Normal service resumes...

I feel we've not allowed ourselves much peace for re-entry after our holiday, so that I seem to be fitting in unpacking/washing/putting away around a multiplicity of other activities. This morning began with my Pilates class and the need to get the car back from the garage, where it was getting things done while we were away, of which more in a bit. Duly stretched and sustained by a quick coffee I took the rucksack down to the supermarket to fill the more glaring gaps in my larder (how depressingly empty the shelves were! Monday morning dearth, or a more sinister reason?) Himself came back from his Pilates class and told me the garage had suggested bringing the car back for its MOT - we'd just have left it there had I not needed it earlier.

My pal came round for me after lunch so that we could go up to church and dismantle the Easter garden, it being the Ascension this Thursday. This involved a deal of crawling about and wrapping things in bubble wrap, as well as a number of centipedes, mostly dead, in among the mossy hills of the garden - ie under the altar. Having washed off most of the dust and mess from our hands, we then had a lovely walk from the church up the Bishop's Glen and out onto the hillside with its views over the Firth of Clyde before returning along the road to collect Di's car. 

It was while I was starting to assemble the bits for a paella for dinner that we got the news from the garage that our admittedly 10 year old car was not at all well and couldn't pass its MOT without major surgery, which might well be followed by further failure. (There's a crack somewhere rather vital. I don't do cars.) By this time we were both too tired to do anything other than have a drink and eat the dinner that eventually got made. 

So here we are, sans wheels, wondering what would be the quickest and surest way to acquire new ones. Maybe it'll seem more obvious in the morning - at least we'll feel more up to dealing with it. Maybe.

In yet more news, the Church of Scotland (the presbyterian national church) has voted overwhelmingly for equal marriage in their churches. (Our church has committed to this several years ago.) This is great - when will the Church of England follow suit?

Blipping the green path up the glen in the sunlight. We hiked up tree-shaded paths in Italy, but this could only be Scotland.