No excuses, not even hibernation.

After several years of blogging to albeit a limited audience and basically for my own pleasure, if that is the correct word, I kind of lost the plot !!!  So, whether i can get myself motivated again remains to be seen.  One thing for certain is that like many people I am sick to the teeth of politics,  between Brexit and the antics of our own SNP, I turn over the TV, switch radio stations and it makes reading newspapers simpler.  Having said that Theresa May has stuck to her guns and is doing what the electorate asked for, and to hell with the greedy winging inmates of the concrete pigs troughs in Brussels,  here endeth my first rant for ages.

Life in the Mercat Grill remains the same, nice and steady with the usual busy spells, and this year, Xmas was on the up and up.  Santa Paws made his annual appearance for our four legged friends, and even managed several surprise visits pre x-mas, possibly out to assess how many presents to pop into his sack. Must say that I did appreciate the gifts I received this year, so thanks big time.

Masonic season well under way now so we had our Installation at RA Laird O Cockpen 500, so Sparky Mark has taken over from me for a year. Lodge 720 also has a new RWM, and  our own OES was the last of the District chapters to be reinstalled..

A couple of years ago whilst in temporary residence at the ERI  Edinburgh, I handed out a number of small mini pen lights to staff which went down a treat.  Since then I have been buying new batches and on Xmas Day delivered a new supply to the A&E at  the ERI and a stock for the ambulance crews on duty.    The Mither Shed of the Corporation of Squaremen and also my own RA Chapter 500 have further stocks ready to supply to other hospitals in the area.  So the next time a nurse or Doctor shines a wee torch pen in your eyes, it might be one of ours !!

Delighted to say that both the Steed of Steel and the Time Machine are baring up well, and with this mild spell of weather both bikes have been out on the roads for an airing, as recently as today.

Just where does time go these days.

This morning on my way to Whitecraig I stopped to take this photo of the new recycling plant near Monktonhall,   just appealed to me with the sun shining on it and such a dark sky at the time.

Anyway,  as usual have found it difficult to make time to write a few words.    So,   while tiding the garage this afternoon I listened to the tennis on the radio and it was good to hear Team GB winning at the Emirates Stadium, Glasgow, to qualify for the next round of the Davies Cup, which does not take place till next year.

A congratulations in order to Nigel Finlay at Stags PH , Musselburgh , for winning this years prestigious CAMRA Award,  well deserved, as it is a real drinking "persons" pub, good selection of real ales, etc.

Yesterday, heading (on the teed of Steel) for the Half yearly meeting of the Provincial Royal Arch Chapter of Mid and East Lothian, (at Currie) I was passed three times by six motorcyclists on sports bikes, first time on bad bends, second time they passed a long line of stationary cars on double white lines, and the third time on the A720 City bypass.  Hate to say it, but their style of riding did not impress either me or the folks they passed,  not a great advert for the biking fraternity.

Just biding time now for our weekly dose of the "Bodyguard",  a brilliant piece of TV drama.

This Brexit carry on is a real pain in the bum, getting to the stage, as I have said in the past,  that we will be badgered and badgered time and time again until certain elements of the so called establishment get their own way (and for their own benefit).  very similar to lawyers in the USA who keep looking for professional witnesses who will sway juries to their way of thinking.

First class Gin Tasting accompanied by an excellent meal at the Mercat Grill last night, six gins for tasting, good company, great night.

Afternoon worth thinking about,  HIT Dinner at the Sheraton on 2nd November 2018,    we were there last year when they raised about forty five thousand pounds for their training scheme.

BMW HP4 and others

Spotted this BMW HP4 race bike last time I was in the BMW dealers in Dalkeith, so eventually managed to get back with my camera.   At £68,000  it is the most expensive bike I have seen sitting in the showroom,  They did have two race bikes and another prepared for the road !!  With a top speed of over two hundred miles per hour , not quite ideal for the UK.

 Nice old caged machine sitting there,  top speed not quite as high as the above.

 This was nice 

 But this was nicer,  more my cup of tea, so to speak.

New Lanark Mills and the Falls of Clyde.

