Ambassadors enlisted to champion region is the headline on page 7 of the Berwickshire. Huttonian wondered if there is a good retirement job here as the Tourist people are looking for people to 'exude enthusiasm for the Borders at every opportunity'-'to talk positively and genuinely about the area' Well I can exude and enthuse with the best of them but looking at the small print it appears that they are looking for genuine Borderers , born and bred, and incomers wont get a look in. It also seems to help if you are a dog-the 'dog ambassador' is featured talking (barking) into a loud hailer exuding the virtues of the region-nice lampposts, canine friendly trees, and kindly owners who will pick up one's doings under penalty of massive fines. This plenipotentiary extraordinary rejoices in the name of Mirk. Very appropriate given the type of weather we are currently suffering: damp, dreich, chilly and yes murky. It is very hard to exude enthusiasm, as requested by VisitScotlandBorders, in such dismal conditions. There are a breed of locals claims VSB who are 'proud and passionate about the area and many will sing its praises as a matter of course anyway' I can sing fine but it is difficult to do so with a dripping nose, a gunged up throat, incipient chilblains, dripping glasses, mud infested shoes and trying to peer through the dreich to avoid finding oneself in Paxton by mistake.

The images above show the state of our usually firm and well drained paths-no drying in this weather and the camera has considerably clarified a shot of Hutton which was almost completely obscured by the Mirk as far as the naked eye was concerned. I am endebted to the boffins of the HuttonThink tank for their revolutionary 'dreich free' software, made entirely from locally available materials, a must for keen photographers in the region. The final shot is yet another (second) entry for the HT2 'Rural Image for Christmas' competition. A fine shot, dreich cleansed, of the Kirk and Yew Tree Cottage at the end of Kirk Lane. The winner will get an all expenses paid week end short break in Paxton.  ¶ 9:16 AM