Alberto's Hutte

30th September 2016 (Friday) .... 12.00    and we have had a nice, ‘long sunny spells with shower clouds now and again.. it’s a braw drying day! .... and I Balcarres pond. do have a  washing on the line.    Ah ... the reason for being so late with the Hutte? .... I went up to the Deil’s Lodge (Balcarres) and had a walk down to the sawmill, and round the pond ... the pond has been empty for most of the summer but is full of water just now.     This was a nice relaxing walk ... out of the wind;   in fact it was hot in the sun. Jimmy has just left Ivy, after his morning cuppa ... he’s at a loose end, and was thinking of going along to see what’s happening at St Monans harbour. 18.00    My laptop has decided to ‘update’ and it’s a big update,... taking several hours.    This is the second attempt at this update .... I, inadvertently, switched it off the first time.   This attempt at updating began when I switched it (the laptop) ‘on’ late this afternoon, so it will just have to

29th September 2016 (Thursday) ....   08.30 ....It’s a bonnie morrrrrrning... but windy, and especially so on the beach.       I felt quite lonely down Windblown sand on Elie beach. there .... only myself, and a few birds waiting to see the sunrise:   which we didn’t see until twenty minutes after the actual  time;  when the sun appeared over a bank of low cloud.     It’s not that cold ‘out’ but the wind is annoying when trying to stand still with a camera:  I eventually found shelter in the lee of the Cockstail rocks.     From there I watched the wind shifting sand along to the  Breakwater, and all points East.... and took a few photographs.   Elie Harbour at high tide today   20.30     Jimmy and I went to Leven where I uplifted the  tyre compressor that I’d ordered at Argos;   from there we went over the road to Sainsbury’s, for a cuppa;   and to do a wee ‘shopping’ when we were there.     On the way to Leven  we drove through a heavy shower, of which there have been a few

28th September 2016 (Wednesday) .... 09.00    We have a ‘bright and windy’ morning here;   the clouds,  that are bumbling their way over from the WNW, Elie Bay look heavy enough to give us showers;   but, as I have a washing on the line, showers I do not want. The sunrise this morning was more of a golden colour than red, an indication of stormy weather ahead ....  which is the weather forecast for later today.    I’m hoping my washing will be dry, and still on the line, by then. 21.00     We’ve had a good mix of weather today, bright, then rain, that  followed by Scotch Mist after the wind dropped;  then the wind began to increase again bringing with it,....  squally showers.   I had intended going down to the beach to catch the sunset sky, but a heavy shower came over us at the crucial time....  I made a cuppa Earlsferry beach instead.    We are in for a wild night here;  it’s a case of, ‘batten the hatches’ and orf to bed to read my book.   It’s little consolation kn

27th September 2016 (Tuesday) .... 10.00    We have a “dull, and  breezy, with occasional showers” morning ... but it should clear up later;   it’s not West end of 'The Ferry' beach cold.    I know all this because I’ve been out for a walk, during which I had to put the camera into the bag a couple of times when showers came over, ... the showers are not heavy, but they are annoying. The news is full of the Clinton/Trump debate.   Choosing the President of the USA is one of the most important decisions to be made on our Planet, but surely there has to be better contenders for the position than either of them.    It was like watching a second rate advert for something I wouldn’t want to buy.    I became ‘bored’ and went back to bed after half an hour. When I was out wandering along the beach I got to thinking that .... even on a dour morning, where we live is still ‘stunning’.   The sky was subtle grey's, changing all the time;   this made for a moody grey Firth (o

