Saturday was such a nice morning I took Laura with me when I went out. I had a couple of things I wanted to do in the morning, but I took out more time to take in a few other things. We visited a couple of record and book shops, then took a walk in the sun along Waterloo Place and Regent Road. There are great views from there over towards Arthur’s Seat. As we were across from the rear entrance to Calton Hill, we took a walk up to the top.
Windy doesn’t begin to describe it. On the east facing side of the hill it was hard to stay upright, but on the west it was slightly more sheltered. We stayed for a while just looking out over the whole of Edinburgh, over the Forth and across into Fife. Great views and always inspirational, somehow.
As I stood looking out from the east viewpoint, I realised that this is the type of place Jackie McCann might come to gather his thoughts and think about his life. And a thought of my own developed from this realisation. Ideas were planted in my mind, and began to take root.
Back down the hill and we stopped off in Waterstone’s for another quick browse – John King has a new novel out; I’ll have to add that to my list. Then we stopped off for some pastries, cappuccino, and hot chocolate while we rested our bones.
After reviving ourselves we began the descent back into Leith, stopping into the pet shop and the aquarium centre on the way. I got some new plants for my fish tank, which was badly needed after I cleaned it out last week and rearranged the “furniture” for the inhabitants. Apparently there’s a new branch opened up in Tranent – a massive place called East Lothian Aquatics – which I’ll have to check out.
The problem I have with plants in my aquarium is light. Only having the one bulb means most of the plants I buy don’t survive because they need more to flourish. After a few months I have to replace them and clean out the excess algae. What I need is a new hood with more light, or to buy plants that don’t need so much light to grow. I want to be able to build up the plants and have them take hold, but they never get that far.
Back home and after lunch it wasn’t much of a day. I got nothing done that I intended – you know how life gets in the way at the worst of times – and when I was finally able to work it was too late to get anything much done of worth.
I bought a steak pie supper and bottle of Irn-Bru for dinner, and watched a film in bed – Unforgiven with Clint Eastwood – it was ok.
Freedom from the Mundane 