Uncertainty and Unexpected Kindness

So, OK.......we've been pretty much AWOL for a long time now apart from the occasional bumper guilt post. There are a number of reasons for this, the main one being that we have changed our internet provider again and the service is soooooooooo slooooooooooow...........even slower than the library if that's possible! (Mum thought it might have had something to do with the snow, and also the busy time over Christmas) But anyway, it means that blogs take ages (sometimes half an hour) to load up and even then we can't see videos or Cboxes, or even all the pictures....sometimes we can't comment. Up until today we have not been able to post pictures on our own blog (and we're not entirely sure this post will publish with the photos we've put on).* Constantly trying to play catch-up, losing touch with people and furries we've come to care about and forever apologising for our lengthy absences. All of this has turned blogging into something of a chore, which it really shouldn't be!

*Mum had to go to the library to finish uploading the photos today :o~

Anyway, nuff moaning........today we have a few reasons to blog......firstly, wanna see some snow? (think you can enlarge them)

These two pictures of Ben Wyvis were both taken on Christmas day. The above one was taken from our kitchen window in the morning....the big chimney is the Benromach distillery....and the one below was taken from our Nanny's back garden in the afternoon....you can just see the rigs at the mouth of the Cromarty Firth.

We found a new ornament for our Christmas tree, something that Pamela, Kira the BeaWootiful's very talented Mom made for us a while back.......it's a cute ceramic Beagle.....and of course, it wouldn't be a Beagle until it had torn the fairy lights from the tree! We LOVE it.......and it's about time we were represented properly on the tree without Alfie having to add his own kind of decoration!

This morning we were surprised when the postie knocked on the door.......a parcel? For us?? Surely there must be a mistake....Santa's already been! Mum recognised the return address straight away and when she opened it up she almost burst into tears.....inside was a lovely toy for us........

..........a card with a very pretty lady on it, she's called Lola......(Mum loves this picture so much she's going to frame it!)

.......and best of all (and this is what she was bubbling about)......

.....the most beautiful handmade cushion with a cross-stich of a Beagle on the front! Isn't this gorgeous? We knew Sue was creative, not to mention extremely kind, but this is something else! The detail is so intricate, it must have taken ages and it will be treasured. Sue, I just don't know what to say......your talent and generosity has stunned me....thank you so much ♥

So now we're feeling even more guilty....not only for not visiting everyone, including Sue and the Porties for so long, but for the fact that we are so disorganised........we planned to send Christmas cards to everyone we have addresses for and do an e-card for everyone else.....we planned to send parcels of love to our sweetie-pies (we started a parcel for Kira back in the summer time and it's still in the drawer!) and we didn't do any of it, infact SHE didn't write a single card! (Mum says she's saving the trees and that's her excuse but we know she just left it all too late)

We've had alot of snow in the past 24hrs, on the news last night it said that skiers in the Cairngorms are enjoying the best season since the 1960's! (We saw 5 RAF mountain rescue units heading out there last night, hope everyone's staying safe!) The photo above was taken on the way home from picking big sis up from work....this is, believe it or not, the main road between Aberdeen and Inverness and it's even worse today, Mum couldn't even take the girl to work, had to ask a friend with a 4x4!

Special hugs to Petey and his Mom today xx

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and we wish you all the best for the coming year!

Sunday Scenery

Some of yesterday's action from Findhorn....click to enlarge!

Skywatch Friday

Some of this week's skies....the last three of a sunrise taken in Edinburgh, the rest sunsets at Burghead.

Above, one of my favourite collages so far....and below, I think this is my favourite sky shot ever, so dramatic!

These next ones were taken on our walk yesterday at Burghead, the two on the left of the collage were me trying to show how white the hills across the Firth are....but of course my camera is not good enough to pick up the detail!

Our Dad came with us today, he was in charge of the liver cake....and BOY did we have to work for it!! (please disregard Dad's grotty work trousers!)

Ahem.....apologies are in order....we have just done an orange themed post and left someone out....Jana the Vizsla is our very good friend who we sometimes walk with....

....and the very dashing and funny Dennis the Vizsla Dog, both clearly orange! (hope you don't mind us pinching your profile pic, Dennis!)

Sorreeee, haha ok bye :o)

Working With the Snuggle Puggle: Snow Plowing and a Gift From Vermont!

Wooo, how exciting! A week or so ago we won Nigel, Sola & Co.'s monthly draw and today our package came! It's a cool desktop calendar with lovely photos of Nigel, Sola, Truffles and the gorgeous area they live in. February's model is a beautiful white cat called Boo. They also sent us a cute little card thanking us for being their virtual friends, isn't that sweet? The other winner was Chester the Labrador. Thanks for the gift and for being our buddies :o)

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We're still working with the Snuggle Puggle! Today we had an action-packed walk :o)

We had snow.......

Sun.......

A different sky in each direction.....

One minute Burghead looked like this.....

......the next time we turned around this is what we saw!

We had so much fun playing in the snow :o)

Jeez Snoop, your big fat belly is eclipsing the Sun!

Fee-fie-fo-fum.....

.....here-comes-our-Mum!

Rosie took Gabbi and Snoop off into the dunes for a game of chase....meanwhile Alfie didn't go incase the treats came out......they did.......he had to work hard for them though!

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We visited Honeydew and Sampson today and saw this cute award on their post. Those long and lows have said that all their blog buddies should take it if they want it, so we did, thanks buddies! It pretty much sums up how we feel about all the lovely friends we've made since our blog was born, so dear furries and beans....if you want it, take it!