resting up

The whole morning was spent helping to trim the hedge in the back garden - one of those monster pine hedges well suited to country estates and ill suited to suburban gardens.

The neighbours' monstrosity.

The evening was spent with the friends who stayed with me in Scotland in June - they treated us to dinner in one of the upmarket Italian places in the city centre. A lovely evening, and very good food & wine.

In between I managed some time with my book and my feet up. The first time I've read anything by Peter May (also part of the Bliposphere) and bought it after hearing him on the radio in Scotland.

Too early to judge on the plot, but I'm enjoying it. For me part of the fun is the insight it gives into the Lewis/Gaelic culture - so exotic. Although I'm 100% Highlands by genetics, those genetic links are still a long way from the Hebrides.

I spent my first 4 years in Inverness and was then forced into economic and cultural exile in Edinburgh on account of my dad's work. We were always treated as outsiders there at best, and occasionally as 2nd class Teuchters.