We chose Belfast rather than Edinburgh for Christmas but I couldn’t wait to see First Grandchild (FG) again and so we pitched up in Edinburgh early in January.  The added benefit of going then was that we could celebrate Eldest Son’s birthday with him.  As ever, we had a great time and experienced wonderful hospitality.

We did some of the usual things with an enthusiastic FG.  We spent a morning exploring the National Museum of Scotland and another wandering through the Royal Botanic Garden.  Both are great places to take toddlers and FG is very chatty now so trips like these are more pleasurable than ever. 

FG also has a soul mate in my wife, Jane, when it comes to visiting the cafés in these places.  Since I have pledged to overcome my fear of lukewarm/weak café coffee, and have added going to cafés when requested by Jane to my list of new year resolutions, I went along willingly with their desires.

We had driven up to Edinburgh and the journey was smooth with no problem with charging up the battery.  As a result, we had the option to drive FG and his parents beyond Edinburgh for an outing.  Since the weather was cold but clear, we chose to go to the beach at Yellowcraig near North Berwick. 

We had a lovely time passing FG sticks, stones and chunks of seaweed that he could throw into the waves amid Yellowcraig’s open vistas and its big skies.

Back in his flat, we threw ourselves into entertaining FG with drawing, tower building (and knocking them down), Playdoh moulding, and reading.  FG takes these activities very seriously and loves having control; I love that and it makes the times when he simply laughs and messes about even more enjoyable.  He’s developing so quickly. 

Before FG arrived, my wish was to see a grandchild before I died but now, inevitably, I want to live for decades so I see more and see them grow up. We are so looking forward to the arrival of a second grandchild in Bristol in a couple of months.

We did slip off for some ‘me-time’ too.  I walked down the Water of Leith to Leith town.  I’ve done that before but this time I went a little further to the edge of the port.  Leith is a vibrant town that is being transformed into a trendy outpost on the edge of Edinburgh with a new and frequent tram connection.  Next time we will try to get to see the Royal Yacht Britannia which has been retired to a berth there.

I also wandered through Stockbridge to see some of my favourite residential areas of Edinburgh.  We still debate whether moving to Edinburgh – or at least having a permanent second base there – would be viable and sensible.  The best Georgian flats and houses are lovely to look at and dream of owning.  More practically, a modern flat would be a better target but there’s no harm in looking! 

The drive home from Edinburgh always feels a lot less exciting than the journey up.  Although charging up the car was again problem-free on the way, there was an hour-long stoppage due to an accident – a Range Rover towing a food truck strewn across three of the four lanes near Manchester – to further deflate the mood.  But getting home is always a relief and a pleasure of its own.  Now we are chilling out back in our weekly routine which includes evenings in front of the fire and series after series of streamed television. 

Until the next trip to Edinburgh and more memory creation with the little one…..