A quick visit the Scottish Riviera

Sunshine on the beach at Nairn - rain to the west, as usual

I bet you didn't know that Scotland has a 'Riviera'!  Well in fact it has two seaside areas which lay claim to unusual amounts of sunshine (for Scotland), thus the riviera tag.  One is in Galloway in the southwest of the country, and is the other around the little town of Nairn the northeast.

Last weekend, after a quick trip over to our cottage in the northwest (hope you've got your compass handy today folks!), Gail was all smiles.  Something about 'no burst pipes'.  But Torridon was all horizontal rain, so we headed back east on Sunday morning in search of better walking weather.

Which of course took us to Nairn.  What a smashing place!  You can romp on the beach, and if you get tired of that, there's a fine wood to explore too.

Nairn has a famous resident, Oscar winning film actress Tilda Swinton.  Gail was disappointed we didn't see her.  I wasn't really bothered either way until I learned that this Tilda once ran a film festival in the town, at which entry was free if you brought along a tray of cakes, the audience sat on bean bags or deck chairs, and... 

... LOOK AT THIS.... They even allowed dogs in! 

Relaxation time with Bertie

And wasn't it nice of Marie-Thérèse, to let me decorate her smart black dress with a few of my extra-special wiry fox terrier hairs....?

(Not that we WFT's shed much, I hasten to add. Oh no. We are very nearly perfect.)

Cracker Dog, honestly!

I would like to enter myself in the Insane Cracker Dog category of the famous Mango Minster competition.

Thing is, I've taught my human that I am prepared to cease any cracker dog activities for just as long as she will pick me up and give me a loving hug.

I get ever so many cuddles.

Clever, huh!

Oh and did I ever mention the cashmere sweater....

See also my Review of the Year

Excluded, rejected, abandoned...

Everything is NOT right with the world today!

Can you believe that Gail is going to see a film about my namesake* and is refusing to take me along?

Several exceptionally feeble reasons have been given:

1. Dogs are not allowed in the cinema.
2. My attention span does not stretch to 118 mins.
3. I have supposedly nothing in common with the 'Bertie' in the film, King George VI, who is described by one commentator as having been 'dry as dust... remote and chill...an unnatural communicator with very little to communicate...'


First off, is it really true that dogs can't go to the cinema? I have been checking out the brochure and noticed that the Belmont has special showings for parents with babies (the 'Big Scream'), it has 'autism friendly' evenings, it even lets students in!  So why not 'The Big Bark?'  And anyway, in this weather, surely Gail could smuggle me in under that huge and unflattering jacket that she wears for early morning walks in the park? (Yes, I mean the one she was given for free about a decade ago, designed for XXL oil men working on North Sea rigs in winter).

Secondly, I would like to remind Gail of who won the 'longest sit' contest at our final puppy class party. Proof, obviously, of exceptional powers of concentration.

Thirdly, being a terrier, by nature independent minded, I would appreciate the chance to judge the movie for myself. I know that I was named after a different, and fictional, Bertie (Wooster) but since other folk sometimes wonder if Gail chose my name out of admiration for our Royal Family (highly improbable, admittedly) I feel I should be allowed the opportunity to learn a bit more about this other Bertie chappie.

Don't you agree?


*The King's Speech.