New Year's Eve - 2011, and things are rocking.

Tonight's the night, I think, unless today is the end of the world - the next apocalypse might be this afternoon the way folks were shopping and the chaos in the Tesco car park this morning - once again , the shops will close for a few hours and panic reigns.

So last night over seven thousand people took part in the torchlight parade from the High Street to the Calton Hill, a river of light. Tonight the authorities expect around 80,000 revellers to pack into the City Centre for the various concerts / bands performing around the Castle and the Princes Street Gardens - with a massive fireworks display at Midnight to bring in 2012. for a change there is also to be smaller "taster displays" at 10 pm and 11pm.

Last night we went to see the Queen tribute, "We will Rock You", at the Edinburgh Playhouse, the show was excellent, seats expensive, however we were unfortunate enough to be sitting two rows behind a couple of large gents so our view of the stage was reduced by about 20% - BUT, for some reason there were about seventy empty seats to the front right of me, looked like a block booking by a tour company who never turned up, so we were able to move over and had an excellent clear view of the show.

I was really surprised at the numbers of people who were up[ and down along their rows disturbing everyone while they headed to the toilet or bars - then we had a couple of "females" who were "half cut", plonk themselves down near us, feet over the seats in front of them, glasses in hand, and then they started texting on their mobile phones. Eventually - probably to to either minuscule brains, short attention spans, boredom, or the need for more drink they upped and left us in peace.

As the second half of the show progressed the audience warned up and there was some dancing in the isles, plenty of swinging and swaying, and great cheers when Brian May appeared to play his solo. An excellent show - worth seeing for any fan of the fabulous "Queen" and the late Freddie Mercury. - No photos as I was forbidden to take my camera.

Today, the Mercat Bar is open till 2 a.m. but I am off to The Dolphin Inn, which, in order to avoid any problems will be closed early - it is a shame that because of the actions of a few idiots that the majority suffer - it would have been nice to have had a Hogmanay Dinner Party, - perhaps next year.

It is now 2 p.m. here and the temperature is about 9 C - meantime the news from the Hilton WaterFalls, Sharm El Sheikh, is that it is a nice afternoon /evening and there are eight hundred guests about to party -

Great Expectations and greater thieves

The second session of the Blawbag winds have been and gone , leaving behind a fair bit of destruction in its wake. Nearest of any claim was in Bonnyrigg when the main road was closed off by a very large fallen tree which caused all traffic to be diverted via Golf Course Road.
BUT bigger fool was the lorry driver who ignored the warning signs on the Forth Road Bridge prohibiting anything other than cars - his trailer was blown over and they had to close the bridge to all traffic to examine the surface for damage - he will have plenty time to think about his actions on the way to the Job Centre !!!

Watching "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens at the moment - which is coincidental as there was a piece in the Edinburgh Evening News about him recently - Dickens was a regular visitor to Edinburgh, very popular and well respected and I think it was about 1841 when he was given the Freedom of the City.

I see that the local Councillors application for a 16% pay rise has been frozen again - I have always said that no one took that job for the good of their health, or out of the goodness of their hearts - so £16K, plus all their expenses and perks is better than nothing.

Obviously I still harangue the Bankers for our troubles, but it is time this latest band of money grabbers, the Moneylenders who advertise on the TV with rates from 1500% to 3000% PA, were sorted out - they borrow money from the Banks at less than they charge their clients and make a fine living out of it.

Petty criminals apparently cannot hold a candle to our entrepreneurial business men who are continually dreaming up new scams. I thought our friends in Kenya and elsewhere in the African continent were trying hard but seventeen skippers of fishing boats in Shetland have just been captured having run a scam which netted £47.5 million !!! Greed, plain unadulterated greed.

More mundane, back to The Dolphin tomorrow as we steady ourselves for the New Year, but we are off to the Playhouse Theatre in the evening to see "We Shall Rock You" the tribute to the great Freddy Mercury and Queen.

Busy day at The Dolphin Inn , and a mixed up World.

