Alberto's Hutte

31st  January 2021 (Sunday)      07.00 ....There’s been sleet/rain overnight and it’s starting to freeze,  so the pavements and  sheltered bits of streets will be slippery, until the sun gets going:   having said that, the highest temperature is forecast to be only around 3c, even in the middle of the day.   There could be an interesting sky.... if shower clouds are around us.   I’ll have a slow daunder, along the beach, to the paper shop, in a wee while. 13.30    I did the ‘slow daunder’ along the beach but couldn’t go for the paper:   I forgot to don my rucksack.... that was required to carry the papers in.    After having looked it out.     Instead I went as far as the Breakwater, then retraced my steps to Ivy, had a cuppa, then biked for the paper.     The frost never developed into a hard frost, so nae icy patches on the roads or pavements.      I’d known, before I left Ivy Cottage, that the sunrise was never going to be visible, due to low cloud at that point of the compass.   

30th January 2021 (Saturday)      09.30 .... My word;   it was absolutely fantastical on the beach this morning....  at sunrise time.    I never saw the actual sunrise.... why? .... because it took place behind a bank of clouds.   It was the clouds that had me in state of excitement.    Or could ‘excitement’ be a symptom of the vaccine?    No .... it was the clouds;  they were and still are, dramatic.    Oh, there are showers around but I was lucky and was off the beach before the shower I’d been keeping my eye on arrived.   There’s a cold North-easterly wind so I had a hot shower as soon as I got in;   followed by a cuppa.   I’m now going to have my breakfast while browsing the photos I got. 12.30     I have calmed down after the excitement of this morning:   since then I have browsed the photographs (all 196 of them), dumped around about 30, had a series of cuppas and done an ironing.   I am now well ready for lunch chicken casserole, which is in the oven and should be ready in hal

29th January 2021 (Friday)      07.00 .... we an easterly breeze bringing in light rain from the North Sea;     The rain is forecast to clear away after midday.....so, until then, our weather will be, more or less, the same as it was yesterday.   I’m thinking that it’s going to be a computer, or TV, day for this boy. 16.00     Oh dear    .... that’s another TV programme that I missed the end of:   luckily I’ll get it later in the evening.    If I watch something three times, I end up with the general gist of what it’s all about.     I also notice that the temperature has dropped, since the last time I stuck my nose out at the front gate.... and that the wind is now more from a northerly direction.    There’s a few patches of ‘bloo’ sky about, in between heavy sleet, rain showers... and there’s a yellow warning for ice on tomorrow morning.     I had hoped to get out on the bike tomorrow. I haven’t done much today:   but I did get the paper, and have a run to ‘the Store’ for some supp

28th January 2021 (Thursday)      08.30 .... (Moan) Welllll ....we a have really miserable morrrrrrrning;  ‘BJ’ is coming to Scotland, spreading the Southeast variant of how loved we are by the likes of him, Farage and all the other Brexiteers.   I daresay he will be on our 'News' Channels....  all day, along with  .DRoss and all the usual  sycophants:  I must remember to avoid the News Channels.    Oh ..... I absolutely disagree with someone, aye even the Prime Minister,  travelling from the Southeast for a politically motivated visit at this time.   The weather is dreich too.   Moan over. I am feeling fine this morrrrrrrning;    I do have slightly sore muscles around the arms, neck shoulders, which is one of the symptoms you can expect after the ‘jab’.    This has surprised me ‘cos I didn’t think I had any muscles left!    Otherwise I feel ‘playful’     It will be a day of computer work and finding something to watch on the tele (other than the News). 10.00    I’ve been fo

27th January 2021 (Wednesday)      07.30 ....  The sky is overcast but it’s not raining, though it has been by the look of the road;   so we could have some light showers.   I’m hoping that it stays dry, so that I can bike to the surgery, the harbour, and to pick up the paper(s). 08.30     Having checked the weather forecast, on the BBC site, I see that ‘Sod’s Law’ has cut in:   the hour that I hope to go out on the bike,.... is the one hour that has the highest chance of rain today!    15.30    I imagine everyone that has had their first shot of the Coronavirus vaccine feels, like me, relieved that we have finally reached the tunnel and will exit the other end within twelve weeks.   When you think about it;   it’s a marvellous achievement by the scientists to have got this far in one year.  With the weather being 'iffy', I took the car up to Elie and walked to the surgery from there, via the harbour.   Actually I didn’t get to the harbour as it started to rain, so I went unde

