Adolescents, Gin + past colleague @cranachancrowd

I was planning on blipping a shot of some unusual and slightly disturbing cafe art from the location of today's meeting. (It is in the extra for today).

The meeting was held comprising representatives of the Scottish Youth Parliament, health, local authorities, civil service, third sector and other bodies such as Children's Hearings Scotland. They had been brought together by the Permanent Secretary to consider what the priorities for adolescents should be for the incoming Government (of whatever political composition).

A complex, at times intense discussion of what these priories might be, ranging from rights, to training of professionals to substantive and not tokenistic engagement and participation of and by young people, to fostering good trusting relationships.

The start of several months of discussions.

Instead of the intended blip, as. I walked up the Royal Mile I bumped in to Beth alongside whom I used to wrk in the Scottish Governement. Some years back she became a partner in a shop selling Scottish produce and this was th fist time I'd been passing on foot during opening hours. Beth was in great form.

Along with other passers by we were encouraged to sample some Colonsay beer. It must be one of the smallest, if not the smallest slands with a brewery in the world. The beer samples were very enjoyable, as was the small sample of a delicate floral highland gin, Rock Rose. Made at Dunnet Bay near Thurso it is one of a growing number of quality gins with local botanicals. (The growth of these small distilleries was the subject of our daughter's dissertation so we have acquired an added interest in the varieties).