Like snow off a wall ...

That overused cliche does not apply to Edinburgh’s winter of 2021! The heavy snow has been very reluctant to melt today. The pavements are still treacherous in places but the temperature is finally climbing into positive territory.

A friend who now lives in Finland sent us this greeting today : Hyvää ystävänpäivää!

“In Finnish, this is the equivalent of Happy Valentine's Day, but literally translates as Happy Day of Friendship - and while there is the celebration of romantic love, the bigger focus tends to be on celebrating the love and beauty of our friendships here in Finland”.

I like the Finnish approach to Valentine’s Day which contrasts with the commercial one that has tended to dominate the U.K. in recent decades.