Intent

Bean had clearly heard something going on in the long grass. She stood like a statue for a good couple of minutes, just staring. 

Then she suddenly lifted off vertically, like a jump-jet and landed four-square about a metre further into the undergrowth, tail wagging enthusiastically. 

There was a moment of frantic flurrying of nose and paws, before she emerged, shook herself and rejoined me on our walk. There was nothing there after all apparently. 

She is good entertainment value.

#2 brother and I had a very early zoom meeting with the solicitor helping with Bill's Will. (It was my first ever interactive zoom, so I now feel part of the post-Covid community.) It went very smoothly: #2 was better-prepared than me this time! We were able to clarify all of the issues we were unsure about, and we got a clear understanding of the process ahead. 

The solicitor will be doing almost everything for us: partly because of the difficulties of me being at the end of a very slow global postal service, but more because #2 brother has spent a lot of time (and I mean a lot of time) dealing with Bill's finances and health support over the last two or three years (he had PoA) so now there's an opportunity to hand over to somebody else we are both keen that he is able to take a wee step back.

In another development both remaining brothers have asked me to write a kind of eulogy for Bill's farewell (not a funeral) on behalf of all three of us. I feel extraordinarily privileged to have been asked. And surprised too: I usually feel like the not-very-important little sister, who used to be a real pain and could easily become one again if she's given any encouragement. 

Maybe it's time to let that ingrained perception go?!!

Later edit: RIP Shane MacGowan. Xmas in Scotland in the 90s was kicked off by the annual concert by The Pogues at The Barras. I have hazy but wonderful memories of wild dancing in an inch of beer, then going out steaming into the the freezing Glasgow night to catch the train home. Thank you Shane. Inimitable.