Em’s sewing machine has been in a state of disrepair since it arrived here in her suitcase from California. Today, we finally got around to taking it apart to see what was wrong (after searching in vain for a repair manual online - it seems that sewing machine manufacturers have not yet entered the Internet age). Turned out to be a simple problem (one of the belts had slipped off, no doubt during baggage “handling”).

While it was apart, it was so fascinating to watch it in operation that we had to take this video....

This display (look at the windows on the first - that’s the second for you American folks - floor) is at the top of Cockburn Street in Edinburgh. Although it is amazing how much coverage the US primaries are getting here (I saw a poster for the Independent newspaper at the weekend that simply read “Election Coverage” and had a US map underneath the text) this is admittedly a bit of a one off, and I suspect some Americans live in the flat. It surprised me though.

To be political for a moment, I don’t think that Hillary could inspire ...