Weather, Gossip, Drugs and reminiscing -again

It was sun tan cream and wellies today, one minute lovely and bright and then the black clouds arrived and poured tons of water upon us, roads dry and a couple of hundred yards along the way the water was bouncing up in the air. I think we were lucky here as it was intermittent, however other parts of Scotland had flash floods, etc.

Anyway - back to normal last night, cramp, sleepless, and up early with nowhere specific to go, so it an hour or so on chores in the house. then I did have a look in at the swimming baths but as there were little persons everywhere swimming in all direction I gave it a miss and took myself off to see Grant @ Photogenix at Bonnyrigg and deliver toys for his dogs ( bought by Mrs.B.). He was quite busy and when a little technical hitch arose with his computer it was time to exit stage right and head back home in time to rescue the washing from the first deluge of the day.
So what's new, discovered that the usual Penicuik, speculative gossip mongering machine had again got it all wrong - some weeks ago there was a suggestion - definite - positive news that MacDonald's were going to build a drive through restaurant in the Town Centre car park - load of codge - the extension to the car park is nearly completed - just lots more tar and many more spaces for our local boy racers to occupy at night.

There is to be a sequel to that well known cult horror movie "The Wicker Man" filmed 36 years ago in the outer Isles, the new one is underway in the Edinburgh area, with much of the filming being done in the local Pentland Hills and within the grounds of Penicuik House, only a short walk from here. I think it was only last year that we had a Scandinavian film crew working in the woods in Lowries Den which is also part of the Penicuik House estate.

Yet more controvesy in the daily papers, a prisoner called Dale Walkinshaw is reputed to be due for release within the next year. Thirty two years ago Walkinshaw, as a 17 year old murdered an eleven year old by bashing his head in with a brick in Gorebridge because the boy refused to give him a ride on his bike. The young lad lay in a coma for nearly a year before he died. I remember when that happened, there was a lot said around him being of diminished responsibility, etc, but he was found to be fit enough to stand trial. Two yars later, on his release as a nineteen year old he stabbed a thirteen year old Penicuik boy six times and was the jailed for life - now there are concerns that he will repeat offend when released as he has shown no remorse at all.

The nearby village of West Linton, which I wrote about when talking about Cleaves Cottage - locus of the biggest LSD haul, hits the headlines again, with the discovery of £300,000 worth of cannabis plants in a house in one of the houses there - you never know who is doing what in the house next door. Many years ago, the local Policeman in West Linton , was a chap called George McGill, a former green keeper who joined the Lothians and Peebles Constabulary at Bonnyrigg. Anyway, latterly and up to his retirement George was the local bobby in this very nice rural one man station . He was down the main street one day and admired the window box in one of the houses, however, when he went back to the office he did some homework and discovered that the lovely "ferns"in the window box were actually cannabis!!!

Looking at the local Community Newsletter and there are issues over litter, under age drinking, etc, and a suggestion that an educational programme is needed - To think that in 1990 I produced a blueprint for a community programme, dealing with all these aspects, and more, however, my Divisional Commander at the time felt that it was "inappropriate" - he just had no foresight !! Typical Polis of that era.

BUT - on the same theme, the contacts I had in London recently have been on the phone, so the NVQ course they are organising and have asked me to run will now be taking place, in London, 10th 11th August and Mid September, something different for me to get my teeth in to.

Staff training tomorrow - last of three days so that all are up to speed before the introduction of the new legislation on 1st September.