Lockdown week 15 - out and about-ish

Yesterday it was wet and windy. The hills were lost in the mist. But I wanted to go out for a walk so set off for Saughton Park. (Mr L stayed behind.)

The advantage of going out in the rain is that there are fewer people around.

The flowers are so lovely.

And because the benches were all wet, so there was nowhere to sit and contemplate,

I decided to go and have an outdoor (but under an overhanging roof) coffee in the newly-opened Bistro in the park. It felt almost exciting. First cappuccino since March.

Then this morning I visited my half-Zambian friend to collect her very bright African fabrics and discuss quilt designs with her. She lives in what was once a village, though it's now absorbed by the city. This cottage is extremely roses-round-the-door!

The only problem was that I had some difficulty finding a parking place, villages not having been designed for cars.

I had to cross the river and drive up what was once a country lane - and still feels like it. I was glad not to meet anyone coming down. It's quite narrow.

And then I walked back to my friend's flat. I don't think these cars are particularly sensibly parked, though they were in a gap in the yellow lines.

I said hello to this little statue of Robert Louis Stevenson, who used to frequent these parts as a boy.

My friend's mother, who's completely Zambian and a nurse, had Covid-19 quite badly and the family feared that she might die. Fortunately she didn't and is now recovering. But it's very sobering. She lives in the west of Scotland so my friend wasn't able to go and see her, though fortunately there's another daughter nearer.

I haven't entirely decided how I'm going to do her quilt. I think I need some plain colours and hurray, my favourite fabric shop is about to open again! I must visit before everything closes down again... .

In the afternoon we had another visit to Saughton and look, the playpark was open again! And very busy.

Leicester, in England, has been locked down again because there was a spike in Covid cases. I fear - though hope I'm wrong - that it won't be the only place.