Alberto's Hutte

31st December 2018 (Monday) .... 09.00     It’s cloudier and windier this Busy beach. morning and, yet again, warm for the time of year .... but the wind is taking a few degrees off the temperature.    At least it’s dry. I haven’t been out for a walk yet;   the main reason for that being that sunrise will be hidden by the cloud layer.... and the wind is frisky.     I might wander up to Elie for morning coffee at 10.00. 09.10      Jings ....it isn’t as overcast as I thought it was;   I cleaned my specs! 21.00    It has been windy all day ... therefore colder.     I walked to Elie for morning coffee in Harbour House, and to buy a paper.    As long as I have frequent stops I can travel reasonable distances, albeit painfully.    There are people who can’t walk at all so Moody sky. I consider myself lucky to be as mobile as I am.   Anyway let’s forget aboot the sair knee:   it was good to meet up with ‘the troops’ again after the Christmas break.     We all enjoyed time

30th December 2018 (Sunday) .... 10.00     I had a change of direction Mmmmm... this photo needs someone sitting on the seat! for my walk this morning. Up to, and round, the Chapel Green, then home by way of the beach .... a total distance of 2.63 kilometres (1.63 miles);    with a lot of short stops to rest the knee.    It’s a nice enough morning for a walk;   breezy with a lot of cloud.... but it’s not a cold wind, although it does take a few degrees off what would be an unseasonably warm day for this time of year. 19.00    It has been mostly cloudy today, but dry;   a good day for doing things.    I did the ironing, a wee bit of ‘ousework, and a big bit of pottering around on the computer; everything bar the stuff I’d ‘planned’ to do.   Earlsferry from the third tee area... half an hour before sunset. In the middle of the afternoon I went up to the Pony Field to catch the sun setting over Largo Bay, but it wasn’t the most exciting sunset.     However, 20 minutes afte

29th December 2018 (Saturday) ... 10.00     we have a ‘bright and breezy’ morning, but it doesn’t feel cold even with the wind chill.    That said I was well wrapped up when on the beach, and I was in the lee of the dunes most of the time.     Maybe it is cold! Clouds scuttling over Elie Bay. On the last evening of the holiday at Auchnagatt, Miles and Jackie, classical guitarists, treated us to a mini concert.      Jackie had me wandering along West Bay with the tune she gave us, and Miles played the best version of ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’   I’ve ever heard.    This has me wondering .... has anyone ever made a DVD, of Scottish tunes, played on the guitar?    It was a wonderful way to end my holiday.    Oh   I didn’t play the ‘Sheep game’ very well .... I began, in a blaze of glory... then picked a ‘black sheep’ card and lost the lot. Elie Bay just after sundown. 19.00     The weather has been kind today;   breezy and sunny mostly.     I did the ‘holiday’ washing, and wi

28th December 2018 (Friday) .... 21.00     I’m ‘in residence’ at Ivy after Sunset over Chapel Green, Earlsferry. a really enjoyable Christmas up at Auchnagatt.   Jackie and Catriona were travelling down to Bearsden (Glasgow) today so I got a lift down to Ivy with them.... where they could admire my whirlpool flushing loo;   and have a cuppa and sandwiches.!     We had a quiet journey, with a stop at Morrison’s in Dundee so that I could buy milk and bread, and sandwiches etc.     I decided that I’d make my own sandwiches when we got to Ivy, as Jackie had given me various homemade chutneys and jellies for Christmas and I fancied   a ‘ham, chutney and mustard’ sandwich.     Rather than make my sandwiches while the gilts were sitting lonely in Ivy living room, I just had a cuppa with them and would have the sandwiches after they set off on the second leg of their journey.     They were about five minutes into the second leg when I realised that I was Sunset time. going to have ha

27th December 2018 (Thursday) ... 18.00    We have had a cracker of a Crovie village. day in the Northeast... warm and sunny(8c), with nae wind.     Hazel and Miles, went off early to Braemar.     Jackie and I went up to Fraserburgh, then along the coast to Pennan and Gardenstown.     Fraserburgh is a large town with all the usual shops and stuff, but Jackie needed fuel for the car and the garages in Fraserburgh would be open. Pennan was the first old fishing village that we visited.    It is built on a ledge at the bottom of a steep cliff;   and the road into Pennan is therefore steep and bendy.     It is a picturesque village, but as with all villages at the bottom of north facing cliffs not “iggzactly” bathed in sunshine on a winter afternoon.    Originally a working fishing village, the fishermen’s houses have been saved;     they are now holiday homes.    It’s most recent claim to fame was as the village ‘Ferness’ in the film ‘Local Hero’.     There is a small harbour

26th December 2018 (Wednesday) .... Oh dear ... we have a heavily The Aberdeen by-pass. overcast morning, but I can see clearer sky towards the South... most likely over The ‘Royal Burgh’.    It is warmer, and   forecast   to brighten up by midday at Auchnagatt.   Nae ‘plans’ for today but we will be playing the ‘Sheep Game’ in the evening.... that can last for a couple   of hours. 12.30     Jackie and I have been to Ellon and had a short walk along   the riverside path.... but felt   really ‘raw’ cauld down there, much colder than at home in Auchnagatt.     You could see light mist over the river;   hence the cauldness.    Anyway .... we’re back home, where we do have a few big patches of blue River Ythan (at Ellon) . sky giving us the occasional sunny spell.      One of the main reasons for going to Ellon was me having to buy socks:  I only had the pair I'd travelled up with.    Tesco's didn't let me down;  they had suitably garish ones. 16.00    We’ve

