I hadn't either planned or not planned a red blip birthday balloon, but when one presented itself to me, I could hardly refuse...

Somehow wedged into a tuft of grass and largely deflated, it was so at odds with the surroundings..

Slow day, post migraine. Did a lot of house stuff and phone calls etc; then spent the afternoon walking from Marine Esplanade to the light house at the end of Leith docks. It's an odd nether world, abandoned lorries, massive stacks of pipes, all manner of colourful debris thrown up from the sea, and utterly deserted. I got to the lighthouse around 4; took loads of photos and then slowly meandered back.

It was odd going back through Leith, with people and life after only a few hours and no distance at all from it all.

Asda for cheapness and then home to a hearty fish / rice / pistachio / sweet chilli dinner. And an early ish night ahead of mountaineering Friday.