Alberto's Hutte

31st May 2022 (Tuesday)    06.00 ....It’s a lovely morning, but, with the breeze being from the NE it's cool;  that said, the sun has only being ‘up’ for an hour so it should be much warmer, albeit with the cool breeze, by mid morning.   I’m having a cuppa before going out on the bike. 11.00    The paper hasn’t been picked up, because I got intae a state o’ excitement with a moody sky.  It was ‘bonnie’ but it’s now raining and cold so not a nice day at all.   We’re all looking for warmer weather for the Jubilee  weekend.... and, luckily, the forecast is ‘more promising’   Mind you it wouldn’t take much to be warmer than it is today;  there’s a wintry feel to the air. When I was out I could see that it would most probably rain .... so I did the whole tour of the villages... and Elie Estate.     I have to go up to the Chemist sometime today so I’ll pick up the paper then. I enjoyed the ‘forgot to pick up the paper run’ but it was cold on the lugs ... and hands. (I went out witho

  30th May 2022 (Monday)     08.30 .... I’m looking forward to Emily and John Elie Bay at 07.00. coming;   a good old catch up gossip is on the cards.    E’ phoned to say they’d arrive mid afternoon.    I went for the paper (and a punnet o’ strawberries)   then had a quick trip to the harbour;   everything is good down there.... except the water;   the tide was out.    I came home by way of St Minnins and Kinneuchar;   both  looking good, even under a grey sky.   It’s breakfast time. 21.00    The tidying up has gone apace today;   most of the work has been done....not by ‘me’ I hasten to add;  but by Emily and John.   I’ll take a photo tomorrow of the ‘team’ .... and the work that has been done.   A huge ‘thank you’ to  Em and John, having done in an afternoon, what would have taken me a month to do;  if ever.    I am one happy.....  and grateful boy tonight.    Alice will get a surprise the next time I bring her along.   Oh ... Alice has a lovely garden, both she and George (her hu

29th May 2022 (Sunday)     06.00 ....It’s a lovely morning and I’m feeling frisky so I’m going out on the bike.... after I have another cuppa.    There’s only a light breeze, from the NNW; at the moment its ‘bright sunny and cool’.... but it is early.    09.30      I’ve been to Sainsbury’s to top up the food cupboard;    I am ready for morrrrrrrrning coffee.   The road seemed awfie busy for the time of morning but I then realised it was young folk going to Crail Aerodrome to ‘burn rubber’.    Anyway I’ve got some food in for Emily and John;   extra milk and a huge packet o’ Cornflakes!    After ‘MC’ I'll  do some more tidying up around the Hutte area:  mind you, there's no' that much space left in the 'broon' bucket.... and what space there is, is needed for kitchen rubbish.    17.30    After my initial burst o’ activity this morning )going to Leven) I’ve had a relaxing day pottering around The Hutte.   With the ‘broon’ bucket being nearly full I couldn’t do more g

28th May 2022 (Saturday)    07.00....my goodness .... nae wind this morning;   I’ll get the bike out.   When I say ‘nae wind’ I mean nothing like we’ve had for the past couple of days;  there is a light breeze from the WNW (F2-3) and that will freshen over the morning but only up to F4 or so.  Another cuppa then a quick turn round the villages (on the bike), pick up the paper .... then work.   Then I'll work until the bike battery is charged up and go out again, in the afternoon.    Happy boy.  09.00    Well .... I had to have a slight change o’ plan;  because someone forgot to charge up the bike battery I was only able to do Earlsferry.... on what is a beautiful morning for biking.   The battery is being charged now so I should get out again after lunch.  The village was quiet, but I met Keith at Chapel Green out walking the dogs... and saw a few people on the beach.   It’s a grand day for working .... and it’s good to be wanting to do things again. 10.00    You’d hardly believe i

27th Nove. .. oops May 2022 (Friday)    06.30 .... Yep it’s bright, sunny and cool;  not the temperature’s we should be getting at the beginning of summer.    It is a bonnie morning,  but the frisky wind is is spoiling what would be a really warm day;  I hope to get out on the bike later but I’m thinkin’ it’s going to be a ‘light gardening’, with heavy Soduko’s and research in the Hutte again today. 08.30   The wind is chilly;    however I’m going to get the bike out (and the warm jacket) later in the morning.... it isn’t quite as windy as it was yesterday.    Not just now anyway.    I’ve been for the paper (in the car) and had a quick turn down to the harbour;   all is good down there... apart from the wind.    It’s breakfast time. 12.30    It’s actually pleasant, tidying up the picnic table bit at The Hutte;  I’m going to begin tidying up the inside The Hutte in the afternoon.   When the pandemic was active I used the Hutte as a workspace, for drawing etc;  more of a work space than

