Another Anne

To preserve the hair do there was no swim this morning. Outside it was fair, though If target hours of would rain in the morning allowing better weather to come in from the west. 'Twas not to be. Late breakfast (I'm back trying 10/14 after listening to Tim of Zoe on Michael Moseley) and then I did most of the banking stuff held over from yesterday and checked Malaysian school holidays (still in Covid pattern) and flights. . And there was a work call from Office Angels but I resisted the urge to fiddle with the website. A lot of toing and froing with Y about weather and I changed handbags to get everything in. 

Then it was time to change, get glammed up and head to Waverley, the headgear in a plastic bag. It had started to rain.

The station was full of women in hats, men in smart suits/kilts. Wonder where they were going? We went to Brewhemia, which was also full of said folk but only one poor girl behind the bar. They obviously hadn't received the memo. 

After fizz we dined the plastic raincoats (I was colour coordinated in pink), put up the umbrellas (colour coordinated in lilac) and sloshed our way down the Royal Mile to join the queue at three Palace. 

It was wet, and continued to be veey wet, and cold.  Y's hat never came out of its plastic bag. Mine had been worn since the station. More sloshing over the boardwalk and then we joined the things waiting for the entrance. Saw a couple of folk I thought I knew. Realised later one was from the Choir. 

The Royal couple entered from the a doorway at the top of outside stairs and I caught a brief view. Camilla was in what looked like white, though I could see more of the to of her umbrella than her 

We had a wee wander, eventually ending up in the tea tent. The finger food was very enjoyable, the tea less so but we stayed in the shelter for a while chatting to people as the rain oscillated between barely on to full blown downpour. The hill had disappeared under low cloud. Such a shame as it would have been lovely to enjoy the gardens. I thought I might see someone I definitely knew but the only one was Douglas Ross MSP, not a coup. 

Having decided to call it a day we found ourselves in the organised gaggle outside the Royal tea tent and ended up waiting, watching the Archers (the Hon Company ones!), the photographer right out of a 1930's Raymond Chandler and the men in morning dress taking into their sleeves, and waiting. Camilla came out first after a parade of Archers and looked straight at me. Then a bit of a wait and HM and the Princess Royal went past. I hadn't clicked her earlier. Very sensibly she had flat shoes on. 

Then we sloshed out and hung around, mainly in a handy bus shelter, for a taxi to arrive. Itv wasn't too long but it took us almost as long to drive through the traffic. The road to the Park was shut.

By the time we got to Prestonfield I was pretty much drip free but Y, in open toed sandals, was frozen. But it was a lovely evening, drinks in a side room, dinner in Rhubarb overlooking the park and the hill and then a taxi back to a much quieter Brewhemia for coffee and a brandy. 

I saw Y off on the 10.15 then braved a chilly, and busy, Princes Street, for a two bus journey home and straight to bed 

And that was the Coronation Garden Party. Probably the wise day of weather all month, not what if hoped for, but still an experience. 

PS the other person I thought I recognised was Elish Angiolini, I think.