Alberto's Hutte

30th April 2020 (Thursday)       06.30 ..... The rain has cleared away but it Grey kind of morning ... and cold. does look like we’ll   get a few showers going by the sky;   lots of heavy clouds coming up from the Southeast.      Hmmm .... yes I’ll take the car for the paper and get the bike out later once I see how the weather is going.... at the moment it looks like there could be some interesting clouds around today. 08.00     I don’t think the bike will be coming out today;    it’s not the showers putting me off it’s the cold East wind.     Although cloudy we haven’t had a shower so far.... nor a sunny spell.... but it is a threatening looking sky;   it should brighten up later.   I’m going to spend most of the day on the computer. I didn’t take 126 photographs down at the harbour this morning .... but I did manage to get 26:   no matter what the weather the villages are always photogenic.    It was just too cold to hang about. The harbour beach. 11.30    I watc

29th April 2020 (Wednesday)       06.30 .... It looks and feels like it’s going What an absolute stunner of a morning -   I am excited. to be a bonnie day.    That said:    I am feeling sluggish this mornin’ and that’s after a really good night sleep.     Not that I need it.... but today is going to be a mostly rest day;   however I do have a ‘flap on’;     I need milk.     That means taking the car for the paper.     The sky is mostly overcast but sunny intervals are forecast with a light easterly breeze. 14.00    I have never been a big user of the television;    but, since the isolation began I have taken to watching old films (Channel 81) from mid morning up till lunch time.     Today’s film, ‘Holding Hands’, was one of the best I have seen   in a long time.     The acting is old fashioned;   speech has to be what was regarded then as ‘proper’ English .... overly posh in other words.     But that didn’t detract from the story line. The sky has become heavily overcast

28th April 2020 (Tuesday)       06.30 .... There was a red sky at sunrise time Swimmers on the beach! and it is a bonnie morning though the red sky probably means rain tomorrow .... right now we have sunshine with a light northerly breeze, and it’s cool.    The top temperature is going to be around 10c today ..... not that warm for this time of year.    My muscles are beginning to feel less stiff after my couple of days twisting around behind The Hutte.    I must ‘invent’ a adjustable brush holder that will allow me to paint the high bits without the need for a set of steps etc.    I remember seeing a plasterer (on a building site in Glenrothes) with a set of eighteen inch or so ‘stilts’ so that he didn’t need a trestle etc when plastering the rooms.    He’d brought them (the stilts ... not the rooms) back from Canada.    He seemed to get around easy enough.... but I have no intention of trying that.... though it would be interesting to see the world through the eyes of a sev

27th April 2020 (Monday)      06.30 .... there’s a chill in the early morning Kinneuchar loch. air but it’s a lovely morning though cauld on the hands and lugs.    There’ s a good chance of showers in the afternoon so I’m wonder about doing any painting;    I’ll see how the air is once the sun gets going.    I don’t start painting until after 10.00. ‘M’ was telling me that they (New Zealand) are going down from Level 4 to Level 3 lockdown restrictions today;    but not for the over 70’s.    The, New Zealand government worked with the scientists and did as they suggested.    Travel was banned except for essential journeys (roadblocks set up outside the cities) from day one.    They don’t have the population that we have that’s true but they do have a competent and compassionate Prime Minister.... and government! 10.00       Welll.... I’ve been for the paper and, with it being such a cracker of a morning I did Elie Estate on the way home.    As is my routine I stopped at th

26th April 2020 (Sunday)     08.30 .... The   sun is trying to break through so Bonnie morning for scuttling around Elie and Earlsferry. we should have a bonnie day by late morning:   at the moment it’s overcast and there’s a light westerly breeze.   I’ve been for the paper and did my morning tour of the villages:    SITREP .... all peaceful in Elie and Earlsferry.       It is now time to have breakfast then think about doing some painting.    The bike battery is on charge so I might go for a potter about in the late afternoon. 19.30     Phew .... I finished the awkward bit of the Hutte and did a good bit more:   I am a tired, but extremely happy boy tonight.    It has been a great day for working (and playing);   when I think about it this ‘stay at home’ means that I am actually doing the things around Ivy that I knew needed doing ... and enjoying doing them.    My knee isn’t happy!     That reminds me I’d better take two paracetamol.     I’ll make a cuppa to wash them dow

25th April 2020 (Saturday)      06.00 .... The sky is overcast just now but Misty kind of morning. that should burn off once the sun gets going (sunrise for KY9 was at 05.39) .... other than being cloudy it’s a quiet morning with only a light Northeast breeze, but it   isn’t going to be as warm as it was yesterday.      It will be a good day for painting the Hutte;   exercise time will be later in the afternoon. 10.30      So far this morning I’ve been for the paper and watched an old film on the ‘Talking Pictures’ Channel:   it’s too cold to start painting.... or to go out on the bike.   The sky should clear by midday(ish) and it should be warmer ..... when that happens I intend working.     I’m going to have ‘morning coffee’ now... this is one from Tesco;   a “Delicious Flat White velvety froth and rich Expresso”.    Won’t be up to Laura’s standards but it’ll have to do.    I ordered two different 'Flat White' coffees (both Kenco) the other one being"Bold and Ve

