Alberto's Hutte

31st May 2016 (Tuesday) ... 10.30     We have a cracker of a morning here in the East Neuk.... warm and sunny, though the ENE breeze is taking the edge off ‘warm’, if you’re out in the open.    I went out on the bike at seven o’clock, going Elie harbour round all my favourite places;  Chapel Green, Elie harbour beach, then Elie Estate, a distance of  10.94k, but I’d already done, at least 750 metres before I remembered to switch  ‘on’ the ‘Tracker’, so I’m going to credit myself with 11.5k ... just over 7 miles;  easily, and enjoyably done on a day like this.    Since then I’ve had breakfast, and hit the garden running;   I’d like to be able to take some photos in the evening!   The temperature in the garden, sheltered from the easterly breeze, is 19c already.    Must ‘go’ there’s much to do, and enjoy, today. 22.30     It has been a beautiful, dare I say it? .... summer like day;  warm and sunny ... Elie harbour though cooler if exposed the easterly breeze/wind.   21c was t

30th May 2016 (Monday) ...10.00    I’ve  had a pleasant walk, ‘along the beach and roond the Chapel’, on what is a quiet misty morning;  which should turn Wood pigeon into a nice warm day, once the sun burns the mist off.    It will be a grand day for staining the chairs, though I’ll have to wait until the mist disappears:   can’t paint on damp wood.   Wellll ... you can, but it’s a waste of time and paint!     I’m feeling brighter this morning, but not yet 100% .... the wind will have to change round to the West before that happens;  however I’m fit enough to do some ‘work’ things.   21.30     Hard to believe but I did quite well as far as ‘work’ went today;  in fact I feel slightly tired, and will be glad to get orf to bed to read my book.  The weather did improve as predicted, and we ended up with a bonnie afternoon and evening, and I took advantage of it, mostly by way of weeding the steps up to the Hutte.  I Misty morning did get the bike out to go along to Jimm

29th May 2016 (Sunday) ...  13.30    we have quiet, and peaceful morning here;   it is overcast, but it looks like the sun will break through soon.    What wind The Toft from the bottom of School Wynd there is (F1-2) is from the east (unfortunately), but being not much more than a sigh, it means we have reflections on still water, or did have earlier because there’s more of a breeze now.    I biked down to the Harbour, then up to Kinneuchar loch so I am well armed with ‘reflection’ photographs for today. I was well ready for breakfast when I got back to Ivy:   where I found a phone message from Jimmy, so had a quick ‘breakfast’ then along to “No 10” to rescue his sticks from the car.    I had a cuppa with  him (Jimmy) then  went back to Ivy to stain a chair.    Luckily, just as I was thinking of making the supreme effort ... i.e. starting to actually work, Dod arrived so we had another cuppa.    We had just finished that cuppa when Jimmy arrived, so we had another cuppa.      I

28th May 2016 (Saturday) .... 09.00      Hmmmmm .... it is overcast as was forecast, but, thankfully, the ‘Scotch Mist’ is absent, and  the sky is brighter than it was Alastair's birthday cake yesterday morning:   we may well get ‘sunny spells’ later, as is also forecast. The “Environmental Action Group” (EAG) is having a Coffee Morning in the Church Hall this morning at 10.00;   I must phone Jimmy to remind him that it’s ‘on’.    Coffee Mornings are always good social occasions.... and it should be busy ... the villages are full, with this being the ‘Whit Weekend’.    Must ‘go’ ... ‘slight flap on mode’ has kicked in. 21.30     Once again we had another enjoyable Coffee Morning .... and I won a raffle prize.   I picked a Thornton’s chocolate snowman, because I like Thornton’s white chocolate.   Actually there wasn’t much in the way of chocolate after I’d clobbered it (the Snowman) with a toffee hammer.   It tastes good though. Jimmy and I went down to the Sailing Club a

27th May 2016 (Friday) ... 10.00    We have ‘activity’ down at the  Harbour this morning .... we have one yacht (Artemis) tied up at the buoy outside the harbour wall, and two (Sundance and Radius) tied up at the pier... and the ‘Noreen’ has gone, Elie this morning having sailed at high tide.   Although all that is ‘happening’ down there,  it is not a day for being out in Ivy garden, let along out on the Firth:   it is wet, with ‘Scotch Mist’ being brought in from the North Sea on a cold Southeast wind,....  in one word ‘dreich’.    Not a day for sailing.    Enjoyable sailing anyway;   of course, it may brighten up later;   right now it looks like it’s going to be dreich for a while. 21.00    The weather has been a ‘let down’ today right enough, though it did brighten enough in the afternoon, for me to get out on the bike;   up to the Boss’s Seat, then along to Elie, and back home via Elie estate ..only  a distance of 7.82kilometres (4.86 miles) but I enjoyed it.    When you ge

