Why do today what you can put off till tomorrow !!!!! Seems to be most unlike me.

However having just logged in I find this is the case, no getting away from it at all.

Firstly a wee treat for the eyes, something made by Mrs B. as a special treat for one of the clients who chose the Mercat Grill as his birthday venue.

Met one of the birthday group a few days ago who said it was very tasty indeed.

Still using my NHS membership card !!!!  having had a couple more visits to the ERI and my GP.  just proving that preumonia does not go away overnight!!  kind of puts my gas at a peep as they say.

Looks as though our seasons are a bit back to front,  suspect that we had summer before Easter and from tonight's weather forecast looks ass though winter is on its way again with frost due this week so a bit of a survival test for the flowers and plants which have been blooming.

Blooming,  yes, "blooming parking ticket"  dropped through the door, or is it ?  While at the local surgery and using the car park which everyone thinks is shared by Lidl,  I had to wait much longer than expected for the nurse and GP,  so for the extra fifteen minutes I am doinged £90 or pay quick and it is £45.  BUT IS IT,  the letter arrived from Athena who administer the car parks , nothing to do with Lidl I was told in the store who just did not want to know.  Anyway, it would appear to be one of the official looking bully boy letters, which many ignore.  I did learn from the surgery that a number of their patients have been paying the money rather than ignore it.
According to the web site, Athena run these car parks for Lidl, and from what I gather there is no sharing arrangement with the Health Centre, so where do patients park as there is limited off street parking in the area?  Spoke to our local SNP councillor who acknowledged that there was very limited public parking in Penicuik Town Centre which obviously affects local businesses.  He described Penicuik as giant "Park and Ride" used by many from Peebles, West Linton, Eddleston and outlying areas who have a greater choice of buses into Edinburgh from here.

NO dog to walk, time to rant perhaps.

Yes, Lily the hussy, without a blink fled to another man this morning, Dad was back from his trip to Vegas,  returned with a much lighter wallet than he left with, but good time had by all.  Miss Doggie pleased to be home again, but perhaps with be a regular visitor to the house and Grill.

FInd it unbelievable, maybe not considering the guddle Edinburgh City Council are in, but we have now been told that the Council are flying the Saltire flag and the European flag above the City Chambers and the pole where the 🇬🇧  would fly was empty. Bloody disgrace ,  someone is hell bent on dividing the United Kingdom.  I used to be proud to fly the saltire on the motorbike, however, it has now been hijacked by a political party.

Watching Michael Portillo on his great train journeys of Europe programme,   How come all these countries have better train services than we have, and which run on time.  NOticed that he got on the Eurostar at St Pancreas Station, but since then whenever he gets off a train, no suitcase !!!!   DId someone pinch it?

Bit of a revolt taking place at the ERI where staff are taking action against the building owners, Consort who are hiking up the car parking charges, double for the Staff!!!  And 30p an hour for visitors.    Couple of weeks ago the First Minister was asked to intervene, but as the staff are fed up holding their breath they are taking things into their own hands. Boycott the canteen and shops, which hopefully the visitors will also support them,  and many are requesting that they be related to hospitals with free parking.   Just need to wait and see.

Hold your counsel, what not to talk about.

Quite interesting that in Masonic circles you are advised not talk about football, politics or religion,  just a shame the same does not stand in public life.  I have previously said that the miner's strike split families as well as destroyed friendships, and looks like the current political goings on in both the UK and Scotland are also doing the same. Enough said as the damage has been done.

Still under the weather compliments of the flu virus and pneumonia, so social activities put on a hold till I feel a bit brighter,  although hopefully we will make it to New Lanark Mills next week for a wee break and rest (And maybe a wee glass of something red if antibiotics are finished).

Our house guest,  Lily the Labrador, is still with us , probably for another night's doggy B & B ,   she has been no bother at all, good company, and despite what a lady said down the street when she got a fright and barked, she is neither a demon or dangerous dog!!!   Might clear a low table with a wagging tail, but nothing more.

On a more serious matter, the solo terrorist attack in London last week, which caused the death of a Police Officer and four innocent members of the public,  an incident of the type so difficult to counter  of deal with.    For a number of years at the BNI meetings I always finished with the comment," it is not a case of if, it is a matter of when, so be extra vigilant ",  but do people listen, do they hell.

Fed up with politics, full of hot air,

Has to be the most depressing subject on the planet, but fed up with our Scottish politics, certainly causing a lot of ill feeling, dividing families and breaking friendships, not good.

