Today’s guest picture comes from our younger son Al and shows Matilda rightly triumphant beside a fantastic giraffe. She may have had a little help in building it. I couldn’t rightly say.
We went to Edinburgh to see Matilda today and in the the course of the day, saw both our sons as one had just finished painting the other’s house.
Al and Clare, Matilda’s parents are moving house soon and wanted there present house to look as neat as possible for potential buyers so they hired Tony and his men to paint it from top to toe and when we saw it today, finished only this morning, it looked very good indeed.
We had caught the train from Tweedbank to Edinburgh…
…and as you can see, when they built the new station at Tweedbank, the authorities didn’t spend a penny on anything that might have made it an attractive place to wait for a train. Still, the train ran on time and there were plenty of seats so we had no complaints.
The train takes its time trundling through the borders and I was able to take a picture through the window of this ancient castle as we passed.
Note the very modern solar panels on its roof.
We met Tony and his partner Marianne at Al and Clare’s house and admired his work. After we left the newly painted house, I paused to admire a fuchsia in a very nice garden just across the road..
…and then we had a refreshment with them in a small cafe at the end of the street before Tony and Marianne went off to their new home across the Forth and we walked down to Meet Al, Clare and Matilda at the site of their new house.
Passing this church on the way.
I like its sober but mildly decorative style.
It had rained heavily while we were in the cafe, but it had stopped before we walked down to meet Al and Clare
Their new house is still in the process of being built and they had an appointment with the builder’s representatives at the show house on the site to choose styles and colours and surfaces. While they did that, we went shopping with Matilda and then played hide and seek and ‘Grandmother’s Footsteps’ in the show house garden while the discussions went on.
Their car was too small for all five of us so Al and I took the bus while the ladies drove to where the family are staying while their old house is being prepared for viewing.
While we waited for the bus, I looked at the top of Arthur’s Seat just to give the camera zoom some exercise….
And admired this decorative item on the roof of the church which I had photographed earlier.
The view from the top deck of the bus as Al and I went down the hill on Hanover Street is one of the things that makes Edinburgh so special.
The view from the bus as Mrs Tootlepedal and I went back up the hill to the station after an excellent meal, is pretty good too.
It was a lovely evening by this time.
The train and car journey home went very smoothly and we ended up tired but happy.
No flying bird today but a rose of the day beside the door of the house where Matilda is temporarily lodging.
Tootlepedal's Blog 
It’s always nice to see the kids. My own son will be home from the Air Force for a short while soon.
The city is much bigger than I’ve always thought. I wonder what a peripheral controlled zone could be.
It’s about parking regulations outside the very inner part of the city….but I expect that you guessed that.
No, I’ve never heard of that before. Here they just say “no parking.”
Loved your excellent pictures from the top of the bus and Matilda’s giraffe, thanks for the fuchsia.
What an eventful and successful day. Lovely picture of Matilda.
What a post and what a great way to start the day. First, there is Matilda’s bright face. Second, a castle with solar panels. Holy cats! It doesn’t get much cooler than that. The old with the new. Third, what a beautiful city.
We were impressed by the solar panels. I don’t know how they got them past the planners.
Maybe they didn’t tell ’em.
A new house! How exciting!! Edinburgh is the ultimate in cool…she knows she’s amazing and wonders if you’ve got what it takes to visit her. 😊
If it wasn’t for all the tourists, it would be paradise!
To be honest, I think the post peaked too soon – after Matilda and the giraffe it was all down hill despite the spleandour of Edinburgh. 🙂
You are quite right but the guest picture has to come first so there was nothing that I could do about it. Sorry.
I can see your problem.
Perhaps fitting Matilda with wings would allow you to slip her in as the flying bird of the day?
I’ll suggest that to her parents.
I see that I omitted the words “origami-style” – this might make it more acceptable.
Undoubtedly.