Alberto's Hutte

30th June 2017 (Friday) ....Mmmmm .... it is grey and wet but not as ‘wet’ as yesterday;  today we have Scotch Mist blowing through on the Northerly wind.    We This old dog enjoyed munching into a piece of seaweed might end up with a bonnie evening!     I’m going to go to Leven;  I need a few bits and pieces before the weekend.     14.00    We can see the other side of the Firth today, the first time we’ve been able to do that for a couple of days.    Although overcast, it is at least dry .... and, warmer than it has been.    Where is HMS Queen Elizabeth now that the visibility has improved?.... somewhere in the North Sea off Aberdeen! My trip to Leven was ‘short’ and effective;   I got all the ‘bits and pieces’ that I wanted... and a few succulents for “Puku”.    I was back in ‘residence’ by 09.30.... in plenty of time to have a cuppa ready for Jimmy, after his ‘Alice’s seat’ walk. I went down to the beach after Jimmy went home.   It was pleasant .... and the beach T

29th June 2017 (Thursday) .... 09.00    If I had money I’d stay in and count it this morning ..... it’s windy, wet and cold outside;  definitely not a day for the Wet morning on Elie beach. beach.    However, I have seen small patches of paler grey, in the general greyness, so I’d expect the rain to clear away later:  until then I’ll do some ‘ousework, and drink copious amounts of tea.    We have been short of sunshine so far this summer, and running out of days to have a ‘summer’, so I’m thinking of taking a daily Vitamin ‘D’ pill;  usually I don’t do this until winter time.    Must ‘go’ slight flap on .... need another cup o’ tea. 10.30    It is definitely not a morning for the beach .... I've been there! Links Road Earlsferry. 20.30    Thankfully we had the ‘Drop in Cafe’ to brighten up our day;  because it has been one wet and miserable one... ‘day’ i.e.     The ‘Cafe’ was busy, with lots of happy banter.... and ....  strawberry tarts were on the menu’.    Jim and

28th June 2017 (Wednesday) .... 08.30    No wonder the weather is the  topic in Bonnie Scotland:   a week ago we were sweltering in 26c .... today  11c,  add The 'Thistle of Scotland'. to that an east wind chill factor, and we have an early start to winter.   It is grey and cold, but at least dry;   not a nice day for being out and about.... and not a day for having a haircut, which is what Jimmy has planned.     We’ll go to Leven (Hairdresser), then to the Colinsburgh Lunch on the way home.     12.00     We’ve been to Leven, and, did the ‘Chapel Green’ walk as soon as we got back home, before having a cuppa at Ivy.  Jimmy is going to his ‘Elie house walk’;    we’ll be well ready for the Colinsburgh lunch.    It’s not as cold as it was earlier, .... the sun is trying hard to break through... and the wind has dropped. 20.30    As ever the ‘Colinsburgh Lunch’ was excellent, and meant that a sandwich was all that was required to pacify “Puku” at ‘dinner’ time.   This was

27th June 2017 (Tuesday) ....  09.00   Even if  HMS Queen Elizabeth, was tied up to a mooring buoy at the Cockstail Rocks I don’t think I’d go down to take a Bedraggled peony rose. photo;  it’s that kind o’ day!    We have rain, on an East wind, so really dreich.    HMSQE sailed out of the Firth overnight, and is now doing ‘Sea trials’ off the mouth of the Firth, accompanied by HMS Sutherland;  at this time they are off Dunbar, and should be visible when/if the weather improves. I have no plans for today;  none that involves going out, in this weather, anyway.    Jimmy did intend going to Leven for a haircut, but that might be ‘on hold’ until the sun breaks through.   That might not be today by the look of the sky. The beach. 15.30     For some stupid reason I went down to the beach.... and got wet.    Unsurprisingly I was the only one down there;  no dog walkers...no walkers... and no joggers even.     When I think of it, I didn’t even see a seabird... and they like we

26th June 2017 (Monday).... 09.00     HMS Queen Elizabeth (our new Aircraft Carrier) is due to sail out of the Firth today.    Low tide is at 11.00 which is The overflow pipe that I use as a walk way . when ‘she’ will ‘sail’ under the Forth Bridges.    I’d go along to Pettycur get some pictures, but I’d rather get some pictures of ‘her’ passing Elie and 'The Royal Burgh'.    Must go ‘ slight flap on’.... got a flask to fill.    It’s a ‘nae bad’ morning but we could get some showers by the look of the sky. 13.40    According to the latest AIS info (a couple of minutes ago) HMS Queen Elizabeth is still in Rosyth Dockyard.... with tugs fore, aft,  and along her port side.   She is ‘doing’ 0.1 knots so they must be manoeuvring ‘her’ into position then out of the dock.   When will ‘she’ pass Elie and Earlsferry? ....  evening time by the look of things.    I’m going out for a walk, having been to Leven with Jimmy, who was running out of ready meals. 20.00     HMS Queen

