Fringe

Off to Edinburgh for our annual, fleeting visit to the Fringe. Last year, we took the train but the Minx fancied driving, this year, which suited me very well. It's not very green but our road trips are one of my favourite things, especially when we stop for coffee at Tebay services. 

We had a room in some student accommodation just off Leith Walk which turned out to be perfect for our needs: somewhere clean and comfortable to sleep, with a decent shower.

We started off our evening intending to walk to The Red Squirrel, where we were meeting our Twitter friend, @annemac10, but by the time we reached St Andrew's Square, it was beginning to rain so we grabbed a taxi for the rest of the journey. The pub turned out to be lovely - such that we ended up staying there all evening - and we had time for a bite to eat before Anne arrived.

She was absolutely delighted with the picture that the Minx had done of Anne's dog (who was with her but less impressed) and we had a happy hour chatting to her (Anne, not her dog) before Shelagh arrived, closely followed by Andrea Gibb, Andrea Gillies and the latter Andrea's chap, Eric, who I'd apparently met once before but, I can only presume, under inebriated circumstances.

Which, unsurprisingly, these turned out to be, too. What a fantastic evening; so many laughs yet I can only remember a handful of things we discussed, including Shelagh's contentious Women Only Commune, which actually sounded pretty cool. I felt a profound sadness when I left as it occurred to me that I didn't know when we'd all be together again.

The Minx and I decided to walk back to our room and zigzagged our way across the city, ending up here, walking along Rose Street. I remember when I worked in Edinburgh fifteen or so years ago and there was a two bedroomed flat for sale on this road and remembered thinking one day how sorry I'd be that I wasn't in a position to raise the £60k that was being asked for it. And today I was!