Happy returns...

In the era of social media birthdays have become very public things.

Being lucky enough to have a summer birthday I never had to go to school on that day which meant that it was usually a nice, quiet, family affair. In my working life I have contrived more often than not to take the day off or to be on holiday for it.

I had originally planned to spend today with Cathleen en route for Islay before having dinner with Roseanna Cunningham who is also on Islay, in her case as part of her Cabinet Secretary summer tour and also bound for the Islay show tomorrow .

However some weeks ago it became obvious that I would have to be in Edinburgh on the 9th for a meeting with the UK Government. So Cathleen took my car to the island and I am flying first thing tomorrow.

That meant that I have been fortunate enough to have had lots of mich appreciated brthday wishes at work where I spent much of the day preparing , and doing media about, the meeting John Swinney and I had with Damien Green, the new First Secretary and David Mundell , the Secretary of State for Scotland.

So thanks for all of those and thanks for the many Facebook and Twitter ones as well. I am grateful if a little embarrassed - there are probably ages when it is best to stop commemorating the passing years !

My extra photo is the front page of tomorrow's National which , as ever, sums up what happened pithily. My main picture however is of my favorite room in St Andrews House in Edinburgh where our discussion today took place.

It was formerly the Secretary of State's Office but is now a small meeting space and sits between John Swinney's office (which I occupied for most of my time as Education Secretary) and my current office which is the former Private Office ante room for this much grander space.

It is on the 5th floor so in addition to the lovely walnut panelling has a great view over Edinburgh - as I did this evening walking along Princes St in the sunshine to go and have a birthday dinner with Cailean, which was very pleasant too.