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There. That's THE MAN HIMSELF on the left. The Crofter that is, him of the committees and what have you. With a Donald who came to see Dodgyknees [aka Diogenese] for a spot of borrowation. To be totally honest, I'm not that sure whether Dodgyknees is here with The Crofter at the moment or with Donald. It was lovely to meet Mr Donald anyway. Seemed such a gent who wears his glasses very well.

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There's always washing to be done - especially with Widdle around. Mum Crofter does it. Maybe the returnee to the island from Bangkok might do some as well - in between renovating the PoR, clearing up after Widdle and cutting the sheeps hair. Maybe.

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Told you it was hot that day. Even the sheeps took their coats off!

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When you have Blackish Hebridean and White Woolly-back sheeps on the croft, when the hair-cutting is done and dusted you have two piles of sheeps hair. It usually lays there till The Crofter or his Dad get round to putting it on the compost heap - such is it's value.

It was very hot when the deed was done. Mr Crofter said it was too dry and needed to rain to keep the piggies cool and water the grass. Now it's raining. It's probably the wrong type of rain though.

Meanwhile, in Bangkok.......

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There's a new road appearing in the village, over there [gesturing uselessly in front of the pooter]. It's for a shed of something. A quite big shed so Mr Crofter got in a local MacIver for the job of arranging the field in a particular way. With a digger. I think Mr Crofter would have liked to have played with the digger but he had to earn a crust  so others can eat one.

Meanwhile, Widdle - who is growing fast - does what she does best - in the house mainly. Apart from trying to eat electric cables that is.

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Normal service will resume shortly.

I have been experiencing life. But not as you know it!

As they were - 2009

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Shearing. Has to be done and Mr Crofter chose the hottest day of the year [so far]. At least the sheeps were happy when it was over.

Of course it was the wrong time of day for snaps. And the wrong developer for the film. Apart from that it was grand.

Shearing

Throwing

 Cuddling

Grazing

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Mr Crofter wandered past our little hoosey today along with a well dressed gentleman which immediately got my curiosity up. It seems they were off to have a look at Diogenes whom I hadn't seen for ages myself. So I tagged along, camera in hand.

Off we went down a croft towards the sea and soon a troop of sheeps joined in the stroll. 

There they are, The Crofter and Donald. It could have been a Murdo but here he was a Donald. Lives over there on the other bit of the island and everything. 

Looking at the coows and all. Pointing, saying important sounding things and The Crofter nodding vigorously. I took that as a positive sign. Mr Donald liked the look of Diogenes and why shouldn't he?

I left them to talk business, came home and sloshed some chemicals over my film.

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He's ok. The Crofter that is. Just been down to see the Great Man and he's out of the showers we are having and in the Tooth Factory making a crust or two.

You can see what he's like at 6 am on the ferry after getting up at 4am to get over to pick up the coows.

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The Crofter is hard at work in the tooth factory catching up after his travels and what have you. Esmerelda, Rosenhild and Eric are 'enjoying' their first blow as the warm winds rush across the croft.

It was a bit better yesterday - if you like that sort of thing. Very warm and a great view across The Minch to the mountains of the mainland. [If you can see them, it's going to rain. If you can't, it's raining...]

There we are; the crofter in his factory - making teeth. What with all these new mouths to feed he better get cracking. 

Oh yes, there are some Shetland Coows for sale if you want them. All lovely and what have you.

There's always time to stop for a bucket of sweet tea - and pose for the obligatory photograph. And gaze lovingly at his Pile of Rust outside. Gemma is going to very busy when she arrives later this year - renovating the PoR and milking the coows!