The New Digs

I realize that I'm not very good about taking photos of me on my adventures. Actually, I'm not good about getting myself in pictures at all. I suppose this is mostly due to the fact that I'm always the one holding the camera, but I can understand how it might be frustrating for you all to not actually see me taking part in most of the things I've written about thus far.

Well I can't promise anything, but I will do my best to get some other people to take pictures of me while I'm up here in the Highlands. Why the change? Because it's absolutely beautiful up here and I want to prove to you all that this is actually where I spend my time these days. Plus I know several people have been checking the news for sightings of a barely-clothed wild man running free across the Highlands with an army of reindeer and I'd like to pre-empt the inevitable media frenzy by releasing those photos myself. Unfortunately, for this post at least, you will have to make due with pictures that I took (and hence, pictures that I am not in). Until I get photographic proof though, you will just have to trust me when I say how nice it is up here.

This, for instance, is the view from my front step.

Seems pretty normal right? As nice as pine trees are (and yes, pretty much all the best trees are pine trees) that seems pretty dull. Ah, how wrong you are...just wait for these stupid clouds to lift.

Here's the same view on a clearer day. Not bad eh? Well that's nothing compared to the view from up on those hills.

Where in all of this loveliness do I live? Well, if you click on the photo to get a bigger version you can get a good approximation. Hell, I'll even guide you through it. Go to the larger version of the photo. No see that big white building about mid way up the right-hand side? Well you can't see the reindeer house, but it's just down and to the right of that. Here is the reindeer house itself:

I live back behind this in a garage. It's pretty sweet, but I haven't managed to take any pictures of it yet. Hell I may never manage to...it would be pretty easy, but I doubt they'd turn out very good. All you really need to know is that it's quite comfortable. And that I've got some spare reindeer skins back there to keep me warm.

Speaking of reindeer, here are a couple for you to look at.

Hooray reindeer!

I need to get back to work now, so I'll leave you with one last detail of the new living arrangements. As most of you know, the thing that I miss most in America is my dog. No offense friends and family, but I can talk to you. This whole "year without a dog" thing was taking its toll...Good news - there's a canine resident at the reindeer house! Now she's no Skua (let's be honest, what dog could live up to that?), but Misty the cairn terrier is a decent surrogate. Here is a picture of her sleeping in a sunbeam.

Hopefully I will find time to post again soon to update on my research progress. Here's a preview though - things are not going according to plan...

Stay tuned for more!