Alchemilla

Happy birthday to me! And it has been a good one despite the dreich weather. We went for lunch with Ally, Cat and Davie to another new restaurant; Alchemilla in Finnieston. It serves Middle Eastern food which you are encouraged to share. The chef has worked in well known London restaurant Ottolenghi and has now decided to open her own restaurant in Glasgow. The staff are really enthusiastic about the menu, and the food was freshly cooked to perfection.

I was given some lovely presents, including from Cat the book and DVD of Noel Streatfield's "Ballet Shoes." It must be about forty-five years since I read it and I can't wait to read it again and then watch the film for the first time. I was really touched by her thoughtfulness.

Chanel has arrived to bring in the New Year with us and Davie is just opening a bottle of Prosecco - here's to the New Year that lies ahead of us! 

Fondue

It has been another jolly day of leisure in Casa Anderson. James and I got all manner of useful things done - shopping and admin - which was very satisfying. The younglings all amused themselves during the day and then, at James' suggestion, we had a fondue Savoyarde for dinner.

We like our fondues and usually have one on the last night of a ski holiday, so we purchased Gruyere and Emmental cheese which I grated and we then mixed with a little garlic, a little white wine, and a dash of schnapps (because we didn't have any kirsch). James stirred it vigorously in the fondue pot over its flame. It tasted both authentic and delicious, served with crusty French bread chopped into cubes by David. Lovely! The cheese is now reconstituting itself into a block inside my tummy, but never mind, it tasted great. 

Fun dining

James and David wanted to go into town this morning to buy the hill-walking boots that Davie wanted for Christmas. I accompanied them to the Outdoor Experience, recalling how it first opened when the boys were very small and they enjoyed marching round the stone path for testing out boots. Davie said that he remembered the place as being really huge and thinks that it must have shrunk! He also said that he used to think that the fountain poured down from the ceiling! (It never did). Having successfully purchased some three season boots, we drive to Partick Station to pick up Ally and Cat.

We then went for a late lunch to a restaurant recommended by one of James' friends called Nico's at 111. What an interesting menu! The food was delicious and very unusual - for example Cat and I had a starter which included pasta filled with crowdie, accompanied by caramelised cauliflower. And James had the most amazing starter which was a tiny fried ham hough sandwich served on a bed of piccalilli. The whole thing had been suffused with applewood smoke which billowed out when the bell jar was lifted off the plate. I won't list them all, but the dishes that we ordered were really interesting with delicious combinations of tastes. It was excellent value for money and also fun to try. 

Princess Leia's Mum

It is so relaxing to have these unstructured days between Christmas and New Year; it is a surreal time of year. Yesterday James and I felt the need for some fresh air and exercise, and decided to go for a walk to that old favourite of ours, the Greenock Cut. We were rewarded with mild weather and panoramic views of the Clyde during the six and a half mile walk. Later we went with David to see "Rogue One" which is a Star Wars franchise film explaining the story of how the rebels manage to procure the plans for the Galactic Empire's Death Star, and give them to Princess Leia, who appears very briefly at the very end of the film. The princess is played by an actress with a young Carrie Fisher's face digitally portrayed onto her own face. It is a rather spooky moment in light of Carrie Fisher's very recent death. The film was very enjoyable with a solid plot and good special effects. When we got home we heard the news that Carrie Fisher's eighty-four year old Mum, Debbie Reynolds, had taken ill while planning her daughter's funeral - and she died a few hours later in hospital. How sad. Apparently she had been saying "I just want to be with Carrie."

Festive entertainment

We have been watching a bit of festive television over the last few days. Not all of the time, I hasten to say! But there tend to be a few good quality programmes on the box at this time of year, as well a few Christmas specials of old favourites.

One of these was a one off festive edition of "Outnumbered", a situation comedy which started about ten years ago about a family with three children (hence the title, because the children in the family outnumbered the parents, much like our own!) The issues faced by the Mum - bringing up three lively children while taking care of an elderly parent and dealing with work issues - always seemed to echo my own life, and there were times when a situation would be so similar to things in my life that I was left gasping! In last night's Christmas edition the children are all grown up and they are on their way to scatter their Grandad's ashes. The episode was gently amusing, and at the end the parallels with my own life continued when the eldest son announced that he was going to go to work in New Zealand for a couple of years! Let's just say that the Mum's upbeat brave face, with her cheerful talk of FaceTiming, was very familiar! I miss Jamie very much.

This evening James and I sat down together to watch the Disney film "Frozen" because we had never seen it and felt that the this was a good time to remedy the situation. It did not disappoint and I can see why it has been such a huge hit since it was released in 2013. The animation was brilliant and the music was great, especially "Let it Go", and I was so glad that I watched it.

Intimations of mortality

With apologies to William Wordsworth, the year 2016 has brought more news of mortality than immortality. The media has been banging on all year about the high number of celebrity deaths. Apparently this can be explained by the fact that there are more "celebrities" (who will eventually die) nowadays because of global television and media, and also there can always be statistical blips. I have blogged about a few of these "notable deaths" during the year, but there have been two over the last few days which have really resonated with me.

George Michael was found dead on Christmas Day at the age of fifty-three - he was the same age as me. George became famous as a very young man which means that I have been aware of his stellar career and roller-coaster of experiences throughout my own adult life. He always seemed a very honest character who wore his heart on his sleeve. The last time that he was seen alive was when he was watching the Christmas Eve procession in his village from his window.

Carrie Fisher's death was announced on the BBC news only a couple of hours ago. She suffered a heart attack on a plane on the 23rd December and never regained consciousness. At 60 she was a little bit older than me, but, like George, her joys and troubles were lived very publicly since I first saw her as Princess Leia in Star Wars nearly 40 years ago. 

Life is short. 

Glenkinchie

Davie's Christmas present to James was a tour of Glenkinchie Distillery near Edinburgh, so thence we journeyed on this fine sunny morning. The Distillery is quite small and neatly laid out, and we were given the tour by a very personable and knowledgeable young man named Tom. It has been a long time since we have been on a distillery tour and it was genuinely interesting, even to a non drinker like me. At the end there was a tasting session in which James and Davie partook enthusiastically. 

In the way home we stopped at a garden centre for tea and scones - it was a great wee day out.

Peaceful

This has been the most peaceful day of my entire year so far. Not even our brilliant holiday in Sorrento in July was as relaxing as today. This was because I had absolutely nothing to do; not even a meal to attend nor a place to be, no matter how pleasant. Furthermore, the weather outside was dreadful - rainy and windy - which lent a cosy feel to being inside. 

So I pottered around; reading, watching Christmas television, making turkey risotto for dinner, playing with the cats. And it was all very companionable because James, Ally and Davie were all pottering about too. James made a miniature Lego model of Venice which Ally had given him for Christmas, and Ally and Davie played a computer game called "Civilisation." 

I do enjoy many of the more active aspects of my life, but a day like today is so rare that it is a real joy. We all gathered on the couches to watch the Dr Who Christmas Special together, and we are now watching the Royal Institution Christmas Lecture which is about different types of energy. I don't understand a word of it, but that doesn't bother me at all. 

Family Christmas

This has been a lovely family Christmas, and who could ask for more? Everything was very traditional, and the only exception was that our Jamie is far away in New Zealand, so this was our first Christmas in nearly twenty seven years without him. However we are very lucky that (really quite recent) technology such as FaceTime means that we can dial up and chat to him, free of charge, almost as if he was in the same room. When we were Jamie's age the only way of contacting home from abroad was by expensive phone calls using a pile of coins in a phone box to pay!

Grandma really enjoys talking to Jamie by FaceTime, so after our Christmas dinner (Boxing Day morning for Jamie who is thirteen hours ahead of us) we set up the large computer screen and were soon chatting and hearing about his Christmas adventures. It's summer there, so they had a Christmas Eve barbecue, and then had lamb for Christmas dinner. During our call it was dark and rainy here in Scotland but Jamie took his laptop out to the balcony of his house to show us the beautiful sunny morning that he was enjoying in Dunedin! 

Risk

Christmas Eve has been a fun day. It is lovely Noah's 8th birthday, so I went over to his party at Jackie's this morning, then in the afternoon we watched James' favourite Christmas film; "Elf." I like it very much too but James absolutely loves it and laughed uproariously throughout.

