An early Christmas present!

No rain today! Elizabeth came to take Archie out at 9.30 for a dry walk. JR went off to two gym sessions, and then stayed for a chat in the cafe with her gym buddies.

I decided to go into town to look for a photo. Also, because the convenient bus has been re-instated, I can get to the Royal Mile easily. Lots of visitors with trundle suitcases trundling over the cobbles. I headed for a favourite cafe, but it was jammed full. A walk on down Coburn Street and I came to one I've been in before. It had plenty of space, and Halleluia! - a quiet, jazz music soundtrack, which I congratulated them on. 

Nice big windows to watch all the tourists taking photos while I browsed the papers on my phone. Up popped an article about the newest Apple iPhone, the 15 Pro Max, which 'weighs less and zooms further'... I do intend trading up this year, and I decided, as I was quite near the Apple shop, to go and have a look. And a feel. And a try - to test the zoom. 

Very impressed, I went to buy one there and then, with my iPhone13, I'd get quite a good refund. BUT... they don't have any (for sale) in the shop!! I have to order online, and it may take weeks. An early Christmas present!

I walked along through the Gardens, and can never resist this view - the major renovations in the gallery took years - much longer than anticipated because of all the problems they came across (asbestos, water ingress), but I am SO pleased to have the big white tent and the white tarpaulin, which has been round the whole place for YEARS, removed at last!

Terrible, awful news from the Middle East, which displaces the terrible, awful news of the earthquake in Afghanistan, which displaced the news of the terrible, awful flooding in Lybia, which displaced the news of the terrible, awful earthquake in Morocco. But a BIG difference between natural disasters and man-made disasters. What a world!.