In need or therapy.

For some it has been a bit of a hair curling experience working with me !!!  Air has been blue as I try to come to terms with our so called British workmen  "cash in hand "  "up front", more cowboys coming out the woodwork here than in Texas !!  and hardly any of them capable of organising a "p*** up in a brewery".   That was nice - calming !!!   I was in Booker's once again today and wandering around  mentally sacking everyone who had been annoying me (not Booker's staff)  although I did have a bit of a debate over the prices they have been charging - compared to , dare I say it - "Tesco" ,   who are selling two, 250 gm tubs of Lurpack for £4.00  a brilliant saving of £1.56p over their 500 tub which matches Booker's  so where is the wholesale saving or is this proof that there is a cartelling of yet more items -  Lydl is the same.

Made it to RA 500  Laird O'Cockpen last night for  Sparky Mark's first night in the hot seat,  he did well and the Companions enjoyed a good wee session of harmony afterwards,  I even won the first prize in the raffle,  had the choice of four pies or a bottle of whisky - no prize for guessing which I took.

Absolutely beautiful morning today, cold and crisp with perfect lighting as the sun came up - but my sympathies do go to the many hundreds of families down South and in Wales who are still trying to cope with the horrendous flooding.   BUT there have been some incidents which are mind boggling -  the Landrover driver,  who having seen another Landrover being washed away decided to drive into the same ford, and wondered how he came to also be washed away and trapped -  hope his insurance does not pay up.  AND the flooded building which had been built over a piped in stream.  In the Bible there is a parable about the wise man building his house upon a rock, and the foolish man building his on sand - perhaps there are some builders, architects and planning officials who need to have a real look at their hair brained schemes.
Might even have calmed down a little more in the past twenty minutes.

A fun filled week.

Yet another few days have zoomed by,  and of course we did get the rain (as requested) so most of the builders' mud has gone from the car park at the Dolphin.  New signs were supposed to be up on Tuesday, or was it Wednesday, or perhaps maybe Thursday -  but a sign of the times and British workmanship - we now hope that they will go up on Monday when the Dolphin will change name to the Mercat,  sister pub to the The Mercat Bar in Edinburgh, which as you know is still under siege by the "Blessed" tram works.
Still no progress in getting the wee Smart car fixed,  seems that the mechanics at Mercedes who my friend spoke to have never come across this particular fault -  makes the car perfect for a learner driver, to be able to sit with the engine running, pop it into and out of gear and car goes nowhere - but the heater works !!
Been busy as usual,  made it to Lodge Dalhousie 720  on Tuesday night for Craig Gordon's greeting meeting - full house with about one hundred and twenty present -  Craig has done brilliantly well during his three years in the Chair,  he now deserves to be able to take a back seat for a while.
Out on Wednesday night after a day down here, and again, due to work missed the E Division retired Officers Dinner at Tranent - I am sure they had a brilliant night.
Long day today,   headed off for breakfast at BNI, and as usual a great session, just bouncing - from there to do one of my one jobs for a change so that was up till lunchtime - next, onto the computer - still trying to get mail to a client whose "Firewall/ anti virus does not seem to like me-  then down to Loanhead for the meeting of RA Honor Concorde and Fidelity,  309 -  small group,  but the candidate was someone who I had known as a "wee laddie" when his father was my first Boss here in Scotland - and he is certainly not a wee laddie now- 6'4'' at least.  And now down at the Dolphin putting the place to bed.
Back to the Airport Hilton tomorrow for my training day which will set me up for another evening back here - and on Sunday the darts team are doing a twelve hour darts marathon to raise funds for charity -  as a follow on to the £360 which we raised for Children in Need last weekend.  Must say that the customers are very good towards the various charities locally.
Have forgotton what a weekend is or the meaning of being retired.

A time to gripe - but who can blame me.

Taking a wee bit time out while watching the Scotland v South Africa game at Murryfield and the way things are looking after forty minutes, I think we might well be second again !!  not good for our world rankings.

Bit more tidying up at the Dolphin Inn this morning,  forgive me for saying this, but now needing a wee rain to wash some of the dirt away from the car park - no excuse now for folks driving by which was happening last week when all the "workie's " vehicles were on site.    This not only interested the locals,  but the lads were checked out by a DSS investigators who are operating in the Edinburgh area along with the Police and checking out all sorts of sites to ensure that the workmen and their vehicles are all legal and above board.  I am pleased to say that all our chaps were legitimate and the officers left with favourable comments.