Then this evening I was encouraged by Ally and Davie into playing my very first game of Risk. It was much more enjoyable than I thought it would be, and I got off to a tremendously good start. However Ally and David soon got the better of me, and in the end Ally achieved world domination, which surprised no one! 

So now we had better get to bed before Santa arrives.

Festive Evening

After my haircut today I met up with Davie in town and bought him some new shoes before having lunch together at TGI Fridays. The meal was ok (I have never felt the same about it since they took chicken quesadillas off the menu) and we had a window table with a great view over Buchanan Street. Best of all was having a lovely chat with my boy. However the service was appallingly slow. 
Later on we went to see "It's a Wonderful Life" at the GFT with James, Ally and Cat. We have seen it so many times before, but I still love it. I noticed that the young woman beside me was leaning on her Mum's shoulder fast asleep for most of the film though! We then had a pleasant meal at Red Onion before heading home. It was really nice that Cat joined us for our festive evening. 

Christmas holidays have arrived!

So here I am on the first day of the Christmas holidays, sitting in the hairdressers listening to festive music. The last few days have flown by. I never get as much done as I want to at work by the end of term, but this year wasn't too bad and I feel fairly organised for January. This week has been quieter socially than last week thank goodness and I have sorted out the last of the Christmas presents including the New Zealand ones. All of the Christmas dinner food has arrived except the turkey, which Ally and Davie will collect tomorrow morning.

Margaret came round last night and we lit the fire in the lounge and caught up on news and ate delicious soft amaretto biscuits. And then this morning I had a celebratory long lie in my bed before heading into town. A good start to the holidays so far! 

Traditions

When we got home from Edinburgh on Saturday afternoon, I went down to Morrisons to do a small but urgent food shopping, while Ally and James sorted out the tree and decorated it. I must say that it looks splendid. On top sits the Christmas star that James made the first Christmas that we were married thirty-two years ago. It is showing signs of age but we would never replace it. James put on a CD of Christmas music and we admired the tree. We brought the cats through from the back room to see it but they were not impressed and ran about the room until they got the chance to escape. Later on we watched the final of Strictly Come Dancing; it was excellent and Ore Oduba was a worthy winner.

On Sunday we went into town for our traditional Christmas lunch with Heather and Ewan. I have such fond memories of this occasion over the years; it is always fun, marking the Christmas season with good friends who know us so well that we can truly relax with them. As is customary, we then went on to The Metropolitan for more drinks and chat. When we got home Ally made dinner but we weren't very hungry after our big Christmas lunch, and sensibly went for a fairly early night.

Afternoon tea at the Balmoral Hotel

Friday evening was our staff night out at my new school. In a strange déjà vu feeling I found myself sitting in almost exactly the same seat at the same venue that I had been a year ago for the Christmas night out of my previous school! I have had a cold all week so after the meal I said my goodbyes and set off down the road to walk home; James walked up to meet me.

Despite leaving the night out early I was still very tired on Saturday when we set off to Aberfoyle to choose our Christmas tree, and I kept dozing off in the car. Alasdair was also very tired, because he had spent Friday taking part in a Glasgow tradition of which I had never heard until this week; the Sub Crawl. This involves buying an all-day ticket for the Glasgow Subway, disembarking at each of the 15 stations and having a drink in the nearest bar! Ally and his friends had had a convivial time, however he was distinctly delicate on Saturday and lay down for a sleep in the back of the car. James stalwartly did all the driving!

We have bought our Christmas tree from the Forestry Commission at Aberfoyle’s David Marshall Lodge since well before the children were born. This year, with Jamie being in New Zealand and Davie being on a weekend in London, it was just three of us, but the tradition continues. We chose a fine eight foot tree and lashed it to the roof of the car before setting off to Edinburgh.

Our next destination was the Palm Court Restaurant at the Balmoral Hotel, which we reached by parking at Ingliston and taking the tram into the city centre. This involved the risk of leaving the tree on the roof of the car unguarded, but luckily the honest residents of Edinburgh did not steal it and it was waiting for us on our return. The tram into the centre was excruciatingly slow. I had thought that it would take priority over other traffic on Princes Street but the tram crawled along so slowly that we could have walked the last couple of hundred yards faster! Edinburgh was hootching, but once we got into the restaurant at the Balmoral we found ourselves in an oasis of calm.

Our afternoon tea was a gift that Jamie gave us for last Christmas, so it was taken us a while to use the voucher! It was such a treat. We were brought a sumptuous array of tasty morsels including tiny sandwiches and sausage rolls, wee scones and delicious profiteroles. All the while we were serenaded by harp music which was being played on a balcony overlooking the room. Despite being an "afternoon tea" we were absoluted replete afterwards and were unable to eat anything else for the remainder of the day! 

Wings of a Dove

On Thursday evening James and I went to see Madness at the Hydro. It was a fantastic concert. Special mention should be made of the Lightning Seeds who were the excellent support act, with many great songs of their own. Madness is one of the bands where James' and my taste in music coincide, and I have to say that it lived up to our expectations. "Our House" has long been one of my favourite songs and I was saying to James that I would quite like it to be played at my funeral because the lyrics do seem to describe our family quite well! I also particularly enjoyed "Wings of a Dove" and there were of course many more; they certainly have a large back catalogue of songs, and it was such a happy and pleasant atmosphere. At the end, before the encores, they brought on a pipe band who played Flower of Scotland and the whole audience sang along. 

RSNO Christmas Café Orchestra

We were invited to a rather lovely Christmas concert yesterday; an evening with the RSNO’s Café Orchestra. It was in a new auditorium at the Royal Concert Hall, which is very smart, and has only been open for a year, as the new home for the RSNO. The Henry Wood Hall, where Ally and Davie used to rehearse with the RSNO Junior Chorus, has now been sold. Being part of the Junior Chorus, directed by the amazing Christopher Bell, was a fantastic experience for the boys. They learned so much about music and also had the experience of performing on the stage in the choir. It was worth the long days on each Monday where we would set off for our respective schools in the morning, have tea, then choir, and then get home about 9 pm! The Café Orchestra performed a selection of 1920s Latin and Jazz Music – and the leader told us a bit about some of the composers such as Irving Berlin (rags to riches) and Cole Porter (riches to even more riches). Quite a lot of the music had a festive feel, given the time of year, and there was also a vocalist (Miriam Elwell-Sutton) who had a beautiful voice and sang “Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. We met quite a few people that we knew and chatted with them over drinks and canapés.

 

Not Jury Service

I was called in to Jury Service today. I had hoped that I would not be required because I had checked the Jury Attendance line for the last couple of days and was not needed. But last night the recorded message requested my presence today. I went to school first to sort out lessons etc, and dropped my car off back at home before heading into town by train. 

Imagine my surprise on my arrival at home to find Ally standing in the hall with the vacuum cleaner in one hand and his toothbrush in the other, while wearing only his pants! That's multi-tasking in action! 

At the Sheriff Court we were all kept waiting for ages before being sent away because none of the cases allocated to our court were going ahead. Ally told me later that the clients had probably pleaded guilty. I took the train home, or so I thought. In fact the train went to a different station than I had expected, leaving me with a walk home of half an hour instead of the usual ten minutes. It was raining and a bus drove through a puddle and splashed me. It was not really the best of afternoons, but I soon cheered up by doing rather well at the quiz show Pointless (there were questions about French books!) while having a warming cup of tea. 

Whose Bookshelf is it Anyway?

In festive mode, after Ally organised me into writing all of our Christmas cards, I made up an amazing quiz for Christmas book club called "Whose bookshelf is it anyway?" To be honest, I completely stole the idea from the English department at my school. I asked my book club chums each to send me a photograph of part of their bookshelf with a selection of their favourite books. Ally kindly printed these for me in little booklets; he made a lovely job of it. The aim of the game was to guess to whom each set of books belonged. 

The book club girls seemed to really enjoy it, and, after working out whose books were whose, there was a lot of discussion about the books and why they were our favourites. I was very touched that several of the girls spotted "The Shipping News" in my row of books and remembered that it is one of my all time favourites. 

Our hostess Jennifer made us a delicious supper of chilli con carne and then we had mince pies and felt very Christmassy. 

