On the Banks of the Tweed

With the dawn of the first pleasant day for a long time, I clutched my bus pass and headed for the bus to Peebles. After an hour on the top of a double decker Borders’ Bus , rattling, rolling and shoogling over potholed roads, there I was striding down the town’s High Street in my quest for a cranberry and walnut scone at Coltman’s.
I also carried instructions to bring one back for a neighbour with a very important birthday looming at the end of the week. I was only a little disappointed to find the scone height slightly diminished from that of its hey day, but no matter, with strawberry jam and clotted cream, it slipped over very agreeably.
The surprising thing about being in one’s own is that people chat to you. Perhaps they feel sorry that you are sitting alone, but whatever the reason, I had a delightful chat with a man, his daughter and grandkids at the next table.

Thus fortified, I had a walk in sunshine along the banks of the Tweed where the daffodils bordering the path were still in their prime. I notice that most of them planted along the roadside from Leadburn to Eddleston we still not out. That seems very late.

The Scone was delivered with birthday greetings over a glass of wine in the local wine bar when I got home. And all the time the sun shone. Altogether it has been a good day.