Alberto's Hutte

30th November 2019 (Saturday)      06.30 .... St Andrews Day;  and also Crackin' mornin'. the day that Irene begins her 25th (?)   circuit of the Sun “Happy Birthday Irene”, enjoy your day xxx. The stars are twinkling   and the car windscreen has a picturesque layer of frost on it;   we have the start of a bonnie if slightly cauld day.    It’s a bit cold, and dark, for going out on the bike but I might wander down to the beach for sunrise;   and   go out on the bike after the sun warms the air.... the temperature for KY9 is forecast to get up to +3c. 09.30      It’s a cracker of a mornin’ but it is frosty;   I had to lower the lug flaps on my hat.     We have the makings of a lovely day for being out:    in fact I just might get the bike out once the air does warm up... i.e. once it gets above freezin’. I think I need to increase my cornflakes intake! 12.00     The car windscreen has been cleared, and the car taken ‘roond the Ferry’ to warm up its bits and pie

29th November 2019 (Friday)      08.00 .... we have a bonnie, quiet, Bonnie morning. bright and soon to be sunny morning, not quite frosty but not but not far above it in Ivy garden;    I think I could get the bike out after the sun gets going. 09.00     There was a touch of frost in the air when I was coming up from the beach, but it is a lovely morning;   a braw morning for a walk on the beach.... for a walk anywhere in fact.    I will get the bike out later and have a scuttle round the villages.     It’s time for breakfast now. 12.59     I’ve been out on the bike;   just a quick circumnavigate of Earlsferry to see that everything is where it should be.     It is.     I drove into Elie via Park Place this morrrrrrning and was pleased to give way to traffic (Myra) coming up from ‘The Royal Burgh’ because of this new roundabout.      This is how it should be.     That was when I went up for the paper and morning coffee.    Kincraig Cliffs - Earlsferry. 19.00     I

28th November 2019 (Thursday)      09.00 .... Oh my word;   we have a Largo Bay. ‘bright and breezy’ morning with big patches of blues sky all over the place just now.    The wind has backed to the NNE so is feeling cooler;   the question is... do I do a washing?      The forecast for ‘KY9’ is “sunny intervals with a moderate breeze”.    It’s a bonnie morning, but it does look like we could get a shower or two. 15.30    It has been a gorgeous day: yes it has been colder... and will be colder yet again tomorrow and Sunday but what a difference the sun makes. Before I went for coffee (and the paper) I did do the washing;   and had the urge to get the bike out but decided against that as I didn’t want the washing to get caught in any shower that might come our way.     None did .... and the washing is ready for ironing.     Sunset time. I’m also plagued with this cough and didn’t want to do anything that might exacerbate it.    However I went to the harbour (in the car), t

27th November 2019 (Wednesday)       09.00 .... thick fog and damp... Pittenweem. not a bonnie morning, but at least it’s not raining;   though it might as well be ‘cos everything is wet anyway.     I’ll circumnavigate the villages in the car when I go for the paper but I think that might be the extent of my outdoor activities today.     Outdoor activities? ..... inside the car?      It’s that kind of morning.     11.30      We have the Colinsburgh ‘Lite Bite Lunch’ (soup and sweet) today at 12.30... that will brighten up our day.     Just now  we are all on ‘full alert’ for a one hour long ‘sunny spell’ that is forecast for sometime today:    sun cream and shorts on ‘standby’.      Elie. I’ve been out in the car;   all the way to ‘the ‘Braes’ at Pittenweem, then back to Harbour House for morning coffee with ‘The Troops’.    It’s been   an enjoyable morning.... but the weather puts a damper (literally) on everything.... with Scotch Mist blowing in from the North Sea.

