Alberto's Hutte

31st August 2022 (Wednesday)      06.45 .... On the last day of August we have a bright morning with a light, cool, easterly breeze: in fact we have the start of a bonnie day, with more sunny spells than we had yesterday.   Oh dear... we should have a warm afternoon, and I’m feeling frolicsome again.... this could be a play day. 15.00     We have one tired ‘Boy’ at ivy just now;   after a busy and interesting morning.    I did a ‘dry goods’ shopping first;   then went to get Alice, have cuppa then go to the Letham Glen Activities Centre:   today was the first time it has been ‘open’ since the COVID pandemic began, and was only an introductory ‘Cafe and chat’ get thegither;   the plan is to have weekly meetings when you chat and have a cuppa while doing your ‘own thing’.    Hopefully the plans they have, come to fruition, because they would help a lot of people cope with what is going to be a difficult time ahead. 21.30    Happy happy ‘me’ .... ‘The Team’ (Myra, Kirsty, Geoff and me) a

30th August 2022 (Tuesday)     07.30 ....I got up at a more reasonable (06.30) to find the sky overcast (as per weather forecast) with light Scotch Mist, I think it’s now called ‘mizzle’, having drifted in from the North Sea;   not weather for going out on the bike.    I’ll go for the paper later in the morning... by that time the Chemist will be open, (I’m feeling positive) the ‘mizzle’ back out at sea.... and maybe even a brighter sky heralding in the first signs of sunny spells;  at the moment all the Fife weather cams are grey. 10.30    Mmmmmm.... the ‘mizzle’ is proving to be thrawn;  it is not keen to move back to the North Sea:  I bought scones when I was up at Elie with the intention o’ biking up to Kinneuchar to visit Shona, but that might not happen until the afternoon if the dampness persists until the sunny spells arrive.   I’m still feeling positive! 16.30    I’m wondering if I should bike up to Kinneuchar now.... or leave going to Kinneuchar until Friday.   This would me

29th August 2022 (Monday)      09.00 .... Well....... I missed the early part of the morning;   I read my book (in bed) until 22.30 and didn’t wake up until 07.20 (nearly 9 hours later)..... long past my normal time of 05.30.    My work activities of the past couple of days must have caught up with me. Anyway, this morning  has a promising look  to it;   the forecast is for us to have thick cloud with a gentle breeze,.... but, at the moment, the cloud  is showing signs that indicate sunny spells later.... but the gentle breeze is off the North Sea.... so things could change.    I’m going to make another cuppa, feed Blob and have a look  'ower the gate’. 11.00    Sleepin’ in totally upsets my routine the whole day;   that said, I probably needed the rest.   However, I’ve been out on the bike, but only as far as ‘Nana’s Seat’ then up to Chapel Green.     ‘Pole Star’, the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) buoy servicing vessel, provided an interest change of scene in the bay this morni

28th August 2022 (Sunday)    08.15 .... Today is going to be a ‘rest day’.   It’s not a great drying day, and I feel lazy ... er ... in a restful mood.   I’ve been for the paper (in the car) and had a quick trip to the harbour and a walk on the beach.   It’s a quiet morning, with a layer of low cloud drifting in from the North Sea on a light NE breeze;  I’m hoping for  sunny spells later....there’s blue sky showing on the Lochgelly weather cam.  I'm hungry... it’s breakfast time. 22.00     I’ve enjoyed a good rest day.... and tomorrow will be another one; Iain isn’t coming down until the 10th September.   That means I have another week to sort out the single bed.... loads o’ time;   and it means I can have a couple of ‘play days’.... or more.   We ended up with a beautiful, bright sunny and warm, afternoon and evening;   a really bonnie day for   holiday makers on a Bank holiday weekend.    I went to Methil to have tea with Alice, Theresa (Alice and George’s daughter) and Sandy

27th August 2022 (Saturday)      06.30 .... It’s overcast with a light breeze from the NE... a reasonable drying day.... with a horde of sunny spells later.    I’m having another cuppa before having a ‘roond the villages’ tour;   I’ve almost forgotten the way to the ‘arbour.   11.30    We have near enough wall to wall sunshine just now.... it’s a really nice day for work and play.    I went out on the bike at 07.30 and meandered round the villages, collected the paper and visited the harbour.    Everything is where it should be ... and the villages are looking lovely.    I was talking to a jogger from London (he hadn’t jogged from London!) who was enjoying the scenery and fresh air... a change from the hustle and bustle of the city.   And yet, he likes the hustle and bustle of London, whereas I tend to get overwhelmed with it.    I like the buildings and history of cities but only for one day at a time;   having said that, Maggie and I lived and worked in the City of Edinburgh for thr

