Taking a break

So yesterday, Muriel and Anne (two of Gail's many kind friends) drove me out to my holiday home at Craigmancie Foxies. Apparently I'll be staying here for a while, enjoying the company of my fox terrier relatives.

While I'm happy to be here, I'm sad to report that my owner Gail is now in hospital and not at all well, and this blog is taking an unscheduled break.

The support troops have been mobilised

 

Nobby here. 

It's been a confusing few days. My normally energetic human has been lounging around at home and has apparently mobilised her network of friends here in Aberdeen to take me out for walks. It seems Gail has developed 'abdominal issues' and is feeling increasingly tired and out of sorts. Tests and scans are underway. She says dealing with the National Health Service is more complicated and frustrating than is the case with veterinary care.

Going out for walks with different folk is good fun, and we are both grateful for their kindness, but I do hope things get back to normal again soon.

PS from Gail: I'm afraid Nobby's blogging activity may be disrupted for a while.

Indecisive trees

It's that time of year here in Aberdeen when the leaves on the trees can't quite make up their minds.

There's the optimists thinking it's not quite time to give up on the photosynthesising business, and the realists who know that colder nights and shorter daylight hours mean the energy cost is too great and are ready to call it a day. 

We've had lots of sunshine this week and I've been been out and about in the streets and parks near our home, admiring the splendid display of colours as the trees try to decide which season it is!  

Happy Nature Friday! 

Maybe we'll find out if the leaves have made up their minds in other parts of the world if we visit all the posts in the LLB Gang's wonderful weekly Nature Friday blog hop. 

Foxy walk - the code of conduct

Perhaps some readers have seen previous posts featuring the monthly Aberdeen & Shire fox terrier walk, and would appreciate tips on appropriate etiquette should they care one day to join us.

As ever, I'm happy to help out.

We assemble at 11 am on the last Sunday of the month at the designated meeting point. This month it was the Castle Fraser Estate car park.

Front left to right: Merin, Rupert, Luna, Nobby and Agatha

Greeting one's pals with butt-sniffing enthusiasm is of course acceptable. However, timid newcomers must be treated with polite respect. 

When well away from the parking area and any dangerous traffic, we are generally allowed off the lead and there the real fun begins. 

Don't tell the humans, but between us foxies, there's an unspoken (un-barked?) competition to see who can find the wettest and muddiest spot. My girlfriend/partner in crime Agatha usually wins, with me a close second...

Hmmm. I emerged from today's water fight disappointingly clean...

Later in the walk, before returning to the car park, the humans persist in the delusion that we might all pose nicely for a 'team photo'.

It's bonus points to the first WFT to break ranks. 

At the end of the walk, the humans decide where to meet the next month, and we all keep paws crossed that they chose somewhere with maximum opportunities for terrier mischief and mayhem. 

Why not join us in Haddo Country Park in late October? The good news is there'll be muddy ditches a-plenty...

A new bag

Do you like this gift our friend A-M kindly gave Gail as a thank you for helping her during and after her recent hospital stay?

It's a very fine bag, don't you think?

And not only is it big enough to carry a satisfactory quantity of dog treats, it will also serve as a reminder to Gail that I am now well overdue a train trip down to England, or at least to Edinburgh or Glasgow or somewhere similarly exotic. I gather my predecessor Bouncing Bertie once greatly enjoyed his brief exploration of the railway station in Newcastle upon Tyne.... Time for a return visit perhaps?

Gail says that problems on the railways due to intermittent strikes have deterred her from pursuing my 'train training' over the past couple of years, but it's my understanding that the industrial strife is now all resolved and so WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?