Days that pass ...

I was so full of good intentions for today. The weather forecast was grim - yellow warnings of rain and wind - and the day seemed set for productive indoor activity. More Italian lessons, I thought, in the morning when I have my wits about me. Nothing much going on on social media to distract me. Maybe do a bit more writing. Make soup.

I'll kick off by saying yes, I did some Italian - but at 6pm, and most of it revision. And yes, there is soup on the hob even now; I sliced through a finger nail getting the squash cut up to make it and have vowed never to buy one again. I've wasted far too much time on social media. I have written nothing. What went wrong?

The weather. The rain stopped for a couple of hours around midday. The sun came out. It was just after high tide. Resistance was futile (Trekkies might recognise a quote) and out we went. Earlier, when the rain was covering the town and spoiling my view of the promenade, the waves had been sweeping right over the road and we'd not have been able to walk past without a soaking at least. But now we were spoiled for choice, and the waves were wonderful. I'm posting the shot I'm most proud of; you can watch waves all day and never get a decent one. We were a tad salty by the time we went home for a late lunch.

We were out again later - to have another rehearsal of the plainsong I'm singing tomorrow, and to look at something I aspire to sing. The wind sounded as if it might take the church roof off, and the tall trees just outside were creaking ominously. It was somehow a very suitable pursuit on Hallowe'en.

And finally,  farewell, Sean Connery. I first saw him when I was sixteen, and a boyfriend took me to one of the big Glasgow cinemas to see Doctor No. Said boyfriend paled into insignificance by comparison. I saw him once in the flesh, on the day when our #2 son's degree results were announced and we were in Edinburgh to clear out the flat he'd lived in, so that we could sell it. (I wish we'd kept it!). We got fed up defrosting the fridge and headed up to the Royal Mile because we knew it was the opening day of the Scottish Parliament. We stood right on the edge of the pavement and suddenly all these people appeared, walking down the Royal Mile past us. The Queen was there too - but Sean Connery was there, within arm's length, and he smiled at me. 

All that, and our own parliament too ...