Bearing in mind that neither of them have driven for more than 3 months it was a claw biting moment and I must admit to covering my eyes with my paws. However, dad negotiated Inverness very well, it being a much larger city than we had anticipated.
After 28 miles, and in the absence of a flask, the elders decided to stop at the Continental ski town of Aviemore for coffee. They knew where they were making for - it's a walking shop (that took some negotiating because they both still think that they have to look for gear for the walk - it's going to take time!) with a cafe on top. The cafe has a balcony, which on a lovely day like today (should have gone for a walk!) is a very nice place to sit. So, there they are, they've ordered their coffee and cake and enjoying the sunshine looking at the mountains that still have a fair amount of snow on them, when a car alarm sounds. I don't know why, but when a mobile phone goes (regardless of the tone) or a car alarm, dad always assumes it's his. This time he was right....I only got up for a drink of water for goodness sake.
Dad returned to the car and couldn't figure out how to turn off the internal scanner. After 10 minutes, mum rang to see if he'd absconded, and when he said he was reading the instruction book, she decided to eat her cake and drink her coffee which was now tepid. After another 10 minutes she rang again and suggested he come and have his, and she would sit with me, or else move the car to within sight of the cafe. In the end he decided to leave me to it (thanks dad), but somehow, and it's taken them a while to work out how, he had fixed it.
They then managed 50 miles down to Pitlochry and House of Brura before making excuses to wander round. We've never seen it before, but H of B has a special area in the car park for dogs. It is covered with a green net to reflect the sun and there are several taps to fill up dog bowls - what a great idea - shame people can't read and it was almost full of cars with no dogs!
To give him credit, dad tried every which way to get mum to buy something nice to wear, but she said she wasn't ready to be a normal human yet (well after 60 years it's not like to happen now!) and didn't want anything. I think the visit to Inverness M&S yesterday freaked her out. He went wild and bought a belt!
Onward towards Melrose then. Just outside Edinburgh, we began to see matrix signs decreeing 'Queens Baton EastLothian hold ups'. Mum, who was driving at the time (sometimes my paws are just not big enough) asked if this would effect us. Dad got the map book out that he had purchased at a service station (dad and maps are nothing parted!) and busied himself looking for the town of .....Queens Baton!!!!!!!!!!!
We've evetually made it to Melrose. I think they might be better at planning a days walking than driving, but it'll come to them.
Home tomorrow and my footballs - Yay!!!!!!
I'd just like to thank everybody who has contributed to the charities, we are so grateful. If you have enjoyed my blog and you haven't donated, could I be really cheeky and ask you to consider doing so. We think it's not bad value for almost daily entertainment for 3 months! And they are, all three, great causes.
M
x
PS Mum saw an otter today.............thank goodness!
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