Terrible tragedy in East lothian.

Driving back from Dunblane on Sunday afternoon and laughing at a programme on Radio Scotland when I realised that it was Kiera Murphy, friend of the Mercat Bar and comedienne - really good.

On the other hand, Alex (fishy) Salmond's attempt at humour by publishing, probably at public expense, his outline paper for an Independent Scotland - certainly hit the spot - no doubt a funnier read that the "Oor Willie" album,   but I will stick too Oor Willie, not because there are more pictures but it is more believable.
Not sure how many trees were wasted in the publication,  but I am sure the six hundred foot high wind generator anchored in the bay at Methill, Fife, will produce enough power to compensate - provided we get a stiff breeze and it does not fall over.

On a more serious and sadder note, terrible tragedy in East Lothian with the deaths of three teenagers in a car crash near Tyningham a couple of days ago - town of Dunbar in shock.   This morning, another serious accident on the A68 (Dalkeith by pass) near Whitecraig - no news yet as to whether it is also a fatal.

Been busy as usual dotting between the two Mercat Bars, even managed to do some of my own work and also get down to RA 500, Laird O Cockpen,  on Tuesday night - not a big attendance,  but those who could not make it missed an excellent evening, well done Sparky.

Been into the City these past few days, what a nightmare, roadworks, traffic lights blocking the road all in the name of health and safety, potholes everywhere and the cars suspension taking a real hammering.   City planners having a laugh, new housing developments ringing the town, adding to the congestion trying to get in - soon be the case that the only way into the centre of the city will be by train or tram - and Princes Street will be the domain of tourists and immigrant beggars.   No wonder everyone is heading for the out of town shopping centres.

Up sharp for my breakfast meeting with the BNI, then lots to do at the pub -  no rest for the wicked over the weekend.

Quick week's summary

Despite everything I have not expired, just finding it hard to believe I have been so occupied this week as to be unable to find time to write a few lines.  I did set out on Thursday night with the best of intentions but was confronted with a quandary which took up my evening.

Difficult to remember at this stage what I even did during the week,  apart from work !!  But spoke too soon - found my diary and also the reason for my lack of memory . 

Monday, worked and then headed for town, dicky suit, black tie, and headed through to Glasgow for the Incorporation of maltman dinner in the Merchants Hall  =  enough said,  lovely meal, good company,  and eventually got home at  3.15 a.m.

Tuesday, recovering !!   went to work at lunchtime and was there at the Mercat Grill till  10.15 pm., driver and jack of all trades.
Wednesday,  back at the Grill, job to be done,  home wards,  had to fit in one of my other jobs before heading back to Bonnyrigg for the OES meeting -  no marks for guessing who fell asleep during the meeting.
Thursday, planned day off when we headed to the Balmoral Hotel for a spa day, followed by afternoon tea -  very relaxing ( or as Sparky would say - chilling out)  but sadly my massage was not up to expectation.       Afternoon tea,  nice,  but not to be a daily event.      From there,  home wards, and any benefits were lost due to having so much  to catch up with,  baking for Mrs B and  bookwork for me.

Friday, again, back at the Grill,  Costco, Bookers,  before heading to the ELCO Club Tranent for the annual reunion dinner of the E Div Retired Police Officers -  turned out to be a very good night, would have been better if I could have stayed there but with an early day today I was up, up and away.

And so it continued,  up, up and away early this morning to the Hilton Double Trees, Dunblane, (formerly the Dunblane Hydro) for a residential training weekend.

Currently rather tired, and also peeed off with Scotland's defeat by Australia at Murrayfield,  mainly because I have to respond to Phil the upside down father of Robbie and Scott who sent me one of  his pre match wind ups.

21 again- dinners, celebrations and all

Sunday p.m.,  still standing (sitting really),   full of X Factor,  Strictly Come Dancing, and red wine -

Saturday the Grill was really busy all day and then into the evening with three bigger parties in for meals.  Works party;   25th Wedding anniversary , and a birthday party -  but as I was elsewhere during the evening I can only hear the feedback.

I attended the Grand Superintendents Annual Dinner for the Province of Midlothian,  the final one for Alex Mooney before he demits office after three years in post.   Good attendance at the Bonnyrigg Lodge, (Dalhousie No. 720).  Main guest was Ian Fraser, First Principal  of  Supreme Grand Royal Arch of Scotland, and guest speaker was the Deputy Headmaster of Salter's Gait School, Dalkeith, which caters for children with extreme learning difficulties.  The school was the one of the primary beneficiaries of charitable aid from the Province for the past three years.

Managed to get a lift home with RGB who had been working yet another long day between the Mercat bar and Mercat Grill.
Bit of a dark foreboding sky when we left the lodge.

Homewards, yet another sleepless night and then up and away to open up at the Mercat Grill this morning.    Busy day once again,  and the Mercat Bar was even busier with the rugby crowds who were heading for the Scotland  v South Africa game at Murryfield ( bit of a serious thrashing for the Scots).

Currently still  MIA is RGB whose birthday today is slowly passing without him.

Time out, just for a wee while.

Sort of quick follow up to last entry,  lots on the news about how the Scottish Government are promoting electric cars, green energy, and with a £5000 grant hope for a massive take up of the offer.  No doubt Edinburgh Council will hope likewise, so that when the power goes off the cars will grind to a halt and "voila" no more congestion in Edinburgh - simple !!

BUT despite this,  new licenses have been granted for further deep sea oil exploration off the Scottish Coast -   big time porkies by our political leaders, on both sides of the Border, and no doubt world wide -  treating us like mushrooms,   kept in the dark and fed sh*t.

