Familiar pursuits

After the concentrated partying of last night, normal weekend activities reasserted their place today. No, not church - football. Gone the days when watching the grandsons play meant being somewhere south of Croydon hideously early, but even so Himself and I didn’t make the first half of James’s game, sneaking in at half time to see a decisive victory for Spartans (our side!) and some classy play from man-of-the-match James.

Before lunchtime Himself and I took advantage of the still-benign and absurdly mild weather to go a walk up part of Costorphine Hill - just high enough for the view over to Arthur’s Seat - and home for lunch. Alan, the 14y/o went off to play his match (their father really puts in the miles ) while we did … very little. I did take visiting bull terrier Jack for a walk - not as brave as it sounds as he’s become old and slow and doesn’t go far, though I did have a moment of terror as we approached two men chatting while their dogs pottered around them… I solved this by telling them I was not a dog person and consequently rigid with fear. It worked…

My #2 son came round with my birthday present (for next week) and a chat - and a swift shot on James’s video game with James’s help; yesterday’s birthday girl came for tea; the chaps came back from the footie in a black mood …

And now everyone has gone off to bed and I’m about to do likewise. We go home in the morning, back to our own lives, to church matters, to our diocese suddenly bereft of our bishop , who died today. Rest in peace, Bishop Keith, and rise in glory.

Photo shows a saltire in the sky above our Spartans’ victory.