Never drink deeply....

....from an open carton of milk....without first checking the 'use by' date.

Up and about sharp for the same reason as always; we have a cat. Edinburgh was quiet as I cycled up to Blackwell's to collect a much anticipated Australian travel book. Few people walking in the cold morning air, and they're all tourists. Roads eerily pleasant too.

Nancy and Stig spent the night at Cat and Neal's, so I'll head down there shortly and invite them for a bistro lunch in Leith.

First-footing family in the provinces remains high on my list of things to do soon.