Brief 'hiatus' until Wednesday

I'm going to be away for a few days from tomorrow, most probably returning on Wednesday, as there are some family matters that require my attention. I'll try and post sometime on Wednesday, but realistically it may be Thursday before I find some time for this.

The weather here in Nairn has been glorious today - something like 23 degC with a clear blue sky and with the wind coming from the south, so it felt balmy for most of the day from late morning on. As well as taking the dog for several walks, I got on my bicycle during the afternoon - something I do far too infrequently - and had a very enjoyable excursion along the shore paths which run for several miles in both directions just in front of my home. There must have been several hundred people on the beach today; it's not often there are so many, but of course it's not very often that we have such pleasantly warm weather here and because it was over a weekend, during the school holidays, a lot of people took the oportunity to head for the beach.

Next Saturday (but see update at end) there are the Nairn Highland Games, which take place immediately in front of my home. In preparation for this, today saw the first contingent of the pleasure fair people arrive - they will set up in the links area immdeiately beyond the cricket field (which is where the Highland Games are held), so from mid-week onward there will be quite a lot of light and noise during the evenings as the pleasure fair starts to open for business; I always enjoy these couple of weeks, but of course it does in fact signal that summer will soon be drawing to a close. Next Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest, of course, and on Saturday itself there will be a few thousand people attending the Games with more arriving in the evening to keep the pleasure fair busy until well after midnight - it's great fun whilst it lasts, if rather noisy.

I'll be back mid-week. Bye ...

UPDATE: (Monday 9AUG04 12.35 BST) I now discover the Games have been delayed by a week (to Saturday 21AUG04), probably to fit aroound other towns which have Games as well from what I can gather - the judges for the events travel around so for practical reasons clashes are avoided. After a quick lunch today I shall be leaving mid-afternoon, until Wednesday; it's another beautiful and WARM day here.