Alberto's Hutte

31st July 2019 (Wednesday)      07.00 .... It’s windier, and overcast but dry.    Junior golfers on the tenth fairway - Earlsferry links. The yellow warning is still in place;   active from midday through to midnight.... hey, we might get some bonnie clouds in the afternoon.    Right now there’s a menacingly dark area of cloud over the south side of the Firth...hopefully moving south.       For those with allergy problems the pollution levels are at ‘Medium’.... a change of wind direction should sort that.     I’ll go out after  this update.... but not too far, not until I see where that dark cloud is going.   21.00      I went up to Chapel Green hoping to see bonnie clouds but, although the sky was laden with clouds they weren’t the huge Cumulonimbus ones I was hoping for.     Maybe that’s a good thing (no cumulonimbus clouds), because we haven’t had any thunder today, but there’s been lightning strikes all around us in the afternoon/evening;   along the ‘sooth side... the Wes

30th July 2019 (Tuesday)      06.00.... it’s an absolute cracker o’ a mornin’;   Kinneuchar loch and kirk hardly and wind, with long sunny spells... and already the air feels warm.    Once the sun burns off the clouds it will be hot.... so I’m going out now with the camera.    I’ll ‘work after ‘morning coffee’ time.    Got to ‘go’ ....I’m feeling animated. 09.30     Oh my word ... what a morning.    I’ve been round the villages and through Elie Estate and got some ‘fantastical’ photos on the way.    I am a happy boy and well ready to do some work today;   after morning coffee.   It is going to be a lovely day so I might go up to ‘The Boss’s seat’ later in the afternoon.    But the ‘plan’ is to do at least some ‘work’ stuff. Ditto ... at midday. 21.00     It has been a really lovely day and I have managed to enjoy the sunshine.... and do some ‘work’ stuff.     After morning coffee I went home by way of the estate again.... everything would be brighter at this time of d

29th July 2019 (Monday)     07.00 .... Hmmmmm – we have a heavily Busy place this morning. overcast sky but at least it’s dry.      I’m hoping that the sun will break through, but it looks like that could take a while.     I’m having a cuppa before contemplating having a walk to the beach;   there’s brisk NE breeze, but it isn’t cold;   it’s just a disappointingly ‘grey day’ (so far).      I’ll finish this update with a positive thought ....   think o’ the money we’re saving by not having to use sun cream!      20.00       I am not overly excited by ‘work’:   oh ... it was fine when I was getting paid for working, but inflicting it on myself?.... I don’t think that is one of my best ‘plans’.     Having said (well, written) all that, .... I am happy with the progress I’ve made today, Elie Estate - somebody has been a busy boy! but it cuts my play time -   dramatically.    Not good.    Anyway, Michael and Janice don’t arrive for another week so I’ve got loads o’ time;  and

28th July 2019 (Sunday)       06.30 ....   we have a ‘bright and breezy’ start to "Archie" - Elie and Earlsferry SC skiff. the day, and the air (from the North East) already feels warm;   but there’s a ’funny’ smell to it... like somebody has been spraying stuff.     I’m going out on the bike early because the streets and roads are quiet at this time.... and a short spell of ‘light rain’ is forecast to come in from the North sea, later in the morning.     Right now it looks like it’s never going to rain again. 08.30     If you live in Elie and Earlsferry, sometime today you will see a Painted Lady butterfly;  in fact you will see a lot of them.... they are everywhere.    I must have see 50+ when up at Chapel Green this morning;   and that was early.    This influx of Painted Lady’s explains two other things;   (1) the colour of the sky at 05.30 in the past few mornings, and (2) the ‘funny smell this morning.    Painted Lady’s migrate from North Africa on a wind from t

27th July 2019 (Saturday)       08.00 .... I’m wondering;   why are wet suits 'The Ferry' High Street. predominately black?     It’s not the most cheerful ‘colour’... why not make them in assorted, happy, colours?     If I had a bright red wet suit I’d put it on and go for a run on the bike.    Ye Gods .... that would be a sight to behold.    Anyway it’s wet this morning.... not a morning for going biking, but is a good morning for ‘ooverin’ and dustin’:   though I’m not really in an ‘ooverin’ and dustin'   frame of mind.    The rain isn’t heavy.... it’s ...sort of ... well ...there!    And it’s warm rain;   kind of like having a shower with yir claes on.     I think it (the rain) is suppose to fade away later today.     Right now  I’d say that another cuppa is called for. Peaceful morning. 09.30     The rain has moved away, though not very far away by the look of the sky.     I went to the beach, and it is actually pleasant out...albeit overcast, with the chanc

26th July 2019 (Friday)       07.00 ....   The overnight thundery Kinneuchar loch. showers must have missed us;    apart from the one we had late yesterday evening.     Anyway it’s a lovely morning, and, with hardly any breeze, the sun busy burning back the clouds .... it’s a get up and go morning.     I will ‘go’ as soon as I finish my mug o’ tea. 09.30      I have had a ‘fantastical’ run on the bike;    I started with Elie Estate and ended up at Chapel Green.    On the way I managed to take 131 photographs (mostly of the loch);     some of them have been dumped because they were slightly out of focus (hereafter OOF).... but I still have plenty left to sort out later.     Today’s photos had me thinking of the poem ‘Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ (Keats);     the mist, gave them, the ones of the loch especially, that early autumn look.     Now I’m ready for morning coffee.    Early autumn?..... no.... we’re just beginning to enjoy summer! Heron - Elie harbour b

