No big silver birds in th sky - yet !

Delighted to say that my physical and mental beings are once again in sync - so much for a big boys day out.

Anyway, couple of cold hours out in the garden this morning before heading off into town . Took the car which was a good job as I was on the hunt for some high tensile steel bolts for the motor bike - not as simple as I thought, headed out to Two wheels, where I have been going to for about 27 years, partial success as I got one bolt, right size but not identical - so off to Dalkeith to the BMW garage there - none - and none in stock in Germany !!! so I now have a list of dealers to contact around the UK

Headed back to Haymarket and The Mercat bar, Sparky had been in touch, still in Morocco but out of the mountains, BUT he is running out of time on his phone - big drawback on a Pay as You Go and could not get topped up so RGB was trying to sort something out.

Took a walk along via Fraser's where Gillian and Kirsty (the fragrant ladies) were on duty, then met Mrs B and looked into a small art gallery in Dundas Street where we thought there was an exhibition of The Glasgow Boys work, but it transpired it was of Lavery and some others, and most were for sale, at some funny prices , like £120.000 plus. I have the feeling that it was being promoted on the back of the big exhibition of The Glasgow Boy's work in the Kelvingrove Gallery, which we will need to see before it heads south.

On the way there we passed No 17 Heriot Row, former home of Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Kidnapped, etc, but I did not realise he had written this little poem about Leerie the Lamplighter (click on the image for a full screen view).

Back to The Mercat, collected the car and detoured via Costco at Straiton on the way home. I was amused at the two wee ones who were sitting perfectly content in front of one of the TV's, oblivious to everything going on around them - sort of reminded me of the Senior Officials in Edinburgh City Council and their handling of, amongst other things, the ongoing tram farce. I believe that the Council are not amused with some of the comments being published on "Blogs" and "Twitter" and as I said the other day they have staff checking out what is being written about them !! I think I can say what I like within reason, as long as I do not tell lies, but they are trying to gag their employees . It's rather sad that they will not condone those who tell the truth, but within the organisation there are more than a handful who have survived despite their words and actions would make Pinnocio look like a saint.

On a lighter note - as I will no doubt continue to harangue the Council in view of their incompetence, I have had an entertaining evening watching the search for the new Dorothy in Over The Rainbow, and "Britain's Got Talent" - very good.

Beginning to wonder when air travel will start again, I have three flights this coming week, two I can round by driving, but will still have to wait till the last minute before I can use the car - then what happens when I try to get back and the planes are flying - what happens to the car ?

Much speculation that the other volcano in Iceland will kick off shortly, could be that we will be flying in hot air baloons soon.

Only twenty three earthquakes / tremors in Baja, NewMexico so far today, few more in Southern California and yet another big one in China early this morning .