Diary: February 23

Continued 2/2.

14th

Today Charlie took me away from the dreary lonely gloom, we first drove to Greenknowe Tower, near Gordon.

We then visited Hume Castle, which is a folly.

Leaving the follow, we drove south, passing over a bridge stopped at Leaderfoot viewpoint.

Driving past Ashkirk, I stopped the car to take a picture.

Glad to see the back of today, shattered.

13th

Up until the early hours of the morning, knitting a blanket out of merino wool.

It's a bright sunny day today, but this looming mind is smothered with storm clouds.

12th

Setup and configured Charlie's CCTV for lambing season, initially sceptical pre-installation, he appears impressed with the camera's functionality. Lambing season, at least for Charlie's sheep, is only a week away now.

The tilt and pan seems to cover the entire corral, he says the audio from the camera is as much as important as the visual. The setup, one Wi-Fi extender, and a IPcam together cost him a mere £60; and an hour or so of my free time to implement. I had to move the router downstairs, as the IPcam did not support 5GHZ. The picture quality is sufficient at 2K QHD, the photo above does not demonstrate the quality of the camera's stream.

11th

After doing some shopping we went out for a drive, we stopped the car, humoured by the sight of some wee piglets.

Then took Charlies dog Sam out for a walk in some woodland.

Charlie noticed the woodland being up for sale, but researching the internet revealled it to have already been sold.

I find this accessable stretch of embankment peaceful, by the River Teviot.

Returning to the farmhouse, we enjoyed a delicious roast dinner, then watched "IT follows" film by a roaring open fire. However I could not bring myself to drink a glass of homebrew, a decade matured, peapod wine.

Being at the farmhouse is very grounding for me and good company for Charlie, he says. My neighbours at the flat initially present friendly, but are horrid behind the superficial facade.

9th

Went to Melrose to pick up a solid wood coffee table today, I like simple furniture, not so fused about wear and tare, but must be strong. Returning, we stopped at a bridge, about two miles east of Denham.

There is a nice footpath along this stretch, that would make a pleasant walk. A camp site nearby, where, about a month ago, I turned down an offer to camp there for a night, after firecrackers triggered a panic attack; pushing me to dangerously walk a busy, narrow, twisting road in near pitch darkness.

7th

Did not go out anywhere today, stayed in and enjoyed knitting.

Later on I installed Debian on an old machine which will be donated, after the machine has performed it's function.

6th

Today I occompanied Charle for his appointment at Melrose hospital to see his cardiologist. I met a friendly man who delivered good news that his heart problem had not get any worse. After a short trip to Galashiels, for vitamin D, moi n Charlie visited Abbotsford.

Nobody home.

Nobody world.

Upon returning to Hawick, head was so noisy, overloaded with cruel messages.

5th

Today I familiarised myself with Charlie's sheep as lambing season is quickly approaching, the ewes are getting big already, they're all very hungry, and grumpy for sillage, chaff, and hay.

I've learned many things about sheep since I met Charlie. These sheep remember faces, and not only talk to each other through gestures but make irrational decisions through group conformity, sound familiar?

Charlie's dog "Sam" was traumatised to hell and back by his previous owner. Sam had been kicked beside himself, did not know where or how to rest this disposition, when every motion appears as an end of the world omen unto him, sound familiar?

Snowdrops are out, in Russia, Bolsheviks associate these white flowers with homeless people, as the snow thaws, these appear, as the dead bodies of white homeless people do. Vengeance of the Pogoms still toils, because a twisted, ear nibbling religion recites it, as though it were yesterday.

Later in the afternoon, whilst light was still good, we drove to Craik Forest.

War memorial, remembering the sacrificed soul of a disembodied Europa.

Why do beautiful places become graveyards of rememberance, our ancestors walk with us, not about us, dwelling in stagnation, that's the forsaken hearted, "dig it?".

The ascetic in this vibrant woodland is so verdant!

I think and write these disturbing paragraphs, accompanying but never associating these pictures with them, some distance after taking them. Positive reflections nurture through awareness of mind within the consolment of countryside, as just being there is prayer.

As we ascended a footpath the trees cleared to reveal a wooland and hillside view.

Charlie was feeling tired, there was little wonder to venture down a gravel road, so we returned to the footpath, realigning our direction towards the forest car park.

Flowing water is as much part of Scotlands character as the mountains, forests and lochs.

Tree I.D, lol.

Driving back to the farm house.

In the evening, within the farmhouse kitchen we enjoyed a slow cooked sunday roast, after I sought comfort by doing some knitting by an open fire; burning a fuel mixture of coal and logs.

4th

Today I went to Galashiels with Charlie to fetch some wool, glad to see my friend settled into her new shop. We also stopped at Galafoot, then made our way, following the River Tweed South toward Selkirk.

Galashiels is disturbing, because I have unhappy memories there, my perceptions jolt about, as anxiety races. So the river was a calming sight, Charlie stayed with the car to pump up his tyres whilst I roamed about for a few pictures.

At a small open fishing shelter we sat and rested, Charlie pointed out Sutherland house, now owned by the Scottish Borders Council he says.

Futher south, by the Ettrick Water, Charlie was eager for me to see the Salmon ladder, and also what he called the "corkscrew"; which turned out to be a hydrogenerator.