Saturday, November 26, 2022

The Hoolie.


Friday night - Sophie gets a full on grooming. Knots are carefully removed. Paws are washed. Coat brushed until it's as smooth as silk. This Kennel Club appearance  lasts for all of twelve hours. By the time we return from this mornings walk the PONette  is once again modelling her 'abandoned dog' look. Barreling through the middle of puddles will do that. After a walk on the beach the 'abandoned dog' look morphs into a 'never been near a brush in my life' style. When we arrive at the coffee shop the American girl behind the counter looks at my kelp adorned companion and lets out an involuntary but heartfelt ' Girl ! Where have you been ?' A sliver of shortbread eases the PONettes pain.

Workmen are out and about setting up 'No Parking' signs .Tonight is the night of the St.Andrews Day Hoolie . Torches will be lit and the massed pipes and drums will process through the town. If it's not raining there will be fireworks on the beach. The weather looks as if it might be dry - which in these parts in November - is a small miracle.


The book on Boris Johnson is a delight . It's not a lengthy tome.  I start it on Thursday night and finish it after lunch on Friday.  Well written and balanced. At times it's funny.  I'd expected it to be something of a hatchet job but it talks of his strengths ( Covid and Ukraine ) as well as his fatal flaws - self absorption and an aversion to the truth. A politician who sadly believed that what was good for him was good for the country. 


Christmas coming up. This year we shall send a cheque to help the Ukrainian students stranded at the university. Most of the boys have gone back to fight and sadly some won't return to finish their studies. 'The Font' receives this e-mailed tweet which spurs us into doing something :https://mobile.twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1595849732177502210




7 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Sophie looks like she's been enjoying her very own personal Hoolie!
Covid a success for Boris Johnson? A mixed bag at best I'd say...
As for Ukraine, I keep thinking about all those folk facing winter with limited or no power or water, and how one can most effectively help them. I also find it interesting that in these days of 'equal opportunities', no-one seems to question that it's the male student whom society expects to go back and fight. Presumably most of the female students are not yet mothers, and there would be plenty of work for them to do too, either on the front line of in support of those who are?

Susan said...

From what I understand it is Ukraine itself who has discouraged women from joining up. I've heard stories of it taking weeks of persistance by young women who want to join the army. If you are a doctor it is easier to get into the military.

I'm off to plan a Christmas party for 'our' Ukrainians today, and tomorrow I'm participating with some of them in a 'Café Ukrainian' where we will serve drinks and Ukrainian cakes to anyone in the village who wants to come along to the community café.

Lisa in Tokyo said...

The Hoolie sounds like fun. I have to admit that recently I've been reading your posts with the question "how would my son manage in that weather?" (although he thinks he's ready for anything after four winters in Ohio - Ha!). Bravo to you and the Font for supporting the Ukrainian students - I think you deserve a Fella of your own. And Sophie, of course, looks wonderful always. She really does look different in Scotland, and very happy with life.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
I, too, might question Covid and Ukraine being highlights for Bozzer. Great photo ops and poseur points to be gained while riding on the work of others, claiming it as his own, is the 'strength' he has. I listened to the author on The News Agents podcast yesterday promoting this book; he'd been asked to do it in May when he thought the crux would be Partygate - then June happened and gave him the gift of a departure. It's never going to enter my TBR pile.

Hope you get some enjoyment from the skirl o' the pipes this evening! YAM xx

Travel said...

Such a sweet cute little doggie!

Jake of Florida said...

World Central Kitchen is a worthy cause for donations to help the Ukrainian people. Jose Andres is everywhere where people need food to survive disasters.

Coppa's girl said...

I'd question the handling of Covid as being a Bojo "strength" - surely that is tongue in cheek!
My Christmas card money will, as usual, go to local dog rescues and Red Cross. Having been to one dog rescue recently to find another dog after I lost Inca, I wish I had more money to share between them. They do such wonderful work. It's just a hopeless cause with the dire financial situation so many people find themselves in and have to surrender their pets.