Back at one of my favourite places for a couple of nights R & R,  making up for last weeks B & B compliments of the NHS at the ERI on our wedding anniversary !!     Weather is nice and managed a walk along the River Clyde while the sun was giving me some good shots.

 No doubt that Robert Owens was a man of foresight when he developed this remarkable factory complex,  it deserves it's World Heritage status.

 The river is still very low following our long dry spell over past three months.

 Managed this shot of the weir on my way out, but when I came back light had changed and it was not as impressive.

 The Mill Lade where it comes through the hillside from the weir into the complex, rather dark and foreboding.

 Not the clearest of images but saw this Heron sitting in the tree in the distance,  and about twenty minutes later noted that there were a pair of them, obviously having more luck at the fishing than the local anglers.

Couple of unique custom built motorcycles

It is not every day that I get the chance to see a special motorcycle, but today the surprise was that there were two.    We had an Austrian couple, driving a camper van,  in for dinner at the Mercat Grill, and after several beers the driver discovered that he would be safer not driving !!!  So, they were able to park up in the car park.  This morning, after breakfast, much to our surprise they unloaded these two motorcycles from their van, and were preparing to head into Edinburgh, park up and go sightseeing .   In view of the numbers of motorcycle thefts in the city I advised them to take the train, and if they doubted me, a local taxi driver pulled in to admire the bikes and gave them the same advice, which they eventually accepted.

 The owner of this 1600cc machine was a butcher, and he has built a meat mincer into the body of the bike, the carburetor, brake lever, petrol tank cap,  his antique knife box, etc  

 Not so sure our local thieves would have got very far with this bike, starting it was a work of art !!!  but it would not stop the hooligans lifting it into a van.

 The chopper style bike was ridden by a young lady and the theme of the bike was beer,  the tank painted with beir symbols, a beer filler, and a beer tap fitted with an LED bulb to illuminate the number plate.

 The drive belt had been removed and the husband had taken six months to make a conversion and the guard cover modeled on a 3D printer and then shaped by hand. 

 Fancy a pint ? 

As I had to leave, I have no idea how they enjoyed their day, however these two bikes will be on the roads around the North of Scotland. 

Yes, common sense is in short demand

Just a quickie,   friend "Dan the Man" was heading home from Dunbar this morning on the new motorway section of the A1 when passed by a police patrol car travelling at speed. Some distance along the road he passed the the police who were remonstrating with a lady on a pedal cycle who obviously did not realise that cycling on a Motorway was forbidden.

AND

Mrs B. met a lady this morning in Edinburgh who had been hill walking on Ben Nevis yesterday.  She was saying that the weather was poor and very cold so warm clothing was essential,  however she and her husband were passed by a man and his son dressed in T shirts and shorts !!!  It is no wonder that the local Mountain Rescue team is kept busy with eejits like this on the loose.

AND

Photo yesterday of five youths posing with axes, machetes and baseball bats.  No doubt hard men in their own tiny minds,  sons of someone, but a perfect reason for making the use of contraceptives compulsory for some folks (or perhaps neutering or dressing as is commonplace with our pets)

Honda Goldwing; Goldtops and others.

Yet another of Edinburgh's motor cycle dealers last week, this time Two Wheels near Cameron Toll, where pride of place in the front window went to this lovely Gold Wing.

Most of my travels to these bike shops has been to source a new pair of boots, which has been proving more difficult than expected, the more modern boots are a bit tight for my wide feet and certainly likely to last as long as my original pair.  I ended up sending for a pair of the latest edition of hand made GoldTops, which are seen here alongside my old pair, Slight cost difference as the new boots are selling at £375 !!!    However, despite my best efforts, although the shoe of the boot fitted perfectly, the leg has been cut 3.5cm narrower than the old ones so it was with great disappointment that they had to be returned to GoldTop.  The manufacturers are being asked to try and make a wider fitting boot at some point.

 Just to finish off this page I have added a couple of shots, this one inside,   and

 this nice Triumph sitting in the car park outside the Triumph showroom.

But not all is lost,   had a call to go back in and have a look at some newly sourced boots which I might be able to get into,  if not it will be back to the old GoldTops held together with Unibond adhesive and Duck Tape.