Never mind, last two days I took some time off and managed to use up a Gift Voucher for an overnight stay at Airth Castle,  by Kincardine.
What a lovely place,  bit disappointing when I arrived and learned that the Airth Castle on all the brochures is primarailly used for weddings and special events, whilst about 95% of the guests stay in the new section of the hotel which has been built around three old houses.  Notwithstanding, the new hotel is lovely, with a beautiful d ining room, conference and ballrooms, a n excellent spa and leisure suite and  very comfortable bedrooms.
Enjoyed the stay, used the spa facilities, had my back "deknotted", (still suffering)  - staff were very nice.

 

On our way home we passed the new sculptures at  the side of the motorway by Falkirk,  two majestic horses made from sheets of stainless steel,  

Certainly much more pleasing than the daft horn which has decorated the M8 at Whitburn for years.

 

Times are hard.

Times are hard, or so the saying goes,  however - just take a look at the total chaos in the Philippines caused by the recent typhoon there.  With winds of 170 mph,  it makes our stormy days here sound particularly balmy !!    The locals there, thousands killed, townships flattened, are doing their best to get on with life, struggling due to lack of resources, water , etc -  but International aid is on its way, provided they ca get out the airport.

However,  I suppose everything is relative to ones surroundings,  here we are struggling to come to terms with the fact that the major Electricity Companies are once again shafting us by hiking up the prices, literally cartelling,  but will the Government or the shareholders do anything about it - doubt so.
Great article about how much Mr Salmond's wind farms are costing us to erect and at times keep switched off -  under these circumstances, perhaps it would have been better to forget about blighting Donald Trump's seaside view.

On the home front - even more dramatic events are unfolding in Glasgow -  the council caused an outcry by threatening to remove the traffic cone from the Wellington Statue,   only 75000 complaints about that so they changed their mind -  then, someone managed to get up and take the cone off !!!!!

In Edinburgh,  Hibernian Football Club were "parading" Terry Butcher and Maurice Malpas as their new managerial team today -   I thought that  horses were paraded -  not professional football managers.    They did a remarkable job at Inverness  Caley Thistle where they will be a great loss,  the Hibs fans will be hoping they can repeat this here in the City.      Just hope the players are hungry enough to learn -  and not be like the guy in the English Premier  Division who said he was too rich to have the hunger needed for the game   !!!   have said this all along, big wages do not necessarily guarantee good players.

Interesting article in tonight's Edinburgh Evening news by a journalist who is writing about the tram works and the many business who have become causalities of the tram project - and by the time the truth comes out, there will be a few more.

IPA No 1 Region , visit by German Officers.

Possibly an age thing,  too much to do , not enough hours and forgetting what happened last.  Trying to recollect -  Thursday worked,  stopped and then worked again till late.
Friday,  worked early  then off to the airport to meet a group of German Police Officers, all members of the IPA , over for the weekend to visit the City.   Had a wee run round the outskirts and then stopped off at the Mercat Grill where they sampled malt whisky and cask ale, and fed on soup and sandwiches.  Welcome to Schotland.

Onwards,  into the City for a Kodac stop at Hollyrood , The Palace and Parliament, up the Royal Mile and then dropped off at their hotel.

 

Evening, we met up again at the Mercat Bar, hosted by No. 1 Region IPA, (Edinburgh), for a Scottish themed dinner,  haggis piped in by John McIntosh,  who did his usual rendition of Robert Burns   "address to the haggis" - total incomprehensible to Scots and Germans alike !!

Thanks to Rod McNeil who had the group bedecked with  Haw Jimmy hats, and presented gifts from our No I region, and accepted an assortment of gifts from our visitors.

 

   Wee bit of  confusion around the work  "horseradish" on the menu being served with the venison,  they seemed to think we were actually eating horse!!!

So, home to bed, and for those who had been night shift on Thursday and gone straight to the airport for the flight - well deserved.

Saturday -  group had a tour of the Royal Mile,  before taking pies and beer at  the Masonic hall, Murrayfield, and then onwards to see Scotland defeat  Japan.

This evening it was a ghostly experience for all as Roddy took them down the Royal Mile on the Ghost hunt.

Just a pity the weather has turned cold - not much warm clothing can be packed in a hand baggage to keep the price down on an Easy Jet flight.

 

Meanwhile ,  somewhere in the sunnier north, our other intrepid group of travellers are enjoying themselves in the Fareo Islands  where it is allegedly warmer than here.

Over the Hills and far away

Not a bad morning,  so after another look at the bonfire,  I headed eastwards on the A1 and down to Duns, Berwickshire, on the steed of steel,.    Nice run down the A1, Police Scotland  Traffic Officers  were operating  near Torness Power Station, and the camera van was actually sitting beside a speed camera five miles further on,  bit more community fundraising.

In Duns,  Andy at Border Bikes gave the steed the once over,  sound as a pound, clean bill of health, before I headed homewards testing my new helmet (long overdue).

For a change I took the moor road from Duns to Gifford,  up past Whiteadder Reservoir,

 This would have been a great run in the middle of summer,  however, with damp roads, mud from fields, fallen leaves,  wandering sheep and the ever present pheasants and partridges -  it certainly raised the pulse !!!
Only other downside was having to clean the steed of mud before putting it to bed.

Into town for tea at the Mercat Bar,  bit of a treat,  nice Ribeye steak, portobello flat mushrooms and a glass of  Shiraz - perfect.