It’s Wednesday now and I really did intend to scribble a few lines yesterday after my last day at work. After all I would not have to get up quite so early this morning, but I arrived home after a hard day at the office to some unexpected guests that had never tried out the ‘organic apple flavoured bio diesel’. This ‘rocket fuel’ in the guise of English cider that was left to me on Sunday has to be tasted to be believed and I could not wait to introduce my friends to it.
Organic 'rocket fuel'
Unfortunately they too were quite impressed with the ‘Norfolk Nitro’ and there’s not much of it for tonight 
the only upside being that it seems to leave no hangover so I was full of enthusiasm for the long list of jobs to do on my ‘rest week’ 
Tuesday ( wanted Jack Russel bitch )
Anyway I’m gettingt a little ahead of myself, Tuesday was a pure peach of a day and the excitement of reaching the age of 10 had my boy up before I left for work. He’s an early riser at the best of times and was not even in the slightest bit dissapointed when I told him that we’d not actually got him the ‘wee dug’ that we’d promised him for his birthday. In fairness to his lacksidaisical and irresponsible parents he had sprung it on us at the last minute and was quite specific in his request. He wants a wee Jack Russel, probably in memory of my very own Malin that watched over him when he was a tot. Malin, who was my only companion for many years at ‘the end of the road’ took to my boy as soon as he was born and is there in the background of most of the photo’s watching over him.
Gaurdian angel!
Which is quite exceptional when you think that the wee Malin was only other occupant at the house at the end of the road for several years. So if you know where there are any Jack Russel bitch puppies for sale let us know by leaving a message on here or if you prefer write to ‘eccentric old git at the end of the road on Raasay’, it will find me
Anyway, after that tearful little journey down memory lane as I dug out those photo’s back to Tuesday which after a beautiful drive to work turned out to be quite a busy day.
Misty 'Black Cuilin'
As well as the magnificent mountains of Skye I was treated to a close up view of the normally shy cuckoo that perched on a fence post at Tarbert. Once on board the ‘Loch Striven’ it was business as ususal with lots of holiday traffic and a couple of commercials from the council who were replacing a couple of cattle grids on Raasay.
Raasay's gritter
The council also exhibited some spectacular ‘joined up thinking’ by taking the snow plough away for its annual service on the empty trailer that had brought in the digger for the cattle grids
Today
Despite the fact that I hate messing around with cars it seems that a great deal of my week is going to be taken up by doing just that. Wifey’s parents were good enough to do the ‘pig (and boy) sitting’ the other week whilst we were at http://www.rockness.co.uk/ , they were also good enough to tile the bathroom last month. So when the radiator and engine almost fell out of ‘dad in laws’ 2001 Nissan Primera due to corrosion of the front crossmember I felt obliged to help.
Worse welding than mine!
Some ‘cowboy’ had had a go at it before they came to visit but even my ‘bird pooh’ welding put his to shame so dad in law took wifey’s old Astra home and left his car for me to fix. After cutting all the corroded steel out I set about fabricating a new crossmember in situ.
Bottom half of new crossmember
Using a piece of thick galvanized steel, some bits of plate from the ‘hydro poles’ that I’d been given least year and a couple of bolts I got the bottom section fabricated. Tomorrow I’ll set about the top half
Other stuff
Any time now
Whilst feeding our herd I gave Jamie Lee’s teets a squeeze, it’s not that I’m kinky or anything it’s just that she’s about to farrow and that ‘tell tale’ drop of milk on the end of her teets means any time now
happy wee piggies
In between my fabrication on the Nissan Primera crossmember I kept checking on the piglets and Jamie Lee but there were no more developements
I thought I recognised that piece of steel—I have them lying around too.
And in our usual synchronicity, we also have a pig about to farrow. Daphne’s first litter is due imminently.
As for cider, you’ll have to come and visit again because we have a keg of Stonedhead on tap. The current batch came in at 8.5%, very appley, and very dry. I’d love to turn some into apple cider brandy, but Customs and Revenue wouldn’t like that…
Anyway, I’d better finish my cuppa and get back to work while the sun shines.
Comment by Stonehead — June 25, 2009 @ 9:31 am
Morning Stoney,
Just been for a visit to http://stonehead.wordpress.com/ and I see there’s been no activity for a day or so, does that mean Daphne’s farrowing? All of Jamie Lee’s are doing fine and your right we must try and get back over your way with some seaweed
Comment by lifeattheendoftheroad — June 27, 2009 @ 5:39 am
No, Daphne hasn’t had her piglets yet. I thought she’d have them overnight as she’s bagged up and dilated. I stayed up late and started earlier than usual so I could keep an eye on her. Nothing. So I’m starting to suspect she’s waiting for me to go out.
Oh, and I don’t update the blog every day—it depends on my workload and I’m very busy at the moment as we finally have dry weather.
Comment by Stonehead — June 27, 2009 @ 7:24 am
Daphne picked her time very well—just as we were about to move a flock of sheep.
http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/daphne-delivers-first-litter/
Comment by Stonehead — June 27, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
Hi Stoney,
that’s a fine litter she had, they’ll get a good start in this weather.
Comment by lifeattheendoftheroad — June 29, 2009 @ 10:12 pm
Not bad for a first litter. A pity I had to put one down, but that’s nature for you. Daphne’s taking to motherhood extremely well, but that’s one of the reasons we like Berkshires. The sows tend to be very good mums and produce a lot of milk, so the piglets grow fast and safe.
Comment by Stonehead — June 29, 2009 @ 10:14 pm