Z takes the high road

 It's been too busy to keep up but, tonight, I've had dinner and it's not yet 9 o'clock, so here we are.

The car has been fine.  I still have no idea what the problem was - on Thursday, I'd driven for 45 minutes before stopping briefly twice, so the battery should have had plenty of charge.  I'm still quite anxious every time I start it, but we're back to the normal vroom, so it seems to have sorted out its problem.

On Friday, I walked to the Kelvingrove, where I was meeting Fiona once she'd finished with her appointments.  My satnav had a slight, bemusing glitch, when it wanted me to walk alongside a freeway, which was clearly not designed for pedestrians.  As I hesitated, a woman did a turn in a side road to come and ask if I needed help.  So kind!  But every Scot I've met has been friendly and kind.  She soon put me right, there was a back road - and the next time, this was what the satnav advised.  Lack of concentration on the part of inanimate objects,  it seems.

The Burrell is fabulous, as ever.  I think there are more pieces on display - although, the last time I was there, I had limited time and there was plenty, on this visit.  I took slight issue with some of the labels - I think that they should give information rather than opinions and, in at least one case, the opinion was factually incorrect.  They also fudged, in a few cases - not that they should have said anything in those instances, but it was hypocritical not to.  But that's nothing to do with the exhibits or the layout, both of which were wonderful.

The next day was Saturday and I took the train to Edinburgh.  With incredible stupidity, I managed to leave a bag in the taxi and, realising immediately,  I started to chase the taxi down the road, waving at it.  Luckily, it was held up by a traffic light, 500 metres down the road.  Z does not run at full pelt for 500m.  But I had to.  I just arrived as the lights changed and was able to stop the driver, fall into the cab and pick up my bag.  I staggered back to the station and leant on a wall for several minutes, panting.  I hope never to run that far or fast again.  It's bad for me.  Later, I developed a migraine, which I walked off for an hour or two, but it came back - I found a Boots and bought some pills, which worked.  

I went to the Scottish National Gallery and the museum, then walked until I found myself halfway down Princes Street.  Up or down?  I had a feeling that down would take me to the port of Leith.  Devoted as I am to the wonderful McLevy stories (on the radio, but David Ashton has also written books), I thought that walking down hill had the inevitable consequence of having to walk up again - I've since been told there's a tram - so I went up, towards the castle.  But once I got there, the migraine started again and I eventually headed back to the station.  I was feeling that I'd seen enough galleries for the day, anyway.

By Sunday, I'd bounced back and walked back to the Kelvingrove.  I'd spent a short time in there on Friday, but saw it all on Sunday morning, spending most time with the Scottish Colourists and the Glasgow Boys.  The Dali picture of Christ on the cross is, as I remembered, a remarkable painting.  To think there was controversy at the time it was bought.  Art students thought the money should have been given to - er - art students.  It cost £8,200 (or was it £8,400?) which was an absolute steal, even then.  I hope the ignorant students have learnt something over the decades.

In the afternoon, I drove up to Fort William.  How ignorant I am.  I knew that Loch Lomond was long compared to its width, but I had no idea of its actual size.  It's huge.  24 miles by 5 miles - it doesn't look so big on the map, but there are fewer roads in Scotland and I guess maps aren't given on the same scale as more populated area.  You drive right alongside it.  Driving up to the Highlands is wonderful - all the lochs and mountains are breathtaking.  One has to focus more on the winding roads, however.

I had a wonderful time with my friends and that needs another post.  Possibly tomorrow, but it's not very likely as I'm leaving after breakfast, to return to the BWs, where I'll stay for a final night of my fabulous holiday.  

Z's Scottish holiday - on my way via the North East

 I'm having a wonderful time, though there was a glitch on my way up on Wednesday.  

