Rally tedious

No, I've not made a typo in my header. You'll see why if you stick with me ...

Today was dry, and became sunny. The afternoon reached 16C, which I don't really think is proper summer heat, but was quite pleasant for walking in, and the wind meant that my washing dried to perfection by mid-afternoon. But I have a feeling that last year at this time I was sea-bathing ...

I had a lovely card through the post this morning from the friend who organised the event at which I spoke last week in Stornoway. It seems still to be a talking point, which is intensely gratifying; she also sent a surprisingly substantial cheque, which is the first time I've ever had financial remuneration for anything other than the day job! I shall find a good use for it - may even order another print run of the book.

We had a walk in Benmore Gardens later - I felt that if Munroist can still do all that with her sore ankle, I was being a wimp with my knee. So far, so good for mine, though I can't say the same for Himself. What is wrong with us? Is this just ... ageing? Horrors!

And now for my headline. The Argyll Rally opening stage took place this evening - outside my house. We've known it was coming - all these warnings about not leaving our cars in the street, not going out of our front gate - and I've pondered the possibilities of a car losing control if it accelerated out of the hill past the wee flats in the photo and careered into the garden walls - especially if, as do we, they have gas pipes running up them. However, it all passed off with so little obvious drama as to be utterly tedious - loud noises from the main road below, a sort of growl as they came up the hill, the sudden screeching take-off round the crescent, the odd backfire or whatever it is makes these loud bangs as they grind along. Over and over again...

My photo shows the crowd not socially distancing in the wee gardens along the road, waiting for the next car to come up the hill past them. As the sun went down and the wind became chill, many of them disappeared, though our neighbours remained huddled in deck chairs for the duration. I took a few videos for my boys, and gave up, turning up the telly to drown out the racket. I hope some locals have profited; I couldn't help thinking about fossil fuels, climate change, pollution ... 

Now it's silent, chilly, and sort of dark at midnight. I'm off.