Alberto's Hutte

31st March 2020 (Tuesday)     07.00 .... It’s heavily overcast just now but This says it all . the forecast is good.      I’ve been for the paper and will go out on the bike about 11.00 after the sun has warmed the air up a bit.    It was warm in the sun yesterday and it should be the same today once the sun gets going.     My ‘plan’ is to do stuff in the garden, then the ‘Balbuthie run’ on the bike and take a few photos to ‘play’ with later.    Although it is overcast it isn’t cold at this time;   then again there’s only a light breeze so nae wind chill.   It's not the best of drying days but I have a washing going through the machine;  and there's a chance of showers in the morning. The Toft - Elie. 19.30      I’ve had an enjoyable day even though we had fewer sunny spells so it was cool /cold most of the time.      I went round the villages on the bike then home by way of Balbuthie Loan and Kinneuchar:   I was of the thinking that I might be going beyond ‘local

30th March 2020 (Monday)       07.30 .... It looks like we are going to have Hmmmm ....an early morning shower. a bonnie day of ‘sunny spells with the chance of a shower’ now and again.     I got caught in a shower when on the beach.... it wasn’t heavy   but it did bring an end to my morning walk.    My intention was to bike up to Elie for the paper but I changed my mind and will leave the biking until the air warms up and the threat of showers lessen.    09.00      Having checked the ‘Bin Collection Calendar’ I see that the ‘Cooncil’ is not emptying the ‘waste paper (grey)’ bin until further notice.... so our next bin collection is on the 10th April and it’s the ‘bloo’ bin.    This Friday (3rd April) it was going to be the ‘grey bin’ but with that having been put on hold ...... nae bin collection at all this week.     I’ll have a ton of paper to be uplifted.... eventually.    You’d think the manufacturers of toilet rolls would need loads of waste paper to replace the toi

29th March 2020 (Sunday)    07.30 .... I’ve been for the paper and, Nice morning for walking ... or cycling. although the sky is heavily overcast just now, I saw breaks in greyness towards the Northwest so we might just have a few sunny spells later though they haven’t been mentioned in the weather forecast;    there is a light wind and it’s definitely cauld on the lugs.... and hands if you don’t have gloves on.     I’ll go for a walk after breakfast. I remembered to change the clocks last night including my wrist watch and it is not easy to change;  I kept getting the days and dates wrong and all I wanted to do was change the hands... anyway it's now done after about half an hour.    I see that the 'toon' clock and Elie Church clocks are both at 02.00 (it's now 07.50) .... never seen that before.   Orf to have another cuppa .... and breakfast. Admiring the view from Lundar Law. 11.00     It is cold on the beach but nonetheless it was fairly busy with do

28th March 2020 (Saturday)     05.30 .... we have a more promising Clearing sky over Earlsferry. looking sky this morning with breaks in the cloud cover with a good chance of sunny spells by the look of it.... sunrise is at 05.51.     I’ll have walk to the beach   before breakfast and ... I’m wondering;   will I get the bike out later?    I guess it all depends on the wind and the temperature really..... the roads are quieter now. 07.00      There’s a gorgeous looking ‘bloo’ sky... with a cool Northerly breeze;   a bonnie morning for doing stuff once the air warms up.    I’ve been for the paper (and tautties) so the car is now moored up;   there’s good chance that I might get out on the bike later today.    I’m hungry. 12.00      The "gorgeous lookin' bloo sky" didn't last long;    When I fell asleep in front of the tele (normal) I had been thinking I’d go out on the bike later;   when I woke up the sky was overcast and a squally shower was rattling over.

27th March 2020 (Friday)      “Happy Birthday" to Michael (Mike) in The Toft - Elie. sunny Sussex”.... you are allowed to annoy Janice today;   and have some of JB’s Emergency rations! Meanwhile in not so sunny Fife.... 05.30 .... oh dear .... we have a damp start to the day with a thick blanket of fog .... and drizzle.... not a pretty morning;   and the forecast is for it to be cloudy all day.     I doubt if I’ll get out on the bike but I should get out for a walk in the middle of the day. 07.30    Well I’ve been to the harbour which was a kind of a disappointment because there wisnae that much I could see... however I took a few photographs then bumbled up to the ‘paper shop’ and had a chat with the ‘troops’ (Ian and John) .... at two metres range.     No George this morning;   yep he is ‘in love’.    When you think about it this two metre thing isn’t ‘iggzactly’ helpful re falling in love.    Neither is fog.... you cannae see anybody to ‘fall in love’ with.

27th March 2020 (Friday)      “Happy Birthday" to Michael in sunny Sussex”.... you are allowed to annoy Janice today;   and have some of JB’s Emergency rations! Meanwhile in not so sunny Fife.... 05.30 .... oh dear .... we have a damp start to the day with a thick blanket of fog and drizzle.... not a pretty morning;   and the forecast is for it to be cloudy all day.     I doubt if I’ll get out on the bike today!    I should get out for a walk in the middle of the day.

26th March 2020 (Thursday)       05.30 .... There’s a light wind   bringing  Elie. rain in from the North Sea (East) so it is not a morning for pottering about outside .... not just now anyway:   the rain should peter out round about the middle of the day, according to the forecast, but there’s no mention of ‘sunny spells’.    There will be a few rounds of golf and some ten pin bowling on Wii Sports today I’m thinking.     I’ll take the car up to Elie for the papers (I forgot that yesterday was East Fife Mail day) and   probably have a run down to the harbour;    although raining it isn’t cold.    There won’t be much ‘work’ done today, not outside anyway .... I might bake some goodies;   Melting Moments are in my mind. 08.00    It’s a bleak kind of morning and colder than I expected it to be;   mind you that was down at the harbour and it’s always colder near the water.      George was at the ‘paper shop’ this morning.... he was happy which makes me wonder if he’s ‘in love’.  

