This film projector stands in the hallway of the old Caley cinema on LothianRoad where I met 6 old cycling friends this morning to reminisce about the days of yore when, even on a day as arctic as today, we would be putting in the miles with feet and fingers numb with cold but uncomplaining - at least that is how we remember it now.

There was a trip in the afternoon to the nearby book shop to buy a book for Ewan’s 6th Birthday in 3 weeks. I have 2 grandchildren with birthdays in the week before Christmas and 5 family birthdays in the first week of the new year.

With a rush of blood to my head, I started wrapping the birthday presents and while fighting with the sellotape, my Irish friend of many talents phoned. I made the mistake of answering the hall phone which has no available seat rather than one of the other satellite phones which do have a comfy seats close by. This meant that after 40 mins of standing catching up on all our gossip I was beginning to feel a trifle light headed and had to call a halt to the international news exchange. Next time I will find a handy seat