26th November 2019 (Tuesday)     09.00 .... we have bleak wet morning The 'paper shop' - the antidote to miserable weather. and  the weather cams are all grey.    The computer is ‘on’, the kettle is ‘on’ (and will be for most of the day) and I have only been as far as the front gate.    I will wander down to the beach after breakfast .... if it isn’t raining. 13.30    It isn’t raining but there are zillions of minuscule water droplets floating around .... it’s foggy.   Actually I’ve just been out to the bucket and it is raining now and foggy so not a pleasant day.    I decided to give the beach a miss today;   I ‘jamp’ in the car and went to Leven to hand in books to a Charity Shop and buy another six (two for 99p).   I’m going through books faster than food just now.   Of course I did a wee bit of shopping when there.   I didn’t visit Oops ..... we've lost Earlsferry! Jim because, as per usual,  going to Leven was a late decision and it was lunch time at ‘Leven

25th November 2019 (Monday)     09.00.... when I first looked Nice morning for the beach. out this morning I thought “oh ... here we go another grey day”.    When I fired up the computer and checked the ‘weather cams’ I got a pleasant surprise;   the eastern sky was clear.    This was at a quarter to seven.... sunrise time was 08.10.     I could see from the other cameras that there was a weather front moving in from the southwest and that would take out the sunrise.     But what a difference the thought of sunshine made;    I went from being “oh no another grey day” to “hey .... there’s a bit of clear sky.... get down to the beach!”    I was a happy bunny.     The weather front has moved in and all the weather cams are showing a grey morning.    I’m still a happy bunny. Main Street Kinneuchar. 11.30     It would seem that the chance of sunny spells was ‘fake news’;   it’s raining.... but there’s a lighter patch of grey appearing in the sky, over Largo Bay, as I type.    I

24th November 2019 (Sunday)      08.30 .... I’m not saying that it’s dark The finishing touches to our new roundabout. outside but when I opened the curtains this morning I had to check my watch to see if it was still night – time,...... should I still be in bed?     But it was 08.30 .... definitely day.       We have a grey start to the day, grey and damp;    the ‘KY9’ forecast reads “drizzle and a gentle breeze” but there is a chance of a couple of sunny spells later in the morning.        The weather may not be very bright but I am feeling brighter ... well I was until I opened the curtains.    I’ll have breakfast then jump in the car and go for the paper.... then, I might go down to the harbour. 10.30      The paper has been purchased (The Observer... so there’s (hopefully) loads to read), I’ve been to the harbour ... and The Braes’ at Pittenweem;   now I’m ready for a  'Walkies'. cuppa then I’ll go and visit Jimbo.     That will leave the afternoon free to pr

23rd November 2019 (Saturday)     09.00 .... It’s not a pretty looking Elie High Street. morning, but it hasn’t stopped the geese flying in from Aberlady Bay, brightening the morning with their goose conversations, as they head for their breakfast, lunch and supper on the stubble fields of the East Neuk.    That reminds me I’d better have my breakfast. Actually I’m feeling sluggish this morning having had a long coughing session in the middle o’ the night.      I managed to read a few Chapters of my book but I’d rather have had the sleep. 12.30     Surprise, surprise .... I remembered to go to Colinsburgh Library to buy   this year’s ‘Colinsburgh Calendars’ and I’m well pleased with them:   I bought four.    All the photos are interesting and pin   sharp.     Not only that,   I found a parking space Kincraig Cliffs - Earlsferry. immediately across from the Library.     Today was the first time I’d been in the ‘Galloway Library’ since 1958 .... so now I’m feeling a touch

22nd November 2019 (Friday)      08.30 ....Mmmmmm ... it’s a The new roundabout.   grey,  damp start to the day;   and the weather forecast is not very promising .... “drizzle with a moderate breeze from the East” is the forecast for KY9.   It   looks like being a computer day for this boy;   the bike won’t be out.    Don’t liked getting the tyres damp!     I’ll fit in a break to pick up the paper and have morning coffee in ‘arbour ‘ouse. 17.00     I’ve had an enjoyable day though I didn’t manage to visit Jim:   I forgot   that I had to stay in Ivy waiting for a delivery.     That event happened about 14.30 so all was well except by that time I was tired and well ready for ‘50’.    I’ll visit Jim tomorrow. Elie Bay at sunset time. I enjoyed morning coffee with Myra, Geoff .... and the ‘gardening girls’ .... who came in for a well deserved rest.    With the weather being ‘iffy’ and me having to stay ‘in’ most of my day has been spent working on the computer;   though I d

