The big cat appeared on our garden bin just outside the window. Archie was in the kitchen, but I called him to come and see the interloper. He went WILD!  He’s all very brave when there’s a window between them, but if he meets it on the pavement, he’s scared. It’s a local character - hangs round the neighbourhood, but doesn’t even live here.

JR went off to the supermarket and Archie and I went off for a walk. I just wore my jacket - the duffle coat was not needed. I even didn’t wear my woolly hat, and I survived.  

I had good intentions of walking down the steps to the Grassmarket, but as we went through Quartermile, I got a bit tired. And I remembered the cafe in the central piazza, which we’ve never been to, so I went to check it out. I left Archie outside, as I wasn’t sure if dogs were allowed (they are), but the queue was quite long. And they were very slow. But the place was nice, quirky, with old chairs and sofas, and nice quiet jazz music, so I stayed. Eventually I got to the counter, ordered my flat white and pain au raisin, tried to pay with my phone… but their wifi wasn’t working. I don’t carry my card. She wandered off to serve the next person. I moved along the counter and complained to the next chap that I’d been queueing for 20 minutes, and then couldn’t pay and so couldn’t get my coffee, and he kindly told the girl to serve me. Very good of them, and I will go back there.

We walked home, and I sat on the comfy seats outside the Leaf and Bean. MUCH more comfy than my erstwhile sit down stop at the bus stop. Archie was reluctant to go near the place - he thought we were going in. As we were sitting there, a woman came out of the cafe, stopped to pat Archie, and asked, ‘Is this Archie from blipfoto?’