Bartimaeus

Winter makes the birds fluff up and have to search harder for food. I heard a noise in a tree as I was walking down our street and looked up to see what bird it was. Very close was a squirrel. It scampered up the branches, paused for a piddle (I must have given it a fright) then ran further up, but was still visible.

It was closer than usual. I went for a walk with my sister and did see more squirrels but they were out of sight very quickly. It was a great day for views if a bit windy. The crouching elephant of Arthur’s Seat could be seen and further away Berwick Law.

The whin was blooming but we didn’t see many other flowers but liked this variegated holly with berries, though there are a few this time of year.

Despite the wind it wasn’t too cold but a chill was forecast. Two days later I opened the curtains to see the back garden was covered in snow. It was still falling. A rapid thaw and possible flooding was expected for the afternoon. It wasn’t a day for a trip up the hill and all the buses had been cancelled.

The trains were running though and I was expecting my friend, Margaret, to arrive. I said I would meet her at the station. The going was heavy in the developing slush on compacted snow. Rain was starting so the thaw was on. Douglas Hume looked odd partially covered in snow.

I decided against the slippery looking News Steps and went down the Mound in stead but there was a fair amount of slip and slide there too. A sudden coolness in my right instep told me my welly had split.  I used the bike lane as it was less slippy and I  would have ample warning of any approaching bikes coming uphill. Going down Market Street I stayed close to railings for safety. I was there in time despite slow progress and went to the platform my phone had predicted, to see no train and a staff member telling someone that King’s Cross train had changed platforms. Was Margaret on the Kings Cross train? It was possible. I hurried round to the other platform, on the other side of the station and up the escalator, checking the boards on the way. The platform was below with two sets of steps in opposite direction to the bridge I was on. Just as I was sending a message saying to come to the bridge, she appeared. I was so glad we hadn’t missed each other in the confusion. We trudged up the mound and then took a detour into a Craft Fair at the French Institute. What a beautiful building and an interesting array of bilingual books, traditional foods, cards, textile projects and wool. We had samples of shortbread and saucisson. One wool stall has unspun wool mostly but some wool and bamboo mix. I was tempted but he told us there was another stall. We found it in the next room and were very taken wth the mohair. The lady sounded like she had lived in Scotland a while but with a hint of a French accent remaining. They had their own goat herd in Fife and what amazing gorgeous goats they were. Margaret chose a skein and had a specific plan for it I resisted the wool thinking I could order later if I had a plan, but bought a calendar and took their postcards so I would know how to find them again. They only started farming four years ago. I would love to support their enterprise.

I had only expected to see Margaret for lunch and a bit of the afternoon but a friend’s last minute cancellation meant she now had a spare ticket to a concert so we went to that together and met up with her brother and family too. Lots of extra bonuses to the day. I have never before heard the Scottish Chamber choir, I enjoyed their flawless performance and enjoyed the addition of accordion to Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. The choir certainly looked like they enjoyed singing it too. The notes remarked that the title was light hearted in that the piece was neither small nor solemn, in fact quite a jubilant lively rendition.

At the end Margaret left with her brother and I went home with the snow almost all gone from the streets. In the Meadows the snowmen, taller than adults, made of three large balls were reduced to less than a third their size. When I got home another surprise was in store. Bryn Shane and Nye greeted me eagerly asking if I had met anyone interesting in the street. I had not. They all got their phones out to show me that they had been visited by a bolder than normal fox. It might have come inside if they had let it and showed no fear. They had fed it. I assume someone had fed it before since it was so tame. I am assuming it was moved to explore beyond its usual scavenging grounds on a snowy day and it hasn’t returned.