Bartimaeus

We’ve stayed in Edinburgh this time for a week after my immunotherapy in order to attend my scheduled appointment with the oncologist.  For most of my appointments at the local Edinburgh hospitals I have cycled on my own for speed and convenience. It’s also a good way to re-balance myself afterwards if I am feeling “medicalised”.  Today’s appointment with the consultant wasn’t going to do that, but there was a chance that there might be bad news.

The tandem is still on the boat, so we decided to go together on the bus.  The bus would arrive twenty minutes early, so we opted to get off early and walk the last bit, diverting through Inverleith Park.  The news at the appointment was generally good.  Some tiny nodules on my lungs seen in an earlier scan have reduced in size.  Either these are cancer which the immunotherapy is dealing with, or something else entirely which my body is also clearing.  In both cases continuing with the immunotherapy is the appropriate response, especially since I am feeling no ill effects.

We came out in to sunshine again, so decided not to hop straight on to a bus.  Instead we walked back through the park, this time diverting through the Sundial Garden.  True to its name, the garden is dominated by a large sundial. It is sponsored by a kilt-maker (other kilt-makers are available) and even has its own tartan.   The motto seems a fine ideal even if you are not a sundial.

By the time we’d watched the swans and tufted ducks on the Inverleith Boating Pond and found our way to Stockbridge it was time for a coffee.  There were plenty of cafes to choose from. We found a quiet one with a french theme and enjoyed patisseries too. When we came out the sun was shining so we headed for the Water of Leith Path.  The Water of Leith is the river that runs through Edinburgh.  It was once densely lined with industry using the power of the water.  Today it is a linear park running through the city.  We passed under my usual cycling route at the Dean Bridge.

We kept our eyes peeled as we walked.  I saw a tell-tale flash and spotted a kingfisher resting on a branch over the middle of the water.  Clare managed to spot it before it dropped and skimmed away low over the water.  I haven’t seen a kingfisher in Edinburgh before.  Much easier to spot was the Antony Gormley statue near the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.

When the rain came on heavily we sheltered for a while under another viaduct .  We walked the rest of the way home without getting very wet.  There was just time for a hurried lunch before my scheduled afternoon chat with retired colleagues.