Ebb tide

I've been so busy today catching up that I didn't really think about photos until teatime, and thought you'd have to have a photo of my dinner. The photo I eventually took at that time really represents how I've felt for most of the day - tired in every bone.

Faithful readers of this journal will know that by being in Edinburgh yesterday I missed out on my customary early morning visit to the supermarket, and though I toyed briefly with the idea of being early enough today to shop before breakfast, I dismissed it as soon as I opened my eyes. Instead I had breakfast and hung out three washes (cat hairs on everything!) before going to buy mainly fresh vegetables, of which I had none left. After coffee I wrote yesterday's blip and ordered tea online and then the plumber arrived to sort the cistern in the en-suite which has been wakening us on and off for the past fortnight by overflowing periodically with an annoying trickle.

It was after 2 o'clock before we sat down for some lunch, by which time I didn't feel like it at all and settled for a boring fruit teacake topped with mashed banana. Then it was off to our friend Paddy's, who was combining a house blessing (of her new Air B&B annexe) with a birthday celebration for a wee woman in our congregation. People sort of came and went and ate cake and chatted and it was lovely. I can't resist chatting at these events, so when we were walking home along the promenade I suddenly realised I felt like lying down on the pavement.

However, I didn't; I took the above photo of the receding water as the tide went out instead - as well as being symbolic I thought it had a certain beauty. I perked myself up by opening the bottle of champagne my #2 son gave me for Mothers Day - "make sure it's ice cold", he said, and he was right. It hit the spot beautifully and prepared the way for a roasted tomato risotto with steamed pak choi on the side ...

And now it's after midnight. I'm telling myself I had my mediaeval "first sleep" in front of the telly, but I think I need my second one now.