Family and Friends in Fife

 

Sunset over the new bridge, Queensferry Crossing - nearly finished and very beautiful

Our trains all ran on time and we were back at mum’s by 7pm, quite exhausted and ready for a bit of tlc – a bath!!!  I was going to be at mum’s for a full week so had arranged catch ups with some family and friends but our first stop was the dentist on Monday morning.  I had been having some pain and knew I had a cracked tooth so wasn’t surprised to need some treatment and be asked to make a follow up appointment.  Amazingly, although they were fully booked until 15^th November, they had a cancellation for Thursday morning at 9.15am, which was great and meant I’d get everything done on this visit. 

Back in Dalgety Bay in time for lunch, I went for a run in the afternoon along the coastal path to Inverkeithing.  It’s not the most attractive coastal walk as it’s a bit industrial, but you can see the bridges and smell the sea air and the breakers yards at Inverkeithing are interesting.

On Tuesday I did some studying in between being fed by my mum and Mike was busying himself making sure we have everything we need for France and ordering what we don’t.  Another quietish day on Wednesday with more studying (Mayday, Mayday, Mayday….), another run along the coastal path, until 4.10pm when mum and I took the bus to Edinburgh to meet up with my Aunty Nancy and cousin Diane for tea.  We got there in plenty of time, so I popped into the Aga shop to get some new hob covers and oven gloves as the current ones got a bit burned when the thermostat went!

Colourful stripes for a change

When we got to Zizzi’s at the West End my Aunty was there with my big cousin Jane which was a lovely surprise, as we’ve not seen her for ages.  We had a great time together, lots of laughs and nice to see everyone doing so well.  My little Aunty is 85 and really quite remarkable – and very small.

Mum and Aunty Nancy - see, I told you she was very small!

Me and my gorgeous cousins Jane (sitting) and Diane

On Thursday it was an early start for me to get to the dentist for 9.15am and Mike got up at the same time as he was catching a train to York, so he could catch up with some of his friends as well.  As I had some time after the dentist before a hair appointment at 3pm, I managed to catch up Viv and meet her gorgeous little boy Edward for the first time.  The last time I saw Edward he was just a bump being carried by Viv, in York last September.  He was really cute and well behaved and seemed to like me, which is always a good thing.  It was great to see Viv and fill each other in with all our news – she looked fab and is clearly enjoying being a mum.

Edward showing off his standing skills

He has his mummy's big eyes

Next was my catch up with Keith at the hairdressers, which is a mixture of me being pampered getting my haircut and catching up with an old friend.  Keith’s being doing my hair for 23 years now!!!!  

With my hair done, I was now ready for a night out with the Julies, both of whom I used to work with in EDINA at the University of Edinburgh.  We’ve all left now, Julie W being the last to leave just a couple of months ago.  We met at Kay’s bar on Jamaica St and what a find!!  It’s a wonderful little bar, very traditional, no loud music or tvs (that I could see) and full to the brim with people just having a drink and chatting.

It wasn't this blurred before we went in.....

We had a bottle of wine between us then headed to Wee Bhudda for a meal, and a bottle of wine.  Instead of dessert, we decided to sample one of their cocktails each, which were fantastic and having paid the bill, and left the restaurant decided a nightcap was a good idea – another bottle of wine in the Slug and Lettuce on George St………  That would have been enough for us all, but Julie L is a wee minx and as she went to the loo, pushed some cash in my hand and said, “Get another bottle, we’ve still got 40 minutes before you need to go.”  And stupidly, I did as she asked.  Well, it would’ve been rude not to – wouldn’t it???

Julie W finally managed to take a non-blurred on of me and Julie L

On Friday morning I had a bit of a headache.  I did get up and dressed but then spent the day on my laptop Maydaying and PanPan-ing away for my exam on Sunday.  I didn’t have anything to drink that evening.

Saturday was designated another study day, with a run thrown into break up the monotony and then at 5pm I headed off to catch the bus to Edinburgh to meet my old school chums Lorna and Leslie.  They are two of a group of five of us who have known each other since primary school days – I first met them all at the age of 7 when we moved to Aberdour.  I’ve not seen Lorna and Leslie for a couple of years so I was really looking forward to it.  I’d booked a table at the Queen’s Arms in Frederick St, over a very noisy phone on Friday, but when I got there, they didn’t seem to have a booking for me – not helped by the fact the guy on the phone had thought I said Eilidh was my name, which I then had to explain when I arrived……  However, the staff were brilliant, and it turned out someone else hadn’t turned up so they managed to give us one of the little booths.  It’s another great place to go for a drink or food, but it is VERY busy, so probably not the best place for a quiet drink – it was packed!!  This however, did not affect the service in any way, our waiter was really lovely and very good at his job, so do go if you get the chance.

Lorna and Leslie in our little booth at the Queen's Arms

I was very well-behaved on this outing, partaking in only one glass of wine and then catching the 9.15 bus back, as my VHF Radio exam was at 9.30am the following morning and I was bricking it!!!

I needn’t have.  The examiner was really nice and explained that he saw it as more of an assessment than an exam and if we were weak in any areas his job was to help us until he was happy with us.  I’d done so much swotting though, I got 100% on the written test and he was really pleased with my almost faultless practical – first time for everything I guess, wish I’d done so well at school………

So I passed, and so did Anne, the other candidate, who was very nice and gave me a lift to Dalmeny Station to catch my train.  I got into Haymarket earlier than required so had a coffee and got a magazine whilst I waited.  Everything ran to time again – first time for everything again……. – and I was back at the boat by 6.30pm.  Mike had arrived from York just before 3pm and had greeted the hirers back to base.  They seemed to have had a good time, had lost a few fenders, but replaced them on the way back!

We started the laundry and I’ve only just now done the last load as all the towels and bedding had to be washed as well as the clothes we’d had away with us.

So here we are, back on track for the moment.  We’re now kind of hanging around the Grand Union between Weedon and Leighton Buzzard until the 28^th November when we get lifted out and taken to France.  We had thought it would be nice to nip up to Birmingham or down to Stratford upon Avon but the locks at Buckby are closing for repairs on 7 November to 15 December, so we’re locked in at Weedon from then with heading south the only option, which is a bummer given we’ve just done it!!!