It's been some day !!! Understatement.

As a result of my usual insomnia I was up before 5 a.m. and left to go to the Mercat to do some painting and patching. Headed off and reached Hillend when I realised I had no keys so had to go home for them. Made it back to town and parked opposite the pub to get my tools, etc across the road, and thinking I had till 8 .30 a.m. left the car where it was.
Could only do so much before other staff arrived and then got on with the painting.
Went out to move the car to the car park and found that I had a parking ticket !!! - should have been away by 7.30 a.m. so it was my fault and I will have to stump up in due course.
Got back from the car park in time to see Enforcer No. 819 in the process ( 0834 a.m) of eyeing up a van parked in the loading bay with the driver passing the "person" carrying fruit and veg into the pub. I told "the person" that the driver had passed him and would be back in a minute, but he said it did not matter and he was getting booked. The lad (Polish) came out while the "person - E819) was writing the ticket and could have driven off but he asked what the problem was and the "E819" person finished writing the ticket and stuck it on the motor. I asked why, and he said parking was prohibited in the loading bay betweeen 0830 -0930 - no exceptions. I thought the least he might have done was tell him to move on and come back later as the traffic wardens would have done, but no. I asked if he was a warden or an enforcer - he was happy enough to say he was an enforcer. Personally I found his attitude appalling and if this is what the public are up against every day compliments of the City of Edinburgh Council - God help us.
Back to the painting , and I found that one of the tins I needed had been tipped upside down and was empty ! so I later had to go and get another batch made up - so that will be another early morning or late night. I could only do so much before customers started to come in for lunch so it was a quick change and onto the bar over lunch.
Took a walk along Shandwick Place - it is still in a mess with the so called tram works taking place - lord knows what will happen when they get into West Maitland Street.
Weather is still awful for the time of year and I could do with some time in the sun to lie and "chill out" - bit of a contradiction.
PS. Robbie and Caitlin (upside down people) are doing well, moved into their new house and both working locally, and hard - and sent their regards.
I hear that yet another of the tortoise people - caravanners came to grief on the motorway when they rolled theuir van down south today - there was another yesterday.
Needing a break and some sleep.