Spend a Peni

The rather grand, but slightly sad, Penicuik House. Gutted by a fire in 1899, then taken over by vegetation, it's now a remarkable place (with the family now living, since 1900, in the 'stable block', which is somewhat grander than it sounds). It's a place where every year 400 people come together to carry on the restoration, many of them being trainees or apprentices, learning the likes of stonemasonry. The morning started with helping out with a park clear up at the Figgy (given I'm on the Friends committee now I thought I'd better turn up!). Many black bags, bits of concrete, planks of wood with nails, later, and... Somewhat shattered.