Gosh, it has been far too long since I last visited the Torridon cottage. But here I am this weekend on the wet west coast of Scotland, with Gail and her friend Yvonne for company.
And look how patient I am posing for photos, even in the rain.
Of course I do expect a reward.
Now it may not come as a surprise to folk who have met Gail and Yvonne, but I can exclusively reveal to the rest of you that for this pair of friends, the main point of exercise is to enable them all the more to enjoy a good nosh-up in the evening.
So I am delighted to report that just a few miles from the cottage in the remote village of Diabaig, we have a most welcoming restaurant.
It turns out that on Saturday evening I was not the only dog to be invited along.
Meet Patch.
I must say, Patch's people were so much better dressed than mine. Look at that fine kilt.
And what's this? A wedding frock!
And there were two lovely bridesmaids looking most adorable in blue, with white fluffy capes. Gail says that not all bridesmaids would be so enthusiastic about posing with an ever so slightly muddy dog in their arms.
Patch told me that the couple had been married in something called a 'humanist service' on the old stone pier at Diabaig earlier that day. Gail seemed to approve. I sure hope they had some big umbrellas.
In the interest of accuracy I feel I must report that I spent the final part of the evening in the back of Gail's car.
Yes I know, it is quite unimaginable that Gail could have been so cruel. Ok, so there was the small matter of a noisy altercation with Patch while Gail was chatting with another customer at the restaurant (a nice man from North Carolina).
But I notice that Patch was allowed to stay, which I consider quite unfair.
