Alberto's Hutte

30th June 2022 (Thursday)    07.30 ....Mmmmm;  we have a dreich start to what I hope is going to be a bonnie day in a wee while.  The sky is showing some promising signs.... but I don't think the bike will be coming out until late afternoon/evening time.   09.30    I managed a slow wander to the beach on what is now a bonnie morning.    There’s still the threat of showers;   hopefully somewhere else: but not Upper Largo! 20.00    A string o’ days like today and we could have a decent summer;  a bit too warm for me, especially in the car.   That said I’m rarely out in the car in the middle o’ the day... but I had the funeral service at Upper Largo.   There was a good turnout for Bill’s funeral service;  most of whom went to the Hotel for refreshments and a chat afterward.   We managed to get parked in the Hotel Car Park then walk to the kirk and back... albeit slowly.   My breathing has been 'good' today. Largo kirk. The car had its photo taken today.   I think the traffi

29th June 2022 (Wednesday)   07.45 ....My word.... it’s bleak and wet just now.... but the sky is brightening towards the West so we should end up with ‘light showers with a moderate breeze’.... the bits in between the showers being sunny spells;  long ones!    I don’t think the bike will be going far today;  I’m feeling frisky, and fancied a tour of the villages.   ‘Tour’?.... The ‘Tour de France starts (in Denmark) on Friday, with Stage 1 being a time trial around Copenhagen. 16.00     This turned into another ‘rest day’;   the garden was too wet to do anything.    All I have done is had a short play with the ‘oover, and carry cuppas up to The Hutte where I did a few Sudoku’s.   The showers have been few but they have been wet.    I’ll have a run out in the evening... probably in the car. 22.30    The tide was out when I went to the harbour so I was able to wander around the boats;  this was an hour before sunset.   Unfortunately I only had the wee camera (Olympus) with me... and it

28th June 2022 (Tuesday)   08.00 ....The sky is overcast, the roads are wet and the forecast says “a high chance of precipitation”; it’s raining.   Actually it was fair when I went to the door a few minutes ago so the rain should move away by mid morning.   The garden is wet so I won’t be doing much there this morrrrrrrning;  hopefully it will dry quickly, and the showers have long sunny spells between them. 10.30    Because of the rain I went to ‘The Store’ to do a shopping.... anticipating hoping for a dry, and sunny, afternoon.   The Store wasn’t busy but the roads were;  even the back road via Kellie was busy.   Then again it is the ‘oliday season and I have the feeling that the East Neuk is going to be busy this summer. I inadvertently picked up a small ‘goodie’ from the Bakery shelf so I am orf to make the ‘MC’ (morning coffee) and enjoy a ‘Yum Yum’.   It’s only a skinny doughnut....  covered with icing... so there won’t be many calories in it:  but it will be full of “energy

27th June 2022 (Monday)      07.30 .... Ye Gods .... I must have been tired last night:   I fell asleep at 22.30 and didn’t wake up until 06.30..... eight hours o’ unbroken sleep.... it’s a long time since I had that.   I enjoyed Balcarres gardens with Alice yesterday... even the rain didn’t spoil it;  though we could have done the Woodland walk if the weather had been kinder.   I slept the sleep of a happy and contented boy.  We have ‘bright and breezy’ start to the day, with the chance of showers in the afternoon;   much the same as yesterday.    This will be a pottering around the garden sorting out the romantic corner day.... plus a few rest periods in The Hutte.     It’s time for breakfast. 10.45    I have been vertical for the past few hours but I only actually woke up half an hour ago:   I must have been really tired last night.    I finished a Sudoku and fed ‘Blob’.... his wife will be laying, and should appear later.    The young ‘Blob’ (the one that perched on my ‘pointing

26th June 2022 (Sunday)     07.45 .... It looks like being a lovely day;  we have Balcarres Gardens 'Open' day. a ‘bright and sunny start to it, with a brisk breeze from the ESE.... so it shouldn’t be too hot.   However, showers are forecast for the afternoon, but, being hit or miss things they, with a bit o’ luck, might miss us. 20.30    Unfortunately the above mentioned showers didn’t miss us, but not before Alice and I had enjoyed a walk round most of the Balcarres House gardens.... along with loads of other visitors.   We decided to make for the tea room, but so had everyone else so we louped intae the car and made our way to Alice’s and had our cuppa there.   Alice lives in Methil: her husband George, a former workmate and friend, died a few months ago.   We had a pleasant (if slightly damp) afternoon.... but it was very enjoyable. Alice admiring the roses. The gardens were looking really good;   it’s always a nostalgic visit for me having served my apprenticeship (as a

