July Stretched to Breaking Point

July must be almost as long as January, which has around 6 weeks (due to being paid early before Christmas and running out of money by the 4th of January when you don’t get paid until the 31st.)

Firstly the 4th of July saw many things happen - and that’s without any Stateside connection. Our lovely daughter celebrated 6 years with her lovely Darragh on the day they had to say goodbye to their beloved young Labrador, Rua.

Our son headed off to Poland for a Stag party and my husband, father-in-law and sister-in-law legged it to Lake Garda, leaving me to try and keep the goats, horses, hens, quails and cats fed, watered and penned in.

I drew the line at Jane and decided she had to go and holiday in the warmer climes of Argylle. It was a 5hr round trip which I deemed worth the effort, though she was less enamoured herself. She hates a vehicle driving off without her - then she discovers she’s in yet another place where she can call the shots and bonds to her new environment…..

But before that it’s all high drama and emotional blackmail.

Courr was beyond delighted and hatched a plan to joy-ride in Billy’s camper.

“You go go go and I’ll keep an eye on the house in case Billy’s still there!” He barked

This gave him an opportunity to get some reading done whilst being chauffeured around the area. It’s so much more dignified than a regular car. He was avidly reading a book on pest control and at this point he was re-reading the well pawed chapter on Total Eradication of the Sausage Dog. He was fairly confident that this had been achieved.

The animal husbandry didn’t go completely without incident - goats didn’t escape but had a party in the food shed when I hadn’t snibbed the door properly, though thankfully I noticed before I drove away. A couple of hens didn’t survive my care and attention and it was a wee worry that there’d be none left by the time Alison got home. Meanwhile, I ate lots of eggs…

Quails eggs made lovely egg mayonnaise and Scotch eggs…

I mixed it up with the scrambling just for fun.

Billy asked me to deliver eggs to a couple of neighbours. This turned out to be the highlight of my week. I’ve signed a Non Disclosure but suffice to say that delivering to one particular neighbour reminded me of why I love living in the Highlands and of how precious and funny life is in my husbands home village………

Meanwhile The Munro’s were having a lovely time on the Italian Lakes.

Our girl turned 30…..

Which meant Billy had been a Papa for 30 years. So while she celebrated in Ireland, we lit the caterpillar cake at home.

Everything was going so well……I’d had my cousin and his family from the Phillipines up to stay. We had friends escaping the heat in Southern Spain to stay and my cousin from California. We went to a fantastic wedding reception which reminded us of how cool and good fun the next generation are and enjoyed a brilliant apres wedding party. Busy busy busy………

Until Spook fell off his bike on the way to work and didn’t unclip his right foot from the peddle. An operation and 8 weeks recovery is all that was required. And a little mobility assistance….

Crochet lessons have been offered and thus far rejected but it’s early days. He’s got the wool.

Spook’s a Lochaber man in life and in battle and the scooter (brilliant service from Shopmobility) enabled Spook to be independent on the sidelines of the game which was Lochaber against Inveraray. Courr will support whoever has the pizza and thankfully he wasn’t disgraced, disappointed,…or hungry.

Until Spook can get safely up and down the stairs he’s confined to the downstairs room. While Alison was away (again,) and Billy headed to Glasgow for a City Break, Courr was disgusted when Jane moved in.

Spook didn’t quite know how to feel when he ended up sleeping with her.

This was just before she shot under the covers and didn’t come out until morning. There seems to have been some bonding going on….

July has displayed all weathers. From threatening storm to sunny 30 degrees.

Who knows what August will bring. Courr will have to think of new ways to get the sausage dog out of his life. He’s tried to generate some sympathy by taking his food bowl down to the canal as if no-one is feeding him and I suppose stowing away on a boat to Scandinavia or Germany isn’t out of the question whilst there’s still lots of through traffic. Probably not Germany due to the Daschund issue.

With the mobility aid I can walk Spook and the dog at the same time. The destination even when kept on a firm lead, is however, different….