Stunner

Lovely morning but I didn’t realise the day would turn out to be quite so gorgeous…warm and wall to wall sun and the city looked stunning.
I started a day of trekking around (27,500 steps!) by walking through the Meadows and nearly blipped a picture of the queue coming right up against Welcome Week activities in George Sq but see Arclight bagged that one first. It was somewhat surreal to battle through both rather different throngs in the same space. Also very odd to be so aware of my old life being in full swing with the new students arriving whilst I’m doing my city flaneur impersonation with little rush or sense of work on my shoulder needing done. I think yesterday and today are the first days I’ve actually felt retired….!
Walked down to meet the first person on the governing body as I begin working my way through them all to hear their views and ideas. We had a good chat and I enjoyed exploring part of town I don’t know well, then wandered down to Stockbridge and had a sandwich in the sun for lunch…actually starting to feel too hot. Mooched around the various charity shops then up to the Botanics to meet EL for a cup of tea and a catch up. Not seen her since she left work 4 yrs ago so lots to chat about and good to hear how things work there, We walked around the garden a bit and then tried to find some shade for our tea….can’t believe this weather but just as well for all the queues of people in the city.
Set off walking home but when I got to John Lewis I decided to jump on a bus for the last bit up the hill. We ground to a halt just before the Royal Mile…turns out I had arrived there just as they were awaiting the cars arriving at St Giles from the Palace and no one was being allowed to cross the street. as I wondered what to do H phoned. They’d returned to edinburgh after the wedding they’d been to but their car has broken down and they were waiting for the breakdown recovery people. She was on the Grassmarket, and the only way I could get to her was to go down, along Princes St and round via Kings Stables Rd so I set off…..very aware of how much I’ve walked today!
Just as I got to the corner of Lothian Rd the whole cortège swept past me….
Met H and we had a drink and a chat then walked up to meet P who’d been taking their dog round Holyrood Park whilst they waited. We ended up having some supper at a pub and chatting about all the holidays we used to have when the children were little. At one point we were laughing so much we were almost in tears…lovely evening. Finally, after 4 hours, the recovery people arrived and we left on our separate ways.
Home to watch BakeOff and relax. It’s been a good day