26th May 2016 (Thursday) ... 09.00     h my word .... there’s a wintry feel in the air this morning... it’s windy, from the ENE, overcast, and it looks like we could Yacht Noreen have wee spells of rain now and again.    It’s ‘wrap up well’ morning.... however, I’m feeling optimistic;   it may brighten up later. It was cold down at the Harbour, so I stopped only long enough to get some photo’s of Yacht Noreen,  sitting on the beach.    Jimmy and I are going to Leven about 10 (ish) so I’d better have breakfast. 21.30    Gosh .... I am tired tonight;  it must be the weather, which has been cold, and latterly wet, all day, .... because I have done very little physical work. Elie harbour Jimmy and I went to Leven as ‘planned’ and he came back well armed with food, and other bits and pieces.    We didn’t go to Sainsbury’s for coffee;  I wanted to be in Anstruther before midday.      I made it on time with a few minutes to spare. Jimmy had a Physiotherapist appointment in t

25th May 2016 (Wednesday) ... 11.30     It’s overcast and cold, with a boisterous ENE wind;   however the clouds do occasionally look like breaking up and Yacht Noreen anchored in Elie Harbour letting the sun through... which should make it warmer out of the wind., in the afternoon.    I’ve been to B n Q’s in Leven, and bought enough stain to finish orf the chairs;   I won’t be doing any of that (staining chairs) today, unless I get something done in the evening time;  it could turn balmy then,  if the wind moderates. We have the Colinsburgh ‘Lite Lunch’ today, so I don’t need to worry about making much in the way of food .... this does now please “Puku”.    I think I’ll take the car .... it too cold and windy for me biking. 21.30     It didn’t ‘turn balmy’ in the evening, if anything it was colder, so  didn’t get any work done outside;  instead I did some work on the computer, then Jimmy came along and we admired the two chairs that have been done, from the comfort of the

24th May 2016 (Tuesday) ...08.30     It’s a disappointing start to the morning, with the sky being overcast;   and heavy enough ‘overcast’ to give spits and The Beacon, Earlsferry spots of rain now and again.     However, there are a few ‘blue holes’ among the clouds so it might well clear away ‘in nae time’, and leave us with another day like yesterday.    In the meantime the painting is ‘on hold’.... as is  biking! 23.00     I can’t believe it.   Having spent three quarters of my life (hopefully) making sure I didn’t do anything strenuous enough to get a hernia, and I go to the surgery this morning and find out that working in the garden has given me .... yes,.... a hernia!    Actually I don’t think it was the gardening;   I suspect that taking the bike up steps to the shed was the cause..... it is a heavy bike.    The hernia isn’t sore, and isn’t even that big,.... but, and this is ever so slightly concerning. .... are hernia’s not something that old folks get?.... not whippe

23rd May 2016 (Monday) ..... 11.00     It is a really nice morning, hence the lateness of the Hutte being updated:   I’ve been out on the bike (Elie Estate), and St Ford railway bridge dropped in to see, and have a cuppa with, Jimmy on the way home.    Now that I’ve had breakfast I think I’ll stain one of the garden chairs;   if I have stain.     If I don’t, have stain, it’s a quick trip to Leven.     No ... I’d postpone staining the chairs, and go to Leven on Wednesday when there’s 10% orf everything at B n Q’s;   there are other things I can do.    21.30     I have been a busy boy today.... having stained two of the garden chairs.    The staining doesn’t take that long;  it’s  getting them ready for staining takes the time.   I have enough to stain another two of the chairs;  there are six altogether (and a table).... so I will have to buy another, small tin of stain, from B n Q’s on Wednesday.   I’m wondering? .... should I buy another big tin, and give the chairs two coats? 

22nd May 2016 (Sunday) .... 11.00    We have a gorgeous morning here in the East Neuk.... perfect for ‘playing’ ... oops .. I meant working.    I’ve been biking, for Earlsferry ‘exercise’, up through  Elie Estate, then to Chapel Green;  there are huge clouds around, and they have diverted me from the ‘working’ plan.    However I now have a fine collection of cloud photos for today (though I’ll keep my eyes on the sky) and I’m ready to work;  after another cuppa. 21.30     The  weather continued warm and sunny, with a lot of good clouds around, though I didn’t go out again until evening time, when I went down to the beach for my evening ‘fall apart’ session.  The garden furniture has been uncovered, and, if the weather is ‘fine’ tomorrow I ought to get at least one or two of the chairs stained.    Then again if there are loads of b Kilconquhar loch ig clouds around I might get diverted.     I’ll begin the morning with a bike through the Estate, hoping to sneak up on the Ro