25th June 2017 (Sunday) ... 10.00    We have another ‘bright and very breezy’ morning, with the chance of showers later..... it's a good  'drying' day.    I have Earlsferry from the harbour. been doing some gardening,  and general tidying up around Ivy.    Today’s ‘News’ is all about the Camden flats being evacuated;   it must have been horrible for the people to be woken up in the middle of the night and told that you had to pack a few things, and leave your home.    I can understand why the Council had to do it;  as soon as the Fire Service declared the flats unsafe any insurance would most likely be nullified.     It is a catastrophic state of affairs. 20.30   I was about to go down to the beach at 20.00, when a blustery shower came over so that was the end of that ‘plan’;  it was the only shower we’ve had, on what has been a windy, mostly ‘bright and sunny’ day.   I should get down to the beach later, because the shower has moved away and the sun is out again

24th June 2017 (Saturday) ... 08.30    It is ‘bright and very breezy’ this morning, with the chance of some, unwelcome, blustery showers;   ‘unwelcome’ ... and I have washing out! because I have a washing on the line, and, it is ‘St Monans Sea Queen Day’, the oldest ‘Gala Day’, harking back to the early days of fishing, in the East Neuk coastal villages.    There are shower clouds scampering over as I type;   as long as they scamper over to the North Sea I'm happy. 10.00    Having been down to the beach I can now tell you that the wind is from the WNW, F5 -6,  and  not warm;   also, the showers clouds are beginning to look serious. 20.00    We didn’t catch any showers locally, but they could be seen over towards Edinburgh;   my washing is dry and ‘in’. Kite boarder  .... Elie. Jimmy and I went along to St Monans to ‘Sea Queen Day’ but it was disappointing;    bunting stretching from lamp post to lamp post, and some banners were the only visible signs down at the h

23rd June 2017 (Friday) .... 08.30   We have ....“windy and grey, with the look of rain” weather;   but that is forecast to clear, leaving us with a brighter Earlsferry rocks. afternoon followed by a lovely evening.   Although breezy just now, it isn’t cold.... I fancy a wander along a breezy beach!       21.30    It was a ‘breezy beach’ this morning .... it still is, but I did have a good potter around the rocks, and out to the end of the ‘overflow pipe’ (the old sewage pipe).   Light rain began to blow through in the wind so I called a halt to the fun and went home.    The beach was busier than I expected it to be ....  with visitors, because I didn’t meet anyone I knew. I browsed the morning’s batch of photographs taken from the rocks etc, then had a cuppa;   Jimmy’s timing was impeccable as ever.... arriving just as the kettle began to boil.    We moaned about ....  er .. discussed the ‘shortness of summer’, and the nights ‘drawing in’.    We decided that we’d take p

22nd June 2017 (Thursday) .... 09.30     Hmmmmm .... we had a few rumbles of thunder, and a guid plowt o’ rain at 21.00 last night, which has left us with Ivy front Garden a nice, fresh, morning;   there is a mix of clouds and ‘bloo’ bits so we should get some sunshine now and again.    I’m feeling fresher than the weather this morning, after a good, long, and deep night’s sleep.... in fact I feel quite lively.   That said... I haven’t been anywhere yet, though I have done the ‘ooverin’ and dustin’, .... oh...the kettle will have boiled.    Must go ‘slight flap on’!  20.00     I’ve been over to visit John and Linda’s ‘Holiday Home’ at Shell Bay;   Oh my word .... I didn’t realise they were so ‘roomy’.    It is a beautiful holiday home in a beautiful location.... and I had a  mug of Linda’s  superior quality coffee;  “Puku” had  goodies!     When I say I’ve been ‘over to visit’ John and Linda it looks like I made my own way over there;   in fact John picked me up from ... and  b

