Ruary, USA and Scotland, 2025

Thursday 31st July Chez Jules This morning I went for a walk through the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens to meet Shelia who had had an appointment on the other side of the gardens earlier. We missed each other but met back at her flat.  She was keen to have lunch out and knew of a place where we could just step off the bus and there it would be, so off we went. We stepped off at Chez Jules a little French restaurant in the middle of Edinburgh: It was down a flight of steps: Inside it was packed with people for the Edinburgh Festival:  There was a basic menu where you could order one. two or three course meals for set prices: ... and wine newly in from France: There was a blackboard for patrons messages: We both ordered Steak & Frites and I had a Deuchars beer:

 Wednesday 30th July Edinburgh Botanic Gardens This morning, before we visited Helen, Sheila took me down to the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE): The main gate into the gardens was very unusual: We had a quick walk round to view the different sections like the pond: ...  in which there was a MoorHen nest: ... and one of the chicks swimming around: ... and the stream: Later we found a wildflower garden: and a Rowan Tree:

 Wednesday 30th July Helen Laidlaw Today at about 12:00 noon we set off for Helen Laidlaw's house for Afternoon tea. We went out to InverLeith Row to catch the Bus: ... where we caught the No. 23 bus to Greenbank: When we got into town we caught the No. 15 bus where Helen's house was, got off and walked up Comiston Avenue to Swan Spring Avenue, and then up to No. 35:  We both had a good catch-up with Helen and then it was time to go: On the way back to the bus stop we found a Rowan Tree:

 Tuesady 29th July Ross & Margaret Laidlaw at Dunbar Today we left for Dunbar at 12:30 to visit Ross & Margaret. We got there at about 1:20 and parked in the park across the road, where we could see the Bass Rock: ... here we are at the house: ... through the front gate: ... up to the front door: Sheila had organised the afternoon tea which we ended up having in the back garden: and had the afternoon tea out there with Tam, Margaret, Ross and me: ... and had a family photograph taken: Margaret, Ross, Me and Sheila.

 Monday 28th July Edinburgh - The Heart of Midlothian Today started off cloudy but developed into a fine day! Today we were supposed to go and visit Ross & Margaret in Dunbar, but Margaret suggested that Ross was too sleepy today, so it has been put off till tomorrow. Instead today we went of to Edinburgh central to sort out some items that I wanted to tick off. First we walked down The Ryal Mile passed the Heart of Mid Lothian: ...which I believe that your are supposed to spit on. One of  Sir Walter Scott's novels was called The Heart of Midlothian which was about the trials and tribulations of Effie Deans. Then we walked on to the Hobby Shop in Leith Walk to see if I could buy a sticker of the Flying Scotsman railway engine: The shopkeeper didn't have any thing but made the suggestion that we go down to the Copy Shop in St. Mary's  Street and that they might be able to download an image of Google and provide me with a sticky label version of The Flying Scotsman. Off...

 Sunday 27th July - The Royal Mile Sunday 26 th The Royal Mile We caught the bus to the Royal Mile to do some shopping for souvenirs. The town was packed with visitors for the Edinburgh Festival and some street performances.  We walked everywhere and had a look in lots of souvenir shops for items to give to friends and family back in NZ. On the way, we found two girls displaying live owls for passers-by to look at:- A vidoe:- Or a photo:- From there we went to the Witchery and especially the Secret Garden restaurants (very dramatic!) We eventually found some good souvenir items in a couple of different shops and, as it was now 2:00pm we looked for a place to have lunch. Sheila took me to a pub called the Guildford Arms.   The bar was in a good old fashioned style: The barman gave us a taste of four different beers before we ordered “Happy Chappy” which had quite a distinct hoppy taste.  We also ordered a hot smoked salmon salad with capers each. It was lovely. The...

 Saturday 26th July - Edinburgh & Sheila Saturday 26 th – Sheila Leckie I tidied up the flat and set off for Sheila Leckie’s place at Flat 4 15 Warriston Drive, Edinburgh.  I arrived abut 10:30 and was welcomed by Sheila. We had a good hour long chat about family stuff – my father’s first wife was Doris Wilson – and I did not know much about them. Sheila was the daughter of his and his first wife’s daughter Ann. She knew a lot about that relationship which was all news to me. I noticed a lamp on her window ledge a lamp that brought back a sudden rush of memories of my childhood in Eyemouth: I remember my mother lighting a similar paraffin lamp in our lounge in Baiglieburn, Eyemouth in 1952 as there was no electricity in the home - everything was paraffin or wood fire. The rest of the day was spent getting my Ridacard bus pass, which I used to get the tram to visit Edinburgh airport.  I needed to sort out Heathrow airport where I had to get from Terminal 5 to Termi...

 Friday 25th July -  Cloudy, sunny & warm. Margaret Pritchard - SCD Teacher in Selkirk A couple of days ago I had taken "Six of the Best", a book of my SCD dances round to Margaret who lives at 20 The Loan in Selkirk right on the edge of The Haining Estate. We had a cup of tea and she invited me round for lunch today, which I gladly accepted. So today off I went at 1:00 pm for lunch. Her husband Brian and Grand-daughter Natalie were there. She had provide a beautiful lunch served on tiered tea china. Afterwards we had a good chat about things SCD. I came away about 3:00 pm.

 Thursday 24th - Selkirk - Water Wheel Cafe A cloudy and sometimes sunny day - warm Waterwheel Cafe Hilary Webster , daughter of my Godmother Ann Bell, and her husband Gordon Webster, who live at Yarrow Feus, had arranged for us to go to lunch at the Water Wheel cafe in Philiphaugh. Here we are; When I had been looking at ordinance survey maps of the area over the last few years had got the idea that Philiphaugh was at the eastern end of the Scottish Borders County, but discovered when I looked on Google maps - that knows everything - that it was six minutes drive away from my flat! I stil drove down there and found it out in the country: I got there first so took a few photos while I waited: The view from the cafe deck: Here is the inside of the cafe with Hilary & Gordon in the far corner: I had a prawn and egg sandwich which was delicious.