25th March 2020 (Wednesday)      09.00 .... I’ve had my morning walk, Quiet morning ....   been for the papers, and came home via Balbuthie Loan and Kinneuchar:   and everywhere was quiet..... that was between 05.30 and 07.00. but I wouldn’t expect it to become really busy all day;   not as it would normally be.    The ‘stay at home’ instruction does appear to be working.    The worst thing that happened was at the end of last week when holiday and mobile home owners hit the East Neuk (and other parts of the UK) like a plague of locusts clearing the shelves in the local village shops and massively increasing the chances of the virus getting into the East Neuk (and other places).    That was worrying.    However everything appears to have settled down again albeit with the East Neuk having a bigger population than normal. I’ve had breakfast and will have another cuppa before deciding my next move.    The sky is heavily overcast this morning   but I don’t think rain is mentio

24th March 2020 (Tuesday)      06.00 ....   It’s cloudier this morning but not Elie Bay at 05.50. very cold;    having said that it is early so there is very little wind   which will freshen as the sun gets going.     I am   going to the beach in few minutes (after my first cuppa of the day) to watch the sunrise:   actually it’s one of those mornings when sunrise might place behind clouds..... but I’ll enjoy the fresh ‘Centre of the Universe’ air even if I don’t see the sun coming up over the horizon. 08.00     The beach was quiet on what is a nice, but cloudier, morning .... at least it’s dry and not very cold.   I went up to Elie (in the car) to get the paper, milk and rolls and even Elie was quiet.    That was at 06.15 right enough.    We are allowed to go for essentials so it’s not yet a complete ‘lockdown’.... though I have no doubt that will happen if the folk (especially in London and the other cities) don’t start obeying the ‘rools’.    I am now ensconced in Ivy for th

23rd March 2020 (Monday)      08.30 ....Jings ... I’d forgotten it was my Elie Bay. birthday today.... oh...and I have a parcel (that arrived on Saturday) to open:   now I am in a state of excitement.   I need cake! We have a lovely morrrrning here .... and it’s not cold.    The wind has veered to the Southwest .... nothing good ever comes out of a wind with East in it.     It was quiet on the beach .... only one dog walker and me.... oh and I met a jogger on the way home via Earlsferry High Street.    Must go ...’slight flap on’ now got a birthday to ‘celebrate’.    I'll make another cuppa! 09.30 ....Cake? .... who needs cake when they have a box of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolates?   I am having a cuppa and two chocolates before starting to ...er ... ‘work’.   Love you all.    The chocolates were in the parcel... along with cards etc.... and an heraldic drawing (by ‘JB’) that I will photograph tomorrow to let you see. .... a welcome sign of Spring. 17.00     It

22nd March 2020 (Sunday)       09.30 ....It’s a bonnie but cold morning:   I Elie Bay at 07.00. took the car up to Elie to buy a Sunday paper, then went took a run to the harbour, Woodhaven (holiday campervans?), then home by way of Arncroach, Colinsburgh and Kinneuchar.    I am hoping to get out on the bike later (once the air warms up....maybe that should be ‘ if the air warms up’).    I have a feeling that we older folk will be told to totally isolate in our own homes and garden shortly ... going from what I read in today’s ‘Observer’.     ‘The powers that be’ have seen what is happening in Italy and will issue stricter isolation ‘rools’. 18.30    It has been a bonnie day... albeit cold.     I ended up ‘working’ (well ... sort of) instead of going out on the bike.   The roads were really busy.... and the ‘Centre of the Universe’ is busy.   The only time I’m going to be ‘out’ is first thing in the morning.   Luckily I have the computer to ‘work’ on and Skype to keep in touch

21st March 2020 (Saturday)     08.00 .... there’s a cold southeast wind Elie Bay. spoiling what could be a really bonnie morning:   that said all we need to do is wrap, up well.     I’ve been for my morning walk... and I didn’t have the beach to myself:    I saw a couple of people along by the Breakwater., but no jogger tracks this morning.      I very much doubt if I’ll get out on the bike today;    unless the air warms up and the wind drops a bit. 14.00      The other evening my doorbell rang and when I opened it there was Ann, my neighbour with a “Murray’s” fish supper.... it was fantastic.    Thank you Ann and Bob.     Jimmy and I used to go to ‘Murray’s Chippie” but I haven’t been since Jimmy died.... and I’d forgotten just how good his fish suppers were.    I will get back into the habit once this self isolating is over. 06.15 this morning. I’ve had a couple of walks today because the bike isn’t coming out .... the second being up to Myra’s for morning coffee but

20th March 2020 (Friday)       09.00 .... it’s an absolute stunner of a Peaceful beach. morning;   I’ve been to the beach.... (it’s possible to get on and off the beach now) .... it was quiet though jogger tracks were spotted.    I’m hoping to get out on the bike later.... once the temperature gets up a bit after an early touch of frost.... right now it’s breakfast time. 16.30     It’s an ill wind that doesn’t do some good somewhere’:  all those little jobs I haven’t been doing when I have been ‘out playing? ..... now they will be seen as ‘occupational therapy’.   I started one of them this afternoon.             The ‘Troops’ (that’s us) had morning coffee at ‘arbour ‘ouse this morning as per normal.   We intend doing so again tomorrow, but we have to really self isolate starting on Monday.    Actually a sort ‘hush’ has descended over the villages (apart from vehicles) along with a feeling of apprehension;  this in spite of the fact that we’ve had another gorgeous day.  And