21st June 2017 (Wednesday – the Summer Solstice) .... 05.00 ... yes ... 05.00!    Welllll.... I don’t know what ‘they’ Druids get excited aboot;  sunrise, as witnessed (by me) on the beach this morning was not “iggzactly” spectacular:   there Summer Solstice sunrise time at Elie and Earlsferry was a cloudbank on the horizon!    It would be different at Stonehenge which was built with this ‘Solstice sunrise’ in mind.... and they don’t seem to be plagued with 'low cloud’     However I did have the beach to myself from 04.00 through to 04.30 .... sunrise was at 04.23;   and it was very peaceful.   This is the first time that I have witnessed ‘Solstice sunrise time’ from ‘our’ beach.     I have gone up to Chapel Green a few times, but have yet to get a ‘bonnie’ Solstice sunrise  ....  low banks of cloud being the usual problem.    From today the days begin to get shorter and in ‘nae time it will be dark by 20.00.    Orf to have breakfast, then I’ll get the bike out.... if it stay

20th June 2017 (Tuesday) ....   This morning I spent nearly an hour at Chapel Green (Earlsferry) watching the light changing the ‘look’ of the villages;  I KIncraig cliffs this morning. think this might be my new hobby!   It is fascinating watching it happen.... it's like watching time lapse film;   very relaxing.     I didn’t have a flask of coffee with me or I’d have been ‘sat sittin’ there longer.    We have lovely morning here albeit cooler because the wind (light) is from the Northeast... and it’s cloudier.    My ‘plan’ is to do some weeding/pruning.... it’s a good day for working... not too hot! 13.30    Oh my word .... my delicate hands are ‘rough’, workaday looking, with all the weeding;   also the ‘broon’ bucket is at its limit, and....  it doesn’t get emptied for another 10 days.    Stress? .... it’s a good job I’ve found a ‘new’ hobby to help me unwind!   Oh .... the wind is more from the East now, and the air is noticeably cooler.... it’s only 15c in Ivy gar

19th June 2016 (Monday) .... 10.00    We have another ‘bright, sunny and warm’ morning, with just a smirr of wind so loads of ‘reflection’ photos to be got; Elie from the end of the pier.    that was at 07.30.    A breeze has got up in the last hour, so the ‘mirror look’ has gone.    I’ve been out on the bike .... down to the harbour then to the ‘Paper Shop’.    The harbour was busy;   Stewart was down there, also a family out on a motor boat, towing a water skier.... a busy place:  it’s the place to be at that time of morning.    I’m going to work in the garden today... there’s much that needs doing there;   and a ‘broon’ bucket to be filled! 20.30    It has been another ‘hot’ day;   the sky has clouded over in the past few hours, so it won’t be too hot overnight.   I’ve been busy in the garden most of today;  and the ‘broon’ bucket is three quarters full..... and, being as it was another good ‘drying day’ Elie Harbour. I washed the bathroom/kitchen and lobby floors.   Of

18th June 2017 (Sunday) .... 09.30   We have a perfect ‘drying day’, and I am in a ‘working mood’, so I have stripped the bed, right down to the ‘bones’;   I’ve Dunblane rose. even washed that ‘thing’ that goes round the sides ... the valance.    Why am I doing all this?    Apart from changing the bed as per normal, I am looking for the bedroom TV buttons!     So far I haven’t found them;  however, if necessary I’ll order a new set from Amazon.   It’s not that I watch much ‘TV’ in bed, but I like watching railway DVD’s.... especially in the winter time.    I may not have found the ‘button’s but have come across 73p, and a drawer full of curtains. It’s a gorgeous morning, and it could be another ‘hot’ day, though not as warm as yesterday, when 26c was the highest temperature in Ivy garden. 10.20 .... it’s already 20c in the garden (shade temperature), and the bedroom ‘tally’ has gone up to £1.73 .... plus  a pedometer, and two buttons;  unfortunately not tele buttons.    The

17th June 2017 (Saturday) ..... 09.00    It’s one of those ‘get up and go’ mornings;   and I’m feeling very frisky after a really good night’s sleep.    I haven’t been anywhere yet but I will have a quick walk down to the beach before the Episcopal Kirk Coffee morning. 14.30    Oh dearie me.... it’s 24c in Ivy garden;   this is ‘mauchless’ temperatures.     I Ann, with Cousin David's daughters. was working in the garden but decided to have a siesta until the heat of the day passes.     Of course this is abnormal weather for ‘Bonnie Scotland’  .... we’re more used to cold fronts and rain..... but,  we’ll manage to cope I’m sure.     In fact we could be doing with a few weeks of this;  I know that could adapt to a siesta life style nae bother;  I have my sunhat! 21.00    It has been a gorgeous, ‘bright, sunny and hot’ day ... and I think it is to be ‘bright and sunny’ again tomorrow, but not as hot:  both ‘the sunhat’, and sun cream, are back in use. First thing this mo