26th September 2016 (Monday) ... 09.00    This is the kind of morning for working in the garden .... its ‘sunny, bright and breezy’... but, after I have nipped a Sunrise over Elie few more twigs orf the Buddleia bush (hereafter ‘BB’) I’ll find something  tricky to do;  like going out on the bike.    Sunrise time was a good time to be down on the beach .... it was beautiful.    One lady, out walking her five month Spaniel ( actually she .. the pup, not the lady..... looked like it had been ‘knitted’),  had her coffee in one of those ‘keep warm’ mugs.... now that is thinking.    Mind you I’d need three arms to be able to do that.    I’m hungry now .... need to eat something, I haven’t had breakfast yet:  no wonder poor, underfed, “Puku” is grumbling!   “Puku” underfed? ... ..... I don’t think so. 21.30     There are a few butterflies around still ... I’ve seen a Red Admiral, a Peacock,  and a Painted Lady....  feeding on the last three flower heads on the ‘BB’ today;   I was

25th September 2016 (Sunday) .....09.30     it’s grey and breezy this morning, with the threat of rain not far away by the look of it:   the forecast is for the weather it to turn, ‘breezy with sunny spells’ later.    I’ve been out on the bike:   I had to go up to Elie ‘cos I needed milk for my “Cornflakes”... which are in fact, not ‘Cornflakes’, but two Shower cloud over Kincraig ‘Shredded Wheat’s” ....  and for Sunday reading I  bought the ‘Sunday Post’.      I’m feeling animated this morning;   unfortunately the weather is not conducive to my being animated....  at least not right now, as there are spits and spots of rain in the wind.    I’ll eat something instead. 21.30    Our weather has been mostly ‘bright, sunny and windy’, with some heavy showers later in the afternoon.... a nice enough day for ‘ playi  ..... worki ... no that’s worse ... it has been a nice day for admiring the environs of Elie and Earlsferry.    Unfortunately I had a migraine just after breakfast, w

24th September 2016 (Saturday) .... 09.30     The weather is not spectacularly ‘bright and sunny’ this morning;   it’s of the “cloudy (but not raining), Earlsferry beach this morning with a warm southerly wind”, kind ..... not bonnie but nice enough to be out in.   I have ‘no plan(s)’ for today, though I will go out for a walk at some point in the morning;    ending up at the ‘Boss’s Seat’ for ‘morning coffee .... maybe.    I believe a cuppa is called for, before I blunder into any kind of madcap ‘action’:  not that I’m capable of much in the way of ‘madcap’ nowadays.... it’s mostly, just straightforward ‘blundering’.     21.00     Had I known how ‘warm’ it was going to be on the beach I’d have worn a heavier jacket .... because it was cool in the strong SSW wind:   so much for the weather being ‘warm’.    That said, I did have an enjoyable walk along the beach and up to Chapel Green... under what was an interesting sky.   The beach was busy, with folk through for the weekend..

23rd September 2016 (Friday) .... 08.30     Mmmmm ... we have a ‘frisky’ breeze this morning, so the air feels cool ... no ... the air is cool .... however it is also, ‘bright, and sunny’ making this a nice morning for working in the garden.  Linda, me and John    What? .... working in the garden?    Yes .... I suppose it is a good morning for doing stuff in the garden:   I’d dismantle the Buddleia bush.  But it there are a few flower heads on it ... therefore it’s still a source of ‘food’ for butterflies, and other insects.    That’s the gardening sorted, now I can get the bike out.        22.30     You will probably find this hard to believe;   I did some gardening today!    And.... I had the earth under my finger nails to prove it:   this made me feel like a real ‘worker’.   What did I do? .... I planted some snowdrop bulbs at the Boss’s Seat!    Okay ... it only took about five minutes, but, to a gardener of my calibre that’s a huge achievement.    I’ll probably be digging

22nd September 2016 (Thursday) .... the Autumnal Equinox, and the first day of Autumn, when day and night are of equal length;   from now the night’s get longer until the Winter Solstice on Wednesday the 21st December.... then we look Elie this morning forward to Spring.    Forget winter ... it’s too cauld and wet usually. 09.00   It was raining when I first looked out this morning, but the rain has moved on, leaving us with blue patches, intermingled with grey, in the sky now;   a nice day ahead.    I won’t be able to do much in the garden this morning today, because everything is wet;   this means I’ll be able to take ‘time’ out’... lucky boy. 21.30     It has been a ‘nice’ day,... in all ways.    This morning I did a wee bit of ‘work’ stuff .... I felt a ‘weakness’ developing after about five minutes ‘hard work’ (looks impressive ... the words ‘hard’ and ‘work’ together ... here they are again;  “hard work”) so I thought “Albert my boy .... you’d better get the bike out

