Plan B!

As I lay in bed this morning listening to the dreadful news of the mass shooting in America, I was thinking of all those families affected who are just wakening on the first morning, in total disbelief at what has happened. Then the reality will hit them after a few seconds. Heart breaking.

JR awoke this morning not feeling too sprightly. But we were having lunch guests (Leo and his parents), and so she set to in the kitchen preparing lunch (I'm chief bottle washer). I tried to persuade her to postpone the meal until tomorrow, but no, she thought she'd 'come right'.

The phone went. It was Leo's mum saying that Leo's Dad wasn't well, but she and Leo could come. Plan B - why not put it off till tomorrow? Hopefully everyone recovered.

So, JR back to bed. 10 am... swimming? Yes, the pool opens later on a Saturday, and I now had time to pop up. But 10 am on a Saturday is for kids' lessons. Dozens of 'em. Could I hang around till 10.30? On a nice day? When I could jump in the car and go anywhere...

So it was the Duck Pond in Queen's Park. There was a freezing cold wind at St Margaret's Loch. Lots of the ice is half broken up but hard for the swans to negotiate. I was there for ages. Kept missing brilliant shots, of course. Some of the swans took off, noisily, but I was over watching someone feeding others on the path! I walked round the loch a bit, with some swans following me, with hopeful looks on their faces. Took a few shots and hung around there, waiting for something to happen.

I then walked back round, with my silent entourage. A swarm (flock?) of Canada geese came honking over us and landed splashily at the very spot where I'd just been!!!

I gave up and went round the hedge to the car. I heard the flapping thumping splashing sound of ... yes, all my swans taking off and flying up to the other end! I ran round and got some shots of them disappearing in the distance. I should blip one of my near misses, of which I have hundreds dozens, lol.

I drove on round to Dunsapie Loch, which is better, because it's still in sunshine and there was not so much wind there. Only two sensible swans in residence there, confined to a wee unfrozen bit of water (on the right in this shot). This was five shots stitched together. Couldn't avoid the glaring sunshine.

The loch was frozen over, and the gulls were all standing around on the ice. There were lovely reflections of the hill behind and the gulls as they landed. Actually, amusingly, some kept slipping over if a wee wind got up. It was so beautiful. Yes, I think I'd choose this loch if I were a swan.

3pm. I could go up to the pool now. But I shall restrain myself. Instead, I shall relax with a glass of wine and catch up on iPlayer. JR still asleep, although up long enough to give me instructions on making the bread.

Hopefully everyone is all right for tomorrow, otherwise I'll have a lot of food to eat!

Sadly, I did not win the Lottery last night. Must be arthritis I felt in my bones...