vivdunstan

Spotted again on one of Martin's Saturday walks. Seen about 500 metres from our home, as he was making his way towards the wooded river valley where he goes birdwatching. There is a thriving wild deer population locally where we live. This photo was taken looking over to the north side of the A92 main road. The deer often cross this road, sometimes coming down as far as the Firth of Tay.

Made it to the Mackays factory shop in Arbroath, ostensibly to get more Mrs Bridges morello cherry preserve. But we came away with 7 jars of jam, preserve, marmalade and chutney, plus unplanned fudge! After in Dobbies cafe, then a wander around the plants area. We live very near Dobbies, and first came to the cafe 25 years ago, after moving to the Dundee area. Many happy memories. Oh and I was trialling my sturdy soled new Moshulu loafer shoes. Very comfortable.

Very weary after our brief outing, but delighted to have managed it. Dobbies Dundee currently has a semi resident robin singing in the main shopping area! It's been there since Christmas. We thought they were playing very loud bird song through the speakers. But on the way out saw the robin perched near the tills. Attracting a crowd.

Ordered me some books with Christmas money. They arrived today. Utterly delighted with two of them, but the third is extremely disappointing. The paperback copy doesn't reproduce the Venice artworks well, at decent size, or in situ in the text. I need to get the hardback instead. To be fair I should have known better, but the paperback is still a very disappointing presentation of the same art history material. Martin's going to take it into Waterstones Dundee for me for a return in the shop and refund (it was ordered online, and sent from Waterstones Glasgow Sauchiehall Street), and I've ordered a hardback replacement.

Doubly vaccinated, Covid and flu. Huge thanks to the NHS staff and volunteers at Douglas Community Centre in Dundee. Extremely efficient. I was by far the youngest person there 😜 My 12th Covid vaccine ...

Never mind being alarmed by Christmas looming far too soon. Picked up today in our local supermarket, an information booklet + booking information for the New Year's Day Dook in Broughty Ferry, Scotland. Shiver! No we're not doing the chilly swimming thing ourselves!

Taken by Martin at the riverside in Dundee, during his lunch break.

More fresh strawberries, grown here in Monifieth, Angus, the town we live in on the edge of Dundee. Yum! And lashings of extra thick Scottish cream.

Photo from my husband Martin, who was working in the city centre office today.

Got this late afternoon in Dundee city centre. I am still offered these Covid vaccines twice yearly by the NHS, being severely immunosuppressed. Very quiet vaccine centre - no one waiting when I got there early. I suspect they have a lot of no shows in the current 75+ group. I was weeks earlier for my vaccine than I might have been, keen to get it before my Capercaillie music concert in 3 weeks.

Because I was seen so early we were able to get an early takeaway dinner from a fab fish and chip shop that is sadly shutting its Dundee branch after this weekend. Sat below the uni, overlooking the River Tay to Fife. Bright evening sunshine, and surrounded by optimistic but unsuccessful seagulls. Martin also spotted wild bunnies on the grass down the steps, so dashed down to photograph them.

Planning a very quiet weekend. I expect to be feverish and very sore overnight. More seriously I will probably have a 3 month long flare in my autoimmune brain disease, starting about a week from now. It’s very difficult. But I will be protected.

Prompted by the Broughty Ferry Guide and Advertiser going partially online.

Searching for our unusually named street (which has a couple of spellings, including in the past two sets of differently spelled street signs!) finds lots of references to one set of neighbours especially, including advertisements for beauty classes and hair styling, planning permission for a conservatory, their daughter marrying in 1992 with a huge photo and very lengthy report, and a 1982 impromptu charity fundraising jumble sale held by their kids and others held in their drive and the drive of neighbours over the road from us.

For our other immediate neighbours we find a big wedding photo for their daughter. And for our house find the death notice of the 1986 husband of the couple here. His widow lived here for many years after then before we moved in.

Charmed by the extra insights and glimpses into life in the street before we moved in here 21 years ago. And not just the street, but our very immediate neighbours, the two couples living either side of us, and also the couple directly over the road. Who are all still living here today.

Note some of these reports were found in the newly digitised Broughty Ferry paper, but others were found in a more general search of the British Newspaper Archive e.g. for "15 unusual street name", which turned up more references in other local papers, especially the Dundee Courier.

P.S. Also just found the report of a 1992 wedding + photo of a daughter of the couple immediately over the road (the ones where the 1982 jumble sale was partially held in their drive), and also a 1992 engagement notice for their other daughter.