Despite a sleepless night

Seriously rough night, up at 2 a.m. coughing up my innards - ended up sleeping in the chair again till Mrs B got up at 6.30 a.m. and sent me back to bed.

BUT, needs must so it was up and with no reply from the bar, headed into town.

Full house on our arrival with a group of 40 from a Birmingham Rugby club in for breakfast - they have not done too well, they were thumped by Portobello and were expecting even worse this afternoon by Haddington.

After a quick trip to Bookers with Claire, I headed off on foot to he Standing order to see Archie the Pole dancer and Robert, joined later by the delightful Tracy who was having a working Easter, leaving the terrible two with Granny Carol and Grandpa Alan - now well recovered.

S.O,. was not that busy, but we left and dropped in to see Ailsa @ Miss Talk a Lot at the snack bar @ Cafe Andaluza in George Street, looking as radiant as ever.

Home - feet up, Blackstone Merlot, tiger prawn omelet - une bonne soiree.

Pin ups new and old -

So, Mrs B. headed into the big City while I was at work, even managed to find Archie @ The Dancer at the Standing Order, and there was me thinking that he would be away on another holiday !! Doing fine as are his family, so we might even get over to the Kingdom to see them all soon.

She later dropped in to see Kirsty and Gillian at the Chanel and Guerlain counters (not the Smelly girls but the Fragrant ladies) in Fraser's store.

Had a brief chat to RGB who seems to be enjoying his sojourn in Westchester, USA, obviously missing us all at home.

Missed out on Bradman's 21st in the land OZ, well done son, now his big brovver, Scott can get his backside on a plane and come back to make someone happy.

Staff were pleased to have the company of these two "black and white" stars of yore in the bar this afternoon, but probably happier when they left.

Following on to yesterday's garage comments, I now have both cars back home, repaired and MOT'd, which is more than can be said for Mr Vardy,s workshops and mechanics

The Edinburgh Evening News managed to get my quotes printed correctly, but seem to have lost the photo, dash.

Sir Alex Ferguson was not a happy easter bunny today when his team, minus young Waynne Rooney lost 2 -1 to Arsenal, bet the dressing room was good, chewing gum flying everywhere.

The BBC show to choose the new Dorothy for Sir Andrew lloyd Webber's musical, "Over The Rainbow" has been much more entertaining - some good fresh talent on show.

Sophie Jex-Blake - interesting wee observation

A raw morning , misty, and unfortunately I could not get stopped to take a photo South from Lowries Den showing only the tips of the hills protruding from the mist.

Into town where a chappie was raiding a skip sitting in Manor Place, but by the time I had parked he had left. However, in walking round this route I spotted the plaque outside 4 Manor Place, stating that Sophie Jex-Blake, Scotland's first lady doctor had started her practice there. Quite a bit on Google about her life.

Heard from Go Jo and RGB last night, seems that they had done the 10 in 30 challange in Jake's Bar, not for the faint hearted !! Ten beers in 30 minutes, and no going to the loo !!! Methinks Go Jo is leading RGB astray.

This end of the town seems to be very quiet, but we do have a full downstairs at the moment with fans watching the Manchester United v Chelsea match, which Chelsea are leading 0 - 1 at the moment.

Fizzing garages - there to take your money -

My day continued, quietly, as he team were running the Bar - Not sure what I have got myself involved in, but I answered a call from The Edinburgh Evening News reporter who was looking for a comment about the debate in hand by Edinburgh Council to allow pubs to open at 10 a.m. on a Sunday, which if passed would do away with one of our remaining archaic laws. next thing a young press photographer appeared for my picture - Lord knows what quote I have given ?

Cars and garages - RGB,s car was taken off for a service on Wednesday morning , garage have just admitted that they ordered the wrong parts and it will not now be fixed till Wed / Thurs next week at the earliest - Yet - I have two mechanics who work from their homes, charge half or less normal garage rates and can do the jobs in a fraction of the time the garages take, enough said.

