The day after...

Our Rotary Burns Supper.

Here is Tam o Shanter. Riding across the wall of the Bancar Hotel Dining Room. Cool.

So - the day after, today, was our Best of Banffshire and Buchan Bed and Breakfasts meeting at Monicas in Macduff.

Our first task was to collect Lucy and Sandy. Sandy had decided not to go as their Schnauzer had given birth two days ago and was not at all interested in the results. So he was having to feed the two pups that had survived. Lucy was making up the feed and ensuring Sandy let the milk cool, "Don't burn them, will ye."

So all the way to Macduff we had the troubles and traumas, (and loss of income), from this birth.

The other bitch who had produced pups - all still born - was already being advertised in the local paper, (due to loss of income) so we also had Lucy's mobile going off every five minutes with people wanting to buy her.

"Ye should get a dog, Jill, yed make some money." Hmmm.

This was then followed by the tale of Lucy having obtained a cat. She had said she would never have another cat, as the last one sat in the middle of the road, the main road, and joined the angel cats up above.

But having visited her daughter in Auchterless and there sat this cat on the windowsill, which her daughter said had been sitting there for three days, and no way was she going to feed it. Within seconds Lucy had it in her car boot and away home. This cat has now been to the vets, been castrated and micro chipped and is currently living in what was a bird aviary. (She has also contacted the Cat Protection League, who have no record of anyone saying they had lost a cat. I doubt they would have realised they had lost the cat before Lucy had it to the vet. And the Cat Protection League paid for the castration etc. so no loss of income.)

Our meeting went very well. We all exchanged stories of being snowed in, state of business, scams, frauds, and what was going on aroond and aboot. And had a good laugh. Also some very nice home bakes.

Monica has a beautiful house. She is also an accomplished seamstress. Not sure that is the right word. She produces the most amazing embroidery and cross stitch, pictures. Huge framed beautiful pictures. One is of a ploughed field, sheep in the next field, lovely autumnal colours. Another is of different plants and trees and these are not just flat stitched pictures but the threads used make it 3D . You want to touch. Amazing. Monica runs her three bedroomed b&b on her own, and I was put to shame as it is a lovely home, and immaculately presented, and she still manages to produce these wonderful works of art. Her garden is equally lovely. And she is older than me and looks younger in fact I hate her.

On our return to Lucy's to drop her off I went in to the aviary to visit the 'rescued' cat which was looking, understandably, confused. He is a really beautiful cat, ginger, which I do have a soft spot for. And very affectionate.

Its a long way to get back to Auchterless. In fact I am not sure I know where it is. I was sorely tempted to put him in my car boot. If only to save him from the 'main road'.

Strange mixture of attitudes towards animals I have experienced today. The deep rooted attitude in making money from animals. And then the wanting to provide a better life, equally deep rooted in another part of the psyche.

Finally home again. And the realisation that the animals here, who live with us, totally rule.

The ducks mess about when I put them to bed. The cats decide where they will sit even when it means I have to perch on the edge of a chair so they can be comfy. I get up let them in, I get up let them out. And theres no income at all.