A few weeks ago, the battery on the BMW was flat, but we restarted it with the portable battery pack and I left the engine running for long enough to build up charge.  Then on Tuesday, I drove over to the tile place in that car, to make sure it would start okay the next day.  I was slightly concerned.  The car usually starts with a vroom and it was rather more politely muted than that.  But it did start and seemed all right.  I meant to fill up with petrol on the way home, but the Co op has had problems with its supply, usually of diesel but this time with high octane petrol.  But the tank was three quarters full, so no problem.  I went to the farm to stock up on Fen Farm presents for my friends and, the next day - amazingly - left home at exactly the time I'd hoped to.  But the car was still more polite than enthusiastic and, although I'd meant to call in at the deli, I decided not to stop and restart the car so soon.  I called in at the big Tesco near Bury instead.  Then I went to its petrol station to fill up.  And it wouldn't start again.  And they wouldn't let me use the battery restarter in case there was a spark by the petrol pump and I had to call out the breakdown people (my insurance covers that).  The nice man turned up within half an hour and promptly started the car and then checked everything and couldn't find a problem.  He suggested that maybe the battery, which was only replaced last year, wasn't holding a charge and that I might need a new one.

When I reached my Wednesday destination - and it was so good to see Blue Witch and her Mr again - I told my tale and Mr BW kindly checked the battery, which was fine.  Next morning it was still fine and the car started with a vroom.  In the meantime, I'd seen round their lovely new home and eaten and drunk a great deal.  And then I drove off and reached Glasgow without incident, having stopped on the way for fuel.  I've no idea what's amiss with the car, but hope it won't happen again.

Fiona and family asked me round for the evening - they live in a beautiful and enormous Edwardian house, which they're still getting to grips with.  It looks wonderful now, but they have more plans.  Again, lots of delicious food and I hope I'll fit in some of my clothes before I return home.

The hotel is comfortable and well equipped, albeit with the heaviest bedroom door I've encountered.  I know they're fire doors, but it helps if you can open them without leaning hard.  

Hotels always have really comfortable beds nowadays, don't they?

Z's kitchen countdown - 10 - done, if not dusted and Zoë is going on holiday

 This morning I went over to talk to Mark, the pottery painter, about what I wanted.  I'd written it all down and printed out photos and he has my phone number if there's anything he wants to discuss.  I explained that I over-explain because, in my experience, not mentioning something makes it the one thing that isn't clear.  I've realised, however, that in asking for a cat, I didn't specify that I like the cat on his tiles.  But whatever he does will be fine.

I'm all ready to leave tomorrow, except for packing and doing a few final jobs here.  When I get back, I have two days to clear the kitchen cupboards.  This is a bigger job than it sounds.  All the same, it's quite doable - or I'd have already done it.  The kitchen units will be delivered on Thursday next week, the day I'm coming home, but Wink is on the case.  There is a whole room clear and ready to receive them.

I also had a phone call from the flooring shop in Yagnub and have a date for the kitchen and cloakroom floors.  

I'm taking work with me, that I didn't have time for, but I've arranged delivery for some of the final pieces for the auction.  I'll try to remember to count how many lots there will be, tomorrow, before I leave.  

Blue Witch and Mr Blue Witch have kindly invited me to stay with them tomorrow night, which I'm looking forward to, very much.  I haven't seen them for six years, since they moved northwards.  Next day, off I go to Glasgow.  I finally booked a hotel yesterday evening, having left it rather late and there wasn't a huge amount of choice, particularly of places with parking in the city centre.  But the hotel looks good.  

I expect I'll blog while I'm away.

Z's kitchen countdown 9 - a day on the tiles

 Saturday was the blog party, where the guests were as lovely as ever and, impressively, those who stayed overnight succeeded in drinking me, if not under the table, upstairs for an early night.  Sarah stayed for a couple more nights and I took her to the railway station this morning.  Since then, I've been looking up and printing photos of the things I want for the kitchen tiles.  I don't think I put up an example, because I hadn't downloaded it on to the computer, but I have now.

