It's 2013!

Christmas in Edinburgh

             

Here are Sean making his model of Titanic, Daniel in his monkey "onesy" with Charlie, Catriona beside the tree and the three dogs happy together.

On December 22, 2012, the animals and I motored to Edinburgh, to Moira’s, for Christmas.  The journey only takes four hours of motoring and Amber slept all the time in her carrier, while Ruah kept me company in the front – she is quite happy in a seat belt.

As usual, Santa was very generous to everyone!  Moira cooked a lovely turkey dinner and by night time Sean and Daniel had their model kits well under way, Catriona had sussed out her much hoped-for but not expected phone and Sam was champion of the air hockey game!

The weather while I was in Edinburgh was day after day of rain.  The football pitch back garden was flooded and the hens sploshed around, more swimming than strutting!  Colin could do virtually no outside work, so was home early every day.

Moira and I, helped by the boys, did a good bit of shopping for the MacKenzie family home in Plockton.  The mason, joiner and electrician and painter have finished there and now all it needs are some fresh furnishings. The house is on the main street overlooking the bay and it is a real treat to sit in the garden in summer, watching the activity on the water.  It will be let out this summer, when the family do not wish to use it.

I travelled home on New Year’s Day – a very quiet journey as most people would have still been asleep after staying up “for the bells” and then visiting neighbours and friends to say “Happy New Year”.  After arriving, I had some “first footers” too. 

Since then, I have visited neighbours and friends, as is the custom.  We have had mild days and today was like spring.  The first snowdrops are out and many spring bulbs are well through the ground.  They may well slow down as frost and snow are forecast……

Ruah has a slipped cervical disc.  I took her to the vet two days ago, as she was refusing to jump up and, if she was up, she refused to get down.  She is on a calm routine for a month, with an anti-inflammatory tablet daily.  There are no boisterous games with Molly, her collie friend, no long walks, a harness instead of a collar and a simple life style throughout.  At the end of a month, all being well, she’ll be as fit as a fiddle again – an x-ray will prove that she is.

Ian and Alison in Toowoomba have been having very hot, stormy weather – but they are north of the present terrible fires and quite unbelievable heat further south in Australia...  It is sad to see on TV the devastation that has been caused by fire…….

I suppose we have about another month of hibernation, before thinking about spring cleaning and tidying up the garden.  By then I’ll be more than ready to shake off the cobwebs!

I hope you are well and that 2013 will be a happy and successful year for you and your family and friends – and that some of you may venture to the North West corner of Scotland to say hello to us, at Heron’s Flight, Plockton.  We should love to see you.

Ann