Well, turns out that I'm not quite as stupid as I thought... Yes, this morning I had a go at the tv again. But instead of bad language and general panic, I calmly disconnected the Samsung and the VM boxes from each other, then I had to add in my post code, my provider, test my channel changer on the remote, and BINGO! My original screen popped up. With the favourite channels list. Even my recorded programmes, yay! To think that I might have got a technician in!

Storm Babet has been gentle with us in the Lothians, but not so gentle elsewhere. Archie and I set off in the bus down town. I had a vague idea of walking through the Gardens and back up on the other bus. But I got off at the top of the Mound, and went to have a look in the courtyard of the New College (the University's Department of Divinity). It was very busy, because I think it must have been in a Harry Potter film. If it hasn't, then it should have been...

I went in there once, in the 60s, with my Grandfather, who was a newly retired minister. It was some big meeting of ministers and it was terribly boring.

From there we walked down the Playfair Steps - they have been shut off for years while they renovated the National Gallery. But there my plans stopped. The Gardens were closed 'due to inclement weather'... actually, the day was getting better and better. I could see the sunshine on Fife, and it was trying to break out here, and in fact it did succeed, and we had a lovely afternoon.

We got the bus back home, but we got off at the Meadows and walked home (5,468 steps) as I thought Archie didn't have a long enough walk.

We watched the next episode of 'Payback' on STV, and then JR and Archie walked to Waitrose.

Rugby tonight - England v South Africa. It must be a better game than last night's walkover.