25th June 2022 (Saturday)     07.30....It looks like it’s going to be a good day for beach and water activities;  ‘bright sunny and warm’ with a brisk breeze from the southerly direction.    I won’t go to the beach, but I will charge the bike battery  so that I can go out in the evening.   It’s time to go for the paper and check the ‘arbour... in the car.  19.00       That, short sharp heavy shower   (accompanied by a couple of rumbles o’ thunder) certainly cleared the air, watered the garden.... and got rid of my thundery headache.    That last rumble was a strike near Balchrystie. This has been a day of surprises;   I came in from The Hutte to find a message on the answering machine: it was from my cousin Helen.    She and Wullie, (who had been at the Highland Show)   were busy circumnavigating the villages looking for Ivy Cottage.     The next time Helen rang I was able to answer the phone and guid them to their target... where we had a cuppa and caught up with all the Alford new

24th June 2022 (Friday)    11.00 .... We have a brilliant start to the day;  sunny and warm with only a light breeze .... and I have been enjoying it.  I’ll have a siesta during the hot part of the day.... and be active in the evening time. I’ve been for the paper, checked the harbour.... then woke up all the folk moored up at Woodhaven:   I had a bag o’ glass jars that had to be dumped.    That was before breakfast.     After breakfast I handed in a prescription, and fuelled up the car;   now I am ready for ‘morrrrrrrrning coffee’   and a potter round the garden. 16.30     It has been a beautiful day... and warm;   too warm for me but I know how to cope with the heat and ‘mauchless’.....lie down on top of the bed for an hour or so.    There are thunder storms, moving North, just South of Newcastle;   I hope they peter out before they get this far.    Having said that;  t he nearest lightning strike (so far) was in the Lammermuirs a few minutes ago....definitely North of Newcastle.

23rd June 2022 (Thursday)      06.00 ....Last night I switched the computer off at 21.15 ....switched the kettle ‘on’, and went out to the front gate where I took a deep breath;   and it went straight to lungs;   the first time it’s done that for a couple of months.     I thought “Alber my boy ... I reckon you could have a walk to the beach”.    And that is what I did, though I didn’t go down onto the beach, but walked along the bents as far as the latest demolition site;    Miss Errington’s house.      We have a bright and breezy start to the day.... and it’s cool but that’s to be expected at this time of morning.    There’s a lot of cloud coming over from the WNW but showers aren’t mentioned in the forecast so we should have a bonnie day. 10.00     The papers have been uplifted;   and   followed by a trip to the West Braes, Pittenweem to see the Shelter Project that Wilma told me about yesterday.     Wilma also let us see photos that she’d taken of the shelter.... and they had m

22nd June 2022 (Wednesday)     07.00.... Hmmmmm; it’s ‘wall to wall’ cloud just now;   however that should start to break up soon to give us a bright, breezy (F3-4) and warm day.     I’ll get the bike out after this update and do a circuit of the villages to flatten the battery;   I’ll then charge the battery for a longer run this afternoon...or tomorrow.    It actually looks like we could get a shower o’ rain, though there’s no mention of precipitation in the weather forecast.     I think I'll leave the biking until the weather settles down.... and have another cuppa. 21.00     The sky cleared and we never had any showers.... in fact it’s been a bonnie, breezy day.... a wee bit too warm for me in the afternoon.  I didn’t go out on the bike, but checked the car tyres, topped up the 'squirters' and washed the windscreen etc.    I’ll take it through the car wash sometime soon.   When I was doing this I saw Pat and she reminded me that it was the Colinsburgh ‘Lite Bite’ Lunch

