Too bloomin' hot!

Well yesterday must have been the hottest day ever. Since time began here in Scotland. And we had to catch the sheep up for shearing. Way too hot. I'm sorry, but I can't stand the sun. Luckily though, our sheep-pup Finn, is getting better at rounding them up so it didn't take too long. Tony, our shearer, and holder of the Young Shepherd of the Year award, said he would be here about 8am so there we were ready and waiting, but no Tony. Seems he was held up and wouldn't be with us until just after 9am. As soon as he got here though he and his pal Graham got started straight away and in no time at all the little woolly jumpers began to look not so woolly. While the two lads got on with the shearing, I fed the sheep into the race for them, and Mrs BC had the unenviable task of rolling the fleeces - outside in after removing the dags (dirty bits). Our neighbour Heidi had planned to pop her two Zwartbles over here for shearing, so we lent her our trailer and expected to see her about 11am. But she didn't show. Around this time, Fearless Fred made a break for freedom, smashed through the piece of weld mesh holding him in the race, then hopped over the hurdle into the big field with the ones who had already been clipped. Several texts from Heidi suggested she was having a bit of bother catching her two, so we elected to catch Freddie then I would nip down and help her. Now Freddie is not what you could call tame, neither is he very bright. He is rather solid though, so when he launched himself at me, and I performed a flying rugby tackle, he just got away and I got a bruised shoulder for my troubles. Meantime, a slightly brighter sheep had spotted the open gate and was off wandering down the lane, so I called the dawg and sprinted off to get him back. All in a days work. Got them both sorted, one of the shearers caught Freddie after a 10 min episode of jumping between fields and the other sheeps going crazy and jumping over Doolie Cat who had come out to help, and looked just a little surprised. Then me moby rang, Heidi couldn't get her two in the trailer so I hauled Cubbie out and sped off down the road to help her. Got collared by Reggie (another neighbour) on the way back so took the opportunity to have a break and a chat. Was slightly anxious about the amount of petrol in Cubbie as I'd drained some out the other day to put in the car to get me to work 'cos I hadn't been able to fill that up 'cos I'd forgotten my money! The only other minor hitch during the day was the clutch on Heidi's brand new 4x4 jeepy thing overheated while she was reversing up the drive. What a stink. Oh, and our trailer has a split in one of the tyres. Then it was time to go to work. Sunburnt. Too hot. Car overheated in town. Had to run with the windows and roof open,with the heater on full blast. Can't get the bonnet open to check water. Finally got round to booking it into the garage for a few jobs that have been building up, including the dumb bonnet. That's similar to a dumb blond but more dumb.

More to add but thought I'd better put something on asap or you'd get bored waiting.

Later later later, plus pictures.