Lunch at The Ivy

Sunday in London was very relaxing after our busy Saturday. It was a fine, sunny morning and James and I walked from Southwark to The Ivy in the West End, where I had booked lunch. I did this in honour of one of my favourite authors, P.D. James, who died a couple of years ago, and who mentioned in her autobiography that she enjoyed having lunch at The Ivy! I thought that was as good a reason as any to give it a try, and I was very glad that we did, because the food, service, décor and atmosphere were all lovely. I would love to go there again.

The rest of the day was spent walking, chatting and even doing a little light shopping. The city looked and felt festive - we even saw two double decker buses packed full of Santas! We flew home from London City Airport and had marvellous views over the city as we ascended into the night sky.

Nice Fish

Later on Saturday, after a convivial meal at Carluccio’s near Covent Garden, James and I took our leave of the Smith family and we walked the short distance to the Harold Pinter Theatre. I had booked tickets ages ago for the Mark Rylance play “Nice Fish”, mainly because I’m a big fan of Mark Rylance, whose work I have admired in “Cromwell” and “Bridge of Spies.” To be honest, I had no idea what the play was about, apart from the fact that it was a comedy set on a frozen lake where some people are ice fishing. Our seats were excellent, in the middle of the front row of the dress circle. Well, I have to admit that the play was a little quirkier and more whimsical than I had anticipated. It was like a series of short monologues and a few dialogues, and it was more wistful than comic as the small cast of characters related episodes of their lives. It reminded me a bit of the reminiscences of Garrison Keillor, and in fact was co-written with Mark Rylance by a contemporary prose poet, like Keillor from Minnesota, called Louis Jenkins. The monologues had a certain bleakness about them perhaps relating to the frozen landscape. All in all, I enjoyed the experience; although it was not the best play that I have ever seen, I think it deserved credit for daring to be different.
James however had a completely different opinion, to which of course he is perfectly entitled! He thought that it was the worst thing that he has ever seen, and sat stony faced from start to finish. He did not find it in the least funny, and said that it was “The Emperor’s New Clothes” of plays! We discussed it all the way back to our hotel in Southwark, as we walked along the south bank of the Thames, with gorgeous views of the lights of London. 

London fun

Well, what a weekend it has been! London certainly is a fun – and very busy - place to be at Christmas time and we spent Saturday morning enjoying the Christmas lights and window displays at the department stores on Oxford Street. Then we met Jennifer, Russell, Josh and Ben at the new BBC Television centre in Portland Place. We had a coffee together first in the Caffe Nero which is right next to it, and it was so lovely to see them all. Russell gave us a fantastic tour of the news room, which is huge and open plan with balconies going up eight storeys high. The basement floor has desks in a central hub, with rows of desks going out from the centre like a spider’s legs for each different section of the news. Also on the basement floor is the news studio and we could see the news reader broadcasting live. Eagle-eyed viewers could have seen us walking past in the background among the desks that can be seen during the broadcast. Russell showed us a huge touch screen where you can look at all the news stories together with the statistics of how many people are viewing the stories on the website. Russell’s desk on the 1st floor overlooks all of this and it’s amazing. Just along from his area is the BBC weather area, and he introduced us to weather man Darren Bett who explained to us how it all works. I got the chance to stand in front of the “green screen” and practised giving the weather forecast by pointing at the different areas while looking at the map on a screen.
We also noticed (from the big screen behind the news reader) that there was a “Breaking News” story, which was, sadly, the death that morning of restaurant critic A. A. Gill. We saw the journalists working to add more details from the first, very short reports that they got from The Times newspaper. It really was fascinating.
Finally Russell took us right up the 8th floor where we could see the stylishly decorated Radio 1 Studios and also beautiful twilight views down Regent Street, where this year the Christmas decorations are huge angels with sweeping wings.

Not a hangover

We are on the plane on our way to London to visit Jennifer, Russell, Josh, Ben, and generally have a rip-roaring festive weekend. James was out last night at his office Christmas night out, so I drove to the airport this morning just to be on the safe side, although James explained to me that he had hardly had anything to drink due to the bar service being so slow. He did however buy some paracetamol at the airport, for his "definitely not a hangover."

I, on the other hand, had rather a quiet evening. Ally had invited some of his friends round for a boys' pizza and movie evening, so I left them in peace and ate a solitary dinner upstairs and read my book. 

So here we are, waiting for the last passengers to board. Let the fun commence!

In Plain Sight

Last night I watched the first episode of a new drama on television called "In Plain Sight." It's based on true events that took place in Lanarkshire in the 1950s; the seven murders committed by Peter Manuel. He had started as a petty criminal and escalated to rape and murder - the police suspected him but it took a while to pin him down with enough evidence. I was very interested because I can remember clearly my Mum and Dad talking about the murders; they all took place very near where we live and must have had a huge impact on the community. My Dad knew someone who was at Manuel's trial where he sacked his lawyer and, with misplaced confidence, defended himself. Dad also remembered that everyone in his Glasgow office was very preoccupied with the news on the day that he was hanged, until the solemn atmosphere was defused by someone telling a joke in bad taste!
Episode 1 of the series was very well done, with the excellent Dougie Henshall playing Inspector Muncie and an actor that I haven't seen before called Martin Compston being suitably sinister as Peter Manuel. Strange that it's like a period drama with old-fashioned clothes and cars, when it all took place only six years before my birth! 

Exam time again

It's exam time in Casa Anderson and in that satellite state of Anderson which is called Dundee. The big exam that Ally will be sitting tomorrow is in fact completely optional; he has chosen to do an extra subject that will be useful if he wishes to become an Advocate in the future. Typical of Ally to plan ahead like this. It has been a lot of work but the good news is that the exam tomorrow marks the end of the course, so if he passes it he will have achieved his goal. Fingers crossed.

And fingers crossed for Davie who has exams tomorrow and Monday. He has also been working hard and I know that he's a bit nervous so I hope that all goes well for him. I'm sure that next week there will be many celebrations when the boys' exams are over! 

No Smoke without Fire

James and I were tucked up in bed last night when we noticed a smell of wood smoke wafting in the window (luckily for our marriage, James and I are like minded in our preference for having the window open while we sleep, even when it’s quite cold outside.) We wondered if it was someone’s wood burning stove – this is a topical subject for us because we have recently ordered a new fireplace. However, Alasdair then appeared in the doorway to tell us that there was a fire engine outside our neighbours’ house! Further investigation (peering out of all the windows!) revealed that there was indeed a fire – but luckily not in any of the houses; it was the boundary fence between two of the neighbours’ gardens just next to us. How strange – the weather was really wet and horrible so I can’t imagine how a fire could have started let alone taken hold. There were firemen in the garden checking that everything was extinguished. This morning I was chatting to Tina on the way to school (I have been giving her a lift since her foot surgery) and she said that she had slept through the whole thing! But her Mum and Dad had been out in the garden with the firemen; the cause of the fire so far remains a mystery.

The Killing

James and I are currently exactly half way through watching the first series of The Killing; a Danish detective programme that is nearly ten years old, although until now we have never seen it. There are twenty episodes so it’s a long haul, however I am very much enjoying it. Like many Scandinavian dramas it is all about atmosphere and a slow but compelling pace, which makes for addictive viewing. It has a slightly soporific effect on James, but he is managing to stay awake for most of it – such was the sleep-inducing effect of the Wallander series on him a few years ago that I think I could have made him fall asleep simply by showing him the cover of the DVD! We do like to watch a “box set”, whether on DVD or on one of our many online television channels, as an alternative to watching any old rubbish on television. It gives you a sense of choice and as a result we have watched some really good series, often on the recommendation of friends, such as the afore-mentioned Wallander, Mad Men, House of Cards, Breaking Bad and of course the amazing Game of Thrones.

Mince Pies Outing

On Sunday we went to the annual Mince Pies outing with the hill-walking club; a not to be missed social event! As usual it was great fun. We walked from near Killin to the Mhor 84 pub at Balquhidder, along the disused railway track. We were treated to beautiful views over Loch Earn and the weather was more autumnal than wintry as we walked through woodland with the last of the autumn leaves on the ground. Andy and Gwen had arranged a photo scavenger hunt which we all entered into enthusiastically. When we arrived at the friendly pub, soup, mince pies and mulled wine awaited us. Santa of course made his appearance and was greeted by a spirited rendition of Jingle Bells. I must have been a good girl this year because I received a lovely tartan lambswool scarf! It was all very festive and a lovely day.

