Talk of the Town: Weather woes are no-wind situation

IT is said that you often see four seasons in one day in Scotland, such is the unpredictability of the country’s weather.

And in a week of heavy rain, gale-force winds and even the occasional glimpse of sunshine, the changeable conditions have caught out many people.

One organisation that is not sure of what to do, it would seem, is Midlothian Council. Yesterday morning, it put out a press release at 8.54am saying the Midlothian Snowsports Centre at Hillend had reopened and all classes would take place as normal.

A mere 39 minutes later, another release followed, saying that the centre had been closed because of high winds.

Author’s work blown off course by storm chaos

THE recent storms caused havoc across Edinburgh this week and it seems they have even interrupted the work of one of the city’s most prominent authors.

Crime writer Ian Rankin told followers on Twitter that he had enjoyed a very productive day following the storms, although the damage and a “wonky” boiler had left him rather short of writing time.

He wrote: “Very productive morning: phoned the satellite repair people, the plumber (wonky boiler) and the roofer. No writing done, mind . . .”

Well, except for writing tweets, of course.

Souper way to lose weight

AS a new year begins, so does the quest to shed the unwanted weight gained over the festive season.

Now a city cafe is offering the chance to lose weight the Liz Hurley way – with a bizarre “all you can eat” offer.

Connect Cafe in Comely Bank is offering customers unlimited portions of watercress soup, a favourite diet of Hurley, who claims that whenever she gets a hunger pang and is tempted to raid the fridge, she helps herself to a cup of the green stuff.

If that wasn’t enough, the diet has also been endorsed by the impartial Watercress Alliance.

Cafes cement brekkie votes

OF course, not everyone is so concerned about diets. In Corstorphine, the search is on to find the best builder’s breakfast.

Customers are being asked to nominate their favourite cafe and breakfasts as part of an annual competition by joinery and kitchen firm Magnet Trade.

Five regional winners will each scoop a prize of £500 and a national winner will be given £1000.

Ballot boxes in the shape of a boiled egg will be available in participating cafes and in Magnet’s Corstorphine branch.