water of leaf

 

5th October. Thanks Mary for the blog title!

This was an exciting time. Four months after our downstairs neighbour let us know our shower was leaking into his flat, we were getting the shower room refitted. Naturally we stopped using the shower back in June and began the lengthy process of sorting the problem. We removed the old shower and shower tray which revealed more than just a plumbing problem with a bit of rot, mostly historical, from about 25+ years ago when we had had similar problems shortly after moving in, which I had tackled back then. We got a preservation firm in to assess the situation this time. We agreed to their expensive quote to saw out and brace the joists and treat all the area for rot. While they did an acceptable job, they did not inspire sufficient confidence that they were the team to carry out the re-fitting. It is very much a lottery when you employ tradesmen and you can easily end up in the shit.

Mary did some online research and found Polish builder Krzyzstof. Excellent reviews and he was keen enough to come out on a Sunday and give us a next day quote, starting shortly afterwards. When he was lifting the new floor boards to check the plumbing, one was screwed down into the joists AND the waste pipe. And he removed all the plasterboards the first team (MacFadyen Preservation) had charged us to install round 2 walls as they were not the waterproofed ones that perhaps should have been installed.

Krzyzstof did inspire confidence. However when he saw our fuse box which would have been a la mode about 60 years ago he warned us it would have to be replaced. The last electrician to see it had said something similar, but then ran out the door and never returned our emails. Krzyzstof had an electrician Patryk, who could replace it. It was expensive but it would happen on Saturday. Rather than sit through the electricity going off and on while Krzyzstof and Marcin sawed and hammered in the shower room, we made ourselves scarce for the day. It was a good move but not exactly the finest weather. We caught a bus to Balerno to walk down the Water of Leith.

I saw this watch-sized object at the side of the path and liked the minimal unfussy design, although it didn't seem to tell the time. Later when I googled lensed it, it revealed itself to be an led bike light. With presumably an untrustworthy attachment.

Currie Kirk

There wasn't much to point the camera at however we were having fun because we were hyped up by the Starbuck's coffee. Possibly the first Starbucks I have ever been into: normally I avoid large American franchises in favour of local family establishments but there was one across the road on Leith Walk from the bus stop and it seemed like a good call since the water had been turned off in our flat since 8.05am and we were both in need of the restroom. 

As we got close to Collinton Dell we were thinking about another cafe-stop. We saw a woman who looked like she might be local and asked if she knew anywhere nearby. Her name was June and she was very enthusastic about taking us to Spylaw Park where there was a pop up cafe and jumble sale type event going on. We had a pot of tea in chintzy cups and a couple of homebakes that hit the spot. Nice happenstance to bump into Richard and Becks, friends through PRC and Mary's old workplace, who were helping out. 

Becks (Dr Sharp) and June

Richard and Mary

Collinton tunnel

Water of Leith centre

The sun popped out briefly around the Water of Leith centre. I photo-ed a dipper - there seemed to be a disappointing lack of dippers/kingfishers/otters along much of the river or maybe they were just hiding from us. And the only butterfly of the day, a speckled wood appeared.

Glasgow to Edinburgh Ultra: part of the GB Ultra series

A few runners went past wearing numbers and we realised a race was being held. We asked the next runner what it was: the Glasgow to Edinburgh ultra. A notoriously monotonous 57 miler mostly on flat canal paths. I have never signed up for it so I shouldn't be slagging it off, however all teh people I've spoken to it about it said as much and that they wouldn't be doing it again. We cheered folk as they went by. Clearly the route had been changed as it finished in Saughton Park and not Harrison Park by the canal as previously. We never found out the explanation but it was probably a slight improvement over the repetitive aspect of canal paths.

When we got the tram home, we got chatting to a brave soul (still in race kit) who had driven to Edinburgh the night before from Aberdeen, and then taken a train to Glasgow and stayed in a hotel overnight before the 6am start. He seemed to be remarkably unbroken by the day's challenges but did admit he wouldn't be doing it again. And hoped he would be okay for the long drive back to Aberdeen.

glad to be at the finish line

we had a brief look round Saughton

ruby tiger moth caterpillar

a flood of starlings at Murrayfield

I think the dull weather around Murrayfield inspired us to catch the tram home. I'm not sure how we arrived at the idea it was time to call it a day but when it came up, we immediately made our way to the nearby tram stop. Possibly the best photo of the day was waiting over the other side of the tracks. A pleasant enough day out.

over 8 miles in under 4hrs