August

 I've not been very posty this year. I don't know why. It doesn't matter so much, but I like having the blog as a record of events. Things generally seem normal at the time and it's only later when you look back you think "oh yes THAT!"

So what's been happening?

Well we had a mad thunder and lightening storm the other night. I made some videos but they're not very good because I was scared to lean out the window. I kid you not. The hairs on the backs of my fingers were tingling! And we're 3 floors up. And I've got a lot of fillings. Didn't want to chance it.

The next day we woke up and there was no internet - it was terrifying. But let's back up a bit.

I've still been doing some runs around town - but it's not like the early lockdown days. The centre of town is busy again. 

Now that people can travel out of town there isn't the same pressure on the space. There has been a noticeable influx of visitors though - despite there not being a festival. I know this is good for business but it's difficult not to resent it.

Covid 19 hasn't stopped the festival weather - so sunny, humid days are interspersed with downpours.

My castle is no longer a refuge.

!!!

I went a run around town last Saturday as Peter was off on a butterfly hunt. I thought I might run 17 miles or so and I had a good route planned out, but it got so hot and my feet hurt, and so I curtailed it. It was disappointing. The thing that stops my long runs these days is a growing, grumbling ache up from my feet to the bottoms of my calves. For a while I was doing  feet strengthening exercises and I thought I'd found a solution - but the the foot strengthening exercises started to make my achilles sore, so I stopped them. There's got to be something I can do. Well there might be something I can do. One thing is that I think I do too many plodding runs and I don't think my feet like it. I had a deep dive into internet land and ordered a step so I can try and do more with my feet and calves. I've resisted buying a step for years just because it seems likely that it'll end up being consigned to wherever gym balls and those nasty little knobbly massage balls go when they die. We'll see.

Sunday I went to Gullane with Peter and at first my feet were broken but they mended up as the run went on.

The Holly Blues put in an appearance and Peter's day was made.

I found this thing astonishing. 

Hello.

From the start of the week there were thunderstorms forecast and thundery looking clouds, but for us, no thunder.

The humidity grew. I went an 11 miler on Tuesday  which was so hot, airless and humid it left me limp as lettuce for hours afterwards.

Until the storm broke.

The next day was beautifully clear. So we went back to Gullane to see how the butterflies were.

Turns out they were fine.

Although my feet were protesting a lot. I'd given them a fair slapping the day before and it was H-O-T.

I'm a bit worried about the gull chicks that have been growing on the roof across the way. I haven't DEFINITELY seen them since the storm, and it must have been a rough night.

They tend to parade in the evening, so I'll be keeping an eye out.