26th August 2022 (Friday)    07.00 ..... I must have been tired last night;  it’s not often that I have an unbroken night’s sleep but I did last night..... and it has me feeling ‘adventurous’.... but also apprehensive re the energy price rise.    The weather is slightly disappointing at present;  we have a few spits and spot o’ light rain, and the sky is heavily overcast.   The spits and spots o' rain may fade away (it's meant brighten up by midday);  I need a good drying day ‘cos I have a washing in the machine   Going out on the bike will now happen later;  when the sunny spells arrive! 08.30   The 80% rise in the cost of energy, from £1971 to £3549, is easy to understand;  at the moment my central heating is set at ‘20’.... so, set at ‘4’ my gas bill would be the same as it is now.  Yep ... it’s going to be a cauld winter. 22.00   The ‘Boy’ (that’s me) has been busy.   Wellll.....let’s say nearly busy.   The sheets I had on the line, dried quickly; and were on the ironing t

25th August 2022 (Thursday)     06.45 .... Uckfield, where Michael and Janice live in Sussex, had a big thunderstorm this morning, but it has moved Northeast to the London area by now:  meanwhile, we have a lovely, quiet  morning, the precursor to what is forecast to be a bonnie day.   Actually there’s a touch of Autumn in the early morning air... my favourite kind of morning.   Janice and Michael are ‘up and runnin’;  the plan is to set off in plenty of time for Kirkcaldy.   I think I’ll have another cuppa before breakfast. 12.00     Michael and Janice will be about Newcastle by now, having been safely despatched from Kirkcaldy at 09.47.     As planned we left Ivy Cottage early and arrived at Kirkcaldy with 25 minutes to spare;    I had the camera so got a few photos of ‘The Troops’ departing.... and a couple of trains.     Ivy Cottage is empty.... and awfie quiet. 16.30    The journey to and from Leven is a dawdle; it’s a longer dawdle on the way home right enough, but fairly intere

24th August 2022 (Wednesday)       07.30 .... ‘Bleak’ -   is not a word I am fond Mmmmm... not a good hair day. of, but   it’s the word that best describes the weather this morning ....”unpleasantly wet” would be an apt description.    Having said that,   the rain is going to clear away to give us sunny spells in the afternoon.... and a lovely evening.    It could be a ‘romantic’ walk on the beach kind of evening:    At the moment it’s a braw mornin’ for dreamin. 10.30    Although still raining, it’s only light drizzle now; whereas earlier, Ferry Road looked like a river.   The rain is much needed.... but not by farmers bring in the harvest.  I have done some ‘ousework but it’s not a morning for that .... I’m looking forward to Alice and Izzy arriving;  we should manage a quick cuppa before going to the 19th for lunch.   The sky is beginning to look slightly more promising.... we will have sunny spells after lunch. 20.00    The weather eventually settled down and we ended the day with

23rd August 2022 (Tuesday)     “Happy Birthday to Janice”... who is 21 again today. xx     07.30    It’s balmy, slightly humid kind o’ mornin’, with the chance of light, early morning, drizzle ;   could be a bonnie day later.    I’m feeling frisky and in the mood to go out on the bike, but will have to wait until the slight dampness passes.     In the meantime .... I need a cuppa. 23.30    We’ve been playing cards;   something I haven’t done for yonks.    Janice found a load o’ cards in a bag and we managed to build one pack out of the heap, having converted Hearts into Diamonds etc.    I must remember to buy a pack of cards.    I didn’t win.     I think we were playing a game called ‘Rummy’. The day turned out nice... and it was warm;   too warm for me in the afternoon.    The ‘Troops’ went to St Andrews where Michael bought a ‘birthday’ cake for Janice so we had a quiet celebration of Janice’s 21st (again).    We even had a glass of fizz.    I enjoyed Janice’s birthday. I mus

22nd August 2022 (Monday)    07.30 .... the day has started quietly with a light breeze off the North Sea;   this has brought in a bank of cloud so we are waiting for the sun do burn the cloud back to give us sunny spells.... though it might be mid morning before that happens.   Unfortunately the weather forecast is for us to have light rain with a gentle breeze in the afternoon.    13.45      Michael and Janice decided to go to Cupar to browse the shops, so I tagged along.    On the way up we ran into steady, but light, rain and so it was in Cupar:   not heavy enough to get soaked but annoying when trying to take a few photos.    Janice didn’t find anything to buy in the shops, in fact she wasn’t that impressed with Cupar.    Right enough Cupar on a wet day ain’t pretty.   The only shops that we   bought stuff in were Fisher and Donaldson’s;   we hoped to sit in and have a cuppa but Staff shortages meant the Cafe bit was closed.    This was the ‘in town shop’ not the ‘Factory’;   we

