![](/sites/default/files/styles/square_thumbnail/public/images/story/IMG_4090.jpeg?itok=SBlZ9Kzm)
It’s been a slippy-sloppy sort of summer in the splash-it-all-over world of Spurtleshire decorating.
Readers may recall the Great Spillage of 15 July which we followed from outside 28 East Claremont Street to Heriot Row via London Street, Nelson Street and Abercromby Place. There, overlooked by the great and the good of the Edinburgh legal establishment, the trail ran cold and we had to abandon our pursuit for lack of evidence.
We had great hopes of a fresh adventure when this new trail appeared unannounced on the morning of 16 August.
![kk](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-08/IMG_4094%202.jpeg?itok=f1os7ljd)
It began promisingly outside No. 64 East Claremont Street (What is it about this area?) and sploshed confidently westwards before turning south into Bellevue.
![left turn](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-08/IMG_4086.jpeg?itok=IHxGi64d)
Mansfield Place proved no obstacle to the free flow of white emulsion, and we were excited to go with the flow up Broughton Street towards the bright lights of Picardy Place.
![BS](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-08/IMG_4100.jpeg?itok=AbpbSDcA)
And then something unexpected happened. Whatever vehicle was carrying the paint made a sudden U-turn just below Albany Street.
![AS](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-08/IMG_4078.jpeg?itok=FA-OMMNx)
and had a fit of the collywobbles beside a poster for Chris Forbes. It may be that the source of the paint was somehow disposed of here.
![collywobs](/sites/default/files/styles/max_650x650/public/2024-08/IMG_4077.jpeg?itok=Z-S4QSwd)
The trail continued briefly until it stopped outside the Broughton Newsagency at No. 28.
The occupiers at either end of this latest splatter are as mystified as the rest of us. We understand they’ve had no work done recently to their properties and noticed nothing untoward on the morning in question.
Fortunately, these latest additions to the New Town streetscape do not last long under the barony’s summery conditions of frequent showers and heavy traffic diverting to avoid Festival crowds and the Low Emission Zone.
If you can add detail or background information, please feel free to contact us in confidence at spurtle@hotmail.co.uk.