Scottish October.

After a warm holiday at home, when I tried to soak up as much sunshine as possible, I'm back to my favourite Scottish city.

With autumn, a "new year" has started as well. Hope it will be a good, healthy and sweet one.

I've started some new "projects" lately. I work as a volunteer once a week in a Cancer Research charity shop, which is just around the corner. Jackie, the manager of the shop is a lovely, warmhearted woman. And she is a homeopath as well.

I enrolled to a Portuguese language course at the university. The charm of my heart's homeland, Portugal, has not been lifted yet. It's stubbornly holding its place there. So I thought, I should perhaps "brush up" my language skills. I don't need a big brush though. What a language! When I hear it spoken, I catch only words. It's beautiful to my ears, but will there come a day when I can put the sentences together in my head?

I've a new friend. His name is Roddy, is 62, and runs a neighbouring guesthouse. He is a good friend of my manager, that's how I came to know him. Now he comes almost everyday for a cup of tea. And - he is a Knight Templar. Really. He is!

Orlando, the cat, has changed her mind, and moved back home. She still comes to visit or for a snack, but presently she's a resident of Gilmore Place 40, not 26. I miss her.

My favourite British author, Salley Vickers has published a new novel lately, Where Three Roads Meet. I've got it, I'm going to start to read it soon.

I'll try to write more often.