Another Edinburgh day in August

Haven't had time to blog in the last couple of days! Sorry!

However, the other day Linda and I went to another Fringe show, the one that my late friend Vina's granddaughter was in. Right from being very tiny we used to call Rachael Metro Goldwyn Mayer, and said she ought to be on the stage, and that's exactly what she wants to do now she's almost 18! She has appeared in various local theatre events, and this time was with the National Youth Music Theatre which she successfully auditioned for a short while before her granny's death in March. Vina would have been so proud of her! She didn't star as a main character in the musical, but did have a line or two to say apart from the singing! The show was called Missing Mel, and was set in a school on the first day of term. Mel is missing from school. Where is she? No-one has seen her. What has happened to her? How are her peers taking the news that she cannot be found? The story touched on a whole load of issues that confront school kids, from drugs to how can they exist without their mobile phones! Not knowing quite what to expect we found it very interesting. The characters were believable, from the school bullies to the show-off "best friend" and the non conformist former "best friend" of the missing student, and the music and singing was excellent. Should I tell you how it all turns out? Naah! Leave you on tenterhooks like a kipper!
Of course I couldn't take photos, so I can't add them in at this stage! Sorry!

As always click on a picture to enlarge it!

Forth Road Bridge 1964 Forth Bridge 1890

However we had planned afterwards to go to over the Forth to Fife to do some shopping, but stopping off at Queensferry for lunch we realised we'd not have very much time! Perhaps next week! Linda's retired now so has plenty of time!!! So instead we lingered over a tasty lunch at the Hawes Inn, looking out on the Forth Bridge, listening to the trains thundering overhead as they began the approach to the great cantilevers.........

The Hawes Inn is mentioned in the books of Robert Louis Stevenson

.....then on towards Bo'ness to a favourite garden centre where we looked around at the plants for sale and the indoor gift shop, and partook of some refreshment in the tearoom! I didn't even buy a single plant, amazingly enough. There's a couple of plants in pots in my garden still waiting to be planted so I resisted the temptation.

Instead I took photos!

This was a competition garden, one of several laid out in the grounds. The theme was "Passion". This one intrigued me - The Mosaic Garden.

Tomorrow we are going to a couple of folk concerts, one starring a couple of aging folkies like ourselves, who were at their height when we were all in our twenties! Anyone remember Rab Noakes, or what about Mike Heron from the Incredible String Band? He lives around here, by the way! The other is about the women courted by Robert Burns, with songs sung by Gill Bowman. Looking forward to both of these, especially as one of them is in North Berwick, down by the sea, east of Edinburgh. We'll be able to wander around there for a while in the afternoon before the show. Maybe visit the Birdlife Centre, and look at a few shops and galleries in the main street..... I'll tell you later what we do...did...d......!

So, all for now.

Talk again soon.