The first big date on the schedule was Scotland. We set the alarm for 4 o'clock and hit the road just before five. We had a brief stop to leave Billy with Sarah, Rob, Jess and Milly for the night and continued up the M6, M74, M73, A80, M9 before finally arriving in Maddiston.
We were only there for one night but at least it was enough for Scamper and Pip to get used to their new surroundings while we were still there. My mother and father have never had a dog and as far as I know have never had any desire for a dog but now they have two and two little handfuls at that. My mother was putting on a brave face and said that frankly they could do what they liked because she was due a new sofa, carpet and rug anyway. That said, when we joked that she might not want to give them back she was pretty quick at retorting "you should be so lucky".
It felt strange saying goodbye to everyone. It felt so momentous, almost like we were going away for ever and of course in a way that's true. The next time they see us it will all be so very different.
We've returned to an empty house. Mango was hassling us for some fresh food and Billy was there but without the Westies there is almost total silence. It feels like we are holding our breath and just waiting on the end of the diving board trying to work up the courage to go. But it doesn't matter, we don't need courage since there is no going back now. What we do need is luck and hope so we are half way there already.
