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Well, I can tell you the sheep look very happy at the moment enjoying the late season sunshine. At least I think its still sunshine but my paid job kept me out till midnight and I'm yet to peek out the window.
In true photographic style, that's mum crofter who'es head has been cut off in the image. Well, one has to stick to tradition!

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Teeth! Who'ed ave em? Well, most of us would really given a downhill and a following wind. Only, some of us were given rather weaker natural teeth than others, some ate too many sweeties and others never looked after what they were given with the brush and floss. That's where the Dental Technical Artist comes in. Since it is they that make the crowns and bridges and dentures dentists decide we require.

Paul The Crofter, apart from chasing all over the croft trying to find that elusive Ewe, mend a chicken run, feed the cow or scratch the back of piggy gets to make his living as a dental technical artist. Of course, you all know the correct term for such a job is Technician, but since I know a little about the job and since I know the work Paul does, I shall henceforth call him a Dental Technical Artiste. This work provides an income so that Paul can run the croft which provides a lot of the food for him and his parents.

Many people don't even realise that this job exists. So I shall endeavour to try and remember the processes to make a denture that Paul carries out.
The dentist makes the impression and Paul makes a plaster mould from this. Then bite blocks are made. This enables the dentist to register the relationship between the upper and lower arch of the gums. From these bite blocks Paul then sets up the teeth onto a wax base and makes it look real pretty. I might add here that Lichtenstein is the false teeth king of the world – where the little white[ish] teeth are mainly made.
You following his??
The wax based teeth are then tried in the mouth to see if you can get them in and stay in, look like Simon Cowell [if that’s what you like !!!!!] or Sheryl Crow and not like one of Paul’s cows!
Now the really clever bit – the wax is then changed into acrylic and this is done using the loss wax process. Eh? The wax and teeth are put into plaster which is in two parts. When set, the wax is melted out and putty like acrylic paste is put in and then, under great pressure is cooked. The mould is then carefully cracked open, the dentures trimmed and lovingly polished and there you have it.
A potted version of a long and involved job that I am so pleased to have left behind some 20 years ago!

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Here's Nigel White II. He's a guinea pig - although I'm not sure he realises. Spends the day eating and sleeping it seems. Nigel is in his winter quarters and has a fine view of Paul making teeth through the window. Nigel shares his quarters with another GP whose name I'm rather unsure of.

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I like to have porridge for breakfast. I was recently informed that my 'bad' cholesterol was a little high so I've taken out all the fatty foods from my diet and eat porridge most mornings. It's doing me good, I like it - especially with dried fruit and my sister's honey. And it feels like I'm doing Scottish. A bit. Having said that, I didn't manage to get up as early as I should have this morning so all I had was bread with pear and apple spread washed down with black coffee.

I popped down to The Crofters and find Paul The Crofter mooching round the kitchen like a turkey some weeks before Christmas. He's been out at a fireworks party the night before, has a cold, got up late and has to make some teeth before the post goes. Paul is a dental technical artist don't you know. Not wanting to disturb Paul's breakfast [milky coffee and cereal since you ask], I wandered outside to find Crofter Dad happily feeding the old ram [sorry, can't remember his name] and a few ewes . Feeding them TOAST !!!!!!!! I mean, these are sheeps aren't they?? Apparently, Dad has always fed one of the sheep toast for breakfast "and it wouldn't be fair not to feed the others" I'm told.
I spend a few moments scratching Piggy's back and traipse back home bewildered.
Oh, and a very Happy Birthday Mum Crofter.

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Horning - or something like that

It might have been Rambo - or it might not. I have not quite got my eye in as it happens. I could have been Querty - if that's how one spells his name. Anyway, whoever it twas was having an issue with his curly horn - which look so lovely on the postcards that sell like hot cakes in the Big City of Stornoway and passes for ART - whatever that is. The curly horn was a day of two away from pressing hard on the ram's cheek near his eye rendering his sight of the lovely ladies nearby impaired somewhat. So now we have the the second act of the day - the first being the penning of the rams - the second being The Sawing of the horn. Eh??

We don't do this sort of thing in Bath Spa where I'm from but I'm assured by Susan, The Crofters Mum, that you get used to it and anyway, it needs to be done. So out comes The Saw! At which point I barely stop myself from fainting and hold on discretely to the fence. The ram is held securely by Crofters Mum and Dad, cloth protecting Rambo's [or whoever it happens to be] eye and sawing off the edge of the horn commences. I'm reliably informed one can't just hack the whole thing off as it bleeds, but like a tooth - that both Mr Crofter and I know a little about having both been in that flippin trade and Mr Crofter Sir is still in - like a tooth, it doesn't always hurt if you saw a bit off. I just hope my very nice and adept dentist in Stornoway isn't reading this......

These aren't not the best pictures of this act but I was getting glare from something in the sunshine. Just wish David would put his hat back on... :-)

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Rams and the girls too

It the time of year in this village when the boy meet girl scenario happens. Sheep that is. The humans get their chance later.
There is a lot at stake here. You chose a nice ram who might like a few of the ladies and then you pop them together for a while and later you get some lovely little sheep-lets.
Only the boys have another idea and they've been fighting it out between themselves for the right to have the girls for themselves. Its a bit like what the deer do only you only have to look your window to see the rams rutting in the field. Actually, you can hear their heads crashing together while your supping a nice cup of green tea over breakfast sometimes. Its like Saturday night in Stornoway! [I'm told] You can see it in the rams too - with scars all over the shop. Pity really, because they all get a girl in the end anyway.
Here we see Mr Crofter and dad Crofter gazing lovingly at the girls before rounding them up to await their suitors.

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