I expect you will be looking at the picture above and thinking, "Whoa there Bertie, look at you galloping so carefree through the verdant forest - what a tip top time you're having".
And you would be right. Up to a point.
But something important was missing.
I searched high and low but I could not find it anywhere.
In the end I had to stop and ask.
"But Gail, where is all the mud?"
Normally, at this stage in the walk my paws should be nicely coated in a layer of the squelchy brown stuff and, on a good day I would be jumping into the car with a full set of stylish dark "socks" all the way up to my knees, enhancing my already much admired natural markings.
But no. In Aberdeen we have had almost no rain for weeks. This is most unnatural! One set of American visitors have returned home to the Seattle area under the mistaken impression that Scotland is a country blessed with many dry warm days and cloud-free skies.
Tomorrow we are heading across to Torridon for a short break.
It's always wetter on the West Coast. Surely I'll find some mud there?
Oh. Gail is telling me that wildfires not far from our cottage made the national news a few days ago.
Can this really be true?
I shall be reporting back early next week.
