Goosed

A day spent catching up with housework, sleeping, a very small amount of gardening and here I am back at my desk again.

I did visit a new 'Farm shop' which has opened outside Nairn in buildings that really were farm buildings. The fresh fruit and veggie produce is good, the meats, charcuterie and patés good, and I bought some delicious Thai fish cakes from Orkney. It will give some of the other places in the area run for their money as it develops. The cafe does things that lots of people like, home baking, (good coffee) baked potatoes, good plain soups and normal sandwiches without overly fancy fillings. Why am I swithering on about this? Well, it's making me think and giving me ideas I suppose.

Jane came by to pick up books as part of a round trip from Ballater to Lochcarron to Forres to Ballater again. That's a long way. It's always nice to see her but this time her companion made the visit even more charming, a whippet puppy just away from its mother. Jane was given it by the headmaster of her son's school because they had all enjoyed teaching him so much ( possibly also because the HM's bitch had NINE puppies in her last litter.) Jane being Jane couldn't say no. The puppy, as yet unnamed but possible Turpin (masked eyes) is very happy and playful and obviously pleased with its new place in Jane's menagerie. This means she has two dogs (Brigadier Bloodhound Biba and Wing-commander Whippet Turpin) , two cats (one normal and one gremlin) squadrons of chickens, battalions of turkeys, cohorts of guinea-fowl and a goose. The goose is the most difficult, being very fierce and possessive of the territory. It guards the gate, no bad thing IMO as Jane lives in the Back of Beyond. The bloodhound is terrified of it. Even the gremlin gives it a wide berth.