21st June 2022 (Tuesday)   08.00 .... Today is the Summer Solstice:  the longest day of the year (between the two shortest nights presumably).   Strangely enough it’s now that we usually begin to get the summer weather.... when the nights start drawing in.    I hope that’s the case this year ‘cos I ain’t looking forward to winter. There was no point in getting ‘up’ at 04.00 this morning;   it was raining.    Sunrise was at 04.23.    The rain has stopped so we might have a few sunny spells later, but everything is wet in the garden so no gardening;  for the first part of the day anyway.    I see that the pollen count is ‘H’ for today;   I’d have thought it would be lower because of the dampness.   It's 'second cuppa' of the day time. 10.40    With the garden being wet I went to ‘The Store’ and did a shopping.... things are noticeably more expensive.  To try to counteract the rise in prices I bought Tetley tea bags, instead of Yorkshire, and continued along that line;  i.e

20th June 2022 (Monday)     05.45 ....  We have a ‘wall to wall’ blue sky, and Eider duck creche.... 6 ducklings with guardians. there’s only a light breeze  so I am going to get the bike out.... after an early breakfast;  and another cuppa.   It’s going to be warm later... in fact it is going to be a sun cream day.    12.00    It is a sun cream day.... though for a while, in the middle of the morning, a layer of fairly heavy cloud drifted over and the temperature dropped.   Anyway it’s braw noo.   I biked to the harbours first thing (06.30); it was so calm and peaceful that I went back again in the car with a mug o’ tea and got another batch o’ photographs.    This is a good sign as it’s the kind of thing I did before I caught a virus.    Mind you I’ll probably need have to have a kip in the afternoon;   that said I’ve had a cat nap in The Hutte;     and, more excitingly ....my breathing has been good.    I’m having sausages and mash for lunch today:   the tautties and vegetable

19th June 2022 (Sunday)   07.00.... it’s breezy, and cool, this morning.... a bonnie morning with an interesting sky: “sunny intervals with a moderate breeze and a high pollen count” is the forecast.   I’m feeling ‘almost bright eyed and bushy tailed’.... and looking forward to a long spell of decent summer weather.   Another cuppa is called for methinks. 09.00   I began my day by going for the paper(in the car) and visiting the harbour:  it wasn’t that cold at the harbour though the temperature is low for this time of year.    I am beginning to feel better, in fact I’m feeling fairly frolicsome,  so I must be shaking orf the head cold ....at long last.   I’ll put the kettle ‘on’ and have a slice o’ toast.... with Queen Catherine’s honey. 22.15   I’ve been busy in the Hutte and the garden; and staying warm in the shelter of Ivy garden... on what has been a cool day.   I had intended taking Alice to Dysart but decided it would be too cold for me there (I don’t want another heid cauld);

18th June 2022 (Saturday)       06.30 ....We have a ‘bright and breezy start’ to the day;   and the weather is much the same... though cool.     This is going to be a ‘lazy day’:   I’ll finish the table, potter around the garden and Hutte, and generally relax.    Oh this is good news;    a jar of “Queen Catherine’s” Somerset honey arrived by post, and Irene brought round some pieces of a goodie that she made.   I start my morning with a teaspoonful of Somerset honey from Emily and John’s hives and a piece of Irene’s delicacy. The goodie (I think) is called “15’s”.... ‘cos there’s fifteen ingredients in the mixtures.    Mwahh xx.... what a lovely way to start a day: In fact I’m thinking of getting the bike out after breakfast... and once the air warms up a bit. 09.45    Hmmmm .... it’s windier (F5-6 on the water), and therefore cooler, than I thought it was going to be so the bike will, like me, be staying around Ivy;  if the wind moderates later in the afternoon I may go out.   In the

17th June 2022 (Friday )    06.30 .... a light shower bumbled it’s way over just now so I changed my mind about going out on the bike;  the light rain is forecast to move away  over the morning, and we’re to have sunny spells with a fresh breeze.   Although damp at present its warm.... slightly muggy in fact.   I’m going to have an early breakfast, before loupin’ intae the car to go for the paper. 08.30     I got caught with some big spits o’ rain at the harbour, but only for a few minutes.... I was in the car, and got out after the shower passed.    The wind has freshened since I got ‘up’ but it’s not cold.    I came home by way of Kinneuchar but didn’t stop:   and,  I might bike up to Kinneuchar in the afternoon. I think I might be able to catch up with the ‘ouse work today;   ‘ousework has been neglected since I began preparing and painting the table.    11.00    I don’t know whether to watch cycling (The Tour of Slovenia) or wash the lobby, bathroom and kitchen flairs.  Plan : I