Feet up, red wine to hand, now on bottle umpteenth (not just me) and having had a busy day at the Dolphin Inn - This was good, a few return clients but more promising were those who came in to see us following recommendations by friends, etc.

Have missed out on my newspapers - but was (my opinion) disgusted to see that Andrew Walker, the triple murderer (in 1985) of three of the payroll staff at Glencorse Barracks had been released from secure care to die at home, allegedly with less than three months to live following a stroke.
I can remember when he carried out the robbery and the killings, he signed a weapon out of the armoury, asked the payroll team for a lift to Penicuik, then en route used his weapon to get them to go up to Loganlea Cottages by the reservoir, shot and killed all three, dumped their bodies by the cottage and fled with the money (£19,000) which was never ever recovered.
The search teams walked for miles following every possible route that Andrew Walker may have taken between the scene of the killings to his home in Kirknewton, and elsewhere. Walker was eventually arrested and jailed for thirty years and sent to Peterhead Prison where he led a roof top riot and caused mayhem. These people should die in jail and rot in hell.

Current figures produced by the Bethany Christian Trust indicate that 25% of the homeless on the streets of Edinburgh are from abroad, who came here to work for low paid jobs, cash in hand - it is time that somebody made these facts public in their home country to discourage them from trying to get here, to be disappointed , and for those here with no hope , perhaps a free ticket home might be the best option.
Hugger Muggers = new phenomena down south , two or three folks arrive to hug and wish well, especially at festive events, then others arrive, big group hug and then the victim is robbed in the process - nothing like taking the goodness out of an event !!!!!
East Lothian FM -87.7FM volunteer radio station, now on air after a long period on the internet, based in Haddington, Chairman Ian Robertson, friend of the family, now hoping for a full licence in due course.
Bit of a dizzy for those hoping to boast about taking part in the xmas day nippy dips around the UK - with temperatures between 8 and 12 C - it was a bit of a cheat for them - unlike RGB who, a few years ago joined the crowds to do the Polar Bear in Lake Michigan.

Xmas into Boxing Day and old movies.

Twas Xmas Day at the Dolphin Inn - and I am sure that many - and a good day it was - BUT - like many others, I was pleased to see the end of the day and get the chance to sit down and get the feet up !! In between the Xmas dinner and bed time we had the family and friends in for lunch at the Inn, great time, but with a drive home there was no wine for me. Never the less

we had a lovely dinner, exchanged gifts, and eventually it was time to head home.

My final duty of the day was give Roz from Oz and Rick a run back to their hotel in Edinburgh and bid them a fond farewell as they are heading off to Paris on Tuesday - and I was working today - although they were going to Murryfield Stadium toning with RGB and Jo Jo to see Edinburgh District play Glasgow at rugby.

A safe journey home wards to the Land of Oz (upside down people) for them.

But back to last night, managed to get home, a trifle pooped, by 9 pm. in time to unwrap my Xmas presents with the family - some nice gifts, so I was a happy bunny as were the others.
Had a nice glass of port , a lovely bit of cheese and then off to bed for a well earned snooze.

Now, Boxing Day evening, sitting watching the old movie "The Ten Commandments" - fascinating to see part of the R.A. ritual on screen !!!

MERRY XMAS EVERYONE

Has to be a big MERRY XMAS to all my readers and friends around the Globe, Thanks for joining in, just a pity you are not able to join us here in windy Scotland. No snow for the past few days, green grass, mild (10 C) but "blawing a gale" so to speak - so Santa will have had to be very careful up on those roofs last night.

To think that we still have to get stuck into our xmas dinner, meantime the upside down chappies and chappesess are already in their bed, and on the other side of the World the folks in the West of the USA are just thinking about breakfast - in the meantime there is a veritable mountain of wrapping paper heading into the recycling bins - hopefully most children are happy, but no doubt there will be a few disappointed weans -

So, here in the Dolphin Inn we have just finished serving our clients, and when they have had a burp, loosened their belts, and wound their weary way home, the family will arrive and we will start all over again - this time, no pressure.

So once again - Merry Xmas - I will be back.

