Wojtek the Soldier Bear

I stepped out in trepidation this morning into a very cold frosty morning. I am very conscious that a fall on a slippy pavement could be life changing for a bus pass holder of long standing. I had more books to take to the nearest charity shop, mostly mine this time, and quite often Middle Meadow Walk is an ice rink.
Fortunately it had been treated this morning and was slide free.

The sun was shining again today but it was slightly hazy when I took this photo of the statue of Wojtek the Bear Memorial in Princes Street Gardens. This was a bear adopted by Polish soldiers and helped carry ammunitions at Monte Cassino in WW2.

There can’t be too many customers who phone a tradesman to find out why they haven’t received a bill for work done, especially if it’s in the thousands of pounds. I was that rare breed of customer. The new boiler is going its dinger, but there is no bill plopping through the letter box and my bank account is scarily over full. I need to know the worst when there was extra work done over and above the original quote.

My word how the nights are drawing out. 5pm and it’s still light but the mornings are still depressingly dark until after 8am. The illegal daffodils are sprouting at the wall and I am holding my breath that there is not going to be a dump of snow to welcome back Omani daughter tomorrow for her half century birthday next week. She is bringing one of her bikes back this time and is intending to ride with the Road Club on Saturday morning. I think she may well be in for a very cold shock.