25th December 2018 (Tuesday) .... 10.00    A “Merry Christmas” to Christmas morning from the computer room . everyone, from a frosty, and bonnie, Auchnagatt.    We had a bright sunrise;   since then the sun has climbed above a layer cloud, so we now have a grey, peaceful kind of morning, but it looks like the clouds will break up to give us sunny spells later.    I forgot to mention that we saw a Sea Eagle when we were approaching the Tay Bridge yesterday;   we have been looking at it on the film taken by the dash cam.    It looks distant on the camera but it would be only a hundred feet or so above the road when immediately above us. 12.30      We have a bonnie day now;   it’s cold, but as there’s hardly any wind there’s nae wind chill.    Emily,   on the phone from Sussex and was telling me that it’s 12c down there.     Hazel and Miles have gone to the Christmas Day service in Ellon.... and should be back in about 20 minutes.    Miles is from the USA .... Wisconsin .     I

24th December 2018 (Monday) .... 08.15    We have one of my favourite Cracker of a morning at the Centre of the Universe. kind of mornings;   a clear sky with a touch of frost.... a perfect morning for doing things.    I’m feeling almost ‘bright eyed and bushy tailed’, although still a bit light headed.     I’ll have a daunder to the beach to catch the sunrise (08.44), though it looks like that could be hidden by a bank of low cloud;   however I’d still enjoy the walk on the beach.     15.00    I’m now ensconced at Backhill of Inkhorn, Auchnagatt:  Iain arrived at Ivy about five minutes after I got home from the beach:    I, immediately, went into ‘major flap on’ mode .... and put the kettle on.    We had breakfast, I packed the last minute items, and we left Ivy about 10.00.    The journey up was quiet, apart from the Dundee roundabout, and we reached Strathcathro about 11.00 where we had a comfort stop. The new Aberdeen by-pass is brilliant .... welll it would be brillia

23rd December 2018 (Sunday) .... 09.30     Wellll .... I’m feeling brighter Peaceful Elie bay. because the cold has broken, but I’m coughing and spluttering:   so no travelling today.    It’s a quiet morning, and I have been to the beach to catch the sunrise ... unfortunately that event was obscured by low cloud.     Once the sun rises above the low cloud we should have a bonnie day.     I’m off to have a cuppa.     I did plan to go to the service in Kinneuchar but I’d just be spreading this cauld around;    and my ‘singing’ would be impaired anyway.   I must be hallucinatin’.... my singing impaired?     My singing career was short:    it lasted as until I reached ‘me’ on the scale.... then the teacher “you can sit down Lawrie!”     That was at Crathes School.   I’d be 6 or 7 at the time. Oak tree on Balcarres. 12.00     It’s a nice day now, though a bit cloudier than I expected:   a long sunny spell would be welcome.     I fell asleep watching a modern version of

22nd December 2018 (Saturday) ........ 08.00    Hmmmm .... I’m an Popular local shop. unhappy bunny;   it’s been raining and it looks like I’ll have to postpone hanging out the washing until mid-morning.      At the moment we have a ‘grey and wet looking sky’;   however the forecast is for sunny spells and light showers by mid morning.       I've got  a touch of the cold, and it's  making me feel sluggish this morning;    if I feel like this tomorrow  I won’t  driving up to Auchnagatt.     It wouldn’t be wise. 08.30     I got ready to go to the beach:     but would you believe it .... it’s raining.      Raining   .... at the centre of the universe?    That shouldn’t be happening;   especially when I want to hang out a washing!     I’ll make myself another cuppa. Looking west along Bank Street, Elie. 20.30     The rain cleared away about 10.00 and we’ve had a nice day, with the a thin layer of cloud between us and the sun;   so it was bright with the odd sunn

21st   December 2018 (Friday) ....09.00      the Winter Solstice:   Spring is Elie High Street this afternoon. just round the corner.     Well ... maybe not just yet.   We have a dull start to the morning but the sun should break through by mid morning.      I’m   ready to go to Leven.... just need to have a cuppa. 11.00    That’s the Leven mission accomplished;  and I remembered to pick up George this time.    Most times I get to Upper Largo before I think to myself “Ooops .... where’s George?    He  was going to Leven.”    Anyway we‘ve been to Leven.... and nae sunny spells as yet!    But we have a ‘clear sooth’;  that’s what drooned the plooman.   Could we be in for a few showers?   The sky does look ominous. Some of the Elie High Street shops - including the 'paper shop'. 21.30     The ominous sky did produce about two hours of rain;   but when the rain cleared away we had a bright spell.    I couldn’t call it a sunny spell because the un was behind a thin

20th December 2018 (Thursday) .... 07.00    The sun doesn’t rise for Hmmmm .... threatening looking clouds towards the West. another hour and three quarters so it’s still dark, but I can see that it has been raining, and, as I can’t see the stars it must be overcast.    I’ve been out as far as the front gate. I’d planned to do a washing but that has been put ‘off’ until tomorrow, because, although it isn’t cold there’s hardly any wind.    I’ll have a cuppa. 10.00    As it was dull and wet earlier I dashed along to Leven to deliver Janet’s Christmas cards:  when I was there I took the car through the car wash, and did a small shopping in Sainsbury’s.  We have a much brighter sky now;  a 50/50 mix of clouds and blue sky.   It’s a nice day, but there’s no wind so I’ll leave the washing where it is until tomorrow.    I’ve been feeling ‘one degree under’ all morning, but brightened up when Irene appeared, like  ray of sunshine, with a Christmas card.  Right now I’m going for the pap