Early one damp morning,

Once again , up in time to conduct the dawn chorus - bit of a bind though as I might well get taken away in a "yellow taxi" if I start gardening by torchlight.

Had a wee day off and out on Thursday, took ourselves into the big City and had breakfast at the Standing Order, chat to Archie @ pole dancer -  I had Eggs Benedictine which was really nice. 

A wander round the town to pass time, avoiding the trams which start their job in earnest on 31st May

No doubt that will be when the fun starts in Princess Street which is bad enough at the moment,  it took our bus nearly twenty minutes to get from the West End to the Bridges later in the afternoon - just mega congested around the Waverly Station / Balmoral Hotel end.

Met Mrs B and we went to the Caledonian Waldorf Hotel for afternoon tea, very pleasant and civilised way to pass a couple of hours. Nice surroundings - fairly peaceful,   just a pity that the group from Sainsbury's Bank who were on a training course chose to cut though the lounge area heading for the toilets - some obviously not bothered about the course as they were back and forward several times while we were there.   I am just not sure if afternoon tea is really my scene,  not really a cake fan,  enjoyed the sandwiches, first couple of cups of tea, the scones, - but would much prefer a good steak and a glass of red wine.

Wee car had been in for yet another repair to the suspension which has taken a real hammering on Edinburgh's terrible roads - second broken spring, and front strut damaged - just a pity I cannot remember which pothole I hit to have caused the problem.    I used to think the old McEwans bus was going to fall apart as it rattled over the city streets, however, the Lothian Bus I was took home was just as bad - which proves that it really is a problem with the roads and not the vehicles.  You cannot spend £760 million on the trams without some other part of the infrastructure suffering.

Yesterday, back to the hospital again for a check up -  no problems.  Cannot remember the exact figures, but on the wall in the Clinic there were the current figures for patients who failed to attend - numbers running into the hundreds, and with a cost of Hundreds of thousands of £'s.  Perhaps it is time there was a token charge for an appointment,  refunded on attendance and forfeited for non appearance without a valid excuse.

Daylight outside, time to make a move.