Housesitting in Arbroath & motorhome tinkering

The last week has flown by, and what have we to show for it? More pottering on the van, we’ve found our hidey hole, for the iPad, passports etc, bought the wheel clamp, cleaned and bought new bedding, well sheet and mattress protector. Just when we thought we’d got most things sorted on our first night, I went to make the bed, at least that’ll be easy, but no, even that was a problem. The bed is the same width as a standard double, but slightly longer, so the fitted sheet didn’t! I’ll just have to split it up the seam then, so new flat sheets and a new mattress protector that fits now I’ve ‘doctored’ it!

Ready to tackle the crab

Saturday we again walked Angus in the woods, we all appreciate the cover, before going to a Saturday market in Arbroath. I couldn’t even summon up the energy to roast the chicken we had, and planned on grabbing a pizza, so how did I get talked into buying a crab? Boiled but not dressed. It only took me an hour of cracking, prodding and poking to extract all the meat! It was worth it though, you get twice as much white meat when you do it yourself, but did make our chilli crab linguine a little more labour intensive than when I just used to buy a dressed crab from the fish market!

Keptie water tower and park, Arbroath

We collected my bike from the ‘doctors’ on Saturday too, after B had persuaded him to have another look at the back brake, so Sunday I was persuaded into “a little test ride” 10 minutes I said, we were out two plus hours..... at least it was all pretty flat. We had made it along the disused railway line and through the park and were just looking at the phone to work our way through the streets when a man on a bike shouted if we were ok? I said yes, just not sure quite where we were, and he stopped saying I never cycle past cyclists, even if they say they are ok. 

Ice cream on the beach with Haar fog rolling in

He was a lovely man, pointed us at the war memorial that Colin had mentioned, but far more importantly told me where the good ice cream shop was, on the seafront. Obviously my energy needed a boost to come home. I was allowed a day off the following day as he tinkered with the bikes. 

Mountain bike with shopping basket!

We’d thought we’d get panniers to put a little food shoppers in, without quite working through how you fit a rack to a full suspension bike, plan B a basket on the front, mine will obviously have to be modified to make it cat friendly, but B has tested his, the baguette even got home in one piece! My bottom bone knew it had only recently been on a cycle though. Gel seat perhaps?

Hector has been on really good form, even running down the stairs when we got back one day, to pin me to the floor lying on my chest and purring. Just as well it was before Angus got back from Doggy Daycare as this is just what ‘Mr. Jealous dog’ is afraid of when a cat comes too close! He would love to know he’d been right all along, those pesky cats just can’t be trusted!

Oscar also has been at the top of his game, not interested in B or a sachet first thing one morning, he was much more interested in what was behind the wicker basket in the hall, so after evicting him I rescued the baby bunny which seemed completely unharmed and put it under the hedge!

Hector chilling out

A trip to Dundee yesterday, via the caravan shop to buy a wheel lock, was very pleasant, there is some really interesting architecture in Dundee, and as well as everywhere looking better in the sunshine it was graduation day at the university, so there were lots of beautifully dressed proud parents and relieved students wandering around, all making for a great atmosphere. One of the many purchases we have made this week is a new camera, he wanted to be able to zoom in on things, so there will now be lots of close ups, till he gets bored, or drops it!

Hector checking out our motorhome

Hector pinning Jackie to the floor

As for the rest of today? I have to decide whether to boil the haggis for an hour, or microwave it for 6 minutes, seems like cheating, but research says it perfectly acceptable, and then whether fizz for Fizz Friday will go with haggis? Life’s hard! I am at least happy that we have the right accompaniments for the haggis: tatties and neeps, but the perennial question of what is ‘neeps’ followed us round the shop yesterday. Yes, it’s turnips, but is it turnips as we know them? The decision was made, they didn’t have any small round white turnips, but they did have big orange swede, which I need for the boiled gammon tomorrow anyway. Finally on going through the reduced section I discovered a packet of mashed turnip, it was orange, and it had pictures of swede on it.......!

Desperate Dan, Dawg and Minnie the Minx statues in Dundee

Jackie with the Dundee penguins

A rare photo of all three animals in the same room. Angus (L), Oscar (C), Hector (R)

A sleepy Angus dog

Oscar cat

A very big Oscar cat on the bed

Angus, in no hurry to get out of the car after his walk, was joined by Oscar

Trying out the rope swing in the woods during Angus' walk

Evening walk in the golf course with Oscar cat and Angus dog

Enjoying our 10:00pm walk with Angus in the local golf course

Sleeping ducklings with a very alert mum duck on one of the greens in the golf course

Jackie gets the undivided attention of Angus and Oscar while handing out the chicken

Got a panorama feature on the new camera, this is the view from the lounge (on the first floor)

Think there may be a wasps nest in the roof. Good zoom feature eh?

What about this for a shot! A buzzard just taking off from the lawn

Here he is sitting high up in a tree. I love the zoom feature on my new camera!