This morning after Qi Gong, I nipped to the flat to do some few bits and pieces, before returning the hire car at 11am.
I then headed back to the boat to do some work.
Late afternoon, Hannah, Honey and I went for a walk up Arthur’s Seat.
Usually we go up on a Friday, but tomorrow it’s The Melting Pot end of the month Friday Night drinks (on Zoom) with special guest, Sam 🙂
Haven’t been for a long walk with Honey all week, so was great to be out on the hills.
That also means this evening Honey has been sleeping all evening 🙂
Honey and I got the bus to Arthur’s Seat and I got her to pose for a photo outside the Scottish Parliament – she wasn’t too pleased!
We arrived 15 minutes early to meet Hannah, so I chilled out on a nearby bench.
Had an awesome walk to the top and then explored various hills and routes we haven’t been up before 🙂
The gorse is just starting to turn yellow – it reminded me of last year about May/June time when it’s so so yellow!
Stunning views 🙂
Windy at the top (blog cover photo) and below !!
And windy on the way down – we were able to lean in the wind.
It was great to explore new areas.
On This Day In History
A year ago today was Day 2.
Here’s some extracts from that blog
“I always wake up listening to Virgin Radio and The Chris Evans Breakfast Show. This morning I heard him get excited, as he looked out the window on (I think) the 7th or 17th Floor of a London Tower where it is broadcast – the excitement was that there was no more smog in London, instead he could see the outer smog of London in the distance, where there was more vehicles!!
I decided to go for a long walk on Arthur’s Seat with Honey the Dog. Although, cloudy, it was a lovely day for a walk. The place was super busy for 8am in the morning with runners, walkers and dog walkers, more like a Saturday late morning than a Wednesday morning. What struck me was the stillness in the air, a presence – across the city and Leith.
It was as if, as we all rush around the city (before the lock-down) it creates an energy of rushing. This was just not there. It was absolutely beautiful !
The rest of the day continued to be very busy. With social media chat, more phone calls, emails, etc…and teaching my mum how to use Zoom (via a telephone conversation) so she could do her first Zoom Pilates!
With The Guardian article being shared on Facebook later in the day, lots of comments, etc…and a telephone interview with The Daily Mirror!
I fell into bed exhausted!”
This is what I wrote in my diary
-
-
- The city is quiet and still – it’s beautiful. Felt a stillness and presence when outside.
- Such a busy day!
- Zoom Coffee with Magic Gareth.
- No human contact.
-
News Headlines from the Day
-
-
- 405,000 people volunteer in 24 hours.
- 21 year old girl dies from Covid, with no previous health issues.
- Self employed wait for government support package.
- UK government shuts down for 1 month.
-
Covid Cases and Deaths
Scotland
UK
WORLD
Italy
USA
Spain
Covid Cases
719
9,529
467,520
74,586
65,527
49,515
Covid Death Rate
22
465
21,174
7,503
928
3,647
As I come to the end of this blog, today feels a bit more of a ‘normal’ day compared to the rest of the week. Two more jobs to do in the flat and then all is done – add a small bit of kickboard in the kitchen and do an inventory list. Oh and in 6 days collect the buzzor and letter box signs to replace the ones that have ‘Campbell’ on them, I haven’t changed them for over 20 years!
Was thinking how much I am going to miss living in Leith, but it’s only 3 miles away, so can visit lots and will probably appreciate Leith even more as I am not living there. So glad that I have managed to move to another part of Edinburgh, rather than move out of the city all together.
I’ve finished the blog before 11pm, which is great – the last few nights I have been finishing it around 1am!!
Today the weather has been cloudy with some sunshine, this evening it has been raining. It’s colder this evening.
Jim x
YESTERDAY's BLOG TOMORROW's BLOG
Maverick
Can’t believe you’ve been dicovering new areas on Arthur’ Seat! I thought you had been everywhere already!
I thought I knew my city by heart as well it but thanks to the pandemic I explored new paths and new green spaces/woods!
Helen
Great photos Jim! You know how sometimes when there are a few photos in a row, you can click on one and then click through all the photos in a bigger format? Would it be possible to do that for all the photos on the page, starting with the header photo?
I don’t know how I managed to miss that Guardian article last year. I’ve read it now and they also interview “Helen who lives on a boat”. Is that the same Helen who is your neighbour now? Did there ever come any comprehensive financial support for the self-employed? I know you applied for a grant at some point. Have you had to piece together bits of financial aid as well as finding and creating new sources of income?
I’m enjoying the look back at this time last year. I remember the spectacular photos of the yellow gorse on Arthur’s Seat that you shared last year. I’m looking forward to seeing them again and new photos from this year.
It’s crazy seeing the Covid numbers from a year ago. I can’t help thinking that all this could have been contained early on and we could have avoided all that we’ve been through over the last year, and are still going through. But maybe that’s not how global, highly infectious, virus pandemics work? I’ve seen some people suggest that the numbers should have started counting from zero again at new year. Maybe that will happen once enough people have been vaccinated and we stop seeing “waves”?