Met Dougie the Painter, owner of the wonderful Collie, Cody - bright and intelligent - but who has just been seriously savaged by a pit bull terrier dog - Cody needed surgery after three men prised the pit bull off. There are supposed to be controls on these animals, however, the animals who own them seem to ignore that bit of the law.

Friend Davy "Bones" on the phone tonight, and was saying that North Berwick suffered very badly from the recent high tide and storm surge, a few houses suffered from a mini tsunami with waved going straight through houses.

Go Jo on the text, it was not her and RGB who had checked out the blog from the Big Apple, they are going there next week - so far they have taken up residence in Jake's Bar, Westchester, PA.

We were talking about The Eden Resort and Spa Hotel, Sri Lanka at tea time and this evening I hav had an E mail from Srimathy at the hotel. She had been badly injured in a car crash, the other car was driven by a local government official, and as a result of a cover up, the whole incident was whitewashed, even the local press had to print an apology.

Never mind - despite everything , the sunshine has cleared away most of the snow - so tomorrow is another day (at the Inn of course).

The Cult and our new starts

Panic set in as I tried to de ice the car, minus 5 C and I had no scraper in this little courtesy motor - so it took ten minutes before I could move a wheel.

Arrived at the "Cult" meeting, early I thought but there were all tucking in to their breakfast already.

A good meeting followed, with the new "team" running the meeting, which encourages fresh ideas, etc - even considering a "beetle drive" as a social event - long time since we had one of those nights.

This group is very energetic, enthusiastic, and actually generate a considerable amount of business for each other.

By the time I left, the sun was up and it was a beautiful, but cool morning.

Dropped into Bookers where Boss Michael and his team spent some time chatting, place was quiet so many are off for Easter.

Into the Mercat where there was a full squad present, Jamie @ Shrek and Dee Dee in the kitchen, Agnieszka (Supervisor)@ Aga, Fiona, Kirsty @ Hiawatha, and new starts Justine from Orleans, France and Graham from Wexford, R of Ireland.

Did some catching up, Jodi at LeMe, a busy man getting his freshly pressed suits back to their owners and Ali at Salon cafe, up to her elbows in shampoo and bubbles.

Seem to be plenty tourists about the town at the moment, hopefully a good sign for the months to come.

Just talking about the scientists who have set up a laboratory in the deepest potash mine in England and are collecting traces of " matter" which is bombarding the earths surface. They are using the earth as a screen - all very complicated - but the sense of the story is that they are all astro physicists, as is Ashley my neighbour and it is the first time I have seen them at work !!

Certainly not a coiled spring this morning.

Good job I have a bad conscience or I would have slept in , took the trouble to set the alarm on the phone last night , but had forgotten to set change the time when the clocks changed last week !!

Anyway, nice cold frosty morning once again - just what I need to keep the bugs at bay - but that did not work either. Have not managed to get rid of the cough I probably picked up on the plane, and with a throat like a sandpaper board I will not be doing any singing today.

Heading off to the dawn meeting of the ""Cult" to represent RGB who I think might well be in New York as I write - someone new has popped up on the tracker this morning and it could be Go Jo.

Forgot to give Claire a birthday message yesterday, just dawned on me that she was her dad's April fool !!

Sparky Mark off to Morocco on Sunday to go trekking in the mountains for a week with an adventure group. he might see the team who are going to do the six marathons in six days out there.
Time to hit the trail, meeting then Bookers , then the Mercat - then what ?

April 1st , no kidding

Considering this is the 1st of April, some might consider that these pictures are an "April Fool" , but there is nothing funny about the situation here.

I took Mrs B to work this morning and there is hardly a wisp of snow there, no doubt the Mercat area will be clear as a bell.

Went to Bonnyrigg to see Grant @ photogenix and get my memory cards copied to discs, then headed home through Rosewell and Pomathorn - and into the snow !! The owner of this Mercedes will have a bit of digging to do to get it out. The roads in Penicuik are like a war zone with cars abandoned everywhere so there is no chance of us getting a regular bus service back past the house for till these cars are moved and the snow cleared into the sides of the road.

Just had another look at our back lane , and it will be a couple of days before we can get out that way.