Sunday 13 August 2023
Chris’s son Max had asked if we could “pop out” to a butcher for a haggis to take home today. The three of us did indeed pop out for a haggis and other shopping, though we were out of the house from about 11:30 until maybe 15:00. We drove to Peebles, in part because Max hadn’t been on the road to Peebles, which is one of two more remote routes to take, and very pretty. We had other chores to do in shops and we also sat and had very fancy cakes from Cocoa Black, a chocolate shop run by a master of chocolate. The cakes and chocolates, as you’d expect, are amazing. But very filling. Even my slim sliver of a cake filled me up. The first time we went there, Chris made the rookie error of ordering a chocolate cake and a hot chocolate. Even he struggled with that.
After a late lunch at home, Max and I walked up the hillside opposite to investigate a corrugated hut that has partially collapsed and was making spooky sounds when I tried to investigate it last month. It wasn’t at all spooky this time and I absolutely love being on that side of the hill as you can’t see the road or any houses, including ours, and it’s 365 degrees of moorland, woodland, hills and sky, even stunning when it rains, as it did on and off yesterday. It has also been reconfirmed that my walking boots are no longer waterproof. In fairness, I have had them, hmm, maybe even fifteen years, possibly a bit longer. I’m amazed they’ve lasted this long but I have no interest in spending ages trying to find another pair that I like and which don’t rub.
This evening, Chris and Max are heading to London by train. Before then, we’ll probably go for a walk and to Ettrick kirk and Samye Ling. I don’t know what we’ll do when anyone visits for a second time, trying to remember who we’ve taken where. We need to find more places to show people, though I have never not wanted to go to any of these places and I suppose I’d go to them far less if we didn’t take other people there.
Today, on/off rain is forecast and Mitch is working here and has mowers. Our grass hasn’t been mowed for – I don’t know how long but nearer two months than one month. Chris sees this as a good thing, rewilding. I see it as a bad thing, wet feet. The vast majority of the land we have and which surrounds us is wild. It doesn’t even need rewilding as I doubt it’s ever been anything but wild.