Jools

Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues band were excellent on Saturday evening at the Armadillo. We have been to his concerts before and they always have a great atmosphere. As well as his own performance he had some great guests. Eddie Reader has such a fantastic voice and among other songs she sang "Perfect" which always brings back memories for me of being young and hearing it played while wandering around the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988. Pauline Black and Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson from ska group The Selecter played "On the Radio" but also, more interestingly, a version of Doris Day's "Secret Love" which worked surprisingly well as a ska tune! Beth Rowley was another guest with an amazing voice, and of course Jools' regular collaborator, Ruby Turner, who was magnificent as always. It was a marvellous and very happy evening. 

Friendship

I had the worst sleep ever on Friday night due to a really horrible nightmare where (without boring any readers of this blog with the convoluted details) I was attempting to board a flight to travel to Australia with Davie. Needless to say everything went wrong, including losing my luggage, being dropped at the wrong airport terminal by my Mum and Dad (yes those two have been making yet another dream appearance!) and eventually waking up in a panic. I was totally wide awake and had to read my book to get back to sleep. Tom was excited because he thought that if I was awake it must be morning so he did a bit of scampering by around the bedroom!

So I started Saturday quite tired but didn't get much chance to rest because James was on a mission to finish the remainder of our Christmas shopping. Off we went into town, where we had an efficient and satisfactory shopping trip.

I had lunch with my lovely school friends. We meet up three or four times a year and have been there for each other through the joys and sadnesses of our lives. Over the years there has been plenty of laughter and tears, and yesterday we had both. They are such good friends. 

Gut ache

Just a short blog today because I have a very sore tummy. This happens to me from time to time and eventually it resolves itself and the pain fades away. My tummy got more and more painful all day at work, and when I got home I laid out the ingredients for James' tea and took to my bed. James suggested that a nice crisp green apple might help, so he brought me it, all nicely cut up, and I munched it down. Ten minutes later I was saying a hasty goodbye to the apple as it exited upwards at speed! So I have spent the evening reading and dozing, and waiting for my gut to untangle itself. I hope it gets better soon.

Navigation fail!

As a trained Duke of Edinburgh leader I pride myself on being able to navigate fairly well. Today however I was rather embarrassed to find myself thoroughly lost very near to home. I had gone for a very pleasant coffee after work to Catherine's. Having walked there from school using the most direct way, I decided to take a slightly circuitous route back to make the walk more interesting. This involved walking a route at Cathkin that I would normally drive, so I was taken by surprise when the pavement ended abruptly, leaving me trudging across some grass. Not at all daunted, I spotted an underpass which took me under the dual carriageway and onto a path towards my destination. I then walked up to join the road, and to my surprise I found myself walking back along the road from whence I had just come. No matter, I attempted to reverse the route - only to find myself at the edge of a small housing estate overlooking the school. I could see my car tantalisingly close by. So I found myself gingerly climbing down a muddy path in the dark to reach the car park. Thank goodness there was nobody around to see my undignified progress! 

Weekend thoughts

It has been a good weekend and we got some useful stuff done, such as ordering a new fireplace for the smaller front room, and doing a wee bit of Christmas shopping. We also had a lovely dinner at Heather and Ewan's on Saturday evening; I was delighted to see how mobile Heather is after her knee operation last week. She is a very fit girl which I'm sure will help her recovery. I enjoyed both the delicious dinner and the relaxed conversation - we always have very interesting discussions with Heather and Ewan - as well as an enjoyable melange of country and rock music! 

Today we had lunch with Alison and Hugh in town, and ended up visiting the craft fair in the old Fruit market, where I ran into Elspeth who had a stall there! Alison and Hugh are full of exciting plans for Alison's impending retirement - I am so pleased for them. They had walked into town along the Clyde Walkway which is pretty impressive - two and a half hours of walking before lunch! My ankle is beginning to feel noticeably better and is less sore, so I need to think about taking more exercise. 

James and Ruby have a falling out!

Ruby was not in the back room with us yesterday evening; James and I both noticed her absence, but both cats are very independent so we just assumed that she was outside on an adventure. There was no sign of her this morning either, and I was beginning to feel a wee bit worried when we heard a faint sound from somewhere in the house. Neither of the cats can miaow properly, unlike their predecessors Jack and Jill, who knew how to sound like proper cats. So what we heard sounded more like a human child wailing. James went downstairs, checking rooms as he went, and then I heard him shouting in a horrified voice, "Oh no, come and look at this!"

I rushed downstairs, thinks no that something terrible had happened to Ruby, only to find James attempting to open the door to the lounge, which was jammed by the carpet. It turned out that Ruby had managed to get herself locked in the lounge overnight, and in her frantic attempts to escape she had ripped the carpet at the door with her claws, and had even managed to lift it up completely at one corner.

James was absolutely furious and had to reach in to pull up the carpet some more in order to open the door. Ruby must have understood from his shouting that he was angry because when I went in she was hiding behind the chair. She cheered up when she ate her breakfast and had a wee drink of milk. James later gave her a pat on the head and they were reconciled. As for the carpet, James has managed to hide the worst of the damage under a new metal door strip, but we are going to have to look for a wider one to hide all of the claw marks! 

Grand Tour

James, Ally and I decided to watch Jeremy Clarkson's new car programme on Amazon Prime this evening. The boys always enjoyed Top Gear, from which Clarkson departed rather hastily after he punched one of the show's producers for not arranging a hot meal for him after a day of filming. His loyal henchmen, Richard Hammond and James May followed him in resigning from the BBC. Top Gear resumed with new presenters, led by Chris Evans, and got roundly criticised for not managing to capture the atmosphere of the old show. 

So we were quite interested to see how Jeremy Clarkson and his chums would fare on their new show.

It got off to a very good start; Clarkson was filmed leaving the BBC sadly in the rain, handing in his security pass on the way out. He then boarded a plane to sunny California where he drove through the desert while the song "I can see clearly now the rain has gone" was played. He was joined by Hammond and May and the show continued at a lively pace with lots of cars, lots of jokes - quite good jokes e.g. Clarkson supposedly tampering with the subtitles so that a French-speaking driver would appear to agree with his views, and a mock fight with his America audience. It was all quite amusing.

Was it better than Chris Evans' version of Top Gear? I'm afraid so. I'm not a great fan of Jeremy Clarkson's rather brash personality, but I have to admit that he knows how to present a car show. 

New Dishwasher

As I blog, James and Ally are attempting to install our new dishwasher. I'm keeping quiet because when the Anderson men are attempting a technical task, tensions can run high. There are pages of detailed instructions laid out on the table and there is a lot of pacing around going on, selecting tools. For some reason they are also wielding torches, and have just started using a drill. I'm not even going to ask what is going on.

Our loyal old dishwasher gave up the ghost very suddenly last week. One day is was swishing away merrily at the dishes, the next it was as dead as a door nail. It was long out of warranty and the cost of repair was ridiculous, so we had to order a new one. It has been quite a novelty to go back to washing dishes by hand for the past week; of course that's what I did for the first twenty-five or so years of my life; we didn't get a dishwasher when we were first married, and I remember it was so exciting to get one when we moved into our present house. I didn't trust it at first, so I used to wash all the dishes before I put them in the dishwasher, which rather defeated the purpose! 

Sunday errands

I woke this morning, refreshed after my lovely spa day, to find Ruby sitting on my chest, waiting for me to feed her. James and Ally were still away for the weekend with Cornel so I decided to treat myself to breakfast at Marks and Spencer, where I needed to do some shopping anyway. How pleasant it was to eat my bloomer with eggs, bacon and cherry tomatoes while drinking a large cup of coffee and reading my Kindle. 

Then I did my shopping, not always my favourite activity, but this morning I was in a tremendously good mood so everything was quite enjoyable. I'm so pleased with the improvement in my eyesight. There is still a very small cloud that sometimes floats across my vision but its hardly noticeable, and the colours all seem brighter. 

My afternoon was spent listening to the radio while tidying the house and making a nice roast dinner for my climbing boys to eat on their return. They arrived weary, sunburned and very hungry, but luckily I had cooked plenty of food. It has been a great weekend.

