Monday 27th September

Our train back to London isn't til 12, so we take our time in getting up and leaving Jim's house. He's off to work hours before we even stir - so we said our goodbyes last night and catch Steph for a quick seeya on our way out of the door. The weather's not great, but we wander up towards the cafe where I met my parents for breakfast the other week and on the way go past the cemetery where my grandparents on my dad's side are buried. I haven't been here for a few years, so I suggest to K that we head in and try to find the grave. I impress myself by remembering almost exactly where it is, and I tell K a little bit about that side of the family before we head off again. I'm also impressed by the fact that the grave is almost directly opposite that of the Labour politician Robin Cook, who died a few years ago.

We walk up to the cafe which, like last time, is closed as we approach. No matter - I suggest heading across the Meadows towards George IV Bridge, which is packed with exactly the sort of caff we're both in the mood for. Despite the cold, drizzly weather, it's a nice walk, though we pay the price for indecisiveness and missing cash machine opportunities; we're at the Royal Mile before we find money and at Cockburn Street before an acceptable cafe presents itself. We order a couple of sausage sandwiches and sit reading the paper for a little while.

With an hour or so left before the train leaves, we head across Princes Street and poke about in Fopp, where I pick up Fish Tank for a fiver (planning to watch it later tonight when K is at her dressmaking course) and K gets a couple of books. We walk West along Princes Street, stopping to look at the mock-up of the proposed tram, which seems impressive but still, oddly, it's hard to imagine them ever actually trundling up and down in the shadow of the Castle.

We catch the train in good time and I spend the almost-five hour journey doing some writing and watching a couple of episodes of Louie while K finishes knitting a bobble hat. We get into Kings Cross bang on time (usefully prior to the rush hour) and we're back home by 5.30. K heads off to Finchley for her course and I stick the film on while pottering about the flat. It's nice to be home.