oh lord it'll soon be christmas. finally managed to get parcels posted to siblings and their families. not big things, just enough.  now need to find small bits and bobs for the gathering on christmas day. my first husband's youngest brother and his wife and daughter, and their mum, and wife's mum, and old family friend, and then my first husband's second wife and her second husband.. we are all pals. unfortunately my first husband died a few years ago. we knew each other as teenagers in Calcutta, their mum looking after me when my mother and father went away on travels. 

one or two coffee shops - a new one on Victoria st - a view out of the window:

taken some time ago but you get the idea.






some weeks ago i went to a 'scratch' performance of an artist friend of mine - his art; video installations in collaboration with a musician who composed music and played it accompanying video.  'scratch' because it was not the final piece - apparently, but a trial.  They performed it at the gallery weeks later, all 'tweaked and synched' and it was a resounding success.
anyway, the original 'scratch' was at Napier uni music department which is at Craighouse - the most beautiful, castle-like, mental hospital ever built (probably).  in keeping with most of the schools in Edinburgh built by philanthropists - they built virtual castles. of course its not a hospital now, but university.  the hospital where Siegfried Sassoon was during WWI is up the road, i think i am right is saying.
great views from the grounds: