Gone

My Gail has left, and I don't know where. I will not forget her. All my toys, bedding, and lead will keep her with me. Smell is a powerful memoir. We dogs are good at smell. I will let you have news of my new chapter when I know it myself. 

Please visit YAM-aunty's post in memoriam.

(Comments are off).

Unscheduled Bed And Board

A few of you will have noted a gap here. Some of you picked up on the end of the last post about Gail's feeling frail. 

It has all become strange since then. First, I want to tell you that Gail has given Aunty Yamini permission to update you here. Before she does, let me say that I have been around the houses a bit—houses of friends, that is to say—across the road, up the street, and round the corner, so you might understand if I look a tad bemused.

All my friends have been caring and ensuring I have everything I need, including warm, comfy beds. There's even a sofa.

When we had the wintry weather last week, I was even given Bertie's Christmas sweater. It fits me well, I think you'll agree?

We are grateful to Gail's cycling friend Linda for taking these photos and for being the person I have mostly been with. This is not my furever home, though. I'm told there is another move afoot... I'll hand you over to YAM-aunty now...

Hari Om

Dear Blogville friends of Gail and Nobby, it has been a whirlwind at this end. Scarce two months back, Nobby told you that Gail was unwell. She wanted things kept low-key, no fuss. One or two of you threaded things together, but several have continued to offer 'get well' wishes. Sadly, there will be no 'getting well'. It is with a very heavy heart that I must tell you Gail is in hospital, under palliative care, and I am honoured that she was agreeable to my putting up this interim post and completing the blog when the time is appropriate. I can now relate more detail to you, but for that, please 

click over to DoWY bloggy.

Regarding Nobby, arrangements are in place for him to be adopted by one of Gail's lifelong friends and his wife, who live in The Lake District, north-west England (Cumbria). My understanding is that the transfer will be in mid-December.

If I can get an opportunity to be with Nobby before he goes, I will share news of that with you, but this is most probably the penultimate post for his blog. There is no way to know quite when the last post will come...

The comments will be off for this post. However, you can leave any comments and wishes on the post linked just above. 

With Hugs and Wags to you all, "YAM-aunty" xxx

My new buddies

We've had a wee bout of the Arctic here in NE Scotland this week, perfectly timed for Gail's brother who came up from Englandshire to visit for three days.

I am thinking my husky blog pals might have appreciated the conditions more than Uncle Max did.

But once again, I was happy to permit a welcome guest a generous allocation of space on my cosy blue sofa. 

In fact now he's gone, it feels like there's something of a gap.

Other good news is that I have a fun new companion for my Thursday morning walks. Freddy has just been adopted by kind neighbours Ola and Struan and he's totally up for a race around the park in the snow. Ola reported that we were both super well behaved off the lead, give or take the odd flash of 'dominance' on my part...

Freddy is a handsome one year old poodle/shih tzu mix from Mrs Murray's (the local dog and cat rescue centre). I am feeling a bit sorry for him in the cold weather as apparently his poodly coat was so matted it had to be shaved off right down to the skin when he arrived at the rescue centre.

I hope for dear Freddy's sake the furs grows back again quickly, but meanwhile he has a nice cosy jacket to keep the winter chills at bay.

Gail is spending a lot of time dozing on 'her' sofa - the brown one - at the moment, and I am learning that she mostly just wants to be left in peace.

Sunday outing

Yvonne protects Nobby (or is it vice versa?) from giant squirrel in Crathes Castle woods...

 

But where are the acorns buried?

A different kind of Nature Friday post

So I bet you're looking at the photo Gail took out of our front window yesterday and are thinking "Nobby, what on earth does that have to do with Nature Friday?"

Well let me explain.

The council workers in the hi-vis jackets are digging up the paving stones, and smoothing and relaying the pavement so that pedestrians are not forever tripping up and hurting themselves due to what had become a very uneven surface.

The root cause (pardon the pun) is the trees.

It's quite a dilemma isn't it? You can have a pleasant, nature-friendly tree-lined street, providing shade in the summer, home for the birds and plenty of pee-mail sniffing opportunities. 

Or you can have a boring tree-free road where the paving stones do not have to do battle with the tree roots. 

Which would you prefer?

Oh and finally, here are a couple of more conventional 'Nature Friday friendly' photos for you to enjoy.

The first was taken by our friend M earlier in the week and shows sunset over Couper's Pond on the western edge of Aberdeen.

And the second was taken by next door neighbour Edith on a late afternoon walk along the River Dee with my 'Thursday girlfriend' Stroma. 

Didn't we both pose nicely?