Cat and toddler, but no waterfalls...

I've lived in Edinburgh for about 12 years, and today I decided to do the Water of Leith Walkway from the Gallery of Modern Art to Stockbridge, as I see on the map there is a waterfall nearby. Got there this morning to find they'd closed this part last week because of slipping!

I think they meant the land slipping, not pedestrians slipping, although it could be the latter. They're very cautious about being sued. They get sued enough over the dangerous pavements and roads.

Plan B! Walk to Dean Village and continue the expedition, with no waterfall blips. There was a lovely cat in the gallery grounds. It wouldn't come near, despite my tempting 'pusspuss' calls. (Note to self, not just squirrel nuts, but cat food in my camera bag). It was sunny when we were there and the rest of day on the walk was just bleh. So I chose this sunny shot. Although the one shot where the cat did look at me and my tempting 'pusspusses' the eyes were not sharply focussed enough.

On our walk to Dean Village, we had a bit of drama. Actually, quite a bit of drama. It's a very busy road, with a blind corner which cars speed around. As we came to the corner, having already crossed the road safely further up, we spied a toddler, toddling very fast down the road opposite us. A toddler on his own. Toddling fast towards the busy road. We couldn't cross as there was a stream of fast cars, but we had to make a dive for it, as the toddler, still unseen by drivers, was nearing the road. We dashed (I use the term loosely - I don't really dash) across and grabbed the little chap. The drivers coming must have seen two old codgers running across the busy road at an unsafe corner, assumed we had learnt no road sense at all and were probably swearing at us!

We asked where his mummy was and walked back up the road, looking for a likely house. He did eventually point at a gate and we went in. Toys, swings - yes, this was the right house. The door was open. TV on. Knocked on the door and mum, on the phone, came. She was horrified that he'd got out. The gate was 'always locked'. Well, it wasn't this time. It's so easily done, she probably thought he was watching TV and was having a moment to herself.

After that excitement we walked on through Dean Village and I could hear the raging waterfall. There are gates to a Private Garden, which would give the best view of it. The thought of climbing the gates only fleeting entered my head. I took loads of photos through the village, but the light was not much good.

We had lunch in Stockbridge. Very nice winter vegetable soup with big slabs of sourdough bread. I got the Evil Eye for dunking mine in the soup. I thought that was what it was for...

We declined their offer of a coffee, in favour of one at home, as their muzak was particularly awful. As we had our soup, the track was SHOUT. Don't know who sang it, it wasn't Lulu (check out the link to see just how raucous this is!) but I can't think of a less appropriate song to inflict on your diners, quietly minding their own business, dunking their bread in the soup. Even Whitney Houston would have been better.

Back home. I had an apple instead of the shortbread I KNOW is in the tin.

The diet is going well today. But the evenings are full of temptations.