SKY TV rip off, but is that my opinion!

Sitting here spitting blood as I have been listening to the BBC coverage of the Open Golf past three days on the radio as I do not have the rip off sky Sports package.   Interesting to see that during the day Sky are getting 330,000 viewers but the BBC are getting One million viewers on their Open Highlights feature. I received some bumf during the week from Sky who now want to break up the sports coverage and sell individual types of sports individually,  just another way of making money.  When I did work for BSkyB   they had league tables in the sales offices with winning sales teams getting all sorts of commission and rewards for boosting sales and their intent was to increase the cost to customers each year.   Apart from the cookery programmes and Nothing to Declare, time I also kicked Sky into touch.
Penicuik still having a partial boycott of Lidl after their new car parking procedure, so far I have not been back for five weeks, so Tesco is scoring.  Interesting to see that no such parking scheme implemented at the Lidl store in Musselburgh.

Mercat Grill busier than ever,  next wine night is 2nd September with a South African theme.

Steed of Steel running well, and have been out several times when weather was nice, had a quick run down to Duns on Tuesday to see Andy at Border Bikes and then back over the moors,  but today, fog bound in Penicuik, so no planes taking off from the public park!!!

My friend Lennie, who collided with a car who pulled out in front of him in Arrachar three weeks ago is still in the QE hospital, Glasgow with double fractures to the pelvis, is doing better than  expected and hopes to get home in a couple of weeks,  but recovery is slow, however he is determined to get a new 1200RT  to replace his wrecked baby and get back on the road again.   The lovely Catherine is recovering from her many bumps and scrapes and hopefully she and  Lennie will be out and about as a team sooner than later.
So another quiet few days for me till I have my NHS card stamped at my next appointment. Nothing but praise for the support and treatment I am getting.

Not confirmed yet, but no hose pipe ban this year so far.

I wonder why it rains so much in Penicuik, yet when you put on the weather forecast the sun is shining "down south". Not helped when Mrs B is watching Wimbledon and cracking up at the torrential rain filling our gutters. Was going to say that the only consolation is not having to water the garden, however, not true as the baskets need hand watering.

But the sun did shine on Wednesday and I had a run out on the Steed of Steel, down to Biggar and Coulter and round the hill to Broughton and back to Biggar via Hartee.   In the valley at the South of Biggar there was a super view of a Hercules transport plane drifting along above the tree tops, but not enough time for me to get a photo.

Mercat Grill is still busy, so much so that they have already closed their bookings for X-mas Day this year!!! Full House.

Probably like many, I lost interest in Wimbledon as soon as Andy Murray and Joanne Konta were knocked out.  But have just remembered that Jamie Murray is still keeping the flag flying for the UK.

I suspect that we are now beginning to see the effects of the so called "Nanny State", with young criminals running amok as there are little or no effective punishments, time to penalise the parents for lack of control, but if smacking is also forbidden what do you do.  Old adage,  bring back the birch, will never happen but it was a deterrent. Scots Law was once admired throughout the World, but hate to say that our politicians, no doubt pressured by greedy lawyers and the EU loonies have slowly been eroding the system.

I see our FM Nicola popped over to Brussels the other morning for a brief chat to one of the EU money grabbers,  if she had a £16 contract with unlimited calls from O,2 she could have made a call and blethered for as long as she wanted!!!  Probably spent more time in Edinburgh Airport than she did with the chappie.      I was dropping Sparky Mark off in the airport on Tuesday and t was a nightmare, queues trying to get in to dro off, no charges for drop off parking as they were pushing folk out the other end as fast as possible and queues trying to get back up onto the A8,  just as well the tram is there!!!

Friend from Dalkeith had her car stolen as she slept as the intruders broke in and took her keys, just heard of another in Newtongrange who had his new BMW car stolen under similar circumstances, and yesterday afternoon, one of our delivery drivers was overtaken in High Street Musselburgh, by two hooded youths, no helmets on, riding what was probably a stolen BMW motorcycle.

Bike wise, some motorists certainly are not, big time.

Despite all the publicity advising motorists to "Think Bikers"  my friend and his wife were victims of an eejit who pulled out of a garage forecourt just as they were approaching, the bike hit the side of the car and both were catapulted over the roof of the car  and down to earth with a hellish bump !!  Understatement,  Lenny has a fractured pelvis and is in hospital in Glasgow while his wife fortunately received only bumps and bruises.  So for a couple in their 70's they have been remarkably lucky, now for the long haul to recover  for Lennie, who is currently a long way from home but is getting a lot of support from the hiking fraternity including the Blue Knights and the Scottish Motorcycle Touring Group (IPA).

For me,  the Steed of Steel is back home, but being a bit under the weather had to give it a pass this last. Few days , however, all being well will be out in the morning.

Next,  a bit of a boycott taking place in Penicuik as Lidl, who own their car park, which is used by many of the patients from the adjacent Penicuik Health Centre, have introduced a parking ticket system, which if not used will mean that you automatically get a parking "invoice " from the English form who operate the system.  This means that if you are in the Doctors and run over the time you get a ticket, and even if you do not run over time you have to go into Lidl and make a purchase in order to cancel your parking ticket!!!  And Lidl, operating with fewer staff , can mean you have to stand in their queues.    It appears that may have been introduced after one of their senior staff came to visit and could not get a parking space !!   It also highlights the lack of off street parking in Penicuik which has been turned into a Park and Ride by folks from the outlying areas who utilise the excellent bus service into Edinburgh.

