Peak

A brisk lunchtime walk took me to Starbank Park and back. Fifteen years ago, Mr A and I looked at a flat more or less next to Starbank Park - the bottom half of a detached house. It might have been quite nice…but was too far away from shops and stuff, and in that respect too similar to where we had been living in Leeds, where we always had to get in the car to go anywhere. In retrospect, the proximity to the sea would have been quite appealing. Starbank Park is also a wonder - or at least the top half of it, which I had never been in before is. There seems to be a resident keeper or gardener living in a house in the middle of the park, and the top half is all avenues of cherry trees, clumps of tulips, and little trails for primary school children. I had seen pictures of the blossom online, and while it is just past peak blossom, we are not past peak blossom-on-the-ground as a carpet, which is also lovely. For the record it took me 62 minutes to do a circuit including Starbank Park, which took me down onto Lower Granton Road and then back up the Trinity Path.

Later on in the afternoon, I gave the second of the two lectures I have been preparing…zooming into Syracuse University in upstate New York. It was good fun, and some interesting questions.

Now, for the first time today, we have some quite cheery sunshine. It was reasonably bright when I was out, but still quite hazy. There was also a bit of rain about, and it felt quite humid as it was reasonably warm. Right now the evening light is glorious, bright and sharp. A joy to see from my usual seat in the living room.

Just about to log on to book group.