unhappy new year

 

Okay here's the pitch: we went for a pretty crappy walk on the first of Jan. Nobody died, but also nobody had a nice time and the only good thing was getting in the car and driving home. And now I'm sharing it with you. Feel free to bail.

My first thoughts were not to blog that. I struggled to bother uploading the photos (fifty shades of grey, but not in a sexy way) and now I'm going to persevere with the write up even though I can't see how there'll be any silk purses from this sow's ear.

On a positive note the perishing wind was smashing us in the teeth on the way from West Shore Road along to Cramond. This meant it wouldn't be on the second half, the return leg. On a less positive note the prom was rammed with people. This removed any chance of seeing and photographing wildlife. All this put me in a thoroughly bad mood and I most likely complained about that quite a bit to Mary, who, as you can see from the top photo was also not really enjoying the stiff breeze and refreshing atmospherics. At least we had dressed for Arctic conditions. Hoods were drawn up over hats allowing the wind direct access to as little flesh as possible. 

I was impressed the cafe along the prom was open. It seems to have been bought a couple of years ago by some team who carry on regardless, unwilling to admit they have a turkey on their hands and behaving with forced marketing enthusiasm that they have a top beachside property and a riviera type surrounding. I wish them huge good luck but would not queue up to invest in this bleak windswept outpost of humanity. Until there is considerable global warming I will not be calling in for a coffee and cake. Despite / because of the bagpiper. Delete as appropriate.

Mary, possibly in attempt to warm up, tried the exercise equipment near to the cafe. I suspect they hadn't fitted sealed bearings (despite being outdoors in salty air 24/7) and so the pedals creaked round rustily doing nobody any favours. That'll be a thumbs down.

quick! a seabird!
redshank

Hats off to this couple and their pal loony dooking. I have done similar in the past and it can be fun and bracing but today was not a day for stripping off on the beachfront, never mind going in the frigid grey water. Mary's conclusion: "They've made a mistake." There was considerable reluctance from them to go in more than knee deep. Entirely understandable. I'm sure they did at some point but it was too cold to hang around so we didn't find out.

more redshanks and an oystercatcher that identifies as a redshank

dead seal pup on the beach kinda sums it up

There were some nice moments up above, with a partial mackerel sky and shadows cast by this vapour trail but I would have needed to change lenses for a wide shot (fingers too cold even wearing 2 pairs of gloves) so you'll have to deal with these small excerpts. By this time we had the idea of hot soup back home and were stampeding back towards the car.

Well at least we burned some calories and got some steps. Was it worth it? Not really, but it might have been worse to stay indoors festering.  I don't know if you have switched on terrestrial tv these days but it is like opening the dog poop litter bin and fishing about for the best of a bad lot. I did cheer up towards the end of the walk, the joyful feeling it was nearly done, but I may have brought Mary so far down she was now more grumpy than myself. 

This time of year does have the occasional day of sunshine and joy (one such blog coming up shortly, hang on in there!) but the majority are a bit grey and deadly. To pretend it isn't so, is fake news. Onwards and upwards. 

sigh