21st August 2022 (Sunday)     10.00 .... There’s a braw autumnal feel to the air The new 'Four Winds'. this morning;  it’s a ‘play day’.   I’ve been out on the bike but had to cut short an enjoyable potter about because the battery was low.   It’s now being charged so I might go out again later in the afternoon.   It depends on what the ‘troops’ are doing:  Janice is walking 20,000 steps per day.... Michael .... er ... enjoys the exercise!   18.30    ‘The Troops’ decided to visit Kellie Castle this morning so grabbed a camera and I tagged along.     Janice and Michael were going to do the guided tour of the Castle, but I chose to potter around the garden and grounds, ‘cos ... when Alice and I were up there a couple of months ago the Castle was ‘closed’, (but the gardens were open), so we have yet to do the tour.    I enjoyed a quiet walk round the garden, on what was a lovely warm, verging on hot, day.   We finished the tour with a cuppa and scone.   Robbie's daughter was

20th August 2022 (Saturday)    08.30 .... although we have had some rain the forecast is for us to have a mostly breezy and bright day;  in fact I am contemplating doing a washing.   I’ll wait until I see the sky clearing on the Lochgelly weather cam.   Right now ...it’s breakfast time;  and the Lochgelly cam is grey. 20.30    The sky broke up by late morning and we had a bonnie day to play with.    I did a washing and had it out by midday.    But I haven’t been very far today as my breathing has been iffy; however I did manage to do some ‘ousework, and some research on the computer.    Michael and Janice went to Kirkcaldy as planned and did some shopping.    One of the items they brought back was an extending arm, with tools, for cleaning the high panes of the windows.    That will save me climbing the step ladders. I would have had a go at cleaning the windows this afternoon but fell asleep in The Hutte:   I have been awfie tired for the past few days.    I haven’t even been out o

19th August 2022 (Friday)      09.00 .... It’s a bright and breezy morning;   and it’s a frisky breeze so there’s wind chill..... a nice morning for doing things. The A915 is closed in Lundin Links Hotel due to a major fire at the derelict Lundin Links Hotel last night.... a diversion as been set up, so we should get to the ‘Crusoe’ for lunch.      The diversion, for the X60 and 95 bus that’s been put in place, is via New Gilston and Largoward;   I don’t know if we can get to the Crusoe.     I imagine cars etc should be able to get to the Crusoe Hotel etc;    I’m waiting for a phone call to let us know if we can.    I’m hungry. 21.30    We were able to get to The Crusoe for lunch, but I couldn’t go for Alice as the bridge was ‘Closed’ to traffic when we got there.    Eventually we saw cars and small vans using it so one of the roads connected to the A915 had been ‘opened’ but it was too late to go for Alice as we were being served by that time.   We enjoyed lunch but I couldn’t help

18th August 2022 (Thursday)     07.30 ....It was on this date thirteen years ago Austria - 1997. Maggie died;  it seems like yesterday.    Thanks to the support from family and friends I adjusted to a new life without my best friend, and now enjoy living again, in a friendly community:  I feel that I belong.    It’s a good feeling.   We will take a wander up to The Boss’s seat at Chapel Green sometime today.  13.00    Welll... when I go to do my usual shopping it’s a case of going in, picking up the things I normally buy, then head for the checkout.   Today we bought different things ....things that I’d forgotten about....so we will have some different ‘menus’ over the next few days;  and I’m looking forward to the different tastes.      Tomorrow we are going to The Crusoe for lunch;   this will be my treat to the ‘Troops’.   We were at The Crusoe last summer and liked it;   the only thing is the distance from the upper car park...but the forecast is good for tomorrow so   the walk,

17th August 2022 (Wednesday)    08.30 .... With there being a brisk breeze from the NNE, there’s a feel of autumn in the air this morning;  the sun has yet to break through the layer of early morning cloud, but once it does we should have a nice day.   I’m expecting a ‘good drying day’. Seb and Vicky are going back home to Sunny Sussex this morning after a few ‘taster’ days in ‘Bonnie Scotland’.  This being their first time in Scotland, Michael and Janice have been showing them around; Dunfermline, Edinburgh, St Andrews, the East Neuk and.... most importantly....Elie and The Royal Burgh of Earlsferry.    11.00    Vicky and Seb set off for ‘Sunny Sussex’, a wee while ago;   they should arrive home, in Uckfield, in the early evening.... it depends on how busy the M25 is.     Meanwhile we have a washing on the line on what is a good drying day!    There’s a cool breeze but it’s a bonnie day. Janice on her way to Shell Bay. 17.45    Janice and Michael did Kincraig cliffs today;  Michael