Happy Christmas to one and all!

This is dawn in the Cartmel Valley.  I took this picture when I went out to defrost the car this morning and thought it would be a good picture to use today.  I know that it is not very Christmassy but I thought it is a good way to show new beginnings as we get to the end of this year and start looking to the next.  I got a real shock last night (a good one) and it has put me in a contemplating frame of mind.  I hope everyone has a beautiful peaceful Christmas and a glorious new year. 

Iain and Winston

Wow this picture is from last summer and I can't believe how much Winston has grown!  In this picture you can see he is not far behind Iain (who is 14.1hh) in height and is aged around 4 months.  Now he is 18 months and is about the same height as Lindsey who is 16.1hh.  Yikes!  I think he will end up around the 17.2hh mark.  Winston is a very nice person to know when you go to see him he gently puts his chin on your shoulder, just like his Mum used to.  He looks very much like her in the face, has the body of his father except his bottom which is exactly like his Mums!

BE Ball 2010

The British Eventing Ball 2010 at The Dunblane Hydro.  There were a fair few of us going so we were all very excited!  I had volunteered to do make up so spent a very happy afternoon doing just that and watching the rugby.  The boys were all in Pompa's sitting room watching the rugby (in peace and quiet from us girls!) so they were happy too!  We all scrubbed up rather well I think! 

John, Emma, Jack, Wendy, Lindsey, Arthur, Fran, Giles and Jess.  Also Sprout in the front!  I struggled to get the pictures right, I need more practice taking pictures in low lighting!

 All the same apart from me in the middle.  Corrie and Tam the Skye Terriers come to inspect.

 Arthur and Fran.  We had a very good table and very good company!  We had a lovely four course meal.

 John and Arthur.  You can see that John is not dressed properly (wearing a tie to an evening do!)  But he has a very good excuse..... he had fallen down the stairs on the Thursday and broken his hand so everything else went out the window in the panic.  I think we were lucky to get him there at all.  I had to tie his tie for him and seem to have given him a real footballers knot - I'm so out of practice!

 Lindsey and Arthur.  Lindsey was the Belle of the Ball (her dress was stunning) and I think I did her make up the best out of everyone I did. 

The young uns table.  Jack, Emma, Jess, Giles, Sammie and Tom.  I have no idea where Wills and Laura have gone (standing in the background - it looks like Wills has had enough of the necktie!).  Wills won four trophies including best Scottish 1* (Bertie at Blair Castle) best Scottish 3* (Smudge at Blair Castle) so we were very proud.  Then of course we danced the night away.  I again took some video but I still haven't worked out how to edit so one day you may see it when I finally learn!