26th January 2021 (Tuesday)     10.00 .... After a damp start to the morning, the sky is beginning to brighten up a bit.... and it isn’t cold.   I might get the bike out after morning coffee.   I’ve been for the paper and down to the harbour;   now I am well ready or the aforementioned ‘morning coffee’. 16.30      It has been a ‘raw cauld’ kind of day.... although;   at one time I thought the sun might break through so I went for a walk up to the ‘Pony Field’ and the golf course.   By the time I reached the ‘Pony Field’,  most of the brightness I imagined I’d seen, had disappeared so I scampered my way back to Ivy.   Scampered?.... that might be ‘fake news’!   Since then I have had lunch, a few cuppas, ‘50’ in front of the tele.... missed the end of ‘Leonardo’..... and sorted out this morning’s batch of photographs.   Not the most exciting day.... not until I blundered out to see what was ‘appening in the street;  just as Marcia was frolicking her way past with ‘Troops’ and dogs.   Ev

  25th January 2021 (Monday)      .... but pleasures are like poppies spread, You seize the flower, its bloom is shed, Or like the snow-fall in the river – A moment white – then melts forever.                            Robert Burns – Tam O’ Shanter.   10.00     I have had a walk to and along the beach, on what is a really gorgeous and peaceful morning....but there’s a cool air.    It was so peaceful.... and a few folk came out to enjoy it. 262 years ago today ‘The Bard’ Rabbie Burns was born .... I imagine there will, be a Burns Supper on the tele tonight.    The lines above are from one Tam O’ Shanter,.... a ‘must do at all Burn’s Suppers. 20.30    Today is the furthest that I have travelled in the car since, the first Coronavirus lockdown began;   to the Adamson Hospital in Cupar to have my PSA blood test taken.    The journey was uneventful.... until I joined Back Lebanon street in Cupar;  there was a sign with ‘Road Closed’ on it!    I thought,.... ‘no, Fife Coun

24th January 2021 (Sunday)      07.00..... it’s going to be another bonnie day;  at the moment it’s frosty (-3c) so the pavements are going to be slippery and will be even in the middle of the day, where they don’t get the sun;  at its warmest, the temperature is only going up to 3c, but there’s hardly any wind (W) so no wind chill.   Enjoy your day. 17.00   I did the same walk as yesterday.... and I went for the paper as planned....but didn’t go to the harbour;  instead I came home by way of Kinneuchar.    There was a queue at the paper shop but it didn’t last long.   Mr ‘B’ was telling me that you can get batteries for an I-pad at the ‘paper shop’;   that means I could probably get one for my bathroom scales. The frost never lifted, where it wasn’t getting hit by the sun, so the bike was never out.      Anyway, by the time I’d sorted out the photos I took this morning it was lunch time so I reckoned that I had enough photographs for today.    ‘Jane Eyre’ was on the tele in the afte

23rd January 2021 (Saturday)    11.00.... Oh my word;   what an absolutely gorgeous morning and I have been out enjoying it.    The plan was to catch the sunrise (08.25) from the ‘Pony Field’, but I forgot to take into account that I’d be higher up and that the sun would appear over the horizon a few minutes earlier;   so I missed the sun ‘ping’ as it appeared above said horizon.     I did however get a load of ‘early sunlight’ photographs, both on the golf course and on the beach.    I have yet to go for the paper But I’ll do that (in the car) after this update. 16.00    I went for the paper, but there was a queue outside the shop and I ended up at the harbour.    By the time I left the harbour, going for a paper had disappeared into the back of my mind and I ended up coming home by way of Balbuthie Loan and Kinneuchar.  The Balbuthie road entrance to Kinneuchar has been resurfaced and is the best bit of road in the village now!.   Perfect condition for one of the 'Utilities'

22nd January 2021 (Friday)      08.00....  It’s going to be a nice day so I have a washing going through the machine;  it’s unlikely to dry because the daylight hours are too few, but at least it might ‘half dry’ because there is a nice breeze.      There could be a touch of frost come in with the sun, but at the moment it’s above freezing.   The ‘plan’ is to go for the paper and visit the harbour before hanging out the washing.  14.00    We have one joyful boy in Ivy Cottage;  my washing is nearly dry... and I get my first COVID-19 jab on Wednesday (27th) at 09.45.   And  ....  there’s more ‘good news’;  I remembered to stop for my paper this morning after coming up from the harbour!    Oh ..... it’s cauld down there! I went up to Kinneuchar (in the car) to have a wander round the kirkyard;  and take some more photos of the kirk and the Main street.   The field of broccoli is being harvested just now and there is one mess of ‘glaur’ at the entrance to the fields.... and on a wee b