Jacuzzi day

Saturday has gone exactly to plan and I have had a very pleasant and relaxing day with Jennifer. She joined me for breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Marlow, where I had spent a comfy night. We went for a wee walk to look at the lake beside the hotel in the sunny, crisp morning. Then we headed for the spa where we spent the rest of the day.

We chatted and laughed for about six hours! There is a decent sized swimming pool, sauna, steam room, a jacuzzi beside the pool, and our favourite - a nice wooden jacuzzi just outside in the hotel garden. How lovely it was to look up at the blue sky from the the hot bubbling water. Although it's quite a small spa I would definitely come here again, and it's only twenty-five minutes drive from Jennifer's house. 

I travelled back home in the evening, and guess what, the plane was delayed again! This time there was something wrong with the landing gear and then a problem with someone's biometric security - we had all had our photos taken as we boarded the flight. Never mind, I just read my book (A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler) and relaxed. 

When I arrived home a wee furry brown face was peeking round the front gate; Ruby escorted me into the house and straight to her food bowl! And now I'm tucked into my wee bed all cosy.

Colourful

What a day! My laser treatment went well; I'm delighted to say that it wasn't painful at all, only the drops to dilate my pupil were a wee bit nippy. The ophthalmologist was lovely and explained everything. I think the treatment has worked, I won't be sure until tomorrow because the pupil of my eye is still a bit dilated, but everything seems clearer. And most excitingly, the colours all seem brighter! I knew that the colours were dull in my left eye but I assumed that my right eye would have compensated. However I realised this afternoon that the world has become much more colourful again, it's amazing!

And then to add to my delight, this evening I have travelled south to Marlow in Buckinghamshire where I will be having a spa day with Jennifer tomorrow. The plane was delayed because of a system fault with the computer; the pilot told us that he had to switch off and on the power in order to reset it! He needed to do this twice which was mildly alarming! And the wings needed to be de-iced, so we ended up 40 minutes late. However I am now tucked up in my hotel bed and looking forward to the weekend. 

Positive thoughts

I'm feeling a bit apprehensive this evening because tomorrow morning I'm going to get laser treatment on my eye. Since my cataract operation in April 2015 which was supposed to make my eyesight all lovely and clear again, it has become more and more blurry. This is apparently because protein is sticking to the lens. At least I think that's what I was told. Anyway there is a treatment that involves blasting it off with a laser, which doesn't sound much fun, but hopefully would improve my sight in that eye. 

On the other hand I'm very much looking forward to visiting Jennifer this weekend; we're going for a wee spa day in Marlow, and I will be travelling down by plane tomorrow evening. So I will try to think of chatting and jacuzzis during the laser treatment; as Julie Andrews sang, "I simply remember my favourite things and then I don't feel so bad!"

Supermoon

Today I heard on the news that there was to be a supermoon, but I didn't expect to see it, because the clouds were heavy and grey all day. 

However this evening James called me outside and there it was, looking big and bright and spectacular in a clear sky, with clouds scudding across it which actually made it look all the more dramatic. Apparently it's the biggest supermoon since 1948, and this is due to a full moon coinciding with a particularly close approach to the earth. It is allegedly 14% bigger and 30% brighter than usual, according to the BBC website. It did look noticeably bigger and I was very glad to see it. The next really big one won't be until 2034.

Skeleton Stories

What to do on a dreich Sunday afternoon in Glasgow in November? Since our young scientists David and Chanel are visiting this weekend we decided that something intellectually stimulating would be in order. So we headed for the west end to visit the Hunterian Art Gallery which has an exhibition entitled "Skeletons: Our Buried Bones."

This consists of eight skeletons; four from the Museum of London and four from burial grounds across Scotland. As a future forensic anthropologist Chanel was very knowledgable about the very different life stories that the bones revealed, and her enthusiasm made it very interesting for all of us.

We then went to a cosy café on Byres Road for coffee and waffles with bacon and maple syrup which were just right for the miserable weather. And now we're home, relaxing in front of the lounge fire. 

The Broons

We had a lovely dinner at the Pipers Tryst restaurant this evening with Grandma, Ally, David and Chanel. The food was really good and it was a convivial occasion. Then we all went our separate ways; Chanel and David went to a concert, Ally went to a party, and the rest of us crossed the road to the Theatre Royal to see The Broons.

The Broons is a Scottish institution - a cartoon that has been published in the Sunday Post newspaper since 1936. My parents used to get the Glasgow Herald on weekdays, and the Sunday Post and the Sunday Express at the weekend, so I grew up with the cartoons Oor Wullie and The Broons. I had no idea that these newspapers were considered to be politically right wing until someone told me when I was in my early 20s - I was somewhat naive and it had never occurred to me that newspapers have political stances!

Anyway, I was keen to see The Broons because it was adapted for the stage by my friend Barbara's actor, playwright and director son, Rob Drummond. I wondered how on earth the old-fashioned cartoon would be translated to the stage. However Rob Drummond had done a great job of it; keeping the humour gentle and traditional, and poking fun at itself mildly which made the audience feel as if they were in in the joke. 

For example, the youngest Broon child was always known as "The Bairn" with no mention of her real name. In the play, a character says to Maw Broon,

"I've never heard the bairn's name!"

and Maw draws herself up disapprovingly and replies,

"And you never will!"

"Why not?"

"It's none of your business!"

This got a huge laugh from the audience. The plot (which mainly consisted of a series of misunderstandings with predictable but amusing consequences) was interspersed with songs popular song in the 1950s and 60s, sung by the talented cast, most of whom could also play musical instruments. It ended with a rousing medley of Scottish songs which had the audience on their feet joining in. It was all great fun. 

Back to A & E

Imagine my surprise yesterday when I got a letter from my local hospital to say that they had taken another look at the X Ray if my ankle and wanted me to come back in. Unwilling to take time off work (especially because I have a hospital appointment about my eye coming up which I can't arrange out with school hours) I have just spent an interesting Friday evening back at Accident and Emergency!

I had to wait for three and a half hours this time, but I wasn't surprised because I know that Friday evenings are busy. I settled down in the waiting room and read my Kindle peacefully. I was diverted, from time to time, by the interesting variety of other patients of all shapes and sizes. There was a wee girl who was in tears after a bad fall at gymnastics. There was a young man who was brought in wearing handcuffs and escorted by two police officers, who had a tight grip on his arms - he looked as if he had taken a terrible beating. Eventually I was taken through to the minor injuries clinic and sure enough my ankle is fractured after all. How annoying. I'm to wear a walking boot and it should heal ok in a few weeks because the bone hasn't moved. That means I have broken both ankles in the last 12 months. The sooner I get the vision fixed in my left eye the better, I'm sure that's why I'm falling so often.

Cuff links

This morning as I was getting ready for work, Ally appeared wearing a very smart suit with a white shirt and a red tie. He looked fantastic. He was on his way to perform a plea bargain as part of his Law Diploma course - it was a pretend plea bargain but in front of a real Sheriff, so it was very formal. I noticed that he was putting on a pair of gold cuff links that belonged to my Dad with the City of Glasgow crest on them. I was so touched that he had chosen them. And my Dad would have been so proud of Alasdair; I just wish that they had known each other for longer. 

This evening I was glad to hear from Ally that his plea bargain went very well.

Democracy

Well I must admit that I was very surprised when I woke up this morning and James told me that Donald Trump looked virtually guaranteed to win the US Election. I pride myself on having an excellent instinct for how an electorate is going to vote, and I was spot on when predicting the outcomes of the Scottish Independence Referendum and the Brexit Referendum. However this time I was wrong; I had thought that Hillary Clinton would scrape through with a very small majority. My excuse is that I clearly don't have my finger on the pulse of America the way I do at home! 

Donald Trump was magnanimous in his victory speech, and Hillary was gracious in her speech of defeat. They both talked of America pulling together, and with that I do agree. Even though I suspect that Donald would have made a tremendous fuss and would have cried foul if he had lost, the fact of the matter is that democracy has taken place and the people have spoken. And that is the way it works. In the recent referendums both the Scottish Nationalists and the pro-Europe campaigners have been breathless with indignation when they lost. They have accused the people who voted the other way from them of being wrong, deluded, immoral, ignorant. What they can't seem to accept is that referendums and elections are democracy in action. I can totally understand how bitterly disappointed many people in the USA must be feeling today. I am no fan of Donald (in fact I have a soft spot for Hillary after reading her autobiography and feel gutted for her) but a democratic election has taken place and there is little point in whining about it - Donald Trump is going to be the 45th President of the USA. 