21st May 2016 (Saturday) ... 10.30     Hmmmmmm .... It was overcast and dry with a few, short, sunny spells when I went up for the paper, and round Elie Elie Estate;   now  it’s overcast with occasional spits and spots of rain.    The weather forecast had us down for a bright and breezy morning but dry... with showers in the afternoon;   perhaps the showers have come in early, and we’ll end up with a bonnie evening. “St Ann’s” and the Elie Deli” have been fenced off, and the High Street is open again.     There was a Fire Engine ‘on station’ all night, and there was one there when I went for the paper.     We take all our Emergency Services for granted, but it’s at times like this that you appreciate just how indispensable they are.... and how they go about their jobs with calm professionalism.     It will be up to engineers, and safety officers to decide when the ‘clean up’ can begin.     I like our wee Quiet corner of Kilconquhar loch villages quiet and serene, but, unfort

20th May 2016 (Friday) ....09.00     Wellll. ....we’ve got a ‘bright and breezy’ morning:  warmer than yesterday, the wind, F3-3 in strength, is from the Orange Tip butterfly (Boy) Westerly direction, and it looks like we’ve had a good spell of rain overnight, as everything is wet; this means it is not a morning for the garden.   Some of the clouds scuttling over do look slightly menacing, though I’d expect the sun to burn them orf soon.    I need a ‘plan’ .... a cuppa is required.    The afternoon will be taken up with eating Chris’s cake ... oops I mean celebrating Chris’ Birthday along at the Windmill;    anything else I want to do will have to be done in morning or evening. 21.30     Jim and I took “SD” over to Shell Bay woods for his morning walk, and we were lucky enough to be inundated with Orange Tip butterflies.    Orange Tips are hard to get decent photos of because they are awfie excitable;  however the sun went behind a cloud and one of them ‘posed’ for a while.    I

19th May 2016 (Thursday) ...10.30    There’s a change on with the weather this morning ....it’s colder and there’s dampness in the Easterly wind.    I’ve been out Claypotts Castle on the bike for some exercise, .... the weather forecast is for rain to reach us by mid afternoon.   I did what I call the ‘estate run’, which is a reasonable distance, with the relaxing sound, of various species of birds ‘singing’, all the way through the Estate.... I don’t know if it was the time of morning, but there seemed to be more of them (birds), and all were giving it laldie.   Perhaps they are looking forward to the rain. 20.30      If the birds were looking forward to the rain they got lucky, ‘cos it began to rain at 14.00 ish..... and it continued well into the evening time.   The rain meant that I was confined to Ivy most of the time, though I did go out to the ‘Drop in Cafe’, and down to the harbour, in the afternoon ... in the car. Elie House The new pontoon has been put in place a

18th May 2016 (Wednesday) ... 08.00     After some light overnight rain, the weather looks amenable for the History Society Glamis... the sky is beginning to ‘break Tay Rail Bridge Dundee up’.    I’m ‘organised’... just got to have a cuppa.    Better ‘go’ I feel ‘slight flap on’ mode kicking in. 21.30      Today has been exhilarating....the history Society outing always are ... and it is one tired ‘Boy’ that will be crawling off to bed soon.    The History Society outing is not a ‘bus trip’, it is an educational tour:  thanks to Janet (Bulloch), a Blue Badge Guide, and member of the History Society.    Janet brings the whole day to ‘life’:  and must spend hours researching the individual trips.   When we got to Dundee, in fact before we got onto the Tay Road Bridge, Janet started to tell us about the places of interest that could be seen ‘en route’... right up to the top of ‘The Law’ then out of Dundee, including the history of the Kingsway.... she is one amazing lady. Glamis

17th May 2016 (Tuesday) ....09.00    I felt ‘sluggish’ earlier, but that has worn orf, and I’m in the mood to do things now.     The immediate ‘plan’ is to go to Dysart Kirkcaldy to buy a pair of shoes;   whether to drive all the way in the car, to save time, or take the bus is the next decision.    I’m favouring the car, from the ‘time’ point of view .... and I could divert down to Dysart for a daunder round the harbour.    Yes the car it is... now I’m wondering if the Car Park above the former Tesco’s is still operational?    I’ll find that out when I get there. 22.00     Although it’s now raining, we’ve had a bonnie enough day;   albeit overcast most of the time.   As for me, I have had a busy day, in spite of feeling ‘sluggish’  most of the day:  in fact I was sound asleep in the Hutte, in mid afternoon,  when Shona appeared and organised a much needed reviving cuppa...  which, needless to say, I eagerly accepted.     Jimmy turned u Dysart p about ten minutes later and w