I mislaid the tile yesterday - that is, I hadn't seen it for several days and thought that I knew where it was, but I was wrong.  As happens in these cases, I searched - everyone searched - for hours and then I just found it, where it had slipped behind a cushion.

Here is the sample tile that Mark made for me.  I should have cropped it.  

You can't really see from these two examples, but the ones they'd got on their wall are a truer blue - the one of the cottage is a grey/green/blue, which goes better with the door fronts on the kitchen units.

I've had a lot of fun thinking about the images I'd like him to paint and have made a list to go with the photos.  I've phoned and arranged to go over tomorrow morning.  Then on Wednesday, I'm off on my delayed trip to Scotland.  I'm not leaving Wink home alone as friends are coming to stay - it's a pity I'll miss them, as I'll leave shortly before they arrive, but she'll have company and one of the three will be staying in my house, as Wink only has one spare bedroom.

I will need curtains for the (up to now) study, but I think I now have everything I had to choose for the kitchen.  Sir Bruin and Indigo kindly took the emptied chest freezer outside so, when I buy my new fridge, I can get that taken away.  It's still in working order, but it's very old and I couldn't even give it away. in case it conked out shortly afterwards - I'm not sure, but I think it's the one we brought from our last house, in 1986, in which case it's nearly 50 years old.  And now I feel a bit disloyal, scrapping it.  

Today is Zerlina's 17th birthday.  Tomorrow is her parents' 20th wedding anniversary and the day after that is Gus's 14th birthday.  Today, Eloise cat is 11 years old.  Also this week is the 11th anniversary of Russell's death, so it's just as well that I won't be here.  I remember bad anniversaries, but I don't mark them.

Z feels slightly anxious, but here's the good side

 I don't think I mentioned that the taps in the cloakroom have been replaced.  It's an Edwardian washbasin and it's beautiful - not originally in this house, but some people where we used to live bought an old house and promptly ripped out the original features.  So Russell bought the sink.  A few years ago, the cold tap - which had always been stiff - started dripping badly and the plumber couldn't stop it, so he simply sealed up the inlet and we've managed with one tap since, while he tried to source a replacement.  Finally, he has.  He hadn't managed to get a replacement old tap, but has got some lovely new ones, in the same period style as the sink.  I'm very pleased.

Not so pleased with my inability to complete the weekend's paperwork, so I'm going for a walk round the village and I'll see if I feel able to do some of it after that.  I've missed two deadlines already - self-imposed, but it's not good, all the same.

Z's kitchen countdown - 8

 More ticks on the to-do list.  The skip has been filled - the receptionist at the company hadn't booked it in to be picked up, so it was as well that the delivery driver advised me to phone and check.  I expect that a lot of people find that they need it over the weekend too, so she leaves it open. 

The new kitchen window has been installed today.  It looks lovely.  The wood stain will be put on next Monday - the first coat, at least, when Scott is coming back to finish papering the bathroom.  The sample tile is ready and I'll go and fetch it tomorrow, after the flooring people have been to measure the bathroom and cloakroom.  

The biggest job was emptying the passage freezer, which wasn't half as bad as I expected.  And I was fairly ruthless too, so there is still space in the other freezer.  I'm just wondering how I'm going to get it outside and who's going to help me.  But I'm a resourceful Z and I will work it out.

Zerlina and Gus came to help with the skip - I was slightly surprised to find myself cooking breakfast, when I'd rather expected we'd just have toast.  But no matter.  We went out for dinner last night, which was a very good idea as we were all pretty tired and hungry and, having done most of the job already, made a leisurely start this morning and were still finished by lunchtime.

