einstein a go go

 

5th September

I was a bit unhappy today. The sun was shining but there was a total lack of butterflies out and about in Holyrood and elsewhere as we ran around town. Very annoying! 

should have been swarming with butterflies

Nice to see Maggie and Ivor in Holyrood. 
Not sure why Ivor was hiding. Perhaps on the run from the fashion police?

Mary has an extra bit of running she adds to the round Holyrood circuit. Possibly to make a 5.8miler up to a 6miler. Or just because she likes it. But after a clockwise circuit of Queen's Drive she will run along to the top of the Innocent Railway and back. She calls this a sewing machine foot add-on. Because on strava maps it looks like the bit of a sewing machine that holds the cloth. (Ish). I am convinced by neither argument - that we should be doing it, or calling it that. But sometimes it is easier to go with the flow, than putting up a fight. After all we were off to the meadows and not just doing the Holyrood route. 

In the meadows there were instruments of torture which people were queuing up and paying money to get on. The things people do for fun. Yet they probably think the same of runners. I can't do these fairground attractions as my motion detectors are too finely tuned and I get travel sickness. I was too distracted by them to see Janet before she ran past. She didn't see us either. Good to see she is out running and also coaching fitness classes in Holyrood. "Join Janet in Holyrood Park for fun, focussed outdoor fitness classes for all levels. She adapts the 45-minute classes according to your ability and goals for the results you want!" Find Fitness_for_All on facebook. 

Janet!

In order to cheer me up Mary said we'd go see if the owls were at the castle. This did cheer me up then I realised it was exactly the sort of day they wouldn't be there. My hopes would be built up then dashed. The owls at the castle are touring members of Falconry Borders. They seem to be there most days and Mary was pictured last time with the eagle owl McKenzie on her arm. To my surprise and delight they were there today! My turn this time and for a small contribution I got to meet Einstein, a scops owl. He is small and dapper and alert and interested in all that is going on. The girls looking after the owls knew their stuff and explained all about them. It made me think we should plan a trip to their place near Jedburgh and see the rest of the birds they have there. It was great to see these special birds close up and hear all about them. 

BTW Einstein a Go Go was a track from 1981 when I was at art school and although the video is horribly dated it wasn't the worst thing to come out of the 80s. 

Einstein!

a tawny owl they have reared from chick

On the way home we bumped into Nial, a pal of the same generation as myself who has lived a remarkably similar career to mine except after an amount of (very) high quality hand-painted signwriting, he went down the computer graphics road rather than painting and decorating. Twice recently I have taken an evil joy in catching him fagging and boozing at his fave pub as I have run past. He is not unaware of the contrast of lifestyle. We are never short of things to chat about but so far I have resisted the urge to buy a pint and pull up a barstool. 

Nial - an artist pal from way back