I took Friday and Monday as a holiday to try and chill out. Work has been getting to me recently, and frankly it sucks. So the time off has been an opportunity to remind me of the things I care about, to smile and to enjoy myself.

I took the bike over to Fife on Friday morning, to pop in and place an order at a clothing company and to see my Mum & Dad. Way back in November I ordered an overjacket called a Bikesafe Jacket, and supply problems led to me getting a refund from the intermediate company in January. A bit of digging around led me to discover that the manufacturer was based in Fife, so I was over there on Friday morning to get measured up and ordered and paid for the item. That done, I popped to see my Mum and Dad, had a blether and a cup of coffee and showed the bike to my Dad.

Then back to West Lothian in time to catch the kids, and we headed into Edinburgh. I bought us all a day ticket each so we could hop on and off the buses in Edinburgh. I parked the car at the Hermiston Park and Ride and got the number 25 to Princes Street. We were a bit early for the connecting bus, so we dived in to Costa in Hanover Street and downed a set of Massimo Lattes and Hot Chocolates before getting the 27 up to the old town. We then wandered around the boutique clothes and skate shops, the sort of thing that interests the kids, and I bought an old US import second hand Charlatans CD from Avalanche in Cockburn Street. There was little likelihood of us going back up Cockburn street, with the big hill and all, so the lift in what used to be Waverley Market got us back up to the Princes Street level and we caught a bus back up North Bridge to South Clerk Street.

Then in and out of various shops, Flip Incorporated the clothes shop, Blackwell’s the bookshop and of course Forbidden Planet. I managed not to buy anything until we got to Pizza Hut on North Bridge, where we indulged in one of their Family offers. We almost managed that, though the included dessert was a bit too much for us.

Waterstones was our last point before the trip home, and I picked up a couple of books; a Pratchett Discworld book and a book by Alastair Reynolds.

Back on the 25 to the Park and Ride, passing the sights of Friday night in Edinburgh.

Saturday was a late start, but three of us headed over to Kirkcaldy to meet up with my brother and pick up a picture for my Mum & Dad’s Ruby Anniversary. My brother stays on his own and the rumble of his stomach directed us to the Chippie next to the picture shop. So we sat down for various items including chips, we were the only folks in the place, and behaved ourself – mostly 🙂 It was dull and wet on Saturday afternoon, but still managed to pop in to Alan Duffus to talk motorcycle helmets. In my ongoing quest for clothing my big head has been a bit of a problem, so I tried a few on to no avail. My head is too big… They offered to phone up their suppliers to check, so news on that on Monday.

Nothing much to report about on Sunday, although I’m getting a bit of my Sunday evening apprehension about work, even though I’m not back to the place until Tuesday. Thursday was such a wind up day that I am not looking forward to it.

Dentist tomorrow!