Stripped

It seemed a strange day today- a day when it felt as if life in the city was suspended, waiting for something to happen. Of course that was only my interpretation because shops were open, buses ran and a whole city of tourists roamed around in flocks ticking boxes for how many sights they could pack in within their allotted timescale. It was a grey day with the threat of rain which never appeared but windy enough in places to have to hold on to my bunnet

I remember when I was growing up, people in Scotland worked on Christmas Day but had 2 days holiday at New Year. Now the opposite happens-  some people have 2 days holiday at Christmas and work through New Year and some people have the whole Festive period as a holiday.  Certainly this year it appears that the cafés and food shops near me are open as usual on New Year’s Day. I’ve no doubt there will be some assistants with very sore heads!

I had a stravaig round the policies this afternoon and noticed this paint stripped  frontage of what until several years ago was the University Branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland (and very handy it was too!) and long before that belonged to Surgical Instrument Makers. That latter business was in pole position for the old Edinburgh Royal Infirmary right across the road in what is now the Edinburgh Institute of the Futures. It is fascinating to see old signages appearing from underneath many coats of paint.

I couldn’t resist adding an extra of the dawn sky aflame in red - a shepherd’s warning of weather in the next few days.