Where does the time go?

Holly at 11 months on Traprain Law in West Lothian

For some time now, I have been 'nagged' to start writing my blog again. It's the old old excuse, no time...manana...etc etc. I was truely shocked when I checked in this morning and saw just how long it had been since I last wrote anything. Holly is unbelievably now a year old and it seems just like yesterday that I lost my heart to the little bundle that under no circumstances was ever coming home to the Mell household. She might have grown a bit and between them, she and Pepper might be turning our hair greyer by the day but have we any regrets? no way.... if it is even possible, I would say we love them more as each day passes and there is never, never a dull moment!!!!

So what has prompted me to start bashing the keyboard again? (other than the nagging)..... Well, we were sitting in a pub near Callender last night, (doing our usual run for the hills on Bonfire night), and we got chatting to a really nice family from Dunblane. We got around to talking about dogs and the weather...as you do... and in the course of the conversation, the winter of 2010 reared its head along with all its sad and poignant memories. Even after two years the memories of that awful year and the loss of our lovely pets still bubble up at times, but thankfully now, these memories soften with the happier memories we can treasure forever. I can now return to places where we went with Judo, Jess, Jig and Ghillie and say, 'Do you remember when.....?' with a smile as we watch Flyn, Pepper and Holly carrying on the traditions and enjoying the life that we are honoured to share with them for a time span that will always be too short.

Even as I start writing again, I realise what a momentous year this has been and how much has happened. There is no way I can even contemplate putting all this down in one narrative, so I guess I'll start with now and work backwards....so stick around for the trials and tribulations of gundog training with Holly and any sort of training with a bonkers Pepper. I have lost count of how many times I have said to Frank this year, 'how did we ever cope with 5 collies?' I guess, we were younger, fitter, tougher, and hadn't added a munsty to the mix or owned a collie of the likes of Pepper!!!...ho...hum.

Snow on Ben Lomond 5th November 2012

So, yesterday kind of developed in an odd way. We spent the morning in the park with Holly on a long line, the intention being to get an instant sit everytime a crow, magpie or seagull took off. I think the wild-life bush telegraph must have been out because in an hour, I don't think anything landed or took off  anywhere we went. Having spent our time doing recalls and sits to the whistle and heelwork gundog/HPR style, we went home, collected the collies, and headed for the hills. It had been a toss-up whether to go north or south and the north won the day. It was a stunningly beautiful day and as we rounded a bend at the Queens View on the way to Drymen, the view of Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps with their dusting of snow in the noonday sun was truely breathtaking. We were heading for Aberfoyle along a tiny lane over the tops rather than the main road when we came across a couple with their car embedded deep in a ditch where they had tried to pull over to let someone else through from the other direction. Well my rope long line nearly came in handy; we tried pulling him out in reverse and forwards to no avail, so we told them we would carry on to the cottages that we knew were further on or to the farm and look for help with a tractor or 4 x 4. to drag them out. We found someone with a jeep and Frank went back with him to help while I took the dogs off for a trot as we were now too late to give them their intended walk before the light faded. All's well that ends well; the jeep dragged them out and when I got back to the car, Frank was waiting for me. We now started the mad race with the sun to try and get some photos of the gorgeous Autumn colours in that beautiful golden light that we get late in the afternoon before the sun sets.

Sunsetting over Braeval in the Trossachs

Reflections at the David Marshall centre in Aberfoyle.

 

Sunset reflection on snow on Ben Ledi

 

'Reflections'

 

 

 

So we ended up eating cold sausage rolls and muffins in Glen Ogle while staring at the stars on a crystal clear...and freezing...night. The dogs happily had their dinners in the darkened picnic area and we followed up with a pint and a coffee in front of a roaring log fire at the Falls of Dochart before driving on to Crianlarich and down the western side of Loch Lomond. We arrived home at about 10pm, a firework free night with 3 happy dogs and some lovely photos for the album.