Guildhall Key

I went out about 08:00 to walk so that I could be sure to be back for 09:40. This is the start of the 4 hour slot during which the dishwasher engineer should call. A long tale not worth telling but I hope it's fixable today.

Up Gowan Hill for the first time in ages. I was delighted to see a red squirrel - first time I've spotted one here. It was so unexpected I thought I'd confused it with a fox but another walker, coming in the opposite direction, confirmed. Of course I didn't have my camera ready and even if I had I doubt I'd have managed a blip of it whizzing off.

Round the cemetery and over to the Guildhall. I've blipped it before in its dereliction but I'm delighted to say that it is being restored as befits its history:

"Cowane’s Hospital was built as an Almshouse from a Legacy of 40,000 Merks left by John Cowane, a prosperous Stirling Merchant, who died in 1633. The money was to be bestowed upon a Hospital or Almshouse to be built within the Burgh of Stirling, for sustaining twelve decayed Guild Brothers, Burgesses, or indwellers of the said Burgh."

This huge key is for the front door of the building. The external work is finished and the internal work making great progress. The electricians were in today and I stopped to say how wonderful it looks. It developed into quite a chat which was so pleasant and something we used to take for granted. A LOT of money has been spent on this restoration and I hope that there will be visitors soon to see what's been achieved.

Home now. Flora has managed to extract a tick which is good work and saves us an unpleasant job. I'd better check her over for more though. This afternoon I'm working and I have a big pile of reading to do in preparation so I'm off.