A season of good cheer - Ho Ho bloody Ho

I am beginning to wonder what xmas is all about - what a carry on, you would think there was going to be a famine of food shortage the way people are buying in the supermarkets. This morning two women were fighting over a bag of potatoes in Asda - queues in the petrol stations, but why, the shops are only closed on Xmas Day and even so there will be the usual Corner Stores open if anyone gets stuck. Just imagine how much food will be wasted and flung out after the event - how many people will gets "presents" they do not want - how many domestic disputes will occur ?? - and how much more unnecessary debt will have been rung up to add to many people's miseries - OR - is it just me, am I wrong.
Not sure what the figures are but today at lunch time they were saying it was the highest spend ever over that two hour period.
I am not speaking without experience today, having been to Costco; Homebase; Booker Cash and Carry; Tesco; and Lidl - and have still to do my own xmas shopping - maybe tomorrow, but then again, maybe not as we have to help out and then have a full day ahead of us at The Dolphin Inn on xmas day - no rest for the wicked

Tis a very small world indeed

To continue !!! as promised with the continuing saga of the day out with the Upside Down adults . We returned to Edinburgh and made for Hendricks Bar to see Sir Christopher and Miss Talk a Lot - mine hosts who had also been very good to Scottie and Robbie while they were here.
Roz and Rick were introduced to everybody including the Staff - and as they "what a small world" - Roz half recognised the barman, over on a working holiday from Oz, and when they started chatting she realised that she actually knew him as she had worked for his father and knew him as a youngster coming in and around the Company offices.
Something to tell the Grandchildren about.

We left Hendricks Bar in the rush hour traffic and "sods law", got stuck in a total gridlock in Grove Street due to some so called emergency roadworks in Palmerston Place, it was so bad we ended up pulling into a parking space, got a ticket from the meter and then walked round to the Mercat Bar for our dinner.
Going back a wee bit, we spoke to the dog walker with this little twelve week old puppy while in Gleneagles Hotel. We then met her again by which time the dog was exhausted and being carried off to the the Kennels, she was aided by the porter who was carrying the doggies luggage !!!

But to continue, the Mercat Bar was lively, and amongst the revellers were the team from Axios Systems - in good fettle with Meno experimenting with some body's camera - stick to the computers young man

The Upside Down adults out and about.

Wednesday, lovely mild day, and we were heading to The Mercat Bar to meet the Upside Down Adults, Roz and Rick - from Oz.
Fed, watered and off we set, out the City, onto the M9 and headed for Gleneagles Hotel, via Stirling and Dunblane.
The roads were fairly quiet so we made good time and rolled through the gates to this Five Star Hotel just before noon. Pity the weather was a bit overcast as the Hotel is normally good for photographs.

There was a very large marquee erected at the front of the hotel with a full ice rink inside all set for the forthcoming holiday festivities.

Had a wander through the hotel, coffees, and stopped off to see the Clubhouse at Kings Course before heading southwards through Glen Devon.

Next stop was the Scottish Motor Racing Centre at Knockhill, no activity there today as work was being done on the track.

Onwards through Dumfermline, Rosyth, and into North Queensferry before crossing the Forth Road Bridge and into South Queensferry where we had another "drinkie" in the Hawes Inn (referred to in Robert Louis Stevenson's books).

Eventually back to the City, but that is another story - for another day.

All things bright and beautiful - Edinburgh

This time last year I was being admitted to hospital and the ground was covered in deep snow - today, no snow, and mild weather - 8 C.

Great excitement as Roz from Oz and her hubby Rick arrived to see where her two sons, the upside down lads, Robbo and Scottie had been staying and leading folks astray !!

With the weather being so mild and due to the tram works, Princes Street is a pleasure to walk along, plenty of room to avoid the beggars, Big Issue sellers, and can rattlers. The Castle and all the main buildings are lit up and the City looks good.

The workmen were busy in Princes Street Gardens setting up the stands for the various bands who will be performing at the Hogmanay Party - so hopefully the weather will stay reasonable for the next ten days.

Meeting up with Roz and Rick in the morning at the Mercat Bar for breakfast, do a bit of plotting / planning and then see where we all end up.

