New views

I have been realising recently how views can change - not political views, but natural ones of the country around us! Blipper Wildwood's story is full of the changes wrought by catastrophic fires; on Arran last week I was struck by the changing coastline and the differences I could see in coastal areas. Today's blip shows a rather different view of Loch Eck, a body of water that has featured often on here, but which is showing more of itself since the felling of some of the forest around its shore. The chalets and static trailers form part of a holiday village on this enviable location; they don't intrude on the view as much as many of their kind.

Today was oddly windy - I've been watching the silver birch in our front garden fairly thrashing around with its full head of leaves much more susceptible than its bare winter self. The morning was also quite damp, so it was another suitable occasion for learning more new music. We stopped when my voice was beginning to vanish - a horrid thing, this age business: the voice is there, but for shorter periods all the time.

I was reminded of this truism about physical stamina as well when I went out along Loch Eck with Di and a small spaniel this afternoon. Would I like to climb the hill at the end and descent via Benmore Gardens, she asked - and I had to say no, as my back ached and I was knackered. (She's three years younger than me ...) Instead we went through the lower part of the gardens, where we passed a group of smiling people (with another dog) one of whom I was sure I'd seen before. We realised they were coming behind us, so I suggested we sat on a bench so that I could take another look (Di's hopeless at this: she once spoke to Emma Thompson on one of our favourite walks where the actress has a house, and she didn't recognise her or her companion who turned out to be Derek Jacobi ...) Anyway, I reckon the person I saw today, exchanged brief words with, was another actress, well-known for her role in a popular series ... I'll get back to you on this!

All this excitement has left me aching with tiredness, exacerbated slightly by the thought of my family driving south en route for France. At least I know they're where they need to be tonight before the second leg tomorrow.

See parenting? Endless!