This evening, another visit to Snape for a concert.  They've all been lovely this year, as always.  There have been a few changes - August used to be Prom season, where the front centre seats were removed so that people could sit on cushions on the floor, for very cheaply priced tickets.  I suppose they finally accepted that much more money could be made for seated tickets, so it's just called Summer at Snape now and not the Proms.  The atmosphere has changed though, as a result.  Also, in the bar/dining area, they've gone from a system where you queued up to buy your food from a counter and then found seats at long tables, to ordering at the bar and it being brought by a waiter.  This is all right, but they've also hiked the prices quite a lot.  The previous system, the details of which changed fairly regularly, didn't work particularly well.  Tim and I used to sit watching, saying how inefficient it was and what we'd do to improve it.  Now, they've lessened the number eating and drinking by simply putting up the prices.  Last week, a chicken Caesar salad and medium glass of (English, good) wine each cost £60.  And the menu doesn't change from one evening to the next, it's clearly the same for the whole month.  It's a good thing that we're only going twice more.  I'm not sure that it'll pay off, because it's the bar takings that matter most and, if you buy a meal, you will have something to drink.  Years ago, they had it right, but then new caterers came in and it was changed and never been as good since.  I suppose they outsource the catering, so it doesn't matter to the venue.  The other minor change is that they no longer print a programme - I've got them going back years, the whole month's concerts in one big programme.  But now the small booking programme has all the concerts and which orchestra or performer is playing, but nothing about the artists or composers or details of the pieces being played.  This is an odd decision for a world famous music venue.

Z's Kitchen Countdown - 7 - slow and steady

 I'm making progress with the List.  Today, I bought the new kitchen tap - it's got three controls, for hot, cold and filtered water.  That's the last thing on that list, apart from the tiles to go behind the Aga and on the windowsills each side.  The third windowsill behind the sink will have Corian.  The sample tile should be ready by the end of the week.  

I've chosen the flooring for the bathroom and cloakroom and they're coming on Saturday to measure up.  They expect to fit it in early September - the same time as the bathroom fitter is here, but that doesn't matter.  

The decorator has done as much as he can for now, though he had underestimated the rolls of paper he'd need for the bathroom and I've ordered more.  Hoping it arrives by Thursday, so that he can finish off on Friday, but it's okay anyway, it's got the lining paper so is clean and tidy.

The job I've been putting off is emptying the big chest freezer in the lobby at the back.  However, at last I've finished emptying the other chest freezer into the new upright freezer and I've defrosted it and switched it on again.  So tomorrow is absolutely the day for the full chest freezer.  I dread it, but I'll have to be ruthless with anything that's clearly been there too long.  I chucked out some elderly vegetable dishes from the bottom of the one in the porch and I'll be so glad to have the second one done that it'll be worth the awfulness.

We went to London for a couple of days at the weekend and had a really wonderful time.  We saw three exhibitions, at the Royal Academy and the National Gallery and two plays, at the Barbican and the Bridge Theatre.  We walked a lot. On the Saturday, from Piccadilly Circus to Trafalgar Square, then down to the Embankment until we crossed the river and kept going to the theatre.  Afterwards, across Tower Bridge and up to the railway station.  I was very happy and even managed to relax somewhat and forget about everything there is to do.

I will say, however, that the Transport for London route finder is awful.  The website used to be pretty good.  You put in where you wanted to go and it gave various options, by bus and tube.  Now I have the app too and it's useless.  It gives a circuitous route that's not even the same as the website does - the latter only gives one or two options instead of the whole range.  We wanted to get from Piccadilly to the Barbican and the app wanted us to take a bus, then the underground, then another bus.  The website was slightly better, but wanted us to go to Baker Street (which is the wrong way) and then to the Barbican.  I looked on the Tube map - it's very simple.  Piccadilly line to Kings Cross and then two stops east to the Barbican.  To add to that, they always start by trying to persuade you to go by bike, which is just silly.  

It doesn't detract from my love of London, however.  There are a lot of tourists there, looking happy, which is lovely.  A good many American accents, including a very nice couple we chatted to while we were sharing their table for a drink at the Barbican bar.  They live in Idaho, which you wouldn't think of as the most cosmopolitan state, but they have visited 70 other countries, which is a lot more than I have.