24th April 2020 (Friday)     06.00 .... After the ‘red sky at night, shepherd’s Lovely morrrrrrning. delight’ sunset we have a gorgeous morning;    hardly a breath of wind and almost a wall to wall blue sky already..... definitely a day for getting out and doing things once the temperature gets ups a bit.      I should get out on the bike later in the morning, but the main ‘plan’ is to get some paint on the outside of   ‘The Hutte’. 07.30       I had to take the car up for the paper (I needed milk) so went down to the beach when I got back:   I haven’t been to the beach for a while.    Everything is pretty much as it was .... apart from the actual beach which changes with every tide.    I chatted to a couple of dog walkers.... so that has set me up for the day.    Now I need breakfast before organising the painting job.     I’ll go out on the bike after ‘morning coffee’. The Ivy Cottage Dandelions are looking good! 21.00     I have had   a really enjoyable day;   most

23rd April 2020 (Thursday - St George’s Day)      06.00 .... “Happy St Elie this morning. George’s Day” to all my pals in sunny and warm England   ... enjoy your Saint’s day.     It definitely cloudier up here just now but the sun has just risen (behind the clouds) so it should brighten up in a wee while:     I’ m having a cuppa before going for the paper;   I actually feel ‘bright eyed and bushy tailed’ this morning well ready to go out and play:    but the plan is to clean Maggie’s seat at Chapel Green.   I'll take a flask of coffee with me. 08.00    It’s a bonnie morning in spite of the cloud;   funny thing is that it’s always warmest when I first go out, by the time I’m coming home there’s a noticeable drop in temperature with the freshening of the wind.    I’ll have breakfast then get stuff sorted for cleaning the seat. Cleaned seat = happy boy. 14.00    I am happy bunny now that the seat cleaning mission has been accomplished.   I don’t know what the mess was

22nd April 2020 (Wednesday)      06.00 .... I’m having a cuppa before going Early morning joggers .... and spaniels! for the papers on what is another bonnie morning.... but it’s breezier than it normally is at this time:   Having said that... the wind does feel slightly softer, but   I wouldn’t call it warm.    Although  feeling frisky I am not going to go far on the bike today;    the 'plan' (at this moment) is to take  a flask of coffee up to Chapel Green and have morning coffee on one of the seats overlooking West Bay and the cliffs.... sheltered from the wind.   Depends on how windy it is. 08.30      It isn’t warm.... not exposed to the wind anyway, and certainly not at the harbour:   Having said that ....   it is a bonnie morning to be out, but I’ll wait until the sun is much higher before even thinking of going out again.    Morning coffee shall be The absolute Centre of the Universe! taken in The Hutte!    I bought strawberries and meringues this morning (a

21st April 2020 (Tuesday)       06.30 ....I need milk (for my Cornflakes;    West Lodge - Balcarres Estate. actually it’s Weetabix)   so I’ll take the car up to Elie for the paper and go out on the bike after breakfast.     It’s quite breezy already this morning but already we have wall to wall sunshine so it’s going to be another bonnie day... with a cool breeze off the sea. 07.00     I’m back after a successful shopping mission;   everything I went for plus Blacketyside strawberries.    My hearing is abysmal this morning.... it could be that I’ve got water in my lugs after the shower;   but it’s probably wax.    I blame the east wind.    Orf to have breakfast. The Balchrystie road. 17.30     It’s been a crackin’ day and I enjoyed it.    I had a change of route this morning and went up to Balchrystie (on the bike), up to the cherry trees on the road to West Lodge Balcarres, then back down to the main road into Colinsburgh then home by way of Kinneuchar and Elie estate

20th April 2020 (Monday)      06.30 .... ‘Wall to wall’ sunshine the 'The Toft'. forecasters said and ‘wall to wall’ sunshine we have already;    it’s a lovely start to the day.    The only thing spoiling   it is the cool wind off the sea, but a warm jacket, a hat wi’ lug flaps and scarf sorts that.      Must go ‘slight flap on’.... I’m feeling frisky.     09.30    What a cracker o’ a mornin’ to be out;  I’ve been for the paper and had a long slow bumble around the villages.... from the harbour to Chapel Green.   I am a happy boy... and shall now make a fresh cuppa and go out to the Hutte with the paper.   Enjoy your day folks:  the wind has freshened since I was out so there is wind-chill to contend with now.   End of Elie pier. 19.00     It has been another gorgeous day... and tomorrow is forecast to be the same.    I have had an enjoyable day doing a wee bit of work in the greenhouse and a lot of contemplating in the Hutte.     I am settling down to this ne

19th April 2020 (Sunday)      10.00      I’ve been for the paper then went out Elie Kirk Tower. to the lighthouse (on the bike) and home by Elie Estate;   and I got a few photos on the way.    The surprise one, and the one I like, is the one of a canoeist on Kinneuchar loch.     It was a nice early morning ‘run’ and not cold.... there was hardly any wind at out at the lighthouse.     The wind had freshened by the time I left the estate and it felt colder on the way down Ferry road.     I am about to have breakfast then go out to the Hutte with the paper.... and a cuppa. The harbour with Earlsferry beyond. 18.30     We’ve had wall to wall blue sky most of the day .... though cloud is beginning to drift in from the North Sea now.     I’ve had an good rest day having spent all of the day around Ivy after my trip out to the lighthouse in the morning.     I have done some ‘work’ in the   garden but mostly I sat in the Hutte and read the paper (Observer) and did Soduko’s.