Thank you my dears!

[anteros_lmc]

We've just got back from our holiday cruising down the Great Glen via the Caledonian Canal and I was really touched to find a little pile of birthday cards and presents waiting for me when I got home. So, many belated thanks to _likimeya for the fabulous sparkly card, latin_cat for Seth Hunter's The Time of Terror which I haven't read and will look forward to doing so, and for the gorgeous card with my own little boat, and also to joyful_molly for my lovely rose, I hope it will be an exciting year ahead too :) I've already thanked nodbear for my priceless original etching of Ned, and esteven for the incomparable Mrs Hurst Dancing, but it won't hurt to do so again, and many thanks also to everyone who sent birthday wishes. Consider yourselves all soundly hugged my dears :)

And talking of deaers here's a couple of ridiculously brazen ones we met on our way home yesterday at the Kingshouse Hotel on Rannoch Moor just beyond Glencoe. These are wild red deer but they have been so spoilt by the hotel staff that they now come running to take food from your hand.


Incidentally Kingshouse Hotel was founded in 1745 as a barracks for the troops of King George III following the battle of Culloden and the suppression of the Jacobite rebellion. There has been an inn on the spot ever since.

Boaty holiday was fab btw and I will bore you all rigid with holiday snaps at a later date.

Comments

[esmerelda-t.livejournal.com]

That is a fantastic pic of you and toots!

I don't think I have ever come across deer who will come that close before.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Well it's a fantastic pic of toots and the deer! I, on the other hand, definitely look like I've just spent seven days on a boat :}

I've never seen wild deer this tame either. Apparently the kitchen staff have been feeding them at the back door all summer and they now come running whenever they see anyone. They actually had fauns with them too but they were too shy to come onto the lawn and kept their distance a bit more.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

When I lived in New Jersey there were deer that hung out at the Burger King on base and ate fries!

But they could not be quite hand fed. And white tails are a little smaller than that. That is amazing, I am so glad you are back. That is a really good picture.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Hehe! I'm now imagining deer in baseball caps hanging out eating burgers and fries XD

Toots was a bit overawed by the size of these guys, she took a bit of persuading to feed them, but they were incredibly gentle. Their noses felt like the softest velvet :)

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

They were definitely deer with attitude. They knew they were safe from being hunted on the Navy base, and they swaggered around like thugs!

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Great photo there!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Thank you m'dear! I have some cute pics of the little ones too although they didn't come nearly so close.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_likimeya/]

Awwwwww! What did you feed them? Vegetables?
Are you sure it's just the staff who have spoilt them??? :p

I'm slooking forward to the pictures!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

We fed them oatcakes and cereal biscuits but there was another guy who was feeding them white bread which they seemed to enjoy very much!

[esteven]

So thrilled to hear that you had a good time on holidays and that you all arrived back safely.

I am pleased you still like Mrs Hurst Dancing, but I'm afraid, I am esteven, estevan is someone completely different, though I am sure a very nice person. *g*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Oops! That's what I get for posting after pumpkin time :} Fixed now! I should know to be more careful as there is also an anteros on LJ who frequently gets mixed up with me, though I think that journal is defunct.

[esteven]

Thank you. :D You really are come home, I find. ;D

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yep. I'm back :P

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Awww... All that's missing is a bluebird, and you'll be ready to break out in a song!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

ROFL! There were actually lots of little blue tits and chaffinches flitting around picking up the crumbs the deer were dropping! If I'd started singing though the whole lot would have taken to the hills XD

[mylodon.livejournal.com]

Beeyewtiful picture.

I failed with your birthday. Sorry. Wishing you very many happy returns. *biggest guhgs*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Aww thank you! I've never had *guhgs* before. I'll treasure them! :D

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

They are very special dyslexia/senility style ones.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

They are splendid. Simply splendid!

[katriona-s.livejournal.com]

Amazing! First I though this was a fake photo! You stayed in this hotel? This is the lodging I'd been interested in when I visited Scotland last time, in the very heart of wilderness...(I stayed in Moor of Rannoch hotel instead, it's also in the middle of nowhere.)
I'm glad you've had a wonderful holiday.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

We just stopped at Kingshouse for lunch on the way home, we didn't actually stay there. The hotel is a bit of a dive to be honest. I don't think the carpets have been changed since 1745! However it's a really handy point to stop off if you're driving from Fort William to Glasgow or walking the West Highland Way. The hotel also has a long tradition of providing accommodation for walkers and climbers and I think Glencoe Mountain Rescue meet there. It's a fascinating place but not what you would call luxurious!

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

Welcome back! And a happy belated Birthday! The deers are dear. They are highly underestimated. Looking forward to see the pictures :)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

You too! I hope you enjoyed your holiday? I sent you a postcard to nodbear's house, I hadn't realised you were home already!

They are very dear deers aren't they? :)

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

LOL It seems everybody sends mail meant for me to a friend's address instead :)
Yes, great holiday! I SAW THE CUTTY SARK!!!! Awwwwwww... She is soooo beautiful! And the HMS Warrior and the lovely Victory :)

The deers are more demanding than 'dear', aren't they?

Off to mow some lawn...

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Awww! I shall have to send you another postcard by way of compensation :}

Glad you had such a splendid holiday with dear Nod!

Hope your lawn is looking suitably manicured now :)

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

Thankie! :)

Yeah, my Admiral and me :) We had a lot of fun, especially with lifts :) The one at the NMM brought us down half a meter first, but then drove up to the first floor AFTER we'd left the cabin frustrated finally :) Stupid thing.

The lawn, my dear - now you can eat from it!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

nodbear tells me you were an excellent navigator! :D

The lawn, my dear - now you can eat from it!
I for one applaud your dedication to grass combing ;)

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

Has she told you about her new Admiral plaque? :) It graces her bunk office door now.

Grass... Personally I'm against trees and grass on cemeteries. I like moss better :)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Has she told you about her new Admiral plaque?
She has now! Bit she hasn't told me if she's a Rear or Vice Admiral ;P

I like moss better :)
Then you must come and visit me sometime. I have a very large "lawn" which is almost entirely moss! :}

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

Vice Admiral in disguise as a Rear :)

Awww... Moss!!! I have the loveliest dreams about a certain dark-haired beauty lying supine with a golden head on his breast on this green soft carpet provided by Mother Nature :) *g* I think, I have a moss!kink... Ooops :) ^^

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

A moss!kink? A MOSS!KINK???! *dies laughing* Takes all sorts... XD

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

*beams and is proud*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

We really ought to run a kink!meme to generate some moss!slash for you ;)

PS Icon is moss perfectly picking out the crest on the Duke of Buccleuch's gravestone at Melrose Abbey in Scotland.

[latin-cat.livejournal.com]

Looks like toots is having a wonderful time, as do you. :D

And you're very welcome. I hope your birthday weekend was good.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Thank you my deer dear!