26th May 2022 (Thursday)    08.00 ....The first thing I noticed when I went out this morning was the temperature;   it’s chilly.   I expect the sun will warm the air up once it’s higher in the sky, but the brisk wind will cancel out the warmth of the sun with a few degrees of wind chill.  I’ll be happy messing about in the garden sheltered from the wind.... with numerous ‘tea breaks’ in The Hutte.   The wind is forecast to freshen ... up to F6 or 7 in the afternoon. 20.30    I have enjoyed working in the garden... between tea breaks i.e.  When fatigue sets in doing Soduko’s in The Hutte is the perfect way of resting; and it was warmer out of the cool wind.   According to the weather maps, Iceland and Greenland were getting warmer air than us;  nae wonder the Greenland ice cap is melting.  Having said all that I can tell you that summer has definitely arrived;  the car windows are operating again.   Ever since Jimmy left the car with the window open, and a heavy shower o’ rain passed o

25th May 2022 (Wednesday)   07.30....Hmmmm ...we don’t have a bonnie start to the day: It’s windy and the is sky overcast with spots o’ rain hitting the window now and again and it’s cool.  The forecast for later in the morning and afternoon is better; windy with sunny spells.  It is a good day for wandering round Kellie Castle, then having a cuppa/lunch (if there’s food available) followed by walk round the garden in the afternoon sunshine.   A interesting way to spend a cool day. 17.30     It has been a mostly bright and breezy day....but....when Alice and I were going round Kellie Castle gardens (this was in the middle of the day) we saw some heavy looking shower clouds, but luckily most of them never got beyond the spits and spots stage: Until the last one.... it reach deluge level.   However by that time we were ensconced in the Cafe having lunch.    The actual Castle was ‘Closed’;   and will remain ‘Closed’ for a couple of weeks.... an ‘ousekeeping problem needs to be sorted.   

24th May 2022 (Tuesday)    07.15 ....There’s a quietness about this morning;  I’ve been out in the garden and it reminds me of Balcarres....sort of green and busy with insects.   I see we have a nest of Red wasps (vespula rufa) somewhere West of Ivy...going by the flight line they take after collecting wood scrapings (to make ‘paper’) from an old pair of wooden steps I have outside the Hutte.   They always nest underground, and the nest is never huge with only about 300 individuals eventually.   Unlike the Common Wasp (vespula vulgaris), (the one we swat away from the picnic table on a warm summer day);  they that can have many thousands in a large nest by the end of summer. I think I could get the bike out today, there’s a light breeze and it’s cloudy so not as warm as it was yesterday ... the sun is trying to break through but it’s ‘aving a fecht just now;   ‘sunny intervals and a fresh breeze' is the forecast for KY9.   12.00       I’m having the best day since   that virus a

23rd May 2022 (Monday)    07.30 .... at the moment the sky is overcast and we’ve had a light shower o’ rain;  not very promising looking.... certainly not for going out on the bike.   Spells of sunshine are mentioned in our weather forecast for today ...unfortunately so are showers.   I might take the car up to Kinneuchar. 12.30     I did take the car up to Kinneuchar;   the air (drifting down from the Central Belt), was really bad this morning.... until heavy showers of rain further West cleaned it (the air) about 11.30.    When the cleaner air reaches us (asthmatics) the relief is instantaneous.... and very noticeable:   Anyway, enough of ‘asthma talk’.    I managed to get the photos and measurements I wanted so I’m a happy boy.    I still need to have some exercise (bike) but I’ll leave that until later in the afternoon.... or evening. 16.30    So far I have had a laz ... restful afternoon, sitting in The Hutte doing Soduko’s and chatting to Blob.   Blob and Wife of Blob are feedi

