Denise: I’m sitting in the conservatory and for once I’m not carding wool, spinning it, knitting or anything remotely like.  I am making a fuss of Tilly, the sort of gentle fuss that is intended to distract and calm a very excitable young thing.  And Tilly is VERY excited because she has just this afternoon arrived at her new home, and there’s so much to discover.

Tilly is NOT another cat (7 is a very nice number to have – a pity to spoil that!); and she is NOT a greyhound.  Tilly, is a black labrador, about 2 years old, and KC-registered, though I got her from the Uist branch of the SSPCA. And what really matters is that she is absolutely adorable!

She doesn’t annoy the cats, and is no more than amused by chickens. Molly and the rest of the cats are more curious than put out (though that may change the firs time Tilly helps herself to their food!).  She’s very bright: soon after getting her home I took her across the road onto the beach, and coming back she knew exactly where to find our gate and the way back to the house. Excitable, but not daft!

You’ll be dying to see what she’s like.  I’ll take a photo and J can add it for me tomorrow perhaps. You’ll just have to wait a bit  – J hasn’t seen her either, and won’t till he comes home at beginning of October.