A STROLL BY THE RIVER

The September walk was along the River Nairn. I couldn't go as Sharon and I were walking from Radicondoli to Belforte in Tuscany at the time!! Sue and Charlie were taking in the local atmosphere in Radicondoli. However, Jimmy did send me some pictures of the walk. I have to say that he included the next few photos. These are of old toadstools and I cannot guess what inferences he meant me to draw from them - he surely couldn't be suggesting that the Dinosaurs are old fungi, could he?

Anyway here they all are striding out along the riverside. There did seem to be some confusion about the weather - Sandra is wearing her anorak and everyone else is in shirt sleeves. Perhaps Sandra feels the cold more at her age.

Jim and Jacque took their Grandson, Stewart with them. There are a number of photos of Stewart and I have decided to take enormous liberties and describe to you what he is thinking in each photo. Clearly, in this one it is "Oh Yawn, yawn, you've told me a hundred times how you knitted these boots you are wearing and how much Grandad loves them"

"Ah Hugh, I suggest that you stop it down to f6 and perhaps use a slower exposure, otherwise there will be too much unwanted flare in that photo. On a fashion note I would say that the jumper round the waist is not good - see the photo above. If you must take the jumper off, I would recommend that you do as the Italians and Bob do and have a sleeeve over each shoulder - much more sophisticated"

"Why did they drop me over here - I'll never get back up? I should have been a bit more circumspect with some of my comments about their age."

" I made it eventually - they can't shake me off that easily and I have a long memory and I know where they all live. They may think I'm just a harmless little boy, but they don't know the truth......my friends don't call me Damien for nothing."

"Now, if I can just quickly sneak round the side I can get areally good aim - and lets face it I could hardly miss."

" If I could just get the spider to drop of the end of my stick into her rucksack, that would serve her right for forcing to eat these horrible meat paste sandwiches!"

" Why is that old man with the knobbly knees trying to look like Sanders of the River - these people all have some pretty wierd fantasies - it must be an age thing - I hope I don't end up like that. I would much rather be young at heart like Grandad - he is my role model. Shame he didn't get my good looks."



"Three wise men. Well, two out of three ain't bad! There are three men."


" They think I can't see them and that they've lost me. Little do they know I have already been back to the cars and tied their shoes together - most of them can't walk anyway so they may not notice."

"Well that was fun wasn't it? They weren't such a bad bunch at all - Grandad was just kidding when he said all these things after he told me I was going for a walk. I really quite enjoyed it. I hope when I get to that age I have a good bunch of pals to stroll about with. I wonder why they're called dinosaurs."

AUGUST IN AVOCH

The August ramble was around Avoch. Bob couldn't turn up because he had to go to work! On a Sunday! Shame! However, he was not disappointed. We had been promised whales before the walk, but the whale had been most inconsiderate and had gone to the other side of the Firth and died - so Bob didn't miss that. It looks like he did miss a nice walk all the same.

Here they all are starting off - with shirt sleeves for some as well.

They came acroos an old tub called Sharon - I am going to say nothing else, because I do value all my appendages.

The next two photos show a couple of beautiful belles - I leave it you to decide which photo is the better of the two. There is no prize if you spot the four leaf clover in the second photo - I did try but couldn't.

The next photo is not quite so beautiful - it shows a gnarled old tree and rather appropriately Jimmy is standing beside it.

But to prove he is not just a gnarled old stick, he showed that he did have an artistic side to him as well - no glue or artificial aids involved I am told - that goes for the sculpture and the artist.

Obviously a bit of art has brought out the best in them - what a jolly bunch they all are.

After the fun it's time for a history lesson, and who better to give it than the man who has lived through more history than most - and to prove it he has the Indiana Jones look down to a T!

After the history lesson, the class photo and is that really some blue sky in the background.

I know walks are all about getting closer to nature, but I understood you were supposed to just hug trees - I hesitate to think what Jacque was doing here - and there are no prizes for the best suggestion, but feel free to let me know what you think anyway.

Could that be three mermaids, or are they really witches, and if so why is one missing?

And so to lunch - it must have been one o'clock, because Dave is smiling and looking relaxed. By the way are these really cucumbers that Susan and Sue are holding? If they are, why are they not thinly sliced on sandwiches with the crusts cut off?

After lunch it was time to get going again, but which way to go? Is there a map, who will lead us, because we all think Jimmy is going in the wrong direction, but we can't decide who should be the one to tell him. Where should we be -

Oh, I know - the pub!

Here they all are at the pub, although Sue seems only to be half there - too much Gin again, I suspect!

As previously said, it looks like it was a good walk and thanks to Susan and Robin for working it out - despite the lack of whales - and that has nothing to do with the fact that I was not there.