Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville

My usual complaint about statues in Edinburgh is that we honour more animals than we do women. This seems rather trivial when you realise that we continue to keep on plinths sculptures of men who sold other human beings to add to their substantial fortunes. (I don't approve of graffiti either, however...)

In this case, Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville, is an easier target than his father at the other end of the New Town, atop a high monument based loosely on Trajan's column in Rome.

I took this photo when out on my walk this morning. We followed one of our now usual routes from Princes Street to Wester Coates, down to the Water of Leith, and back to the West End again. The rest of the day I have been keeping an eye on email while editing a rather substantial document.

The lorry returned this afternoon to remove from the pavement from outside our flat the slabs delivered in error yesterday. I have to say that when I opened the shutters this morning, I was somewhat relieved to see that nobody had tried to steal the pallet and its contents overnight.

Exercise today: walking (16,544 steps).