22nd May 2022 (Sunday)    06.45 .... Another beautiful, ‘bright, sunny and warm’ start to the day;  and I’m vertical and feeling playful.   I need another cuppa.... then I’ll do a round of the villages before breakfast.   I’ll go to Kinneuchar later in the morning.   There’s the chance of ‘light showers’ in the afternoon;  but mostly around the City of Dunfermline neck o’ the woods; Orf to put the kettle on and get the bike out. 08.30    I’ve enjoyed the longest run out on the bike for a while:   out to the lighthouse (picking the paper up on the way) then home by way of Elie Estate.    However it looks like Kinneuchar may be ‘on hold’ today;   the sky is clouding over and the showers are nearer than I hoped, with one crossing over Leven.    Mind you, we have an interesting sky. I cannae complain aboot pollen just now;   the main source of pollen at Ivy for the next couple of weeks will be the Rowan tree.   At least the insects enjoy it.... though I don’t know why;   it’s certainly

21st May 2022 (Saturday)    07.30 ....I’m feeling frolicsome and we have a beautiful morning for frolicking: It’s warm and sunny with a brisk breeze from the southwest..... so... it’s a good day for doing my measuring at Kinneuchar;   and visiting Shona.   I’m having a cuppa before getting the bike oot and bumbling round the villages.   I’m going to have another cuppa.     11.00     It is a cracker o’ a mornin’ and I have been out enjoying it.    I will go up to Kinneuchar after morrrrrning coffee (and after the bike battery is charged).    I bought a couple of scones to take up to Shona, though I have still to get the paper (didn’t have room in the bag after I’d been to the baker.    I’m going to check the progress with the battery charging.... and have a cuppa and a goodie (not one of Shona’s scones). 19.38  The bike battery wasn’t fully charged until lunch time and, by that time the sky clouded had over so I never went to Kinneuchar.    What I did do was research medieval churches.

20th May 2022   (Friday)  08.30 .... we have another bright and breezy morning.... and I am in a working playing mood.   I’ve been for the paper and visited the harbour (in the car).... Mr ‘B’ was working on ‘Sundance’: I missed talking to him as I had to go back to the sea wall where I’d been taking photos having left my stick on the wall. I plan to have a quick trip up to Kinneuchar (with my specs this time) to do a few more measurements.     There’s a chance of showers in the afternoon so I’d better do Kinneuchar in the morrrrrrrrrrrning.   18.00    The sky clouded over in the afternoon but so far any showers have been somewhere else.     I didn’t go to Kinneuchar today;  I actually ended up doing a spot of ‘gardening’ (the broon bucket is half full of gardening stuff) and making some ready meals for the freezer.   I went up to Chapel Green later in the afternoon; I don’t know what was in the air but my asthma fired up and I was glad to get home.... on the verge of an asthma att

19th May 2022 (Thursday)    07.00 .... The weather forecasters said it would Hawthorn flowers. be ‘bright breezy and warm’ today... and ‘bright breezy and warm it is;  even at this time of morning.   I will go out on the bike after I hang out the washing... aye ...it’s going to be a good drying day.  The pollen count might be high later on. I’m feeling fresh and frisky this morning and looking forward to pottering around the remains of ‘Kinneuchar Auld Kirk’.    When I’m in Kinneuchar I’ll visit Shona for a cuppa;   I haven’t seen her for a while. It looks like ‘Sunny Sussex’ might have thunderstorms later on today;   there’s a whole heap of them moving across the English Channel.   Not that they will bother us.... but they might keep 'JB' awake. 10.30    I have been busy with ‘ousehold chores so far this morning.   After hanging out the washing I decided to go to ‘the Store’ to do a wee bit o’ shopping:  I am now having a cuppa before going up to Kinneuchar (by way of Elie

18th May 2022 (Wednesday)   09.30 ....It’s bright and breezy this morning.... and not too cold considering the wind (F4).    I’ve been out on the bike and hope to go out again after the battery is charged.   I forgot to go for the paper but did get to the harbour.... and things have been 'appening down there;  parking spaces and double yellows have been been painted;   it looks very smart... so I moored the bike up in one of the spaces.   Actually getting in and out of modern cars could be tricky;  the spaces look 'skinny'.   Bikes nae problem! 18.30    I didn’t go out on the bike, even though it has been a good biking day:  instead I went up to the Colinsburgh Lite Bite Lunch in the car.   For some reason this has been a bad asthma day... probably high pollen count... so not really a good day for me being in the fresh air.   It was fine first thing in the morning but it all went downhill after ‘morrrrrrrrrrrrning coffee’ time. It was good catching up with everyone at th