Only six photos?

So Gail and I were doing a wee circuit of the neighbourhood the other afternoon when we ran into our friends Martin and Freda. 

Freda has been shielding and only now that she's had her vaccine is she starting to venture out and about. She and Gail had a long chat.  A very long chat in fact, and to be honest most of it passed me by as I focussed on sniffing the base of a nearby lamppost. 

But my flappy little ears did prick up when I heard Freda (who is a keen amateur artist) remarking on my extreme handsomeness and then saying she's been experimenting with drawing animals and she'd like to try a sketch of 'Bertie in repose'. She asked could Gail perhaps send her some photos as a starting point. 

Freda said she'd requested the same of another friend and commented, with a note of surprise in her voice, how this friend had emailed her twelve images of her wee Jack Russell terrier Freddie. 

Well I was surprised too. I mean twelve images seems scarcely enough, I would have thought. Why then did Gail reply thus? "Don't worry Freda, I won't send you that many".

Below are the six (yes, a mere half dozen) photos which Gail sent Freda.

I am hoping I get to see the final result of Freda's endeavours.

And of course, if none of the above images provides the necessary inspiration, we can always send her a few hundred more...

Home alone bored...

We were having such a lovely time over in what I shall now call the Costa del Torridon, I really don't understand why Gail had to drag us back to Aberdeen, where I find myself sitting bored at home waiting for her to return from work and entertain me.

Well today I have set myself the task of selecting my favourite eight photos from our recent four day jaunt across Scotland. There are loads of pictures to choose from, but as Gail has given me a free paw in the selection, you can rest assured they will all be featuring your truly front and centre.

Here I am, sitting nicely aligned with the Glenmuick Church in Ballater. We stopped there on the way to Torridon, and I scored big time 'cos the cheese scone Gail ordered in the nearby café turned out to be yesterday's so she gave me half of it, as I don't at all mind dry scones (especially cheesy ones).

On arriving at the cottage we took an evening stroll. This photo was taken at around 10 pm.

And here's me being, well, just being me, standing amongst some bog asphodels ( the little yellow flowers), although it has been so dry lately that the poor asphodels were missing their bog.

I have to say I was not so keen on sitting on this memorial bench, just up the road from our cottage, even if the temperature was over 25ºC. Please someone find a comfy cushion to cover the hard Torridonian sandstone.

You might wonder what's been happening on the hillside behind the bench. Has some dog been destuffing a monster toy? No of course not - look closer! The cotton grass is abundant this year - despite the lack of rain.

For variety, I have here included a photo of me asleep at Gail's feet, in the front garden of the cottage, taking a break from all the strenuous "sit nicely Bertie" business.

So  I was fully recovered, and on top posing form when Gail spotted this photo opportunity at Grudie, on the way home to Aberdeen.

Finally, knowing I was shortly to be cooped up inside for a few days, I gave my ear flaps a good blast of sea air on the beach at Nairn.

OK. I'm bored again now. What's next?

P.S. It turns out that what's next involved Gail and me and going round to Yvonne and Neil's house to watch the TV. There were a lot of men in red or yellow shirts running around kicking a ball and it all culminated in much jubilant shouting.

ME! Just ME! Pictures of ME!

Enough of that football stuff for now. I know what my readership likes best! All these photos were taken over the last two weeks, when I have been out and about exploring some nice new places. I wonder if you can tell which picture is the most recent? And do you think I have a 'best side'? (It's important to know so I can pose properly in the future.)

Oh and I should like to thank my dear and lovely friend Stella in Minnesota for gently reminding Gail what this blog's supposed to be about....