44 days to go

Back in Edinburgh for three Parliamentary " sitting weeks" before the final, formal, Referendum campaign period which starts at midnight on Thursday 21st August. These weeks coincide with most of the Edinburgh Festivals and the city is already buzzing,

I spent most of the day in meetings in St Andrew's House about issues which included tomorrow's exam results , the first to include the new CFE National 4 & 5 outcomes.

This evening I happened to walk along Princes St where there is another countdown underway , that being for the opening of Edinburgh's first Apple Store. After much speculation over five years or more ( I remember discussing the issue with Apple Executives during my visit to Cupertino in April 2009) these notices finally went up on 10th July and experience from other places indicates that they don't usually stay in place for more than two or three weeks.

On Wednesday there was a flurry of excitement, apparently, over a rumour that the grand opening would be on 2nd August but that date has come and gone.

And still this evening, the hoardings remain in place.....