best part of the day: along the way

early Feb

Since finding a replacement for my butterfly addiction - photographing the local birds - I have been enjoying the Winter a little more. Or rather, hating it less. There are still many things I'd change about it. Like the country I experience it in, and the low cloud that surrounds it much of Winter. But realistically I'm probably stuck with that and things could be so much worse. But yes, not my favourite time of year. I like warmth. Warm colours, warm sunshine. There has been a bit of sun recently and much appreciated after about 5 days when it barely got as light as the middle of the night in June. And complaining about it won't change a thing. So I've found as many pleasant ways to spend those days, having been removed from working by C19 and the Govt working in tandem. Although I've seen a few folk recently who seem to be doing work a lot like mine that looks neither emergency nor outdoors. And plenty other folk going around in groups larger than prescribed. So if you are in a position that requires emergency painting and decorating (and don't have any flu symptoms) do let me know.

time for a haircut

Meanwhile, time to catch up with blogs. A few random pics from runs and stuff, but none exciting enough to blog individually. The top picture is the ultra-box. This amuses me lots so although I've mentioned it before, I am now going to mention it again. And as I slowly get senile I'll begin to mention it every time I think of it, like an elderly relative. So buckle up.

(Years and years ago) my father asked me to get a craft knife from the drawer in his studio. I didn't see him very often so was not familiar with his studio. I went into the wrong drawer and was shocked to see... not a porn collection (for the benefit of those too young to know, pornographic photographs used to appear in printed magazines in otherwise respectable newsagents) but a stash of confectionery items - mars bars, twix', milky ways etc. I quickly closed the drawer, blushing on his account, about this embarrassing discovery. I knew he, like myself, had a sweet tooth and craving for confectionery but this was a bit of an eye opener. I never mentioned it and so I don't know if it was just to get through an occasional emergency low blood sugar moment or whether he was a regular user. How he dodged diabetes I have no idea.

Being more concerned about my waistline than he ever was about his, I limit my familiarity with chocolate bars and that kind of junk food as much as possible. We don't eat it because we just wouldn't have it in the house. I mean why would you? And yet, we have a stash box for 'sports bars'. The ultra box! Is this not exactly the same thing but for Guardian readers? (Tunnocks Caramel Wafer the exception that proves the rule or something. They are top quality!) There is some pretense of healthy and wholesome (mostly) but when it comes down to it, there is only a tiny difference between my father's shameful excesses and mine. The tiny difference is I only tend to eat one of these bars if I am out on a ten miler or more and haven't eaten lunch. Or, more recently, if I am going to stand in a snowy graveyard for longer than the running time of Gone with the Wind. Judge not lest ye be judged.

tragedy

Lockdown locks.

I have been cutting Mary's hair for maybe 20 years. "That explains it." Don't be so rude! Mary found going to a hairdresser's was invariably a bad experience where you are overcharged for the hairdresser's version of events. As long as the style isn't looking for a make-over I can generally wet it down and cut an inch off all the way round. So although her hair sometimes dries in a surprising way, she has only once complained about my skills. And there was so little blood you wouldn't really have noticed. 😟

I got my hair cut just about the day before the lockdown started so it was getting really lively lately. I even had a number 3 on top to anticipate the barber's possible extended holiday. However it was getting to the point where it was like a wave breaking on a rocky shore. Quite a wintry grey wave and it had decided to go in the opposite direction to the way I normally push it. If I was in a coma for a year or 2 it would be fascinating or maybe comical to see what sort of a thing would emerge.

Having had a couple of shots at cutting my hair last lockdown Mary made a great stab at it this time. Within a day or 2 you couldn't tell it wasn't a professional cut.

an equitable division of labour?

just before all that snow these were thinking of emerging on Leith Links

So when you are taking a photo of an eccentric in a C5 pedalo and the occupant sees you, the best course of action is to smile and give a thumbs up. Even though, truth be told, a thumbs up wasn't really what was going through my mind.

Adding to the list of local nutjobs was this sewage surfer in Wardie Bay.
Hopefully too cold to taste any flavours.

Just before all the snow, this squirrel was stocking up for Winter from the birdfeeders I'd put outside my mum's window. You could see it was having trouble balancing on the metal support -it was rainy and the metal was slippy. It made several attempts to suck the seeds out through the mesh feeder before concentrating efforts on the half coconut shell filled with lard. Using magic more than any untying skills it managed to remove the shell from the support and carried it to the ground where it got stuck in. I think I'd tire fairly quickly of just unflavoured lard but the squirrel was keen as mustard and used front paws to steady the giant bowl while it nearly stood on its head trying to chisel the lard out. The video won't post on here so I put some stills up from it.