Today’s guest picture comes from my younger son Al and shows Matilda’s reaction on being told that granny and grandpa were coming to visit soon.
The business of the day was a drive to Edinburgh to visit Matilda. Mrs Tootlepedal is still coughing quite a bit, which is tiring for her, but was otherwise well enough for the trip. We drove to Edinburgh rather than taking the train because curiously enough we wanted to see a railway line.
They are rebuilding the old Waverley Line from Edinburgh through the borders as far as Galashiels and for a large part of its route it runs along the A7 so we were able to see the progress that has been made. The nearly all the embankments, bridges and tunnels all seem to be in place and the extensive construction team is in the process of laying the rails and putting in the ballast.
It would have been nice to stop and take some pictures but the trip to Edinburgh takes long enough without stopping and as we were in a steady stream of traffic, it would have been necessary to leave the road to find a safe parking spot and then walk back. I will make a special trip sometime in the new year.
The drive north itself was a treat with low mist coming and going over the hills and valleys in the sunshine and once again I wished that I had had the time (and the camera with me) to stop and stare.
But we pressed on and arrived just in time for me to go for a walk with Matilda and her father. It was a grey day in Edinburgh and we were all well wrapped up.
The purpose of the walk was to persuade Matilda to have a little sleep and she obligingly dropped off as we walked a circuit of the neighbourhood. Edinburgh is full of grand buildings.
Even the wine merchants have a little Greek pillar work above the shop.
And the street names are engraved and coloured. Why they thought that they needed another sign is not clear. perhaps they loved Montgomery Street so much, they named it twice.
You are living in a slum round here if you don’t have a few column inches outside your front door.
And every Tom, Dick and Harry has a pediment.
We wanted to keep Matilda napping so when we we had completed our circuit, we walked past the road end and along as far as Meadowbank Stadium.
I liked their clear use of the alphabet to mark gates for the spectators but was puzzled by this section….
Was it for spectators who hadn’t progressed well in the reading class at school?
As we walked back, we could see Arthur’s Seat looming over an impressively tall terrace of typical Edinburgh houses.
Alistair told me that the leaves had fallen overnight from the trees lining the streets and judging by this street near the stadium….
…he was quite right. Edinburgh is a douce town and even the leaves are well behaved there and fall in neat lines..
Once home and woken up, Matilda tried on a fetching bonnet that her granny had knitted for her.
Judgement is reserved.
Al and Mrs Tootlepedal went out to fetch some tasty Italian snacks for our lunch and we were visited by Matilda’s aunt before we set off for another walk up to the centre of town to make a purchase at Argos. Matilda is literally a heavy responsibility, being already the size and weight of an average one year old and this is taking its toll on her parents’ backs so the trip was to purchase a comfortable mattress topping to help them sleep better. I hope it works.
By the time we got home, it dark and we were soon back in our car and heading back to Langholm. The traffic was very heavy but we still got back slightly quicker than we would have by train. All the same, although it is a bit quicker, driving feels much longer and I think we will be back on the train for our next visit.
No time for a flying bird of the day today.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
Matilda is a lovely girl, she’s growing fast. 🙂
She is indeed.
TWGB is growing up so quickly, it won’t be long and she’ll be accompanying you when you go for walks.
Edinburgh must hold a special place in your heart, as you photograph it so well.
She’ll soon be pushing me about no doubt. I do like Edinburgh, you are right.
I remember it well – the aches and pains caused by heavy babies! Matilda is such a bonny baby. Some interesting photos of the grand Edinburgh buildings.
She is a heavy load to bear physically but a joy spiritually.
I’d love a chance to see a railroad being built. That’s a rare sight these days.
Matilda didn’t look too happy to be outside! My daughter weighed 9 pounds 11 ounces when she was born so I’m very familiar with heavy babies.
I look forward to travelling on it when it opens next year. I have a friend with a ticket for the very first journey.
Thanks Tootlepedal, I had no idea that there was such a project to rebuild a railway line underway. You Scots kept that under your hat. I had a look at the Borders Railway website and some of the videos available of the construction work – fascinating and Galashiels must be nearly half the way to Langholm. Gives an idea of the huge undertaking that HS2 will be if it gets the go-ahead. I look forward to any photos that you do get to take.
Great picture of TWGB in her new bonnet. Well knitted granny!
Galashiels is more than halfway to Edinburgh for us so it might depend on the parking availability and cost. We can park for nothing at Lockerbie on the West Coast line and it is a much shorter drive to get to it and not much longer on the train at all. The advantage of Galashiels will be the much greater frequency of the trains.
A lovely walk out with TWGB. And it sounds, Mr Tootlepedal, as if your knee held up ok?
It did – though I was more than glad to sit down each time at the end of the walk.
Loved the pictures of Matilda and the leaves falling in those straight lines. Look forward to the railway pictures next year.
Is this a true restoration to the national network, or just (no offence meant to those who give so much time and effort to such things) a volunteer-run project? If the former, all credit to the enlightened instigators. (And, oh dear, if the latter, all credit to ditto.) And thanks to quietsolopursuits for helping this new follower to understand your heading!
It is a reinstatement of a line closed by Beeching and was the price that the Lib-Dems demanded for a coalition with Labour in the Scottish Parliament where we have an enlightened system of proportional representation designed to produce no overall majority. Since then, the three main UK parties have been so terrible that the SNP managed to beat the system and get an overall majority at the last election, hence the recent referendum on independence.
Lovely pictures of lovely Matilda, and the hats are very fetching, both the warm helmet for outside and the new knitted bonnet.
Nice to see McDonald Road library on the corner of McDonald Road and Leith Walk. Memories of Tintin books !
It is an impressive building.
Very cute baby and hat. Kudos to the knitter.
TWGB can certainly rock the headgear! Love the bonnet in particular.
She wears it with a certain style.
Like a lot of Scottish cities, Edinburgh is very hilly. It is a good idea to take the train so you can relax on the way home.
Agreed.
Wee Matilda looks like a Hamilton Accies supporter in her jersey!
Sssh! She lives just down the road from the Hibs ground.
Every time you visit Edinburgh you make me more keen to go and have a look.
Easily accessible by speedy train.