Off the boat at 07:00 and then to look for my car which had arrived the day before.  It was happily sitting in the freight car park, so I set my Twat-nav for Tesco, Dundee and off I trotted.

I wandered aimlessly around the vast Tesco, buying some breakfast and lunch  and drove down to Old Tebay. It was a fairly uneventful drive. Just the two snarl-ups. I am staying in a delightful B&B.

This is what you get for £39 including breakfast! I love it. A total bargain.

I really cannot complain because it is quiet, comfortable and I am in the most beautiful village.

I had a little wander around and am now resting on my bed while writing this, with a mug of tea at hand and afterwards I will walk down to the local pub for my supper.

Like I said, delightful.

I am currently sitting in the passenger waiting area at the ferry terminal ready to go onboard once they are open.  As the wifi here is very good, I thought I would pass away the time writing the blog.

I said my goodbyes to everyone over the course of the day.

And I am trying very hard not to worry about Haakon who finds the Shetland winter difficult at the best of times.  I told him just to do his best and gave him a hug. He understood. He always does.

Then OH drove me over to Leradale to check the Minions as I have not got a car (now sitting in Aberdeen ferry terminal). We took Pepper too and she had a lovely time being introduced and investigating new territory.

Home for lunch and I spent some time with Waffle and Tiddles. Daisy and I did their feet again.  Well, Daisy did. I held the rope and kissed noseys.  Tiddles is much better. Waffle less so. I am trying not to worry about him and we will wait for the next farrier visit.

I spent as much time as possible with Pepper.

I doubt she will miss me much as Monster is her BFF.  Although possibly not very keen on this role, Monster is doing his very best to keep Pepper under control.  She loves it!

Daisy sent me this photo while I was schlepping round Tesco’s looking for a BLT for supper. I think everyone will be alright.

The car is all packed and ready to go south by itself to Aberdeen on the freight boat tonight.  I will follow on tomorrow night’s boat.

A certain little doglet knows something is up.

I wish I could take Pepper with me but, after much thinking, I decided that she  would have a much better start staying at home, keeping to her routine, and being a happy dog with everything she loves (except me) around her.

I am not sure about the future of this blog, to be honest. It is meant to be about my life in Shetland and all I will write about for the near future will be about living down south in Englandshire.  I don’t know how long I will be there so I can’t make any promises.  I do not have a return ticket. I think the best I can say is I will see how I go.  I am caring for my mother.  I am staying for as long as she needs me. This is not a holiday but necessity.

I will miss my family and animals and have left them all in the best of hands. It’s all I can do.

I’m going to miss my speshul boy very much.

These two are getting along very well these days.

If Monster says it is good, Pepper believes him.  Although not a huge fan of eating, Pepper is Monster’s No 1 Fan (with capital letters and everything!).  Without Monster, I doubt Pepper would eat, ever.

I am beginning to pack up the car for my trip south and I found Monster sat on the top like the blues and two’s going Mee-Meow, Mee-Meow (see what I did there, geddit?)!

The car goes on tomorrow’s freight boat (there is no room ever again).

And I travel, as a foot passenger, with a cabin (the first in two weeks) on Sunday night’s boat. On Monday I drive to Cumbria for the night and then Tuesday, I drive onwards, ever onwards,  south.

So today we moved the MInions over to Leradale which is much closer and far more convenient when it comes to checking them.

Ok, it is two months’ early but we can always put them somewhere else once I am home.

And they are all very fat and need to lose weight quickly. Leradale, once they have eaten the grass down, will do this very well.

Worried about everything? Yup but I have to let go and concentrate on getting south.