The return of the republic has been foretold.

This must have been the "official weather" as it bore little resemblance to what was actually on offer. I hate wearing a jacket when I run so I thought I'd gamble on it staying pretty much dry while I was out - and it did. At one point the rain teemed down but the sun wasn't that far behind and the air was warm.

I thought we'd about done with the easterly winds by now but nature is having its own way this year and stubbornly persisting with them so I ran 5 miles into the wind and 5 miles with the wind at my back.

Of note, there was a big wheeling of gulls as I passed the bus depot at Portobello. I was watching them nervously because I thought maybe they were going to strafe me with bird shit like they do to my car. But then I saw what I think was bothering them. Behind the bus depot was a man in a fluorescent jacket with what looked like an eagle on his arm (and a mobile phone in his other hand, which he was talking into).

No, I mean it. Really an eagle. I've had one on my arm at one of those bird wildlife places a bit North of Aberdeen, and it was the same. Although I wouldn't have talked on a mobile phone while it was there because it looked like it wouldn't have minded scalping me.

Actually now I've looked at the photo of the eagle, the one at Portobello was smaller than that and it was all brown....
Quite exciting for Porty anyway.

I've been watching the re-run of I Claudius on More Four, really just for old time's sake. My mum was a classics teacher and she got us all to watch it. It was fairly saucy so we didn't mind. Brian Blessed has been hilariously funny in it the whole way through. Pity he had to get snuffed by Livia. Anyway, any Roman worth their salt knows that seeing an eagle is an omen. I'm not sure, but I think an eagle on the arm of what was a man in working clothing  foretells that the country will soon be back in the hands of the working man and woman. Especially as it happened at the time of Mrs T's funeral.

In my mind there's a connection between Diana's big funeral and this one. There are a lot of feelings around I don't share in. And there is a big expensive ceremony I feel remote from. I keep wondering if Elton will sing at this one too. I hope he can hold it together.