Must have been a crowd of our MSP's having a meeting in a balloon basket on Sunday,  the balloon took off on its own with the amount of hot air they were producing!!!!

Chez ERI, Little France, once again

Yes,   yet another visit to the ERI, Edinburgh, where, this time I ended up staying from Wednesday till Saturday last week.  Quite an eye opener as usual and this time I was kept in the Acute Medical Unit most of the time.  Place was going like a fun fare most of the time and as far as I am concerned the staff, Doctors and nurses alike deserve a medal.   On arrival at the A& E, during initial assessment I could hear the usual carry on with some of the eejits waiting to be seen,  they just walk in expecting everyone to listen to their cursing and blinding.  In the good old days they would have been refused treatment and flung in the old cells at the High Street, and up at court the next day!!   However we are so bloody politically correct these days it is unbelievable.  
Turned out my Consultant was the son of one of the Police Surgeons we used at Dalkeith years ago and he was as nice as his dad.     Just a pity I that one of the other Consultants let the side down by his serious attitude problem,  needed lessons in bedside manners !!

Was able to keep in touch with the outside world, especially when banged up in isolation, so having made it home it was good this morning when Ian Stevens and Brian Paton appeared at Penicuik on their motorcycles.

A whale of a meal to say the least.

Not been blogging much recently, however , tonight having treated myself to a fish supper I really have no option but write it up.   Detoured on my way home via Loanhead and bought one of Dino's Special fish !! And that is an understatement, it was a veritable mini whale, a treat and a half and well worth the journey.  NO wonder the haddock stocks in the North Sea are dwindling, what will we eat when supplies are reduced?

Busy week with three meetings of the OES, and tomorrow off to Falkirk to visit their Squaremen, first time for me as I have only ever attended the Mither Shed in Edinburgh over the years of membership.

Weather here so dammed unpredictable, one day sitting out the back getting a bit fresh air and sunshine, next, perishing ,  however not so bad as Alicante where they had a years worth of rain in two hours, must have been unreal, and tonight in the news a bit film of a young woman managing to escape from a mud slide in India.  And Mr Trump tells us that Global warming is a figment of our imagination.

Bit of banter and a good blether on Tuesday when five of my former colleagues met at the Mercat Grill for coffee and treats ,  Peter Ritchie, Alan Sinclair, Bill Todd, Ian Stevens and Brian Paton.    Peter,s good news being that he has signed a deal with a new publisher who is reprinting his first four books,  then once they are on sale, his fifth book will be published.  Well done Peter, plenty work ahead.

No rest for the wicked as they say,  dog sitting again as Lily the Labrador is coming to stay for ten day,  plenty of fresh air and exercise for me!!

Not just a defeat, a bloody humiliation, half time was more than enough

For the uninitiated,  Scotland were thrashed by England at the rugby (again).  Nuff said.

So, for the last three days I have been out and about on both the Steed of Steel and the Time Machine.  Getting used to the Time Machine which I am happier on on longer faster runs, still finding it more of a handful on side roads,  but getting there.     Today when leaving Penicuik  I spotted another biker with and IPA crest on his screen, but did not recognise him.   Talking of IPA, should have been at the meeting at Castlebrae last Sunday but could not make it, however, sadly there was a bit of a hoo ha  and the current committee stood down so they are calling an EGM to elect a new committee,  best of luck -  things have just not been the same since the formation of Police Scotland and the loss of the legacy Scottish Forces.

This weekend, the Scottish Motor Cycle Show at Ingliston Centre, however, no need for me to attend as Shakey made it before me and has posted loads of nice pics of bikes for me.

Came through Dalkeith today, at a standstill due to folks parked on double yellow lines, if they had a Traffic Warden his wages would have been guaranteed, I say the same thing every day I come through, but with all the cost cutting by Midlothian Council,  NO warden any more.

BUT, if I really need a rant, what about Edinburgh's elected clowncillors new 20 MPH speed limit, what a bloody disgrace,   driving in the town is a nightmare in the bits where traffic is moving, 2nd gear to keep the speed down, and cyclists passing on both sides of you (still without lights), bus drivers cracking up, fares may also go up as journey times are slower,  must be causing extra pollution and is certainly not good for engines.   Worst off are the poor police who are tasked with enforcing this idiotic waste of money.     I see that one English council have now reported that their 20 MPH scheme resulted in no decrease of accidents.