Revisiting Planet Earth

When I was chatting to David on the phone at the weekend he told me that he and his friends were planning a gathering in his flat on Sunday evening to watch the first in the new David Attenborough television series: Planet Earth 2. I found it very heartwarming and wholesome that these young science students were eagerly anticipating the new series from the venerable broadcaster. So this evening I decided to watch it too. I am never particularly drawn to watch nature programmes for some reason, but when I do watch them I become absolutely fascinated. David Attenborough, aged 90 and sensibly wearing a warm blue down jacket, introduced the programme from a balloon two miles high in the air near Mont Blanc. This week's episode was about wildlife on all sorts of remote and dangerous islands. And indeed it was amazing. There were sex-starved sloths, Komodo dragons wrestling, lemurs leaping, iguanas swimming underwater, and penguins leaping off cliffs to find food. The highlight had to be the terrifying racer snakes chasing baby iguanas across the gritty sand on a volcanic island - it was like something out of a horror movie! 

4DX fun

After a very pleasant and relaxing Saturday, we decided to go to the cinema. We went to see Dr Strange which turned out to be very good, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. It's part of the Marvel franchise but is a good film in its own right. Ally and Cat went to see the fireworks at Glasgow Green and then met us at the Cineworld Bar before the film. We knew that the film was in 3D, and we had our 3D glasses at the ready. However we didn't realise that it was also in "4DX" which includes special chairs with footrests. The chairs vibrate and move around and become especially lively during action scenes when you are thrown around alarmingly! My coffee was spilled several times! There were also extra special effects including things poking into you, wind, rain and even smells! It was all great fun and definitely enhanced the experience! Not that I would wish to have this for every film - but last night we all found it absolutely hilarious and talked about it all the way home. 

Scary Santa Cat

Yesterday I was doing a wee bit of shopping in Tesco when I noticed that they were selling Christmas outfits for pets. Now we don't usually inflict such an indignity on our much loved cats (although James has mentioned that he would love to get a pair of "Puss in Boots" boots for Tom to stride around in!) but I couldn't resist buying a couple of outfits with the thought of a photo opportunity.

I had no idea of the carnage which would ensue! When I got them Alasdair wasted no time in putting the Santa costume on Tom. Tom was not exactly thrilled, but he is such a good-natured cat that he resignedly allowed himself to be photographed, and Cat took some excellent photos. The unexpected thing was Ruby's reaction. She was busy filling her face at her bowl while Ally was dressing up Tom, and when she looked up to see Santa Cat looking at her she totally flipped out! She clearly didn't recognise him at all (even though he was only wearing a Santa hood with a small cloak). Her hackles rose all along her back and her usually small rat-like tail assumed enormous proportions, like a fox's brush! After staring at Santa Cat for a few moments Ruby ran away at speed and exited the house via the cat flap. The problem with this was that Ally had just locked the cat flap in case Tom tried to run off while being dressed up. Normally this effectively prevents the cats from leaving, for example if we are trying to catch them to take them to the vet. However, this time there was a tremendous crashing sound and the cat flap broke clean into two pieces! Ruby must have been going at a tremendous speed. 

All ended well when the Santa costume was removed and Ruby was retrieved from the garden by Ally to spend a peaceful evening indoors. 

Excellent NHS

My sprained ankle, from my fall in New York last month, has been getting more painful again over the last week, and today I was limping noticeably. So after tea (rather nice beef stroganoff made by James) I went up to the hospital to get it checked over. I took my current book with me (Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz - interesting so far) because I reckoned that I would have to wait for several hours, and I would just relax and read while waiting.

Well I was amazed by the speed and efficiency of the service! No sooner had I switched on my Kindle in the waiting room than I was summoned through to the "minor injuries clinic". Out came the Kindle again, but before I could focus my eyes in the page I was assessed by a nurse, then a doctor, and dispatched to the X Ray department. Minutes later I was trudging back along to the minor injuries clinic, where I again got my Kindle out but was distracted by hearing two doctors discussing my X Ray; "There's something there - I'm not sure" and "How long ago was the injury?" The nurse then appeared back to say that after some discussion they think it is just torn ligaments and that I need to rest the ankle more and elevate it whenever possible. The pain is due to swelling so I need to start taking anti-inflammatories again. Soon I was on my way home, reassured and ready for a cup of tea. I know I was lucky that it was a quiet evening - the waiting times can be very long when it is busy - but credit where credit is due, that was first class treatment from the NHS. 

Folk Singer

James and I went to a concert this evening; Karine Polwart at Paisley Arts Centre. I thought that it was absolutely excellent. I loved all the stories that she told as well as the songs, and her voice is beautiful. I first heard Karine Polwart sing at the Bert Jansch tribute concert earlier this year so I was keen to attend one of her own concerts. I liked the way that the music really stood up for itself, just voice and guitar, and several songs were completely unaccompanied.

James didn't feel the same way, however to be fair to him he did turn up and give it a try!

Sunday lunch and Monday leftovers

And so here we are on the first day of November and according to the weather forecast, after really quite a mild Autumn, much colder weather is coming in from the north over the next few days. 

All is well at Casa Anderson at the moment I'm glad to say. Janet, Peter and Anne came through for lunch on Sunday and it was absolutely great to see them, we had such a laugh. Anne is a lovely young woman and she and Ally exchanged many a tale of travel in foreign lands. Anne has spent a year and a half in New Zealand, and Janet and Peter visited her there earlier this year, so they were able to give us some top tips for the holiday we are planning next summer. We had decided to go for a very traditional roast beef Sunday lunch with all the trimmings and it went down extremely well. I had made far too much of everything, so on Monday evening we had a yummy leftovers meal while we caught up on Poldark.

Haunted Pub

Ally, Cat, James and I decided to go out for lunch yesterday on the spur of the moment, and Ally suggested the Applebank Inn on the outskirts of Larkhall. When we arrived we had a lovely pub lunch, and also found the pub positively festooned with Halloween decorations. There were spooky 3D photos on the walls, fake cobwebs everywhere, a giant inflatable spider outside, and ghoulish blood-stained figures hanging beside the front door. One of the bartenders told us that the Applebank Inn is in fact haunted! He said that it's three hundred years old and among many strange happenings, is particularly haunted by the mysterious Black Lady. Lunch however was sadly lacking in paranormal activities and afterwards we went for a wee walk up to the viaduct in the Autumn sunshine.

Fantastic end to the holiday!

And so goodbye to Washington DC. We took the train back to New York on Saturday afternoon after a last visit in the morning to the Museum of Air and Space. Yes that was our third visit! The streets of Washington were cooler than the last few days but it was lovely and sunny; I felt sad to be leaving this beautiful city. The start of our train journey was delayed a bit because of "police activity" on the track, then there was a bit of confusion and quite a few tears just after leaving Baltimore because two girls hadn't managed to get off the train on time, and yet another two young people had got on the train by mistake thinking that it was going to DC! A train conductor appeared and led the distressed group away with him. 

We relaxed, watched the scenery and read our books during the three hour journey. The next leg of our trip to JFK airport via Jamaica (in Queens not the Caribbean!) and the AirTrain to JFK was a bit of a slog, but there were no delays and eventually we arrived at the British Airways lounge in Terminal 7.

To my surprise and delight we had been upgraded to Business Class, and a whole new world of pleasure opened up for me! We were directed to "pre-flight dining" which was in a separate area of the lounge; this means that you have already eaten your meal before your overnight flight, therefore you can settle down to sleep on the flight more quickly. On the flight James and I had our own sleeping areas beside each other, with chairs that go down completely flat and connects with a fold down footstools to become beds! After surreptitiously taking a couple of photos and having lovely cup of tea we snuggled down to sleep. It was great, so comfy! 

Friday - Memorials and Museums

On our last full day in Washington we decided to walk around the memorials and monuments that we haven't yet seen in the morning, and then head to a couple of museums in the afternoon. The unseasonably hot weather was due to end in the afternoon so we thought that we would do the outdoorsy bit in the morning. 

