Up n down

Back home, and time to update the Blog again. But Jesus, this area is shitty.

So when we saw Rowan Cottage in Arrina was on the market, we had to go and look at it and some other houses in Wester Ross, didn't we? OK, we could afford a house there and have nothing to live on, but hey, eh?

So it is we drive 500 miles North, to stay over again in Murdo's caravan.

Murdo has a story.

Seems he was telling his pre-school grandchildren a tale of Sultan, the excellent farm dog we got to know on previous visits. Murdo clearly still misses the dog, especially now he has to go fishing alone, and hasn't replaced Sultan though it must be six years since he died - a long time for a countryman to do without a dog:-

"So, anyway," (he says) "I told the kids a story about this wonderful dog I had, Sultan...

'Well', I said 'one night Grandad went out fishing on his own. He got about a mile offshore, and then after an hour or so he heard this splishing and splashing noise. He turned his torch on to see what it was, and saw this black furry face swimming out towards him across the Loch. Now, who do you think it was?'

And the grandchildren said:-

Granny!!!"

That's great; the true story of Sultan the dog swimming out to Murdo's boat rather than be left behind is a good enough tale; but as for the idea of Mary swimming out a mile in her dressing gown:- "Ach, Murdo, you've left your thermos behind"...