In The Open Air
A big day in two respects: I went into town for the first time since September, and also had a haircut for the first time since September.
The haircut is kinda >meh< As I’ve said before I think, male barbers aren’t great with long hair: they always take too much off. On the other hand, it’ll soon grow back in. However, it was unexpectedly enjoyable to be in an old-fashioned barbers, in the traditional chair, faced with a genuine sign asking gentlemen to extinguish cigarettes, pipes and cigars. The barber was garrulous too, complaining about the Scottish Parliament Building and Edinburgh trams and the circumstances of their building. It was great 🙂
Also unexpectedly enjoyable was the Royal Mile between the Tron and St. Giles. I thought the sudden presence of lots of people, many of them tourists from elsewhere in the UK, would be tiresome, but it was actually nice to see the town busy again. It helped that the weather was spectacular today. I was less happy where there was traffic, partly because of noise but mainly because of smell. I cut back from Princes Street to Rose Street and it was much better.
One thing that the sun enhanced was the al fresco eating and drinking. This has been a growing feature of Edinburgh in the summer, helped along by Covid restrictions. For a few minutes I could imagine I was somewhere else. I caught a tram back from Shandwick Place to Balgreen and walked home via the old railway line by the golf course. No traffic smell, just new growth, and the noise was of the birdsong and the breeze through the trees.
A good day.
***
I’ve managed not to look at the news today, though I did hear that today is the first day since last summer that there were no Covid deaths announced in the UK. The worry is what’s bubbling under as regulations are relaxed, but it’s a good day to mark.
***
Music : The Pet Shop Boys cropped up this morning on a WhatsApp group I’m on, and I’ve had a rolling earworm all day. Now it’s your turn.
Always On My Mind (in which they rearrange Willie Nelson’s words)
Go West (which is a frankly magnificent pop single, even if it was once described as ‘The Village People meet Al Stewart’) and, since it’s the start of Pride Month 2021,
Go West by the Village People (which is a frankly magnificent disco single.)
(I would, incidentally, recommend turning the volume up for all of these and having a dance around the kitchen. Go on: you know you want to)
Recent Comments