We took the Metro to Smithsonian and noticed that we had the most upbeat conductor in the world! As well as announcing the stations in a very enthusiastic manner, he kept shouting "it's Friiiii-day!"

We then proceeded to circumnavigate the tidal basin in a leisurely fashion. I won't make a list of all the memorials that we saw, but it was interesting to see how different they were in style. The Jefferson Memorial was very imposing, however I noticed that unlike Lincoln sitting relaxed in his big chair, Jefferson was standing up for all eternity. I mentioned to James that if there is ever a statue to be built of me, I would like to be sitting down. James assured me that he will design a statue that has me lying on a couch surrounded by sweetie papers with a television remote control in one hand and my phone in the other, and a couple of cats lounging around nearby! 

It was a most beautiful morning with not a cloud in the sky and at the wee George Mason memorial there was a gorgeous flower garden which was full of butterflies. Round at the Franklin D Roosevelt memorial I particularly liked the statue of his wee Westie dog. We arrived back at the World War II memorial with its lovely fountains and then past the Washington Monument towards the Smithsonian museums.

By this time it was 2 pm and hotter than ever so we had a quick but tasty lunch in the cafeteria of The Museum of American History. Our timing couldn't have been better - just as we sat down the weather finally broke and torrential rain started lashing down outside. We had a look round the museum. It was interesting in parts - it was good to see the original flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the heavy bombardment by the British in September 1814. When it was still flying the next morning Francis Scott Key saw it and was inspired to write a poem beginning:

"O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?"

which of course became the song "The Star Spangled Banner" and eventually America's National Anthem.  

And I did enjoy seeing Judy Garland's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. But I felt that the museum was a bit of a jumble and could have done with some stronger historical links and themes.

When we went outside the rain had stopped and the sun was back out; it was distinctly cooler though, which was a relief. We went to the Museum of Natural History briefly and then back to the Museum of Air and Space for an hour before it closed.

In the evening we strolled along M Street to bustling Georgetown and had an absolutely fantastic meal in Clyde's, which was a sort of mix of French and American cooking. It was by far the best meal that we have had all week (first equal with our Brunch in the Rockefeller Centre!) 

Thursday - Dulles Airport, Arlington Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial

On Thursday morning we set off nice and sharp because we were on a mission to visit the National Air and Space Museum's Annex at Washington's Dulles Airport. So we took the metro from Foggy Bottom to Rosslyn, then a bus to Dulles airport, and finally a shuttle bus to the Museum. It took about an hour and a half. I had expected a couple of dusty old hangars full of planes so I was very gratified to find a smart modern museum with plenty of restrooms, a cafeteria and a shop. It was indeed full of planes though! There was a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, a Concorde, the Space Shuttle Discovery, 

There was Enola Gay, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress which was used to drop the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, and an F14 Tomcat which is the kind of plane that Maverick and Goose flew in Top Gun. And many, many more! James was the happiest boy in the world! 

We returned to Washington via the bus and metro, then changed lines and went to Arlington Cemetery. It was a very warm and sunny afternoon and the white of the military graves contrasted with the warm rust reds and oranges of the autumn leaves on the trees. Washington was spread out below the cemetery and the whole atmosphere was muted and peaceful. There were many military graves, and John F Kennedy and his wife Jackie and two of their babies were buried on their own terrace with an eternal flame. 

We exited the cemetery and walked out along the broad driveway and across the Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River. The joggers of Washington were out in force on this very fine evening, and as we paused on a wide set of steps overlooking the river we noticed some joggers running up and down the steps again and again, as well as a man with a glistening torso doing all sorts of complicated sit-ups at the top of the steps. This is the city of fitness!

We then crossed the roundabout to the Lincoln memorial. It's huge with wide steps leading up to a covered area where giant Lincoln sits on his chair looking up the Reflecting Pool towards the Capitol in the distance. James realised that where we were sitting on the steps was just where Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech in August 1963.

It was getting dark by the time we reached the Vietnam memorial across the plaza; all those names of such young people, it was very sad. 

We had dinner at Nick's restaurant at Washington harbour; it was amazing to be sitting outside without even needing jackets on such a warm evening in late October. 

Wednesday in Washington

This morning we continued our tour of Washington by taking the metro from Foggy Bottom to Capitol South, the plan being to spend the morning making our way along the National Mall towards the Washington Monument. Needless to say we got distracted on the way and our morning plan ended up taking all day!

Our first unscheduled visit was to the Library of Congress. It looked amazing from the outside so we popped in only to find that it was even more amazing inside! It was stunningly beautiful with marble staircases, statues, and little homilies about learning painted high on the walls. We went up to the gallery of the Reading Room which looked like the kind of place where I would like to spend many happy hours. We also saw the Jefferson library. In 1814 the naughty British burned down the Capitol and also the 3,000-volume Library of Congress before going over to the White House, eating dinner (which the President and his wife had abandoned as they fled), and then burning that down too. The Americans were very cross about this and, from the number of times it was referred to during our visits today, they still haven't got over it!  Thomas Jefferson offered to sell Congress his personal library which was actually about three times the size of what they had before.  Unfortunately a lot of it got burned in another fire - accidental this time! For me, the highlight of the Library of Congress was an exhibition of first editions of famous American books which have had an impact on culture over the last hundred years; it was wonderful.

We then noticed signs to a tunnel that would take us under the road to the Capitol Building. We were a bit peckish so went for a very early lunch in the very smart cafeteria there, before signing up for a tour. It was really interesting and our tour guide, Karen, told us lots of stories about the government and its history. 

For example, under the Capitol there is an empty tomb which was intended for George Washington. However some of his family quite rightly insisted that according to his will he wanted to be buried at his family estate in Virginia, and so the tomb lies empty because the government doesn't want to put anyone else there. We visited the Rotunda which was very impressive with high walls curving to the dome above. The fresco at the top of the dome is spectacular, also the frieze of American history around the wall. Some American presidents and other well known elected officials have lain in state here, on the catafalque (a decorated wooden frame) originally made for Abraham Lincoln. Three civilians have lain in honour here; two Capitol policemen who were killed on duty in 1998 and Rosa Parks. 

Onwards we went along the National Mall, enjoying the views. However we didn't get very far before we saw the National Air and Space Museum. We only intended an initial brief visit to enquire about transport to the Dulles Air and Space Museum which is out at that airport, but of course once we went in we ended up staying until chucking out time at 5.30 pm!  I have seldom seen James so excited, and moved, as when we arrived, and he was soon completely absorbed in all the exhibits. There was loads to see; it was crammed with lots of different aeroplanes such as the original Wright Flyer 1903, an X15 and a U2. The strange thing was that I found it really interesting too; the information boards were very informative and it was very accessible. 

We emerged back into the sunshine and strolled down nearly to the National Monument before turning off towards the White House to see and photograph the traditional view of it. James found it very amusing that all the Secret Service police wear badges that actually say "Secret Service" - every time he saw one he would say "So who do you work for? Shhhh I can't tell you!"

From there we walked up Philadelphia Avenue towards our hotel, stopping on the way for dinner at the "Founding Farmers" restaurant which Heather and Ewan had recommended to us after their visit to Washington in June. We had to wait quite a while for a table because it was very busy (a good sign!), but we were in a relaxed holiday mood so we were happy to sit at the bar chatting over our day. Dinner was tasty American fare - the portions were massive - and the service was excellent once we finally got a table. When we arrived back at our hotel, tired but happy, we switched on the television for the first time this holiday, in order to watch the final Trump vs. Clinton debate. We haven't watched the other two, but I wanted to see this one because, being in America, there are election posters everywhere and the election feels very imminent. The debate was more interesting than I thought it would be. I have said on my blog before that I am not confident in my political views, however even I could see that Donald Trump was just mud slinging - he seemed completely out of his depth. Interesting times ahead! 

Tuesday - train from NYC to Washington DC

We were super efficient this morning when packing up and checking out of our New York hotel, because we were not sure if the layout of nearby Penn Station and didn't want to be late for our 9.35 am train to Washington DC. As a result we were about half an hour too early, but at least that gave us plenty of time to purchase pastries and coffee from Zaro's for breakfast on the train. I chose a raspberry rugelach which was delicious. When the platform was announced there was a great rush, but James took the cases onto the train while I scouted ahead for seats, which were comfy and spacious. Soon we were on our way to Washington. The three hour train journey was great, down past Philadelphia and Baltimore with views of Chesapeake Bay; the Autumn colours of the trees looked spectacular in the sunshine.

