The Lunchtime Run

My occasional jogging route is around Queen's Drive on Arthur's Seat. This is hilly and the thought of it can be intimidating if you're not in the mood, but it never fails to provide enjoyment once out of the office and up the hill.

Today the sun shone on vibrant green grass, wet from April showers, with snow on the distant Ochils and Highlands beyond the Forth Bridge, glimpsed in the distance through clear air. Daffodils are out and cherry blossom too, the trees full of birdsong. It was warm today - the warmest day of the year? Or was I just hot from running?

I saw a Chinaman in a touristy family group grab a swan by the neck on Dunsapie Loch. "Haw, Chinky-baws!" I yelled, but his family were already scolding him, and he let go. I don't normally speak like that, but I've never seen a swan handled like a snake either.