Drifting back

Up early to head south. Left Edinburgh in a damp murk but by the time I crossed the border it had brightened up a lot and the rest of the day was lovely. All the way down I listened to the end of 'The hand that first held mine' that I've had on the go for a while. Very cleverly done and the gradual reveal of just how intertwined the two couples' lives were was great. I particularly liked the descriptions of the two babies/toddlers in the story - Maggie O'Farrell did a brilliant job of picking up on the oh so small moments and observations that make up motherhood in those early months. Very good. Perfect timing to arrive in Saltaire just as it ended. I was pleased I had left myself nearly an hour to wander around the little mill town where every detail was designed by Titus Salt to provide decent living conditions for his workers. Enjoyed exploring (extras) all the neat as a pin rows of houses on streets named after long gone people, the school and church surrounding the mill, and the new craft shops and the bar called 'Don't Tell Titus'!
Made my way through the converted mill with it's design-heavy shops and displays to the jewellery shop...was tempted again but not as expensively as last year! Met up with old friends again - this time there were even more of us (extra) but it was again a very long lunch of non stop chat! There were a couple there that I barely recognised or remembered but ended up having my best chats with one of them - discussing the very odd feeling of coming back to familiar yet strange countryside, people and towns and how it throws up all sorts of strange feelings and emotions. She was one of the few that like me moved away a long time ago and have no family ties there any more, yet somehow being back in the environment brings back memories I thought I'd lost (very much like I find when I'm with AR and Mx, and that O'Farrell had drawn out so well when talking about how a new father started to regain access to his own childhood through interacting with his new baby).
Just before I got back to the motorway I passed a hot air balloon getting ready to take off so I pulled over to watch. You would never catch me going up in one of those, but great fun to watch from so close. 
Drive felt a bit longer on the way home (didn't have such a good book to listen to!) but was fine...shame I arrived back to rain and the prospect of more tomorrow. Interesting day (no steps to speak of mind you!)