Home

Being home again feels strange. I miss the sea outside the window and the boats passing by, not to mention the allure of a ‘dook’ 10 minutes up the Street. Still, I had coffee and a half share of a blueberry bun with one of my Merry Widows over an exchange of 5 weeks worth of news this morning. Erlend Flett, the small bear with attitude joined us and I have to report his behaviour was exemplary as he sat observing life in the café which will become more familiar to him over the next 8 months than Julia’s Shed in Stromness .

Later I had a walk round the Marches to check that things were as I had left them. It was interesting to see that nothing had changed- the trees in the Meadows still had their leaves although the horse chestnut tree had shed all it’s conkers and one tree had lost a limb to Friday’s foul weather. I had a seat in the sun at the tennis courts watching play. Wimbledon it ain’t but I have no reason to criticise being unable to even see over the net.

I had a visitor this morning in the shape of an enormous spider with very long legs in my sink. I presume it had crawled up the waste pipe but however it gained access it was ushered out indecorously in a tumbler. to the patio.

Now I have to take some beremeal biscuits to a neighbour who has been looking after my very large thirsty Peace Lily for the past month.


Erlend has found his Happy Place in the window