Edinburgh Summer Diary: Day One

It was a Tuesday morning early, time to wake up and tackle the drive to Edinburgh this morning. The portents looked healthy as I took an early run in the morning sunlight and home to prepare myself for the journey. Bags packed I stepped into the car and headed off north at 10am towards the A1 and a few hours behind the wheel.

Ploughing on through squally showers and dark skies I was soon passing over the Scottish border with only a briskly taken cup of coffee behind me. Heading towards a favourite lunch stop, Eyemouth, a small seaside town. A stroll and a breath of fresh air on the promenade later, I headed towards the renowned fish and chip shop on the main street. It’s the seaside – I’ve driven a long way – I deserve fish and chips I reasoned. The food came over the counter, I paid and received my first sight of a Scottish banknote in a while when I suddenly realised the full weight of what I was about to receive. This place hardly holds back in it’s portions as I manhandled what seemed like a family meal in a large, reinforced cardboard box. It may as well have been a pallet.

Settling down to a seat on the prom in the bright and welcoming sunlight I tucked in with both elbows. There were actually two fish in the box (or was it a small shoal) and a mountain of chips. I gave up the fight and handed much of it to a panting black labrador with sea water still dripping from him. Have you ever seen a dog smile? Small children gambolled around in Scottish football jerseys as dad’s kept a wary, blearly eye over them. Faint school holiday noises rose from the beach below me.