Memories

Well….I’ve been back in Scotland just over two weeks now and I’m starting to settle into my new life.
 
The last few weeks felt like complete turmoil. My stress burn, much like the brooks in Cumbria, had become a raging torrent. However, every flood recedes and order is restored. That’s not to say that I’m not missing my friends in Manchester, because I am. It’s really weird having an office to myself, where people knock on the door asking for permission to interrupt.
 
My new colleagues are really friendly and have been very welcoming. As we’re not bundled into one big office, it takes real effort to say hello and lots of people have. Most people who know me would find in hard to believe that I’m shy. You could liken me to the the gregarious comedian who comes alive on stage but loves the quiet contemplation of the dressing room too.
 
There’s a familiarity of being at home. My old colloquimisms are coming out already. I was asked where a particular room on campus was yesterday and “ohhh….a dinnae ken” just happened to slip out my mouth. Rosemary will laugh at me, but the shapes of peoples heads are familiar too. Last week a few of my colleagues took me out for a wee dram (or 3…..with an ale to wash it down) and were gushing over a 14 year old from Oban, a quite appropriate thing to do in the Curly Coo in Stirling. I’ll have to ensure the next visit is to a fine coffee establishment so that I can gush over a naturally washed Guatemalan. Last night I was oot wi my old friend Bryan and I drank a little too much and ended up requiring chips n brown sauce, an Edinburgh delight, on the way home.
 
The last few weeks must have been tough for the beloved too. She’s had to deal with me when I’ve been behaving like a bairn. I’ve come into her world of habit and routine and changed it. It’s the little things……how cutlery is placed in the drainer, having specific shelves on the fridge for specific stuff and a place for most other things too. That’s a bit weird for me! I prefer slightly more chaotic organisation. I did, however, enjoy seeing Rosemary’s face when she got home from work to see that I had dinner ready and more importantly I had followed a recipe and it looked like the picture in the recipe book!
 
I woke up this morning still tasting brown sauce and having a slightly fuzzy head. There was only one cure……a bike ride. As it was a bit icy, I didn’t leave until after 11am. It was just an easy spin down the coast, as I didn’t fancy venturing into the hills where there was a possibility of treacherous roads.
 
The coast road will never be the same with the demolishment of Cockenzie power station, an iconic huge building that could be seen from Edinburgh and a lot of East Lothian. It’s bitter-sweet. I’m not a huge fan of fossil-fuel but it’s been a hugely important industry to where I was brought up, less so after Maggie had her evil way. Cockenzie was also the destination of my 1st bike ride, with the now demised great chimneys being the goal. I was exhausted after that ride despite only being less than a 15km round trip. As I got fitter, it became the target to reach still in the group on the club chain-gang. If I could get there in one piece, I would be in for the sprint finish before Musselburgh. More recently, the chimneys were ideal to sight off when swimming at Portobello.
Some things remain familiar. As I was entering Musselburgh, at Levenhall roundabout, a group of old club mates appeared, coming down the hill from Wallyford, with Auntie Sandra leading the way!  Numerous, ‘alright Kirky, how you doing’s?’ came from familiar faces.
 

I was pleased when I got home as my feet were freezing. Despite fearing a slightly disappointed face when Rosemary hears I went without her, I wandered down to the new café, Milk, just down the road for a bowl of soup, a scone and a few coffee’s.