Swag

An excellent morning in Leith, picking up some much needed swag from Tiso, where we served by the inestimable Alberto, whom Mrs M presumably now wants to send home since it is so important for the UK to "control its borders". Not on my account, please....

It wasn't the cheapest morning, with two pairs of boots and inner soles, four pairs of socks, a pair of trekking poles and some surprisingly expensive rubber end bits for Leki poles (lost one yesterday in the mush around Harlaw...). But with attentive service and guidance for both of us, it was worth it.

Thereafter to Ostara Cafe, last visited in Christmas Eve, for a spot of lunch (see extras). There's an interesting symmetry here. The last visit was approximately three weeks after the operation, and while I was definitely beginning to enjoy life, I still felt like a disabled person. I had to ask the server for one specific chair when we were there before, because it was the only one I thought I could comfortably sit on. There was, some readers may recall, a bit of faffing around regarding seatage at pretty much the same time as that visit. No such need this time. I didn't make use of their facilities, because I was worried that I might not find them easy to navigate. No worries now. And finally, when we left the cafe, and walked across Coburg Street back to the Water of Leith pathway, I found myself stranded in the middle of the road on my two sticks when a BMW driver decided that 50 mph was the par speed for that particular road. Terrifying. Again, a completely different feeling crossing the road this time, even without sticks and despite the fact that the cobbles were quite greasy.

So now, another three weeks on, I feel like someone who has had an injury which is now getting better, rather than a disabled person. It's psychologically a much easier place to be, and the process of transformation is revelatory, to say the least. To make our visit all the better, the servers remembered us and asked after my knee, which - given we had only ever been there once before - I thought was amazing. Definitely a place to be recommended.

Prepping for walks.