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Jan 12th, 2023

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How things change

It is nearly 10 years since we moved to Lochgoilhead and many changes have taken place. Obviously the big one for us is that Tora and Schrodi grew old and died. But life goes on and we are now owned by Saphy and Amber. There have been some major changes in other areas which mostly […]

Jan 11th, 2023

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Rain, Rain, Rain

The first year we lived here (nearly ten years ago believe it or not), the weather was beautiful on our first day in the house. R had to go to a prearranged meeting in Edinburgh so I was left with Tora and Schrodi to start unpacking. Optimistically I though that we would have weeks of […]

Jan 8th, 2023

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Nostalgia Foods

Apparently these are foods of the 1970s/1980s which aren’t eaten much any more. As a child of the 1970s I remember most of these. 1) Grapefruit. Still around but you never see them served with the traditional half cherry and sugar. They also used to be grilled. My parents saved up Green Shield stamps to […]

Jan 4th, 2023

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Cumbrian Dialect

When I was at school in Cumbria I had a friend who was fiercely proud of her Cumbrian ancestry. She taught me a few dialect words like “Marra” for friend – but most notably a couple of pieces of doggerel. The first one I came over on the Internet by mistake the other day – […]

Jan 1st, 2023

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New Year

We’d been going to do New Year here for my parents, brother, and J, but for various health and weather related reasons, it was cancelled. But actually R and I had a nice time just the two of us (four with the girls). We had some spaghetti carbonara and stood in my office for half […]

Dec 29th, 2022

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The Twelfth Day of Mousemas

Today is R’s birthday and the official last day of Mousemas. I made him a little tree. People seem to know what he likes! It was burgers and chips for dinner. Given the choice of any food in world – R will chose burger and chips every time. Now he has his long awaited air […]

Dec 28th, 2022

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The Eleventh Day of Mousemas

No evidence for which of the girls brought in the shrew today – but my money is on Saphy. There definitely seems to be a difference in intelligence between the rodents – mice/voles and the “predator” insectivore shrew. Voles are often DOA. Mice are frequently alive when brought in but seem to prefer hiding to […]

Dec 27th, 2022

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The 10th Day of Mousemas

One vole and one bird today. I am trying to save sensibilities by not specifying the exact type of bird Saphy specializes in – but let’s just say it is not the very common chaffinch and leave it at that. J tried to go home on the bus today. He waited at the bus stop […]

Dec 26th, 2022

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The 9th Day of Mousemas – Boxing Day

R, J and I had our own Christmas Dinner today – a sirloin roast from the “Blackface Meat Company” and all the trimmings. Unfortunately I discovered right at the last minute that one of the blades on my electric knife was missing and R had to help me carve the beef – hard to believe […]

Dec 25th, 2022

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The 8th Day of Mousemas – Christmas Day

It’s Christmas. Unfortunately my Mum and Dad are not really in a state of health for them to come here any more so we went to them in Rhu on Christmas Day. J is staying with us until 27th (or longer if the weather turns bad again!) I still did my tree – with an […]