Had a visit from one of my Masonic  friends who came down on the train from Pitlochry on Monday to meet for lunch and a blether,  very nice to see him, so next time I have to head up there, perhaps on the Steed of Steel.

Great excitement, as Lilly the Labrador  is coming to stay for the weekend !

Trial by media!!  Time they got their act together - just watching the news and listening to the reporters speculating about major crimes, commenting on the fact that the police are not giving out information about crimes,   Why should they when it could be detrimental to a future trial?    And also a disgrace that two thugs from Glasgow who ran over two police officers and were charged with attempted murder,  however , one hours debate and the jury returned the Scottish "Not Proven" verdict - smooth talking lawyer or intimidation !!!!

Oh My Goodness, where was the spell check and the sensible head?

Just reading the previous post and thinking to myself, who wrote this !! as some of it even has me wondering.  Now occurs to me that I wrote it while sitting outside the Spanish cafe listening to a local guitarist singing, and was being a bit rushed.  No excuse though.
Now back in dreich, wet Scotland wishing for a wee bit sunshine after the terrible downpour we have had for the last thirty six hours.    Never two days the same here.  We had a run across to the Binny's Nursery at Ecclesmachan, near Uphall on Monday and it was such a nice sheltered, secluded walled garden, no wind, so pleasant just to wander through the various areas appreciating the many plants. Mrs B. had met some of the staff at her recent visit to the Chelsea Flower Show where she was impressed with their displays.  The nursery is also the Scottish Bonzi Centre with some remarkable examples on display.
Happy bunny today as I was able to collect the Steed of  Steel which had been away having some work done on it by Andy Mimms at Border Bikes, really strange getting back on it after using the R1150RT for a few weeks.    Just a pity I am not back to 100% health yet so restricted to short runs meantime.
Locally, we are being told that the Edinburgh Trams are now making money!!  seems a bit of a coincidence especially when they are talking about extending the line again,  no mention of the massive interest charges on the original loan.
Very topical subject, being a motorcyclist, is the number of motorcycles being stolen in Edinburgh, many belonging to visitors, and with the thieving sods putting themselves on Facebook and showing off.  Certainly not good for the tourist trade.
Heading off to a wee games night at Tranent with some of the RA companions and friends, a social and charity fund raiser.

Nearly past my bed time in this heat.

Still coping, but only just with what a I presume to be a bit of extreme heat here in the alicante region of Spain,  just need to keep in the wha as our pale selves get kind of lightly grilled with too long in the sun at these temperatures.  However, object of ten exercise was just to relax, so that is what we do, a wee walk in the morning to the local cafe for coffee, back to the apartment via the supermarket and voila, lovely healthy meals of greasy fruits and veg.  Local baker comes round the doors tooting horn and we get lovely baguettes and pastries.     Tonight, waited off a bit so now in the local town square which is slowly filling up as the sun sets and temperature becomes more bearable. Boss in the cafe where we have our morning coffee ( Mejias Beach Side) has let me down, she promised to be wearing her Flamenco dress !!  no such luck,  but two Tequilas and a bit of music and her engine starts running!!!
Most certainly makes a difference from the hurly burly of Barcelona and the motorbike ch advertised antics of Benidorm and the other boozy holiday resorts.

A wee bit of sun to cheer us up.

This time slightly different to the hustle and bustle of Barcelona. Nice little sea side village, no high rises in sight except on a clear day when you can see several miles away across the bay.  Very few mopeds and motorcycles, just folks like me wandering about soaking up the sunshine and peace and quiet.
Still have to fathom out how to get a photo onto this blog from the I pad,  easy enough to do a FB post, but I am not all that keen on too many.
So , in the meantime, just waving the float, so to speak.
ALison and Russell enjoying themselves in Vancouver and coming to the end of their adventures, and I will miss the E SESLTA doo athe the Mercat on Wed night.

Falling by the way side, a sign of old age, maybe!!

All sorts of things going on, and as I plan on writing one thing, something else happens to distract me.

I have to add my condolences to the many who have suffered loss and are / or are waiting for news about missing relatives following the terrible fire in London during the week.  Obviously much more to be disclosed as the investigation continues.

In the interim I had a wee city beak to Barcelona  with the family to celebrate my 70 th Birthday !!   might feel my age some days , but then again on others feel worse!!!
Quite a city, lots to see and do, very modern, bustling, a tourists paradise with so many things to see and do.  I, despite the warnings was nearly a victim of a pickpocket while leaving the Metro one evening,  but the good news was that a swift elbow in the ribs of my assailant was sufficient for him to hand back my phone before running off.
We managed well despite the heat and doing so much walking, but made use of the local transport for a wee breather,  not sure how long it took our pilot to recover after this particular trip.

Anyway,  it was certainly an  interesting visit,  shattered by the time we came home.

Last night was Anne McGhee's 70th Birthday party where a group of friends met for a meal at the Mercat Grill, excellent night, with a 60's  pub quiz and singer to keep the guests entertained. 

Tomorrow, off on our travels again, this time for a very quiet week in a friend's apartment just south of Alicante.  Not sure what access I will have for wi fi, apart from one of the local bars, which might be a good excuse for a quiet beer .

Going to miss the E&SESLTA  session in the Grill on Wednesday night.