The Muirheads @ Broomhall

A sad day for Jeanette and our pony Tigger. Today was the day that the last of Jeanette's pet lambs went off to market. Tigger trotted down the field as the float was leaving, upset that his friends were gone for ever. :-(

Dogs in cars always make me laugh. I saw this little chap 'defending' his Landrover Defender in the shop car-park today. :-)

Question 1. “ Dad, what is the point of slippers?"
Question 2.  "Dad what is the point of you?” ....Ross aged 5.

After a bit of thought, and the fact that I embarrassed my family on our trip to Castle Huntly last Sunday, (How was I meant to know you are not  to smuggle a camera into an Open Prison?) I have bought a discreet 'micro camera' that will fit onto my belt. A Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX37. Something a little more 'visitor' and a little less 'paparazzi'. Look out for pictures from this camera on the Home page and Flickr.

Last night Oscar, our Airedale puppy, and I were out for our walk before bedtime, and he started barking like crazy. He had witnessed a hedgehog running across the lawn. He immediately ran over to it and when it heard him coming, it curled up into a ball. Oscar sniffed this 'ball', and snatched it up into his mouth. Poor dog, didn’t know what had happened! He wanted to drop it, but yet didn’t. Life has so many learning curves……  :-)

Don't worry, we don't know anybody in the 'Big House'. Jeanette noticed that Castle Huntly near us in Longforgan, and used as an Open Prison, was open under the council's 'Open Doors Scheme' where publicly owned buildings are opened to the public. I remember as a child being taken there by my Dad, and remember really enjoying the view down over our farm from the top turret, and I thought that both Jamie and Ross would enjoy the same view nowadays so I booked places for Jeanette and I, Jamie and Ross, and John and Elizebeth McOuat, Jeanette's parents, a couple of weeks ago, and today we went. Nowadays the Prison Authority only use the old Castle for administration and board rooms, and the prisoners live in more comfortable tin roofed out buildings. I'd rather live in the castle. It is an interesting building. A medieval keep built up on a volcanic rock above the boggy carse lands, that has had beautiful Georgian wings added to make it a very fine building, with spectacular views of our farm and beyond. Ross and Jamie liked the bottle dungeon with a 'body' !! I unfortunatly was disapointed by the fact that the Health and Safety Police decided that visiting public were not allowed nowadays, to venture up to the top turret or out onto the battlements. Such a pity, but the gardens were pleasant, with an ancient Yew tree that although not as old as the one at Fortingall, will be the oldest living thing in the Carse.

 



 

Got up this morning, and sent the family off to church and Sunday School with Grandpa McOuat . I set about giving all our garden hedges a second and final trim. Grandpa brought me his petrol clippers, as he is convinced mine are too old to work properly, which they are not! His clippers, I admit started first time, and I was soon on my way cutting hundreds of meters of hedges. Beech and Leylandi round the garden, and Hawthorn down the drive. His clippers worked a dream, but were heavier than my old favourites which has hurt my arms. As it was the second cut of the year, there wasn't much to take off, and thankfuly not too much to rake up.

Now that I'm in, and enjoying a cup of coffee I can see that those clippers of Grandpa's have left my hands shaking! (either that or I have the starts of Parkinsons!)