Fringe finale

I finally got out for another round of golf yesterday after two previous attempts had been thwarted by the ongoing rainy summer. I returned to Craigielaw to play a fourball with two recently retired Lifers, Kenny Hunter and Keith Young, and Derek. Perhaps surprisingly, to me, Kenny and I won quite comfortably, 5&4. It was a decent afternoon, a bit breezy, and I scored as well as I have this year, without hitting my irons that well. I did hole a monster putt on the 8th for a par and hit 4 or 5 pars all told, probably shooting about 20 over par with three double bogeys at the finish. My bunker play was reasonably good and my putting was sound. At least I've got a few more rounds in this year than the last couple of years.

Sunday was very cold and autumnal. I took the boys out to Blackness Castle to use the last of our Historic Scotland ticket before it expired. The leaves were blowing off the trees and the wind was fairly whistling through the nooks and crannies of the castle by the firth. The lads were in good form though, running about and generally expending energy, which is the whole point of getting them out the house. Sharon was expending energy too, on another 13.1 mile run, this time round Arthur's Seat. She felt a lot better doing it this week than last and was pleased with her efforts. In the afternoon, the rain tipped down once more.

On Saturday we had taken the boys into town, parking near the Pleasance and having a wander around the main Fringe venues. Sharon and I went to see Rich Hall the night before and he was very good, as lugubrious and disparaging as ever with a good sense of the ridiculous thrown in ("Cork man drowns!"). The rest of the Fringe was in its death throes after three weeks of stamina-sapping shows. We had ice-cream in the Pleasance, let the boys run about then made our way up to Bristo Square for burgers by the Underbelly, a great big upside down inflated cow of a venue. I sometimes forget the boys are hardly in the city itself and wonder if they really know they live in one of the premier cities of the UK.

Before our show, Sharon and I were at Iglu which is one of our favourite Edinburgh restaurants these days, helped by the fact that it has a good understanding of what is required for gluten-free cooking. Mussels and then venison for me while Sharon had duck. All very tasty. August has been a busy month, with Sharon in pursuit of points for the Pampered Chef trip next year, so it was good to have a night out, just her and me.