Tam o'Shanter

Another busy day today!  P was working on his assignment whilst I did more apple-ing.  This time making salted caramel butter, then an apple pie to put it in and still having some apples which needed to be dealt with quickly, so finished off with some pancakes plus apples, plus salted caramel.  They were pretty good (and I don't feel big-headed saying that as I pinched the idea and recipie from a lovley woman who makes crepes back in Bingley).

We then set off mid-afternoon to Ayr to catch a bit of Tam fest, which is their halloween festival celebrating the Burns poem Tam o'Shanter.  The high street was full of stalls (got some Cairn O'mohr for Christmas mum!) and lots of performers in fun costumes from devils to Donnie Darko rabbits.  Blip today had to be of the festival's Tam o'Shanter himself who was doing a grand job of reciting the poem to the passing crowds, tankard in hand.  Worthy of the blip for the feat of memory alone!

We popped into Waterstones and padded a very pleasant almost hour listening to Tony Bonnet - a local journalist turned story teller who regaled us with folk stories of Kelpies, mermaids and the original tale Tam o'Shanter was based on, plus some good schooling in Scots.  Thing I learned today - if you want to tame a Kelpie, you have to replace their bridle, thank your blessing and never ride them.  The moment you sit on their back, you can't get off and they'll take you back into the water.

Ended the night with a vegan sausage supper, some long exposure blips on the waterfront and a fab episode of the Wong Notes podcast where Cory Wong and Chris Thile bond over Tiki cocktails.  Good times.