21st September 2016 (Wednesday) ..... 08.30    My word .... it’s chilly this morning, with the temperature down to 4c in Ivy garden.   However, although cool,  the sun is well above a cloud bank that prevented me seeing the sun come up earlier:   now we have a ‘bright and sunny morning’, and it should be warm once the sun is Sunrise time over Elie higher in the sky.    My hands are still cold after biking along to the ‘Paper Shop’ ....  time to get the gloves out, now that autumn is here.    Officially Autumn begins with the Autumnal Equinox, which is tomorrow. 22.00    No wonder it was cold, and dark, this morning when I got out of bed .... it was 05.30;   not 06.30 as I thought it to be.    I filled in the time (sunrise wasn’t until 06.56) by doing some ‘housework things’,  then went down to the beach... where I didn’t see the sunrise.    That said... at least the sky brightened, and I could see where the sun was behind the clouds. Later in the morning, I made up my flask

20th September 2016 (Tuesday) .... 09.00    Although it is cloudier this morning we have the start of a nice day;   there’s very little wind, and the sun should Elie this morning burn off some of the clouds later;   it’s probably a morning for working n the garden!    The beach was gorgeous this morning, at sunrise ... and will be all day, because,  we have an outgoing tide, giving us a ‘big’ beach, and rocks to potter about among.    Yes .... it’s a good day for the garden.    I’ll nip some twigs orf the Buddleia bush;  to salve my conscience.  21.30    The garden is looking good ....wellll ...  slightly better than it was yesterday,....  the Buddleia bush being minus five twigs.    It has been too good a day to miss the reflection photos that were there for the taking;   so I went out, and ‘took’.    Andrew, Dave, Douglas and Harry were out golfing so I used them as ‘models’, to get some ‘life’ on the golf course photos..... mostly with Kincraig and West Bay in the background

19th September 2016 (Monday) ... 10.00     This is the kind of morning I like.... bright and sunny with ‘autumn’ in the air .... the kind of morning that gives me Early morning at Elie the urge to  get into the garden to clobber a few weeds.    I haven’t done that yet ... clobbered weeds in the garden.... but I have been along to the Paper Shop, and down to the harbour.    Not only does the air feel good there’s a braw ‘light’ about... so, I’ve enjoyed myself.    Now? .... I suppose I’d better have a look at the garden! 21.30     I was a bundle of energetic boy genes this morning;   I stripped my bed, a week early.   I usually do it every two weeks but I got mixed up, anyway the weather forecast was good for washing sheets today ... and I was in the mood for bed making.   The bedding has been washed, and it’s all nearly dry;  dry enough for ironing... apart HNLMS Snellius - Dutch Hydrographic survey vessel from one sheet, which I’ll hang out first thing tomorrow.. Progre

18th September 2016 (Sunday) .... 09.30     It’s cloudier, and windier, this morning... so I’ll take the car up to the Harvest lunch at Colinsburgh.    The Part of Colinsburgh Town Hall today. original intention was to bike up, there may be showers later;   I’ll leave any ‘exercise’ until afternoon/ evening time.    In the meantime I should be making an effort to smarten myself up..... after I have a cuppa.    ‘Flap on’! 21.30     I made the effort ... to smarten up i.e. ... but, at the end of it all, I looked just the same:  I think I’m one of those blokes that needs someone to tidy them up before going any place.    Anyway I made it up to Colinsburgh in time, and was pleasantly surprised when Eleanor told me that we were having coffee/tea before the Service.    That wasn’t the only surprise:   Colinsburgh Town Hall was set up, with tables and chairs, which we sat at through the service, with your tea/ coffee, and biscuit there to sip at whenever.     This set up made for a ‘h