Edinburgh Defensive Band No 151

Even I thought I was missing !!!! But no - been busy, busy, busy - and last night attended the

Festival of St John at the Edinburgh Defensive Band Lodge, No 151, where Bro. G. Tait was taking the Chair again for the second year.

This very historical Lodge, Instituted in 1782, is unique in so far that the Tyler (Bobby Wildgoose) wears a replica of the original uniform worn (complete with musket) by members of the Defensive band when it was formed to Defend the City from marauding pirates.

There was an excellent attendance, principal guest was Morris Wilson, MBE, Provincial Grand Superintendent of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Edinburgh.

Nice to see a few familiar faces, my host, Gordon Leitch ; "happy harry" Mr Mills, and my friend the big pole dancer and his father.

Good night had by all - however, having had a 4 a.m. rise it was not a day for me staying out all night.

From the City to the sea

Bit of going in the opposite direction today - that was after I had recovered from a very sleepless night - with not a great deal of it spent in bed.

Headed for the big City and ended up at Ocean Terminal - and being such a nice day I took to the rooftop car park for a session with the camera.

View of Calton Hill in the distance and then much closer the Outer and Inner harbours.

However, there was a fantastic ultra modern luxury private yacht The Amaryllis, moored beside the Royal Yacht Brittania - it arrived two days ago and is allegedly owned by a millionaire from the USA - I do not have much information about it, but, SODS law, I never bought an Edinburgh Evening News on Friday night when there an article about it.

Had to convince Mrs. B.I had not won the lottery, nor was it Xmas present waiting to be wrapped.

From the City to the Countryside

Just to prove a point, while en route home I took these two pictures at the top of Lowries Den, of The Pentland Hills, and the Moorfoot Hills about two hours after the earlier ones in Princes Street, eight miles from the City centre and at an altitude of nine hundred feet - big difference .

Giddy heights and slippery slopes

I for one have no head for heights, and when I saw these chaps high up on the roof repairing chimneys, my toes were curling - good on them.

BUT on the other hand these chappies from Class One, were quite happy to sit in the warmth of their van, watching the world go by - just as they were doing yesterday when I passed.

There had been a large deposit of snow in Princes Street as promised and the snowboarding decking was all set for the demonstrations, however, unlike many there I did not have time to wait for the events to start - but these energetic young ladies were putting the tram lines to good use by showing off their skills at roller skiing .

St. Mary's Cathedral, Palmerston Place -

In town this morning, aain, no snow there while we are still under a white sheet here at Penicuik - with a lovely bright day, a good sun I could not resist taking a few more shots of the beautiful St. Mary's Cathedral in Palmerston Place.

Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland

As usual the only reason I had time out in the City was for good reason, and today I has responded to a call from Andy McKeen and was attending the meeting of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland meeting in Freemasons Hall, George Street. As part of the ritual !!! I had been in to the Stranding Order, but the great Pole Dancer was very busy, so I left with only one glass of Shiraz under the belt. There was an excellent attendance at Supreme, Andy; Ecky; Bertie Baa; Mr Annand; and of course Ian Alexander Fraser, Ist Principal, Tom Frost, and about one hundred others. Excellent meeting with visitors from the USA, and reports from all around the World - our 1st Principal had been very busy having returned from New Zealand, and other parts of the Southern hemisphere.




The building itself is remarkable, well worth a visit, and open to the public. The organ is fabulous and there are regular concerts held in the building.

Crests of many dignataries adorn the walls with that of George VI taking pride of place.

if you get the chance pop in, and for the curious have a look at the Grand Lodge of Scotland web site - there are no secrets - despite what folks say.

Ferris wheel, ice rink and Scott Monument

Princes Street is buzzing with activities, bars, restaurants, and shopping ,markets, and the open air amusements, ice rinks, etc. Last year at this time I climbed the Scott Monument to look at the views before I went into the hospital, but this year I took the easy option and went up on the Ferris wheel where I ended up missing out on enjoying the views by trying to get some photos - the ice rink was looking good.