:: what I did on my holidays

Travelogue later ... I'm going to start with the more recent stuff, ie Faye's big move. I collected the keys to her new flat on Friday, because she was working, and when she got home we hopped in the car and rushed straight over there. Here are the photos (click on them for a larger version; if you want to save them, right-click and choose "save as"):


Bertie came along for the ride. We are such IKEA experts we immediately identified the chair as a Poang.


Faye admires her *lovely* pine headboard.



There's a built-in wardrobe too.


Bertie was a bit nervous in case the owners came home and caught us there.


The livingroom has another window similar to these ones, nice traditional style with brass latches and clanking weights. It's all very airy and light.


The kitchen is small but packs in a lot of kit - fridge, freezer, washing machine and stove. There's a microwave too.


The sofa is from IKEA as well.


Whoops, this one came out a bit dark


Among the furniture was this odd little chair.


Faye looooooooves her tiny little chair


See? It's made for little people.

Saturday was the big day though. Faye got up early and loaded her car, then after breakfast and Bertie's walk we took both cars to the storage depot for more stuff. Traffic was terrible but that was the only hitch - the flat is in a little mews (though spelled "meuse" in this case") courtyard, so we could just park and unload with ease. We had a cup of coffee (the flat has everything, right down to cups and a kettle) and a little rest, then went back to the storage place for a few more things. Then back to my place for tea (takeaways) and another walk for Bertie before Faye headed back to her flat.

Her biggest challenge will be fitting all her things in. She's going to keep her storage unit on for a while until she gets organised. Otherwise the flat is perfect. The location is amazing - right in town but very quiet. The only noise we heard on Friday night was a burst of fireworks from the Tattoo. There's a pub nearby but it's not a noisy one. As a housewarming gift I gave her an early birthday present - a digital radio. So while she doesn't have a TV she does have 35 radio stations to keep her entertained!

Meanwhile I'm enjoying having my house to myself again - sharing it for such a long time underlined for me that I really am a hermit, I love living on my own. It's bliss!

:: heat

The heatwave has cooled down a little, so I'll crank out an update. As most of my readers (all three of you) will know, Faye has migrated north from Englandshire and is at present a houseguest in Salty Towers. She started work today, in a care home on the outskirts of the city. The agency she'd been intending to work for were disorganised and ditzy about her interview and the paperwork and the feeling was they'd probably be disorganised about pay too, so she had a look for other work and landed the care-home job right away. She said it had a friendly, cheerful atmosphere.

Faye has also landed a flat, a nice one-bedroomed furnished place in a lovely quiet cobbled mews courtyard just down the road from the National Portrait Gallery. It isn't available until the end of August. She's looking forward to living in the middle of town and I'm sure she'll be happy there - she certainly won't be short of entertainment.

In the meantime, we've been enjoying some scorching weather - though not absolutely everyone has been enjoying it.



Poor Bertie has been suffering. He loves going for walks, but now has to stick to shady places and trudges panting from watering hole to watering hole. I sometimes take water with me, but he'll only tolerate a "plasticky" drink if he's desperate. The best walks are at night, when it's usually a bit cooler - even the evening's too warm for him. Or in places where there's a nice cooling stream to paddle in (there's one among the trees in the photo). One day I hosed him down after his walk, and he enjoyed that.

The garden's a bit dry, but the soft fruit has done quite well, the blackcurrants in particular. I made some jam at the weekend - even though it was really too hot to be messing with boiling and sterilising!

I've got two weeks' holiday this month, hurrah. I'm going up north for a bit - Andrew is back up there for a year and I'm going to visit him before he starts teaching. He's finished his year of training in Glasgow and will be in his probationary posting at a school near the farm. I'm going to a couple of shows at the Festival and will no doubt see some Fringe things too, and then I might head for the hills for a few days. Faye is due to move into her flat on the last day of my hol, so I'll be able to help with that. She has most of her stuff in storage, but ... well, you know Faye. She has a few tonnes of kit at my place as well.

I was thinking of going up to Torridon, in the north-west. I like the look of this place, though I'm slightly put off by the line "Where Eagles Fly Free" appearing above "dogs are welcome" and a photo of a nervous-looking dachshund. They accept "UK based dogs with well-behaved owners" - presumably owners who won't get hysterical when an eagle makes off with Fido. I also fancy the Old Mill Highland Lodge, which says: "No television. No loud music! No smoking. No children. Well behaved dogs accepted." And ye'll have had yer tea...

I've idled away a few hours recently redecorating my website. Same crappy old content, but spiffy new design.