A hurl before we go

And we're home again. This last two weeks has seemed so much more full than all the months before them - I've done more, seen more people, been more places, used more ferry tickets, eaten more ... You get the idea. Before we packed up and left, my son gave me a hurl in his new motor - not the sensible family car, but the fun shiny low-slung sporty one that I've not had a chance to sit in before. We weren't out long, but our route brought us back through a wee bit of Edinburgh I didn't at first recognise - until I saw the three spires of St Mary's Cathedral and realised I was back on familiar territory. I took this photo out of the windscreen just because it was so startling; I still don't know what's going up but it's a massive thing. As for the car - I loved the way that sitting with your bottom just above the road (it feels that way) means you have the illusion of driving very fast indeed - and it roars. I was also rather pleased that despite my misgivings I was able to climb out of it unaided ...

We had a foul drive home through the worst rain we've seen in ages - torrential rain from Harthill all the way along the M8 to Port Glasgow before it eased slightly, and surface water meaning we could hardly see a thing for the spray. However, by the time we got home it was more or less dry, and we were able to walk along the road to the local primary school for our flu jags, arriving with less than half an hour to spare before the clinic ended. I then did a swift supermarket shop - remind me not to go on a Saturday afternoon again - and managed to get to the paying stage before I began to feel decidedly droopy. 

I cheered up when I was unpacking the bag my daughter-in-law had thrust on me when we were leaving - it was full of goodies, including sufficient leftovers from last night to ensure that I didn't need to cook tonight, a cake, chocolate, little bottles of drinks ... just lovely. And then there was the rest of the presents and cards to look at again and put up for the octave of celebration that cheers for a bit longer.

Just for a last reminder, I'm posting an extra of one of the cats - is it Oreo? or Arthur? (sorry, chaps - always get confused!) who perched on the table and positively demanded a drink of water. 

One of these days I may get a cat.