Snow

I thought long and hard for an original topical title. This was the best I could do.

Yes it's been snowing. A lot. And it's been freezing. Heavy frosts.

In the last couple of years we've got used to water freezing up at the croft - where there's a sort of standpipe arrangement for getting water for the goats. But most times when that's happened we've able to get water from the house. This year though - with the house under renovation - when water freezes up at the croft we have to carry the water up from the cottage. And 24 goats need a surprising amount of water. So every few hours we have to load a sledge up with water and drag it up for the goats.

Last week we managed to get to Caithness for hay - so at least that's sorted for a week or so - we had to ask a friendly neighbour to get a tractor to take the hay from the van, which was parked by the cottage, up to the croft though - cos the track up to the croft is too snowy and icy for the van.

The chickens seem to think we should be letting them into the cottage when it's cold - so there's a bit of a fight to get outside sometimes - though usually the puppy scares em off. But really, we are so cruel to not let the chickens in.

Driving to and from work has been a bit, erm, hairy. But let's face it, FUN! Going up hills is best cos when you lose control you sort of feel that gravity will stop you flying too far off the road. But what goes up must come down and that's a bit more scary. BUT FUN! On saturday the car got stuck coming up Paddy's Brae - but with the help of another neighbour we managed to push and skid our way up to the top, Hard work but FUN. We've spent the last couple of months saying we should ge

t winter tyres, but now the snow is here we cant get to the garage to get em. Oh the irony.

Just for Mike

Oooops - halloween!

Of course this is weeks ago now. Much more happening. I mean now, wellll, the stairs are in, the kitchen floor is going down, walls is plasterboarded - eeeh lad it's all go.

Mike wanted us to build a steel frame over the north of the house to extend it upward - it would have been a good idea but too expensive. We also used a cheap architect to cut costs. Pants. Pay the money people. But the builders are doing their best. Latest estimate is early December.....

Conflct

Deer kill.

Deer are an increasing problem on the roads around here. And they are dangerous. Sheep are more or less predictable when they are on the roads - and at least they do their best to get out of the way. Whereas sheep run for their lives - deer have a predilection for attempting to confuse predators by jumping across their path - and this is what makes them so dangerous.

So deer jump in front of cars rather than away from them. If you survive that impact the danger is that the deer has come in through the windscreen and the occupants are then kicked to death as said injured deer, somewhat understandably, panics.

Over the last couple of years the number of deer around the roads has increased dramatically. At the same time the big shooting estates are reporting sudden falls in deer numbers - partly because of last years severe winter - and this is affecting their income streams. But around here people fear for their lives driving at night.

I was at a community council meeting last night and a conversation has been had with a Head Honcho in the Deer Management Group who are responsible for looking after the deer in this area. I'll not name the woman concerned, but she seems to be responsible for running quite a large shootin' estate in the area as well - so there may be some conflict of interest there? Maybe?

The concerns of residents were put to her.

She said - well people shouldn't be driving fast along those roads anyway

The meeting said - aw fae fucks sake

She said - People could always put up electric fences, or deer fences

The meeting said - And aye - who's paying for that?

She said - Hanging unwanted CDs from trees can act as a deterrent

The meeting said nothing. Mouths were agape however.

The meeting gathered itself into a lather. Uproar - this is what we are up against - here we are with a life threatening issue, quite apart from the destruction of crofts and gardens and here is this arrogant woman (the language has been tempered to spare your delicate disposition dear readers) spouting utter ****** ***** ** ** ****** *** ** ****. The anger was very real, as is the threat, and the incompetence... and the arrogance.