I GET out the shower and realise it’s a beautiful morning outside – cold, crisp, sun and blue sky. I decide to nip out and get some video footage of the village.

When I get back to the house Margaret has left for a training. event for community trustees and our AirBnB guests are getting ready to leave.

I say cheerio and have breakfast then do some stuff online to promote a livestream I’m doing form our local restaurant kitchen this evening.

There’s time to make the marinade for tonight Vietnamese beef before Betty comes to get me. I booked her a Genius Bar appointment at the Braehead Apple store at Braehead and said I’d go along too to see if what, if anything can be done about her bust iPod. It was never dropped or anything, but it looks like the battery had swollen and popped the front…it’s four or five years old so won’t be covered under any warranty.

Anyway, we get there in good time and the guy is most helpful. He agrees it’s because of the battery and offers Betty a brand new iPod – same capacity as the goosed one – for just £79…the price of a battery replacement. Magic. Job done!

Betty treats me to lunch then we go back to the village and I transfer her music from Joe’s laptop onto her new iPod.

Margaret’s home when I get back and I gather the stuff I need for the livestream and head out. It goes well and by 6pm I’m back home and we start getting things ready for Duncan and Irene coming.

The Vietnamese beef turns out well and we have a grand night catching up with our pals…I may have a bit of a hangover in the morning!

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