25th July 2019 (Thursday)      06.30 .... it is a crackin’ morning Elie this morrrning. and I’m having a quick cuppa before heading out on the bike;   and   before it gets too warm for this ‘boy’.     Everything is quiet and peaceful, sunny and warming up nicely, with hardly a breath of wind;   what breeze there is coming from the southeast.    It’s a perfect morning for a good scuttle. 08.00     The villages were quiet, but I did meet Primrose ,on her way to the harbour;   like me, out before the roads get busy.    The temperature shouldn’t get up to 29c on the beach because of the brisk southeast breeze, but will be hot nonetheless....   especially in Ivy garden, where it probably will reach 29c.      11.30       It is cosy;   right now it is 27c in Ivy garden (in the shade), so I might just hit 29c in the afternoon.     I dashed into Kirkcaldy to buy a couple of pillows, and visited Jim on the way home.     Jim was ‘normal, just a bit forgetful, Jim’ today;    when you

24th July 2019 (Wednesday)      09.30 ....   After the thunder, lightning and The Beacon (Earlsferry) this evening. torrential downpour, everything is looking pristine this morning;   in fact I feel pristine and ‘frisky as a Spring lamb’.     The sky is still heavily overcast and we could get a few showers, but it should be all summery in the afternoon.     It has to be as I want to get out on the bike sometime today!     With the weather being somewhat inclement at 05.00 I went back to bed and had a good old sleep in:   hence the fresh and frisky ‘me’.    13.30      We have another hot day.... probably not quite as hot as yesterday with the early morning thunder cooling the air down a bit.     I took the car up to Colinsburgh for fuel before going for morning coffee at Harbour House.     Go up to Chapel Green in the afternoon.... could be too hot to venture as far as Balcarres.     It is forecast to be Busy beach. hotter tomorrow .... with another   yellow warning for ov

23rd July 2019 (Tuesday)      06.00 ....this is going to be one of the warmest Kincraig cliffs  this morning. days of summer (according to the weather forecast) and, after a warm night, it looks like it will be.     I am having a cuppa before scuttling up to Chapel Green, on what is already a warm morning.     There’s very little cloud at the moment, and already the breeze, from the south, feels warm;   a day for lazing around the beach. 08.00     Everything is where it should be;   except the clouds which have moved in.... but the sun should burn them off.      It feels quite cool when the sun is hidden behind the clouds.... probably because it feels warm when it isn’t.     Hidden by clouds i.e.     Litter The beach from the Breakwater. is the other stuff that shouldn’t be where it is, but   litter has become an excepted part of the holiday season.   Neil does his bit to keep the beach clean .... as does Primrose, and others, but nobody should have to litter pick after

22nd July 2019 (Monday)       08.00.... I haven’t been further than the front Elie Kirk tower. gate this morning;    it’s not raining just now but it has been and everything is wet, so I couldn’t, or should say didn’t, go out on the bike earlier.        The sky is heavily overcast and the air humid and hot.... and I feel down for some reason.     I think I’m missing the hustle and bustle of the workmen;   they were always good for a quick chat.    Now I feel like it’s me that’s a ‘stranger’ .... in my own village:   an uncomfortable feeling.    I think another cuppa is called for.    The weather is supposed the brighten up later .... and me with it.    In fact the sun is breaking through as I type. 13.00        The weather is a bit dreich, with short spells of Scotch Mist blowing through occasionally, so I took the car up to Elie for the paper and morrrrrning coffee.      It’s amazing what a   cup of coffee and a chat can do;    I now feel ‘bright eyed and bushy tailed’.... s

21st July 2019 (Sunday)       06.30      The sun is working hard to break Lady's Tower. through early morning cloud;    so we should have sunny spells soon.    That said, I think it was brighter half an hour ago. I’m having a cuppa before going round the villages: after that the plan is to do work around Ivy for the remainder of the day, while keeping an eye on both ‘le Tour’ and the Open golf.    Yes this could be a busy/tiring day for ‘the boy’.    There’s the stress of wanting Lowry (the ‘local’ boy) to win The Open, combined with the stress of three climbs (one Cat 2 and two Cat 1) on this the last day in the Pyrenees.    Must ‘go’.... the sun has broken through and my mug is empty.  Ruined cottage. 10.30     I’ve had a good old wander around on the bike this morning.... Muircambus Mill, Kinneuchar then home via Balbuthie Loan and Elie.     It is pleasantly warm, but  the temperature is noticeably cooler when the sun is behind clouds..... or was when I was out. 

20th July 2019 (Saturday)       07.30.... We have had a lot of rain overnight, At the Cockstail rocks this morning. and, even though the sun is trying hard to break through the clouds,   (a bit of blue sky has been seen) it looks like more rain is on the way.    Though it is dry right now, the ‘yellow’ warning for heavy downpours is ‘active’ until midday, .... with sunny spells now and again.    The bike stays where it is just now;   and it looks like I might have to have a mug of the ‘Ivy Finest Blend’ at 10.00.     I might go the beach after this update. 07.40     Going to the beach has been postponed;   it's raining.... and of the heavy showers mentioned in the weather forecast by the look of it.    Never mind it could be followed by a long sunny spell!    12.30      I did get the bike out, but I never reached Harbour House.     When I went onto the street and saw the clouds I was   instantly ‘diverted’ from going for coffee.     I scuttled up to the Pony Field to gra