2020 Slightly surreal

Most years I have drafted the bare bones of my yearly round up well in advance, I will know which Chamfron horses have been the stars of the show and I will have reflected on what I've achieved and who I am, but not this year.  This has been the most unusual of years, when I did my round up last year we hadn't heard of Covid 19 in the UK yet, no one would have thought that by my birthday in March the whole country would be in lockdown because of it, that we would wear face coverings in the supermarket and that so many would die.  People would follow rules, bend the rules, express the most random of opinions, confuse the hell out of me and we'd all watch Tiger King on Netflix.

I've felt this year has been one of constantly shifting sands, not always Covid related, but there has been positives, I passed my probation at work, bought a house and moved Spider to a different yard where he has settled well.  We've seriously embraced the lockdown walk, I've walked on my own, with Craig, with work mates, with Alpacas (surprisingly awesome), in the sun, in the rain and most recently in the dark admiring the Christmas decorations.  I've seen some brilliant bits of Scotland on my own doorstep.

Although there have been few opportunities to get the Chamfron horses out and about there has been several things to smile about, not least Christine's confidence soaring on Tizona and Milano, who was beautifully produced by Peregrina Stud, being sold to a home that is not just competitive but definitely has the sense of humour I appreciate.  Hopefully they will get a chance to shine in 2021.  Hopefully we all will.

Locked down again.

So in Covid news, there are mutations and the fear is that they are causing the virus to spread quicker so mainland Scotland is back into Tier four lockdown and the amnesty over Christmas was reduced to one day.  So another day, another lockdown walk (Aberlady nature reserve).

Covid Christmas

Christmas in Covid times (when your partner is emergency services) - hacked Sir Spidey first thing, picked up the lovely gift of Prosecco from the yard and gave Spidey his Christmas treats from Kate and Pandy.  We hit one patch of ice and clenched our buttocks but survived.  Then I went a walk round the Eildons, Trimontium and Newstead with Nicola and her beautifully behaved dogs and had Prosecco on the top of the third Eildon.  This was followed by Sonya's Christmas Zoom quiz, I spectacularly crashed and burned due to the proliferation of questions on ABBA...  Dinner may have been pierce and ping!

Tizona the Christmas Pudding

The sheep makes it!

This week my neighbours have seriously upped the Christmas decoration stakes, is that not just fabulous!  We've had a walk around Lindean Loch which will be lovely for an evening stroll in the summer, its more than a little damp at the moment and Spidey has moved yards.  His tail needs a good wash but he told me he still remembers how to point his toes and trot in circles despite my dubious riding.

Summer polo string

Conserving their energy, Osito, Pitufa, Yaya and Perdita.

Christmas Mojito

MIlano the Christmas Elf

The next day he did his showjumping clinic with reindeer ears and jingle bells on all four legs!

Lit up lockdown walks!

Covid 19 Update

Scotland has had a tier system recently with restrictions depending on the rate of infection in that area, we are tier 2 in the Borders, the main impact for me being no non household visitors indoors (though there is an amnesty for five days over Christmas).  As time has gone on people have started to bend the rules a little, I don't believe there is the same sense of community and compliance that was seen during the first lockdown.  Today's big news has been the approval of the first of the vaccines for the UK, with the first vaccines scheduled to be administered in Scotland on the 8th of December.  A glimmer of hope that there may be some sort of normality in 2021.

It may be early...

It's November but the Christmas tunes are on, a bottle of Baileys has been sunk and the tree is up.  New baubles for this year are a present from Sonya, lots of gin and Sir Spidey (the first tree since his arrival and he is practically a Unicorn!)

The Three Brethren

We had a lovely sunny walk up to the The Three Brethren in Selkirk today.  The Three Brethren cairns mark the boundaries of the estates of Buccleuch, Yair and Selkirk Burgh at a height of 465m.  The first cairn was built by Alexander Pringle, Laird of Yair and Whytbank Tower in 1512. However, one cairn was considered to be insufficient and another two were built at a later date.  The hill is named as the Three Brethren on General Roy’s military maps from the mid 1700’s.  On the way back we saw a flag flying on the horizon so we deviated to Linglie Hill to investigate, there wasn't a breath of wind so I had to lightly energise the flag to get it to unfurl, it proved to be a NHS tribute.  The trig point at The Three Brethren had recently been painted red for Remembrance day but it was back to white today.

Spectacular Scotland!

We visited The Queens View and the Fortingall Yew, estimated to be around 5000 years old and probably the oldest tree in Britain.  Then we had a walk along to the Glen Ogle Viaduct and even saw the feral goats.  The falls of Dochart were looking spectacular with our first sighting of snow on the hills beyond and Aberfeldy seems to be rather rife with Beavers!  Starling murmuration nearer home too.