Golf at St. Andrews, Banchory and Ballater and my annual check-up with the cardiologist (all seemed fine, he said). Then it was off to Edinburgh for the Fringe for Jo and I. It wasn't quite so frantic this year - I cut back the number of events to just 6 (in 2 days) so we weren't rushing from venue to venue for a change.
We took the train down on Sunday morning and went to see shows by Jon Culshaw (impressionist) and Zoe Lyons (comedian) before dinner and then our evening show at the ShowDome at Dynamic Earth, next to Holyrood - this was an audio/visual display with 360 degree projections on to the large domed roof with the music from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon all around us. It was all a bit disorientating for Jo, who spent much of the show with her eyes closed!
We ended our day in the Guildford Arms, handily adjacent to Motel One where we were staying. There was a band playing and a good atmosphere and we stayed for a while before hitting the sack.
Monday was the last official day of the Fringe and our first event was a walking tour of the Old and New Towns, starting at Greyfriars Bobby:
We had lunch afterwards at the Grain Store with my old school pal Robert Rowan and his wife Bridget, followed by an Elvis show - a young guy from Barnsley with a distinct northern speaking accent managed to mimic the King uncannily on a succession of his big soaring ballads.
Our last show was Mark Watson (comedian) and then it was back to the Guildford Arms for dinner with Ross:
I went back to our hotel to view the closing night fireworks display from our room overlooking Princes St. - but Jo and Ross arrived after me - just as the show finished!
Back in Banchory, it was more golf for me - Banchory, Aboyne, Boat of Garten and Grantown-on-Spey - as I play catch up before the season ends.
Gary and Luca stayed overnight with us on Saturday - Luca liked his new football boots:
Looking ahead, we have a very busy month coming up. Next week, Jo and I are off to Bamberg in Bavaria for a few days, after which I head straight off to Arran for our annual walking weekend. The last week of September we'll be at the Macdonald Lochanhully Woodland Club. Gary and Luca will be with us overnight on Saturday and Mary and Brian overnight the following Friday. Must get round to seeing if Barry, Helen and Dawn might be available to join us sometime too.
