Return of the turns? Hope not!

Bike✔️
Exercise Videos x2 ✔️

Trees and nature, or streets, buildings and dozens of photo ops? We decided to walk into town, as I still have many £1 Prêt coffees to drink. Actually, it’s a super walk, with lots to look at, although Archie’s on the lead for most of the way, with a run around on the Meadows both directions. He doesn’t complain, as there are lots of nice smells.

There are plenty of places to sit down on the way, with my favourite bench being this one on the Mound. (JR’s leg is not this size - it’s another quirk of the wide angle lens.) We sat in the East Gardens and had our coffees, JR had a croissant - I did not (this diet is serious). We admired the new beautiful grass. The Gardens have been out of bounds for the public for almost nine months! The Christmas Market was set up there in October (after chopping down about 50 trees to make way for dozens more tacky wee wooden huts all selling overpriced candles, wooly hats and spinnning glittery things). When the Christmas Market was cleared away, there was just an inaccessible quagmire for many more months, until quite recently. Many residents are up in arms about this prolonged commercial use of a public space.  

We walked through the West Gardens, passing the chaps still working on the Floral Clock (Extra). What a lot of man-hours involved! They are perfectionists - one chap had scissors and was trimming the edges. Talk about lying down on the job!

I felt sprightly enough (I use the term lightly) to walk home instead of hopping on a bus, and just as well I did, for as we came into the Grassmarket, we spotted that Mary’s Milk Bar was OPEN (it’s only been open at weekends so far). But for the first time ever, I only had a double ice cream, not a triple. (This diet is very serious!). JR had roasted fig plus tahini & lemon double. I had ‘Milk’. Boring, but delicious.

Archie had one of his wee turns last night. He hasn’t had one for absolute ages, but for about an hour he was unsettled, ran around, scraped the carpets, lay down in different places for a few minutes then up and off again. There’s nothing we can do. We can’t hold him, but just have to let him go till he eventually falls asleep. Then we do. Hopefully, a peaceful night tonight.

Spotted this sign at the Meadows. Will the bampots take heed? (Extra 2)

12,966 steps! A new record. 15,976. I did an extra bike ride!!!