Show Day

Archie was quite pleased to see me yesterday - though nothing compared to the crazed welcome he gives JR every day she comes home from school! And it took him all evening to deign to come and sit with me - I think he's transferred his sofa allegiance to JR since I deserted him...

Today he went to spend the day with Bailey and her mum, as we had arranged to go the the Highland Show. JR has never been to the Edinburgh show, though I went a couple of years ago and enjoyed it so much I was keen to go again, but I found the vast area too much to walk around this time. We decided that the shows we used to go to in NZ were better, more manageable - ie smaller. You could drive your car right up to the main ring and have your picnic while seeing all the events. And sit out of the wind if need be. At my first A&P Show (as they are called in NZ) I bought a lovely wee yellow chainsaw. It sat on my mantelpiece for ages  - I was loathe to get it dirty, but I did make good use of it over the years, chopping up the winter firewood every year.

We saw lots of sheep with humungous curly horns, but couldn't find any pigs. We saw some show jumping, but couldn't get near the fence to get a good view. We saw lots of amazing farm machinery for sale but weren't allowed to climb up into the cabs and have a look. There were loads of outdoor clothing shops with sales on, but we didn't buy anything. I have never seen so many Dubarry boots!

We tried some chips - purely as market research to compare the fab Vlaams frites I had yesterday. And yes, they compared very well. With ketchup instead of mayonnaise, of course.

We eventually found a spare bench, and were sitting having a sandwich and watching the horses being judged in the main ring, when a wee lad of about 8 or 9 went by clutching a £20 note. I thought he looked a wee bit worried. He walked back again, looking even more worried. A while later he walked back again. Eventually, when he stopped near us, I asked if he was lost. 'Y-E-E-E-E- S!' exclaimed the poor wee lad, tearfully. As I was taking him to the Information desk a frantic woman came running towards us from the other direction, calling his name. Ended well.

Met a wee schnauzer called Digby. His dad had also noticed the wee lost lad, and called out to me as I came back. It's a bit hard for a man to attempt to help a lost child these days.

Just been to collect Arch. What a day he's had. He's discovered the joys of horse sh*t, unfortunately. And not just rolling in it! He was also bitten on the tail by an unfriendly dog, there was blood, and Archie yelped. And he was sick in the car on the way home, so you can imagine what fun that was to clean up, bearing in mind what he'd been eating!  I'm quietly trimming his eyebrows and he's too tired to protest.

I liked this life-sized rocking horse, with a grown man playing on it...