We arrived in Washington to find it very warm - about 28 degrees C - on chatting to some people in a waterfront bar later we found out that this is unusually hot for October here. We checked into our hotel in Foggy Bottom (love it!) then went out and walked along Pennsylvania Avenue towards the centre to get our bearings and see a few sights. I think that Washington definitely has the feel of a capital city; there are of course many government buildings and monuments, and there were lots of suited business people strolling about, chatting. As the afternoon went on, out came the joggers! I have never seen so many of them, especially around the Washington Monument and the World War II Memorial. The Washington Monument is on a slight hill and it was a good vantage point to see the White House and the Capitol Building. 

Later on we went for a drink at the aforementioned waterfront bar at Washington Harbour, which is near our hotel. What an amazing and vibrant place! As well as hundreds more joggers there were lots of people enjoying a drink after work at one of the bars, or going on boats up and down the Potomac River. It was right on the flight path to the airport so of course James was loving watching all the planes coming in low, and there were helicopters buzzing around too, no doubt taking diplomats or dignitaries to the airport. We had dinner sitting outside at a great seafood restaurant called Tony and Joe's and someone at the next table tapped me on the shoulder to point out to us that the International Space Station was passing overhead - it was clearly visible! Very exciting day! 

Monday in New York

When I woke up my ankle was still very sore, although not swollen, which I knew was a good sign. We decided all the same to go to a Medical Centre to get it X-rayed. My reasoning was that if it was a sprain I would strap it up and get on with walking around, however if there was a break I didn't want to make it worse and would need further advice. This was all covered by our excellent travel insurance. We took a cab to the recommended medical centre for the X Ray and I was very glad to find that there were no broken bones. The doctor gave me a walking boot to wear, which is a bit clunky but supports the ankle really well. Although we were seen fairly quickly it was nearly midday by the time we were sorted, so we had another brunch! This one was in a wee diner on 42nd Street and it was lovely although not as fancy as yesterday! We then took the metro to World Trade Centre.

James and I and the children were in New York in 2001, less than two months before 9/11. We went up to the observation deck of the South tower and right up into the roof, where we could see Manhattan spread out far below us. This is the first time that we have been back to New York after that terrible event fifteen years ago, and we both wanted to go back to the site to pay our respects.

The construction of the new buildings around the site is nearly finished, and the tallest tower, One World Trade Centre, is very striking; its glass walls reflect the sky and the buildings around it. Where the twin towers once stood are two large square pools, with the water cascading down into a deep square hole in the core of each. The names of the dead are etched into the ledges around them.

We visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum which is in two parts; the historical exhibition tells the story of what happened on 9/11 and explores the background leading up to the events and their aftermath, and the memorial exhibition commemorates the lives of the victims. There are lots of artefacts and film clips and it was very moving. 

We felt very sombre when we left and decided to walk down the few blocks to Battery Park and the Staten Island ferry. The day had turned very warm; the display board in the ferry terminal informed us that it was 80 degrees Fahrenheit (about 27 degrees C) so it was nice to be on the deck of the ferry where there was a slight breeze. We were treated to gorgeous views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty as we travelled across to Staten Island and back. We  then took the metro back to 34th street where we found a really nice wee restaurant for dinner called the Juniper Bar, the food was simple and delicious. I have loved our visit to New York.

We did not forget that 17th October is David's 21st Birthday; we tried unsuccessfully to phone him, then texted him, and later he texted us back. Our David is 21 years old!

Sunday in New York Part 3 - the Met, the Movie and the Big Fall

The last time we were in New York was 15 years ago with three beautiful little boys aged eleven, seven and five, and we had a great time but very much stuck to the outdoors - Central Park, Statue of Liberty, ferry to Staten Island etc. So Sunday was my first visit to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art aka the Met. After our magnificent brunch we felt the need for a bit of exercise so we walked the 31 blocks from the Rockefeller Centre to the Met. It is a big museum so we had to choose what we most wanted to see; after consulting our guidebook we spent most of our time wandering around the European paintings. It was very pleasant. I know it's ridiculous to single out a favourite among so many paintings, but for me El Greco's View of Toledo really stood out. I love the vibrant green of the trees and grass, and the light picking out the edges of the grey buildings as they seem to step up the hill, and the amazing threatening sky above it all. Vermeer's Young Woman with a Water Pitcher was also very good; the stiff fabric of her headdress looked so real. And I liked Rembrandt's self portrait which he painted when he was as 54; he looks quite old and tired, it looks very realistic.

Later on we went up to the roof garden of the Met for a rest and a view over Central Park. In fact after our exciting day so far we felt ready for a nap. But with only two and a half days in New York we didn't want to waste a minute, so when we left the museum we turned left into Central Park and strolled across it, stopping again at the Loeb boathouse for a drink - the waitress recognised us from yesterday which made us feel as if we are practically regulars.

As it started to get dark we decided to go to see a movie at the nearby AMC Loews Lincoln Square. We chose Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an engaging but quite dark wee film by Tim Burton with shades of Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits. We both enjoyed it. 

We jumped on a metro back to downtown, and we were just approaching our hotel when disaster struck. As we crossed the road I managed to step awkwardly into a nasty wee hole in the tarmac and down I went like a sack of spuds. I could feel a horrible tearing feeling in my left ankle and I landed on my right knee, grazing it unattractively! James helped me up and supported me back to the hotel, my vision went all pixelated and I thought that I was going to faint. I was so glad to get back to our hotel room! However, although my ankle was very sore, this did not spoil the wonderful Sunday that we had in New York. 

Sunday in New York Part 2 - The Rockefeller Centre

We had booked brunch at the Rainbow Room at the Rockefeller Centre, so we headed there after our morning walk on the High Line. We duly arrived at 49 West 49th Street and were directed to a lift lined with polished walnut wood. There were no buttons, we were simply wheeched up smoothly to the 65th floor, our ears popping being the only indication that we were rising quite fast. When we entered the restaurant it was like stepping into the 1930s. The large, bright room was decorated in Art Deco style and a jazz band was playing on the mezzanine. We were shown to our table which was right beside the window looking towards the south, and as I gazed at the Empire State Building I suddenly remembered a scene from one of my favourite feel-good films. It is Sleepless in Seattle and James and I were seated exactly where Meg Ryan was sitting with Bill Pullman when she looked out of the window and saw the Empire State Building lit up with a large red heart. I was delighted - I hadn't realised that the scene had been filmed at the Rainbow Room, and I was impressed that James also remembered the scene. Brunch was amazing. There was everything that I could possibly have imagined to eat, and then some! There was every sort of salad and fruit, a carvery, an egg station, pancake station, and the desserts section was like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory with toasted marshmallows, macarons, and much more. Since it was a set price, we manfully ate as much as possible, with the result that we were not hungry for the rest of the day. The whole atmosphere was so relaxing. There was a dress code so we had dressed up a bit and felt rather smart as we strolled, replete, through the streets of New York City.

Sunday in New York Part 1 - The High Line

Yesterday was such an amazing day that it will require more that one blog entry, so here goes! 

James and I both got a good night's sleep and although we woke early due to still being partly in British time, it wasn't unfeasibly early. It was a beautiful warm morning in New York so we decided to walk the High Line before our planned brunch at the Rockefeller Centre. 

Ally and Cat had recommended the High Line as a good city walk. I had never heard of it - the first part of it opened in 2006 so it wasn't open the last time that we were in New York in 2001. It really is delightful! It's an aerial, linear park built in Lower West Manhattan on an elevated section of a disused New York Central Railroad spur called the West Side Line. It's only a couple of miles long and one end of it is very near our hotel at 34th Street so we started there, at the newest bit at Hudsons Yards. Although it is quite narrow there is lots to see and of course there are amazing views of the river and then the city. It runs more or less north - south although it winds about a bit. You can still see the tracks where the trains used to run. There are lots of plants so it's a green space as well, and there are sculptures. There are plenty of benches where you can relax in the sunshine with a cup of coffee, which we did. I loved the whole concept and it was nice to see lots of people enjoying it.