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The Weekly Blog

Jumping Like Bunnies

Despite owning a pair of silk pyjamas, I have never allowed anyone to photograph me wearing them – which is probably one of the main differences between Hugh Hefner and me. Hefner, the 91 year old founder of Playboy Magazine, died last week, prompting speculation that he’s unlikely to have found himself in a better place than the one he left behind on earth.

There are plenty of people who believe that Hefner will have been cast directly into the violent winds of the second circle of hell where, according to Dante, the lustful are blown back and forth for eternity – unable to enjoy peace or rest. For company he is likely to find Cleopatra and Helen of Troy, who had better watch out in case they end up wearing a pair of bunny ears and a white fluffy tail.

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The Weekly Blog

Flocking to the Races

Records tumbled at Kelso Ram Sales last week: the largest number of Toyota Hilux ever collected in one place, the most Ifor Williams trailers, not to mention the biggest variation of Land Rovers. Utility vehicles stretched across the land as far as the eye could see; apparently they sold quite a few sheep too.

Despite the cancellation of a prestigious sheep-racing event this Summer in the town of Moffat, the sport is clearly thriving – with popular venues as far afield as South Yorkshire and Devon (without leaving the first google-search page on the subject) staging regular meetings. Why else would there be so much interest in the sale of 4,500 rams? The sheep carry knitted jockeys in bright colours and are rewarded with a bucket of the finest sheep-nuts at the finish, while punters presumably urge on their selections by yelling something appropriate like ‘chop-chop’.

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