21st November 2019 (Thursday)      09.30 .... The beach was quiet this Elie Bay at sunrise time. morning;    only  me, and my Heron pal at the Cockstail Rocks.... so we had the whole beach to ourselves.     It’s a bonnie morning mostly overcast but the sun is trying hard to burn its way through the thin layer of cloud so we could have a few sunny spells.    I’m seriously thinking of going out on the bike because, although it’s breezy it isn’t as cold as it has been. 12.30     Work continues apace on the new roundabout at the War Memorial.... in fact the job will be finished today by the look of it.     The pedestrian crossing won’t have lights so nae buttons, which is a disappointment, but it will have the pimply (tactile) slabs for people with poor Harbour House is behind all that stuff ?.... major  'flap on state'. eyesight.     The first impression I had this morning was that ‘arbour ‘ouse was cut off because of work vehicles and we weren’t going to be abl

20th November 2019 (Wednesday)       09.00 .... At the moment the sky is New roundabout work in progress. heavily overcast but at least it’s not raining and rain isn’t mentioned in today’s weather forecast for ‘KY9’, so it looks like we’re in for another grey day with a cool (but not frosty), breeze/wind off the Southeast.     It might be a computer day for me.... though I am feeling more frolicsome –ish than I have of late.     17.00     Exciting things are happening up at Elie;     we’re getting a new roundabout, and a pedestrian crossing and it’s all happening just outside Harbour House;   I nearly had to have two cups o’ coffee.... it’s a long time since we’ve had so much   entertainment.       I hope it’s one of those pedestrian crossing with a button;   I’m good with buttons.     There is a set of temporary traffic lights in operation to keep the traffic flowing smoothly:   but it seems some drivers are not all that keen on smooth;   which adds an unknown factor into th

19th November 2019 (Tuesday)       08.30 .... we have a decent frost this Lovely, frosty morrrrrrrrrrning. morning.... -3c on the garden thermometer .... so I haven’t been further than the garden thermometer, even though we had a golden sunrise that would normally have attracted me down to the beach.     I will go to the beach after breakfast;   once I feel suitably brave enough.     There is very little wind, but there is a layer of light cloud that’s weakening the warming effect of the sun on my lugs.    It’s sort of misty. 14.30     I haven’t been out on the bike today;   it just hasn’t been warm enough for my delicate lugs.     The thin layer of cloud has managed to filter out a lot of the sun’s warmth.    I took the car up to Colinsburgh to ‘feed’ her and then fancied checking out the Largoward to Upper Largo road that has been closed for six weeks:   unsurprisingly From the Largoward - Upper Largo road. it is looking good with not one pothole to be found anywhere .

18th November 2019 (Monday)       08.30.... There’s a touch of frost, as Kinneuchar Loch. per forecast,   on what is a really bonnie morning;    a day for getting out and about, though the temperature is never going to be   very high.     I hope it’s warm enough for me to get the bike out later.... I’m fancying doing the Grand Tour;     that said, I’m thinkin’ the estate road could be muddy, so maybe that’s maybe not a good idea. 11.30    I’m just back from a quick shopping trip to Leven:  I didn’t visit Jim because  I didn’t want to take the cold into ‘Leven Beach’.... though I think I’m past the germ spreading stage, but still coughing, so didn’t want to take any chances.    The immediate plan is to have a cuppa then get out on the bike while the air is warm.   I’m not sure about going onto the estate road.... it might be muddy and icy because it’s shaded by trees.    Must ‘go’ ... ‘slight flap on’;  kind of excited because I’m going biking. Peaceful afternoon. 14.0