Where is the snow?

It's December, right? I live in the north of Scotland, latitude 57 degrees 6 minutes N, to be precise. For my geographically challenged readers (and those with a North American perspective), that's almost as far north as Juneau, Alaska.

WHERE IS THE SNOW! 

We went for a walk yesterday in the woods by Crathes Castle and I didn't see a single flake.

I have been checking my friends' blogs. They all live further south than me. I see lovely Stella joyfully rolling around in the soft white stuff. The land around the Rocky Creek Scotties' residence is looking stunning, like a scene on a Christmas card. Hoover now blends in beautifully with his background. Jake and Fergi have decided that the best response to a blizzard is to loll around indoors all day in their jimjams. 

What do we get here in Aberdeen?  Rain, rain and more rain.  It's just not right is it?

I gather that there is a big meeting in Copenhagen this week. Gail explained it all to me. I think I understand. A lot of hot air will be generated, then Barack Obama is going to fly in at the end and fix it so we get snow in Scotland next year. Something like that.

Do you think he'll succeed?

Oh. Gail has put on her scientist hat (metaphorically) and is telling me I'm over-simplifying again.....she's blethering on about the Gulf Stream, and how this young laddie Obama isn't personally responsible for the Scottish climate....

PS from Gail - it seems that on some computers, part of this post appears in Greek, but on other computers, including mine, it all looks normal. There is NOT supposed to be any Greek! (Hamish is not THAT clever!) I am investigating. Has anyone else come across this before?

Pups save the Planet!

I would like to thank all my friends for your, er, 'interesting' and 'creative' responses to my post about us dogs supposedly being worse for the environment than SUVs. I think it is fair to say there was a strong consensus in favour of the notion that our planet benefits greatly, in many and diverse ways, from the existence of our wonderful species. 

Whereas we could mostly quite happily do without SUVs.....

Personally I thought ALL your suggestions for how dogs can save the planet were excellent, but the technical support (who claims to have some sort of a PhD  in something to do with greenhouse gas emissions) seems to doubt that wiping the insides of car windows with our noses (Jazzi) and not showering (Stella) will do much to halt global warming. She also feels that a statement like 'I WANT MY SHARE OF THE MEAT'  (Bonnie) sends out a mixed message.

Well, there is much to chew on here, and the debate is clearly not about to vanish anytime soon (unlike Greenland's icecap....)

One final request, before we leave this topic. Please spare a thought for our friends in Switzerland.