GOT be seen to be believed, the screaming, scantily-clad scrum of teenies mobbing Luna in Picardy Place of a weekend evening around seven. Four coppers – assistance on the way? – were struggling to cope when I passed.
Mature passers-by would feel obliged to enquire of these brazen striplings "does yer mammy ken yer oot?" but would be advised not to get involved.
Luna is only a knickers' throw away from the monumental Sherlock Holmes who, entirely predictably,
sticks to his plinth and turns his back on them.
Roses of Picardy? More like dandelions.
Couple of generations ago, kids nicknamed the weedy yellow flowers "pee the beds". Anything at all apt in this instance?
Windmill's turn WIND of change. Norway is appointing a new honorary Consul General come Wednesday. Edinburgh Zoo's chief executive David Windmill – a post he'll combine with his commitments at Corstorphine.
He confessed at the welcoming party at the consulate in Regent Terrace: "What does this new kid on the block know about Norway? Not very much, and I don't have the language. But please be patient."
The Norwegians are to rent out Regent Terrace and close their George Street office but Mr Windmill will have the use of a new office in February.
Meanwhile he'll build on his Norwegian connection. "The Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Zoo are over there to bring four families of beavers to Knapdale Forest near Lochgilphead and beavers are in our plans for Corstorphine.
"As for Regent Terrace," he added, smiling, "it's a pity the house doesn't go with the job, it's such a splendid building."
Stomach-turner Possibly no aid to recruitment to the Airborne Division. Too much information from Richard Madeley about wife Judy (Finnegan) and the arrival of their son: "Jack came out of Judy's belly like a free-falling parachutist, legs and arms braced wide, back arched. The umbilical added to the illusion, looking like a ripcord waiting to be pulled to release his canopy."
Thank you, Richard. Now I must eat up every bit of this spagbol or I won't get any pudding.
The full article contains 353 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
