Summer!

I think we can count this as the first day of summer. Not just because the wind that has plagued us for weeks has now gone away, but because I was out for the whole time without my hat on! I suffer from the little known and invented by me... 'chilly head syndrome' even in the height of a Scottish summer (!). Mind you, I did bring my hat with me - can't be too careful.

We went to the Braidburn Valley Park and met Rosie the wee Westie again. While she and Archie charged around, in and out of the burn, Rosie's dad and I had a chinwag.

After we parted company, we walked back along with a wee black schnauzer and her mum and dad. I think her name was Boo, though I can't be sure. Boo's mum and I compared knee problems and commiserated with each other all the way back to the gate.

Archie had been getting a bit whiffy, so a shower had been planned. How marvellously easy it is with the table for him to stand on! Half an hour later he'd been showered, blow dried, brushed, teeth cleaned, legs trimmed - all without too much complaining on either side...

An ex-colleague came for tea - we haven't seen her for ages, so it was good to catch up. For the first time, we're able to sit out in the sun in the evening!!

This shows the newly shampoo-ed Archie inspecting the aquilegias. He is wearing his anti-bark collar, as Tinkerbelle (the neighbour's cat) was hanging out in the garden too. The anti-bark collar did not work too well...