Birthday wishes and catch up for the past days.

Birthday wishes today for Wendy and Jock, great excitement in the Bar as firstly Wednesday came in for her breakfast and had her Bucks Fizz - quite taken with the candle in her vegie breakfast, then Jock arrived for lunch and had two candles in his steak, which was washed down with his tipple of "Black Grouse" - happy birthday to the twosome.

My two ladies from Somerset who were in yesterday eventually decided to try the Crannachan along with Drambuie for breakfast, both converted immediately and were coming back later to sample both the Drambuie and Glayva.

New staff to introduce, Kiera and Nicola, learning the ropes and happy to chat to the customers.

Back to the past week, very busy, kept on the go, started off with a couple of days in the Mercat which were busy. Committee meeting of the OSM, Soutra Isle - quite a night, but that is certainly another story !!!, Then, off down the road to Risley and Birmingham, long run again, heading out via Glasgow. On the way south, a minor accident in the roadworks where a lady seemed to have run into the back of a lorry and disappeared up ythe banking.

The M6 is still a dammed nightmare from J 13 south into Birmingham, nose to tail, crawling, stationary, no fun at all for both driver and vehicle - blood pressure and temperature gauge rising - two and a half hours to do what took me one hour twenty coming back !!

Saw the hotel, but had to drive miles round the ring route to get back to it.

Out for a walk, but between the constant hassle of numerous beggars, and being in the predominantly "gay" district of the town, it was an early night in the hotel with a glass to hand.

Up and away in the morning, heading north into the chaos that surrounded J 21 a on the M6 and J 12 on the M62 - where a lorry had crashed, closing the M62 - and the air ambulance having to land on the motorway - fortunately I was not delayed too long.

Detoured via Lockerbie looking for a friend in the Black Bull Pub, but with problematical road works causing more chaos I could not find the Pub !!! so headed north again, but took the old road, running parallel to the motorway - very quiet, no hassle, interesting and pretty stress free.

Friday morning it was back to the Cult again, BNI weekly meeting at 0630hrs in lieu of RGB who had hardly been in bed -

Government cuts taking effect soon, big transport cuts planned for the future, trains, bus passes, etc - so just think - it might cost £5 for a trip along Princess Street in the new tram to nowhere - great value for £230 million ( down the drain) and we cannot even get the Island of Lewis sorted with £10 m despite the fact the locals have raised £200K themselves.

Long day, early start again, good day, and dropped in to see Chris and Ailsa at Hendricks on the way home - getting tired now - but up and out a.m. Sunday to see RGB doing his 10K run at Hopetoun House in aid of Cancer Relief, and then the party at the Mercat afterwards. Feature this week in the "Dram" magazine about the Mercat, another in the Evening News - which was picked up by the Napier University who did a video interview on Friday, and now we have the SLTA awards dinner next Thursday to look forward to.