21st January 2021 (Thursday)      07.00 .... Hmmmm;  there’s wet snow lying The original Earlsferry TH weathervane. on top of the car but it’s not bonnie.... just plain dreich.    Not a morning for the beach though that should change by mid morning;   I’m actually hoping to get out on the bike if the spells between the showers are long ones.    It looks like being a kettle/computer day. 21.00    The mornin’ was computer/kettle but late afternoon was bright and sunny.... and cauld.    I got a lot of typing done this morning so I’ve actually had a busy and very satisfying day.   I managed to get out twice .... only as far as the beach and even then I stayed in toe lee of the shelter of the dunes.    I enjoyed both walks. The car was up at Fife Auto (St Andrews) getting the brakes adjusted.        With us being in lockdown I had been wondering how I could get the car done, but Fife Auto solved the problem;   they asked one of their mechanics (from Anstruther) to pick up my car from the

20th January 2021 (Wednesday)     08.00.... As far as I can see (and that isnae very far) it looks like being an overcast and damp day;  a computer day.    I’ll go for the paper in the middle of the morning.... right now ... yep.... I’m going to have another cuppa.... before the paper  run. 15.30     I went for the paper (in the car) and met George and Jock.    The three of us discussed how lucky Honor was, being married to Jock and knowing George and me!    How lucky can one girl be!    (They answer to that is .... ‘very’). I have been watching the TV most of today owning to the fact that the weather is kind of damp;   I’m settling down to watch (and celebrate) the inauguration of President Biden as 46th President of the United States of America, in about an hour.   20 30     My word we have had a wet day;   I never got to the beach.... in fact I only went as far as the back door to feed ‘Blob’ occasionally.   I did some work on the computer, watched an old Sherlock Holmes film,

19th January 2021 (Tuesday)      07.30 ....The Eastern sky is beginning to light up (sunrise is at 08.29), there’s a touch of frost, ‘Blob’ has had his breakfast snack and I am on my second cuppa;   a nice start to ‘Today’.     The forecast is good though the sky should begin to cloud over about midday with sleet/rain arriving in the evening.   The ‘thing’ I saw in the mirrah this morrrrrning must be ‘in love’.....he looked ‘glaikit’;  and that was after having a shower! 10.00      I went to the harbour at sunrise time (there was never going to be a visible sunrise due to low cloud) and remembered to pick up the paper on the way home.     There’s only a light breeze this morning so it wasn’t cold at the harbour;    that said, it wisnae exactly warm.     I’m not sure about going out on the bike after the frost, but I’ll make that decision nearer midday. Kinneuchar loch. 21.00    I’m feeling really content tonight;   I got the bike out and did the Elie estate run.    The estate road was

18th January 2021 (Monday)     10.30 .... It’s a bonnie morning and, after a slow start  because I worked late on the computer last night,  I am feeling spritely after a walk on the beach .... and a couple o’ cuppas. I was talking to Marcia at the gate this morning and had been telling her that I hadn’t seen   ‘Blob’ (Bless his feathery butt) for a few days.     Marcia suggested that he might be ‘in love’;   well, Marcia continued on her way ... I turned round and there he was... ‘Blob’.   He’s not ‘in love’ (though he does have a romantic look about him this morning) and very much ruling the ‘Blob’ roost. And all the other roosts, in Ivy garden. I’m orf to have another cuppa then I think I’ll contemplate getting the bike out, for a turn round the villages.... and to pick up a paper when I’m out. The harbour this afternoon. 16.00      I didn’t get out until 14.00 by which time it was bitterly cold, so I went in the car.     Of course it was too late to get a paper but I did go to t

17th January 2021 (Sunday)     18.30.... I didn’t realise that I hadn’t put up today’s Hutte ‘news’;  not that there is very much happening, that’s different nowadays.... but there’s always the weather...!   Actually I have been busy today.    I did go to the beach to catch the sunrise, but, so that I wouldn’t miss Tesco I decided that I’d start to come home at sunrise (08.32), which meant I’d be back in Ivy in plenty of time.     That plan worked perfectly;  I was back home in by 09.10 and the Tesco delivery man arrived at 10.01.   By the time the messages were in their various cupboards etc. and I’d browsed the photos I got this morning it was nearly lunch time.   That reminds me I have still to watch today’s kirk service.... I was too busy to catch it at 11.00. After lunch I decided to take the car for a run to warm it up.    I had the camera with me but didn’t bother to stop as I’d decided that I’d go for a walk, to the ‘Pony Field’, when I got home,    That ‘plan’ would become