Normal service is resumed ...

It was grey and raining steadily when I stirred this morning - an instant sign to take it easy and enjoy what to me is perhaps the essence of being retired: the lack of any compulsion to be anywhere first thing in the morning. I've never been good at mornings as a whole - I have memories of dressing under the covers in our chilly shared bedroom from the age of ten; before that I slept in the maid's room of a top flat in Hyndland and just through the door was the warm kitchen with the range always on in it ...

I had a leisurely breakfast involving proper porridge and The Party Line (the weekend edition of Neil's news-sheet), washed up and did my Italian, during which I kept falling asleep. I think carbs have that effect on me - I hadn't yet had any coffee.) Then, revived by my dose of caffeine, I wrote the Intercessions for tomorrow - a last-minute request from Di, who has another engagement. 

I realised after lunch that it seemed to have stopped raining - and the air, when I checked, was warmer than it had been on some of the sunny days. I knew I could happily sit there reading Pompeii till dinner time, but my Presbyterian upbringing (and all these holidays in Arran) kicked in and we found our waterproof jackets and went out to the Old Road below Puck's Glen. Partly because we felt there was a group walking behind us and we'd be stuck with them if we doubled back, we crossed the main road when we reached Benmore and came back along the river path along the Eachaig. That's where I took the photo - a single night of rain seems to have revived the river somewhat and though it wasn't actually raining at this point the hills are swathed in dampness. It all smelled wonderful and I was actually strongly reminded of the contentment I used to feel on these Arran childhood walks on such an afternoon, just because of being there, free and out in the open, regardless of the weather. 

Himself went out to remind himself what the organ in church felt like after we got in, so I'm writing this before dinner, which I'm now going to think about starting to prepare. Tomorrow should feel even more normal ...