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My radio alarm woke me to the merry banter of this morning. In fact, I was awake in time to hear the presenters make a little joke at my expense. With an evil smile I logged the offence in my Big Bad Book of Retribution. Roll on, my next visit to Aberdeen!

The programme inspired me to leap out of bed and embark on a walk to Milngaive. I let the rest of the family enjoy an extended slumber while I crashed about downstairs, shovelling instant porridge down my throat and pulling on a wooly jumper. I didn't even both to shave - that's how rugged I was. Och aye.

I tell you, this walking lark is getting easier, but I'll need to accumulate more miles if I'm to succeed in my before the end of the year.
Nevertheless, I clocked up three miles on the round-trip to Milngavie and it was good to be out enjoying the fresh air on such a crisp day.

I felt a bit of a fraud, mind you, when a friendly stranger offered to take my photograph next to the needle. I thanked him and he wished me well on my journey. I didn't reveal that the next stage of my "journey" would take me to the baker's shop five steps away and, technically, I have now completed a stretch of the famous route. A 20 foot stretch, true, but that still counts.

Now, it may be just my weird sense of humour, but I laughed when I saw this sign in the baker's window.



I could just imagine the shop staff, fed up to their back teeth with customers popping their heads 'round the door to ask about the flavour of the soup. Or maybe I'm missing the point. Maybe the Chicken Noodle announcement is a cause for local celebration. If I had stayed longer I might have seen them roll out the bunting.