Henrietta Pufflepanties and my new Facebook page

Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s blog. I hope you’re well. I thought I’d fill you in on my recent trip to Scotland.

Scotland has long held a very special place in my heart. My late father worked as head gardener for a beautiful, grand estate in Lochinver for several years, and my mum worked as the estate’s housekeeper.

As a teenager I didn’t really appreciate just how wonderful it all was when I visited, but now I savour every little bit of it! The peace, the vastness, the wild animals and lochs. Oh, it was truly something special.

I still feel as though a little of my dad remains there. His ashes were scattered in the United States so I don’t have a grave to visit. When I go to Scotland it always makes me feel a little nearer to him.

Scotland has meaning for another reason now. It’s where my partner (always feels weird saying boyfriend at my age) hails from. We’ve actually known each other as acquaintances for over fifteen years, but our relationship began to flourish just over a year ago.

I won’t bore you with all the soppy stuff, but… I think we’ve each met our match! In short, we have an awful lot in common and, perhaps best of all, the same silly sense of humour! Oh, and we are both vegans so we love cooking for each other. He makes the most delicious lasagne I’ve EVER tasted!

We had a wonderful little break together recently. We celebrated our first anniversary which was lovely. I can’t believe how fast a year has gone.

We also got together for a lovely evening with Jamie’s family for his birthday. Sadly, Jamie’s father passed away last November, so this was the first birthday without his dear dad.

We went to the restaurant that his family have gone to for decades to celebrate such occasions. The seat at the head of the table was left vacant for Bruce as that’s where he would have always sat. He always ordered olives for the table for everyone, too, so we had ‘Grandad’s olives’, which I thought was lovely.

Some of you may know I am involved with The Good Grief Trust. They are a bereavement charity helping those who are grieving to find the right support they need at the right time.

Jamie has found them to be a very useful resource. I mention this in case you might find it helpful, too. You can find them easily on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Jamie’s mum is a remarkable woman. She has kept rescue chickens for a number of years. There is a charity that rehomes chickens after they have ‘retired’ from laying eggs commercially. They have called on Jean to come to the rescue on many occasions and she has been like a superhero to them!

At present she looks after over twenty of these little sweethearts. I’ve seen some when they have just arrived after having lived in cramped, caged conditions. They look very scrawny and have a distinct lack of feathers. They also arrive with lots of red, sore patches on their little bodies.

Jean keeps them separate from the others for a little while so they can build up their strength and become acclimatised to their new environment. You should see the ones who’ve been there the longest. They’re all puffy and floofy and just enjoying life.

There’s one who really stands out as the fluffiest. I’ve nicknamed her Henrietta Pufflepanties as she looks like she’s wearing big bloomers!

Jean had been unwell just before my visit so Jamie and I looked after the beautiful birds together. They are so funny with their little personalities! There’s definitely a pecking order and Henrietta is chief in command!

They have about one-and-a-half acres to roam about in during the day, and they take themselves off to their little beds in the evening. Their pens are secured every night to stop foxes helping themselves to a chicken dinner! They’re just so sweet.

During my stay Jamie got his telescope out… Now now, I wasn’t even trying to be ‘carry on’ there! I don’t think I’d ever seen a telescope before, let alone looked at the moon through one! It was beautiful.

It was very tricky taking a photo but I managed to get this one with my iPhone X. Not bad considering we had to keep making adjustments on the telescope as it was a moving target… or was it us moving. Hmmm, I think it was the earth. The earth moved!

I’d like to thank you all for reading and commenting on my blog. As so many of you know I do find it quite challenging to keep up with all the replies. I do read them all, on all platforms, but I don’t always get time to reply. Your patience and understanding mean so much to me.

QVC are launching a new Facebook page for me, and I’m going to be posting quite a bit more over there and would love for you to join me.

It’s ‘Catherine Huntley QVC’, and will officially go live on the 1st of October. I will still be posting fortnightly blogs but they may be a bit less detailed and will sometimes relate more to special deals on QVC rather than behind-the-scenes, recipes and personal updates than it does now.

The good news is I’ll be posting all of those kinds of things over on Facebook.

If you currently follow me on my Catherine Huntley TV Facebook page, please feel free to carry on as that will still be ongoing, as will my Twitter and Instagram.

Once again, thank you for being such lovely folks and taking time to read my bits and bobs! See you soon on the box or social media!

Lots and lots of love,

Catherine xx

20 Responses

  1. Wonderful to read about your trip to Scotland and the amazing work your new partners mum is doing for rescue chickens.You all look so happy.Im pleased for you Catherine.xx

  2. Hi Catherine, lovely blog as usual, a bit disappointed though that your more ‘personal’ bits (if you’ll pardon the expression!) will be moving to Facebook, not everyone wants to use social media so will miss out x

  3. Hi Catherine,
    I just wanted to say I am so so happy for you! I didn’t know about Jamie! You are such a lovely person and been through a lot so I am so glad you have a person to support you and vice versa now. Gives us all hope xx

  4. Thanks for your interesting update .. love it and like it. Can’t wait to join you on Instagram with your new blog. Good evening!

  5. So pleased you have met a Scotsman ! Being Scottish I can say that ,he will have a warm and welcoming family ; best wishes !

  6. Hello Catherine, once again thank you for your lovely blogs. I’m so happy for you. You and your partner both look so happy together. Good luck to you both. Have a lovely day. God bless you. Antoinette. Ps I do not have a Facebook account. I am 69 year so please continue with the blog for me.

  7. Lovely pictures with your lovely partner and family love to see the chickens I adore Scotland I used to be a climber and walker can’t now a days as I am disabled and house bound.love seeing you on QVC.Xx

  8. Hi Catherine, like the other lady, I don’t do social media either. Would it be possible to copy your Facebook posts onto your blog? I would miss treading your news!!!

  9. Hi Catherine,always enjoy reading your blog,like you I am an animal lover.What a lovely woman for rescuing all those poor hens! Bless them,I hope they can live their lives out in peace and lovely surroundings.Take care,xxx

  10. Hi Catherine
    Really p!eased to see you have a lovely partner. I kept thinking that there was someone out there for you, and you have have found your soul mate. Wishing you every happiness for the future.

    I have to agree with the other two customers, I feel left out because I’m not on any social media sites, and I have my reaons, especially when there are competitions. So please, Catherine will you and the other presenters consider us when you next have a competition for us to enter, put it on your blog.

    Thank you
    x

  11. I agree about Facebook I think it’s one of the worst things invented causes lots of misery for people. It’s a shame your only going to post your stuff on there I for one wont be going on there but all the best in your new relationship

  12. Your lovely partner’s mum sounds amazing and the hens are so lucky to have found her. Keep up the vegan fight for more cruelty free products on QVC. We need more faux leather footwear and kick out all the feather filled duvets and coats! Love you Catherine xxx

  13. Catherine what a superstar you are. This is a great blog, very informative and your sense of humour shines through. I am so glad you have such a marvellous partner, he seems lovely. You know that if family is important to them then they are definitely a keeper. When I worked as a teacher I used to take troubled children to a city farm where working with animals was great therapy for them. Have to say though that whilst they look beautiful chickens are not my favourite. No offence to Henrietta Pufflepanties (great name)

  14. Hi I hope all the presenters don’t leave qvc blogs to all go over to Facebook as I don’t use Facebook
    I really like to read all the presenters blogs

  15. Love hearing what you have been doing, glad you are settling in with Jaimie, though your visits are few. Look forward to your next blog.

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