Obviously the black economy is a big loss of revenue,  however I was appalled to see that Abu Hamza was released on bail once again, and has already started "working" the system again - it is costing the country a fortune with these folks working the system - in itself doing nothing illegal but morally wrong - and our government is daft enough to allow this to happen, time and time again.  You can bet your bottom dollar that if he tried this in his own country he would have been dealt with a long time ago.

Not the tram works again, yes,  I was in town yesterday and the workmen were saying that the safety barriers will be in place for up to another year !!!    so today the Mercat Bar, which sits slap bang in the middle, is really losing out with the rugby crowds as, in addition to the barriers,  the Police are sending pedestrians round the back streets !!    I heard of another three businesses in the street who are already on their knees and facing closure -  well done Edinburgh City Council (NOT)

Just to add to my woes, my central heating has packed in - so it will an early bed and pray for no snow or frost yet.

Time waits for no man

Once again , time is my worst enemy,  although the fact that I cannot guarantee any more to get logged into this site does not help.

Been mega busy with my training course and homework -   busy at the Dolphin Inn between conventional bar duties and emergency work with a shovel and barrow -  we have filled three skips including a large twenty foot one -  so full that the driver could not lift it and we had to empty loads out into another.
Building looking good with the outer stonework all repainted - next job, the new signage  (Mercat), and then inside.
X-mas day lunch look like it is going to be popular again - confirmed numbers and enquiries building.

R A C came to the rescue today when the Tut Tut died on me while scooting into Edinburgh - towed all the way home, so looks like a major problem -  good job I have another one ( Blue Peter style)  parked at the back door.   It was the same RAC man as towed me home in the same car about a year ago.
Mrs B now a dab hand at cup cakes and meringues,  she has made some wonderful cakes for the Children in Need Appeal -  just need to sell them.

Been missing out on my masonic duties,  but I cannot be everywhere as they say - Forrester's worked a Mark Degree on Tuesday;  last night John Lynch was given Honorary membership at Esk 42  RA. and on Saturday night the Grand Superintendent's Dinner takes place at Bonnyrigg.

Tonight I have missed the Retired Police Officers Dinner  (E Div) which has been revived by several of the "younger" retired officers,  well done, and tomorrow there is a retiral doo which I will also miss.
Up at 4.30 a.m. this morning, still staggering by the time I made it to the car, and tomorrow it is a 5.40 am rise for the BNI.  -  So much for being retired !!!!!

Work Goes On - and on

Long run again today, Glasgow, Manchester, and back - as they say, no rest for the wicked.

Having problems with this blog site which does not let me on every day, so with lots of messing about I run out of time, instead of doing my usual wee quickies.
The changes are now progressing at the Dolphin Inn,  outside work slowly transforming the site, so a few more days and it will look a bit different - and for the better.
After a long day - just been told I am now up again at crack of dawn to go to the BNI  - so oops, sorry, off to bed.

Checking in - once again a bit late.

Might not be all that clear, but there is a rainbow in there somewhere.  Captured by Mrs. B. from our back door.   Far too much on my plate at the moment so unfortunately the blog has been slipping more than a bit.
Weather here, must not grumble, having watched the scenes of devastation along the eastern seaboard of the USA, Hurricane Sandy was a nasty piece of work indeed.  We even had relatives in New York who witnessed it all first hand, who are hopefully home safe and sound. -   There was a piece of newsreel about the self inflicted devastation in Libya and an appeal for aid -  under the circumstances  I think we should have been sending aid to New York.

James Bond night at the Mercat last week was a roaring success, full house, good food and nice wines.  We even had three birthdays to celebrate.   To top off the week we made it to the cinema to see "SKYFALL",  excellent and some good shots of our own highland scenery, well worth a second and subsequent viewings.
Much of my time taken up at the Dolphin Inn these days where things are progressing - probably more quickly than the tram works (could not resist the dig), only time will tell.
Bonfire night tonight, lots of banging going on, and RGB has a wee fire going with a box of bangers to cheer up Arron and Amy - which will probably mean that they will not sleep tonight.

I see out that our illegal/ or otherwise immigrants hit the headlines once more -greedy theiving scamming so and so's.  However, with yet another of our M.P.s being caught out at the fiddle, with examples being set, who can blame the populace, home grown or otherwise.