Xmas tangle

Yesterday was Iona's birthday (see previous blip). It had a '0' in it so we wanted to make a fuss involving a night out in Edinburgh and we all booked into an hotel.

The treat was a meal at Jamie Olivers Italian restaurant on Rose Street. It was a great treat indeed. Wonderful service, great menu, incredible presentation and lots of delightful tastes. Most of all, Iona thoroughly enjoyed it.

On our way back from the restaurant, we went along Rose Street which is renowed for the number of pubs it has. It reminded me of my student days and the 'Rose Street Crawl' - the challenge of walking the length of the street having a drink in each hostelry. I can't remember if I ever did it but then that was a characteristic of the Rose Street crawl - if you could remember you probably never did it.

We had a drink in one in which a lone guitarist with loads of machines was making a pleasant noise. We returned to the hotel and left the young ones to gatecrash one of the Xmas dos which were on.

Officially, we do not start Xmas celebrations until after Iona's birthday. So today was the day to get the tree and, of course the lights which are always in a tangle. But at least they work.