Monday, January 30, 2023

Rattle and shake.

Decidedly breezy this morning. The wind strong enough to force the offshore  wind farm supply vessels into the bay and dry out the puddles along the farm track. The gutters and downpipes on the wee cottage rattle and shake.  Sophie returns from the start of day 'comfort break '  sporting her ' I've never been near a brush in my life '  look. I would groom her but this is the sort of day when tangles get tangles. 


The first session with the physiotherapist scheduled after breakfast. Dog and master have a quick scout around to make sure we know where it is. The studio seems to be on the first floor above a soap shop. Angus will get there early to allow a little extra time for climbing the stairs.


Angus and his shaggy companion detour into the trendy student cafe for an  espresso. At this time on a blustery Monday morning there are only a few brave souls out and about. The family diva is given some shortbread crumbs. 


Sophie finds that the wall behind the water bowl has been decorated. All the pictures are done on old scraps of cardboard. A bored, dog loving barista with a hidden talent ?


More bobble hats appear in shop windows. From now to the end of February is peak gale season.


This piece of art made me smile :https://louise-rawlings-art.myshopify.com/products/day-dreamer

My advice - Go to the super market before arriving somewhere this remote. There are no nearby corner shops for a pint of milk if you run out :https://57nord.co.uk/


8 comments:

Lisa in France said...

Seems pretty mean, having the physiotherapist's at the top of a flight of stairs. I hope you made it and that the treatment helped. Your comment about the bobble hats made me wonder whether the bobbles are designed to bobble in the wind - I never thought of that.

Following upon Oliver's successful microchipping, two veterinarians from Japan's animal quarantine service came to visit us yesterday, to check the room we are planning to use for a 30-day quarantine period the birds need to go through before we can obtain the veterinary certificate needed for entry to France. Our son's room has been emptied and sterilized, we have ponchos and booties that we are supposed to wear when entering the room, after applying hand sanitizer, and we've prepared the report form we must submit daily - it's quite a production, but we passed. They will come back on the 11th, which is when the quarantine period will start and then they will come again on the last day and issue the certificate. This is one time when I really feel I am getting some value from all those taxes I've paid. The furniture leaves in two weeks, so we will live in a mostly empty apartment for a while, and then we ourselves must leave within 48 hours after the vet certificate is signed. (Charlie also needs a certificate, but with him, we can visit the authorities at the airport and we only need it within 10 days of departure.) Within that 48-hour period, we also need to turn over the keys to our house. I am hoping the travel gods are with us! I will promise them I will never, ever try anything like this again.

Angus said...

Lisa in T - The 30 day quarantine period for the birds sounds Orwellian but I guess Covid was good preparation for using hand sanitizers and getting used to invasive health care procedures. March will be a perfect time to arrive in Provence.

WFT Nobby said...

Hope all goes well at the Physio (once you make it up the stairs...)
Love the coffee shop artwork.
Sitting here in Torridon at 57.5 degrees N, fridge well stocked in the sure knowledge that the nearest supermarket is 50 miles away, and bobble hat at the ready for Nobby's morning constitutional.
Cheers Gail.

Coppa's girl said...

Angus, the stairs are probably all part of your physio!
57 Nord looks idyllic, with such magnificent scenery on the doorstep, the last thing you'd desire is a supermarket withing at least 25 miles. It's somewhere I'd love on a permanent basis - and be glad that I don't drink milk!
Poor Sophie - another windswept start to the day.

Travel said...

When you can climb the stairs without pain, you are done with therapy

sillygirl said...

Two thoughts - first perhaps when you write "master" you need to put it this way in case Sophie can read the blog - it would give her a good laugh - and second, does the physio have an exit that is a slide down to the street - that would be really cool!

Camille said...

I'm quite taken by the baristas 'dog with a pearl earring' and very much charmed by Louise Rankings works. I do believe its time for me to invest in a bobble hat. Perhaps the pink one with giant fluffy pompom. It will be considered quite eccentric of me by friends and family, which at my age, suits me just fine. Hopeful your back is better.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the physio has one of those chair seat stair elevators for patients. I’ve been reading about a lady who is taking a solo three week vacation in Fair Isle. Too remote for me but the villagers are very welcoming