Rudolph the Red Nosed Tesla

Gail and I are thinking you might like to see how the Festive Season is shaping up in our neck of the woods. 

Let's go for a wee stroll around the neighbourhood.

Aberdonians are not in general given to ostentatious display. Here, the low key but lovely tradition is to put a Christmas tree in one's bay window, so it can be admired from the street. 

 

Of course, there's always one household that doesn't quite grasp the concept of the modest and tasteful display.

And what did we find right next door to this extravaganza? Oh dear, I fear someone might be feeling rather deflated, having been outshone by the competition...

The local paper shop has made a bit of an effort. Gail says anything to distract from content of the newspapers this year is probably a good idea...

Further along the street, we see a practical illustration of the proposition that in the UK, worship of the Health Service has become the national religion.

Gail and I are both rather fond of this cheerful reindeer fellow, all poised to greet visitors to the house a few doors up from ours. He may not be aware that household mixing is banned right now.

Nearby, another reindeer, rather a pretty one, is shyly prancing behind net curtains in an upstairs window. 

And finally, we are proud to present our new close neighbour, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Tesla, surely the coming thing in environmentally friendly present delivery. 

Sadly, he appears only to have one antler.

Cobwebs, what cobwebs?

Just because it's been raining cats and humans* all week, and the wind has been working hard to prove it's worth as mainstay of Scotland's renewable energy resource, and it's the time of year when on a dull day the risen sun barely makes an impact on the light levels, does that mean you get spend all day lounging around on the sofa when you live with my owner Gail?

Of course you don't.

In this not very religious household, it is an article of faith that, whatever the conditions outside, one must on a regular basis go for a walk to "blow away the cobwebs".

Have you ever been troubled by cobwebs gathering on your furs?

Me neither.

But still Gail deemed it necessary that yesterday afternoon we should join neighbours Kirsty and Susanna for a stroll down to the headland at the mouth of Aberdeen harbour. That's about two miles from our street. I would like to point out that any stray cobweb which might have had the temerity to come along for the ride has probably been blown all the way across the North Sea and reached Norway by now!

*Makes as much sense as 'raining cats and dogs', right?

Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud!

 One of the glories of nature, surely?

I dream of being a hippo in another life...

Happy Nature  Friday!

Er, but what's it FOR?

In her ongoing, though intermittent, project to upgrade her needlework skills, Gail has been experimenting  with 'duplicate stitch', a technique which involves sewing a pattern or picture on top of a piece of plain knitting. This is her first effort.

If anyone can think of a use for this item, which is about 8" by 8", please let us know! 

(And in case you were wondering, I think it's supposed to be a wire-haired fox terrier...)