of her bicycle causing her to take a tumble.

But you and I know that the accident was all about people who abandon their pets getting their just deserts, don't we?

Believe me, the photo above is the most flattering one you can take of Gail just now. Oh my word that bruise is beginning to look more colourful than I'm guessing Gail's language was when she picked herself up off that bike path.

But anyway, I'm pleased to report that things improved on Sunday, when Gail and Janet took me on a lovely walk in Derbyshire.

Clever Janet found a route that was mostly in the shade, which helped me survive the thirty degree heat.

But to be honest, on Monday both Gail and I were happy to be boarding the train back north to cooler climes.

And of course you will want to meet my new friend from Hong Kong, on a month long holiday to Europe with her family, to celebrate her graduation. You do run into the nicest people on the East Coast line to Edinburgh.

Janet and Bertie go exploring

 
For an intrepid terrier, nothing is more fun than exploring new territory.

Before leaving Nottingham to head back to Aberdeen, Gail and I went on a lovely winter walk with our friend Janet.

Of course, even if I had not told you, you would have guessed from the gently undulating fields of winter wheat and the electricity pylons in the background that we were still in the East Midlands, not Northern Scotland.

Janet is a very nice walking companion, although she did stop once or twice to say hello to sheep, which I thought unnecessary.

For me the highlight of the route was the Ticknall tunnel, part of a tramway built in 1805 to link an old limeworks with the nearby canal.

I was brave in the dark tunnel, and only stayed very close to Gail to make sure she did not get frightened.

 

PS We are now safely home in Aberdeen where, incredibly, the weather just now is much warmer than in England!!

Mis-selling scandal and home comforts

So Gail and I are still down in Nottingham, staying with our friend Janet.

As I've mentioned before, dogs in Nottingham are charged 50p on the buses, and we even get our very own ticket.

Did you look closely at the picture?

Now correct me if I am wrong, but surely this ticket implies that bones will be freely available to all dogs who travel on Trent-Barton buses?

Well I searched the bus high and low and located nothing more exciting than a discarded sweet wrapper.

To whom should I complain?

Oh and another thing.

I am pleased to report that in Janet's house, I've found a very comfortable chair.

And I think it was most generous of me, having gone to some effort to optimise my position in the seat, to shift myself again when Janet came in and indicated that she wanted to occupy what she apparently thinks of as 'her' chair...

(Gail says my concept of generosity is 'interesting'.)

The new Nottingham residence

I expect some of you are wondering where I stay these days on visits to Nottingham, now that Human Granny's house has been sold.

Well I am delighted to report that Gail's friend Janet is proving a most accommodating hostess.

The wee house she bought last year is perfectly suited to my needs.

The double bed in Janet's spare room is most comfortable, and may even have space for Gail.

It is only a short walk from the house to a pretty, willow lined canal.

Although I'm not sure why Gail was looking nervous at this particular point as I inspected the lock...

Anyway, on Sunday afternoon, while Gail was visiting Human Granny, I showed my gratitude to Janet by volunteering to help her with some gardening.

I believe I understood it correctly, that my role was to transport soil from the recently dug flower bed to the kitchen floor?

Oh and I ate up some cat poo I found too.

At least Janet seemed pleased with me  'cos later she left a whole box of flapjacks out on the back doorstep, and of course, being a well brought up pup, I knew she would be insulted if I didn't consume them right away. And then lick the container clean.

Yes, all in all, it was most satisfactory visit.

I do hope I'll be invited again.

Oh, Gail is saying I have presented an "interesting" account of my stay, and that readers might just choose to put a different interpretation on the events reported here...