D. A.

After lots of good food and wine last night I slept very well and had a lie in during which I hatched a cunning plan. Well, not really that cunning, but it should work.

It poured down with rain for most of the day, so we took the bus along to the little Stockbridge market and bought a few things. The plank in the Water of Leith down beside the bridge had a whole row of eiders on it, standing or sitting in the rain and all furiously preening. I think they were the first crop of this year's youngsters, methodically pulling out all the baby duckling fluff that remained amongst their lovely new grown up plumage. I bet it itches!