Menosukhi - parting is such sweet...

Failte! 'Tis I, Brom of Dun Omhain (Dunoon, temporarily). It is with a sadness and yet a happiness that I bring this last post from my visit with YAM-aunty at the Hutch in the Bonny Land. We had some supery-dupery time together, what with meeting her two Aussie cousins at the start of things and visiting two castles and seeing beaches and seals and birdies and experiencing the (in)famous weather of the West...

Whilst still over in Edinburgh, after saying farewell to cousin D, aunty and I stayed with the father for a week, helping him by preparing meals and taking him shopping and making him laugh. A favourite thing we did, though, and an adventure for me (this trip being all about adventure, remember!), was to go to the place called 'cinema'. My word that is a BIG place.

I got the great privilege to be loved-on by Mac1, who is aunty's sister; she said she could feel all the years of love in me. Wasn't that a nice thing to say?

We watched a film called BLADE RUNNER 2049; the girls were both very pleased with it and talked much about how it related to another film and how it really begs the question of consciousness, humanity and the parameters we put on those things...
I just thought it was a visual feast and a lot of it was orange-coloured, so I was very happy.

Anyway, after this aunty and I returned to the Hutch. The weather didn't disappoint us and remained as grey as ever. This view from her seat tells the story...

I mean, really, that's the sky in the middle of the day. It was like that several days in a row. It got even worse on one day when someone called 'Ophelia' passed through. It was more like midnight than midday and the sky went a peculiar shade of Yukk.

Not to worry though, we were snuggly as bugglies in ..(no I'll stop there...)

Aunty got busy with the keyboard and got all excited about something called NaNoWRiMo and then it seemed the clock got all turned about as she couldn't seem to leave the keyboard alone at all.



I said, "YAM-aunty!!! Time for a break. You need to eat, you need to sleep, you need to walk a bit and you need to hydrate." Thankfully, she listened to me and let me take her into the kitchen to see what was what. There were several green veges in the refrigerator which looked a bit less than better, so we decided to make a 'power soup' which she could batch freeze and have at least a few day's worth to have with a sandwich when that November writing storm gets going. I put on my apron and snoopervised.

First we put the kettle to boil with lots of water. Then the spinach leaves were put into cold water to wash - don't want grit to crunch upon!

Next the broccoli and celery had to be chopped - there were mutterings along the lines of "*blue* broccoli can never be chopped without it going everywhere!" I told her it was okay, it could be swept up, just get the pan filled. All the veges went into the cast iron pot with a tablespoon of the stock powder, a can of tomatoes and a litre of the boiled water. It was brought through to boil again and then simmered for half an hour. Later, aunty 'blitzed' it smooth and it looked like swamp-mud, but she assured me it was yummeroonies. Six mug portions were frozen for later and one supped that very same evening. As the soup cookerized, though, she showed me some works in progress.

...and then came the bitter-sweet blow; 'Brom', she said, 'it is time you returned to Mara in Norway!'

Oh my. It was of course going to be lovely to get back to my beloved hyooman... but golly, it was a wrench to leave the Hutch. When I arrived, aunty had the golden pillow ready for me and then I also had the lovely golden furs of Licky the Lucky Puppy (who escaped the IKKY shoppe) to cuddle into... and now, aunty made sure that I would have gold to lie upon for my trip home!!!

Yes, that is golden 'straw' you see there! Into that very fine box, a present for my Mara was also put; wrapped and with the instruction 'open Dec 25th' on it. That might be hopeful of aunty, but I give her points for trying.

My passport and kilt and sporran and apron were all carefully packed beneath me and then, finally, I had to tuck myself in and aunty sealed the box. She walked to the post office (thus I made sure she had some exercise!) and arranged my travel.

Even the Fudge was bleary-eyed at saying goodbye... But golly, I am really looking forward to being with Mara again - and even Miss Oswin and especially with Mouse. We shall be a happy furmily again!!! Bye-bye aunty, I think I love you just a little...

Farewell Brom, it has been SO MUCH FUN having you visit and share some adventures with me. I love you too - but not as much as Mara does, I'm sure; she is a special lady to have let me share time with you and I shall always remember this with a full heart!!! YAM xx