We are sailing ...

Today has felt as if a whole string of demands had been set up in a row, like dominoes, waiting to be dealt with in turn with the whole edifice set to fail if one were to fall ... 

First port of call was the dentist. I used to feel I could take out shares in our practice because I had so many visits, unexpected as well as routine. Now, in a way, I feel we have, because the practice went private last year, and today was the second of two total check-ups that are part of our "plan". And unlike the random, individual visits of our share pasts, we now attend in the same hour, one to the hygienist and the other to the dentist, swapping at half time. It feels to me a much more detailed and lengthy appointment with each, including not only X-rays but also photographs of the cleaned and checked teeth, with me holding my lips out of the way with strange plastic instruments. Anyway, all was well and we won't need to be there again (mishaps apart) till August.

It was on our way in that we caught sight of my Blip photo-op . Our dental surgery is in one of the big old houses on the East Bay prom (I used to visit often when it was the house of an American naval officer who ended up commanding the Holy Loch base ship - we both had young children.) Being so situated, it has a commanding view of the Firth, and as we arrived we saw it - the new CalMac ferry, the Glen Sannox, at last under her own steam and doing her sea trials. I used to go to Arran (where Glen Sannox is a fave hike) every childhood summer on the previous Glen Sannox; this looks a worthy successor. Scottish blippers will know that it's an object of derision in many quarters - but I think she's a lovely ship. Anyway, I made us late for our appointments while I I took this photo.

What else? After coffee we went out in the rain looking for prescriptions and light bulbs. I spent a grim hour trying to get a couple of hotel nights in Edinburgh next week - our usual Premier Inn is booked solid (it's the rugby wot did it) but I've managed to get into the Holiday Inn, a tad less convenient but still all right for walking to after a birthday dinner. We had a very early dinner (or late lunch) because we were going out later, and I fitted in some Italian for fewer points than usual. 

And then we went to church, to the Ash Wednesday liturgy. Great sermon and favourite hymns, including one I want at my funeral. Strangely hilarious afterwards, perhaps after the tension of emotion generated by the service. Home to online Compline, an hour later than usual. Valentine's Day sort of passed us by, but I remembered how 50 years ago on Valentine's Day I was taken into Redlands Hospital for Women as it was my due date for giving birth to my first baby. 

His birthday is on Friday. 'Nuff said!