Letting it all hang out

I think I'd already decided that today would have few demands in it. I reminded myself of this decision when deciding to stay in bed longer, to do my Italian before I got up, and only to make bread as my only huvtae of the morning. Outside looked grey and damp, though less comprehensively awful than yesterday became, and the patio slabs were already showing dry patches by the time I was making the coffee. I watched some of the livestream of the General Synod, and was delighted that the question of nuclear weapons had come up again in a motion that was easily passed. My first ever experience of public speaking (as distinct from teaching a class) happened when I was still in my 30s at the RCC in Edinburgh (a previous body, the Representative Church Council, which formed part of the governance of the Scottish Episcopal Church before it and the Provincial Synod (on which I also served) were merged. I was seconding a motion for the church to urge disarmament, and it fair took me back to hear the current youth of the church now demanding we revisit the question.

In fact the most exciting bit of the morning came with the delivery of a hefty box addressed to Himself, which turned out to be a Father's Day present from one half of our family - a fantastic selection of choice edibles from Inverawe Smokehouse (look them up if you've never tried them - I thoroughly recommend their stuff.) A dinner menu, including venison steaks and fresh veg in a wee box, as well as smoked salmon, timbales of salmon, salmon mousse, caviar (an extra from the company!), spiced mini-figs in syrup, wee oatcakes, chocolates, a bottle of claret ... I love the fact that I can benefit as well! And here was me just wondering what we had for lunch other than the new brown seeded loaf ...

After that I went off to Blairmore for an amble along the coast road with Di. I'm still feeling like a recovering addict, but decided a walk might be better in the long run than more drugs, especially as there was now some sunshine in the mix. The photo shows part of that road, looking towards the head of Loch Long, with all the wildflowers on the verge, bits of which are kept relatively tidy in the grass department by the owners of the houses on the other side of the road, who technically - I think - own their own share of verge and a bit of beach. We only walked just over a couple of miles, so there was time, just as in the old days, to go in for a cuppa before I came home. 

I can't say the evening was restful or restorative. We watched the football ...