Buried sausages

 

Last weekend was full on. It started on Friday with a walk and picnic on the beach with Mark and Bella. Mark and I had an appointment in Aberdeen and were meeting friends for dinner later that evening. We had a quick shop in Union Square then a glass of fizz at a bar sitting outside in the sun. Our Thai dinner was so good too.

Saturday we planned to climb Bennachie but were worried about the heat, especially with the dog. Should we try to go up or just walk around the bottom? In the end we couldn't get to the car park as the road was completely closed by police due to an accident. We drove round to the back of Bennachie carpark instead and managed about 40 minutes up (see photo) (it takes about 4 hours to get to the top and back from there and we didn't have that long). It was 25° sunny and we just melted. After doing some messages in Inverurie we headed to Thainstone House Hotel where we were booked for the night. We checked in to a small but very nice room. I took Bella outside for a wee. As she was sniffing about the ground she started digging and pulled up something. I thought it was a twig but as I got it out of her mouth I realised it was so not a stick! Eugh, not sure what it was. Later the three of us sat in the grounds having a drink in the afternoon sunshine. Suddenly Bella ran off, heading to the bit of garden she had dug up earlier. Mark went after her! He put a photo on our family what's app showing that Bella had dug up about 5 sausages! How very weird we thought. Ellie then messages to say it's an old wives tale that if a bride buries a sausage the night before her wedding the weather will be glorious the next day. Mark and I were like, what?? Never ever had we heard that before! But sure enough, a wee Google search confirmed that this was true - 'though it is not backed by science', you don't say! Mark went to the bar for more drinks and the bar man told him about a bride burying sausages, a ritual he had never heard of either. Bella determined to eat these sausages went back to see if she could find more! This time Mark found a parcel label which had a message written on it "Please use this to dig a hole and bury your sausage to bring good weather tomorrow". We think the bride must have supplied tools and sausages to get guests to do this crazy thing! The following day, a friend posted photos of her daughter's wedding. So I asked, tongue in cheek, if she'd buried sausages (thinking she'd say, you what?) and she said that yes she had. So we went from never, ever hearing such a thing to having it confirmed 3 times! Bizarre!!

On Sunday, driving home we stopped at Barra berries and had an enormous ice cream and I bought fresh strawberries to have at home. What a difference a bit of sunshine makes. Though it's been so hot, even up north and sleeping has been difficult. For the few days a year (and not even every year) that it's proper hot, air conditioning seems a little extravagant lol.

Anyway, sausages aside, we had such a lovely weekend. And this weekend we've come down to Newcastle for some July sunshine in Geordie land. Forecast is rubbish for today and the weekend though. I think Scotland will have it better! Typical. 

I love it when my dog sighs - what ails you, my unemployed free-loader?