early start , long day

Eventually decided to get up at 3 a.m. !!! just wonderful but was surprised that it was a bit darker than I had expected, however, after a cuppa, a potter about , I set off for Abingdon at 4 a.m - nice views of the sunrise in the rear view mirror. Lots of wispy mist on the ground with animals standing in the fields, their legs and torsos hidden from sight. Road was very quiet till about 7 a.m. when the "workforce" hit the roads - so keen to get there quick that I was being passed by not only the usual range Rover, white van men, but young ladies in wee cars bouncing all over the place - I followed one young lady for about thirty miles, she was fast, but not in real control of the car!!

Arrived early at Runcorn , before the offices opened so I managed a real breakfast this time, freshly cooked , nice, with Christine and Sue bringing me up to date with their gossip.

Jill in Reception, back this morning after a weeks golfing in Durham County with her friends, had a good time, and weather not too bad.

Headed home wards, via Glasgow, with a slower than usual run, intermittent heavy rain showers, and certainly needed a bit of a snooze when I got home at 3.30 p.m.

Radio 2 on all day - great furore about the English allegedly cheating to get a draw at the Cricket, but it seems that had the boot been on the other foot the Aussie's would have done the same - excellent little replay on the radio of when the "fat" physio was sent on with no idea why he was there !! Gamesmanship.
Also a lot of Scots wanting a bit more cricket on the TV as the interest and participation in the game in Scotland is increasing in leaps and bounds. We even have Australia coming to play Scotland in Edinburgh in the next couple of weeks.

Monumental blunder by the Professor of Midwifery who has suggested that woman need a bit more pain and less medication during Childbirth - he will be snowed under with tons of E mail by the time the dust settles.

Programmes on TV tonight, both causing controversy - one about the alleged torturing of the Terrorists by the CIA in the USA - reporters making great stories out of the news - BUT - why do we not get articles of complaint in Iranian newspapers !! about the same thing happening over there - because the reporters would have been beheaded. There was also the recent case where the six Christians were beheaded as spies in Somalia - God - we have folks giving their whole life to help these people, and G8 nations pledging £billions to give aid, but the hierarchy want nothing more than to line their own pockets while their people suffer .

Still great disruption in the Dalry area of Edinburgh where Police and Fire investigators try and find out why the fire in the Balmoral Bar started - seems that the floor gave way under the fireman who died.

Local news, we have the three brothers, Zack, Elliot and Lloyd Saltman, from Penicuik, ( farm on the A 702) taking part in the British Open at Turnberry this week, two playing and the third as a caddy for his brother.

Sorry I cannot remember the name, but think it is Brian Cunningham ( will check) who was the Penicuik Hunter in 2006, was killed in a road accident ( aged 26) in Carnwarth recently . His parents stay in Penicuik, but he had married and moved through there.

John Hartson, the former Celtic captain , now seriously ill with testicular cancer which has spread through his body - a young man - would not wish this on anyone.

One of the sons of Bathgate, Dario Franchitti did well to manage yet another Indi car win in Toronto - winning by 1.6745 seconds !!!!!!!!!!! What did we do before electronic timing - if our lane judge had a stutter or a twitch you could lose a race. But this is his third this season - not sure how his sister is doing , not heard much recently about her.

BUT - up again sharp for work at The Mercat Bar again a.m. - hope the rain stops !!