Birthday treats at the Mercat Bar and Grill

Need somewhere to shelter from the rain-  I know a place, and there we had a lovely group in for a 65th party at the weekend,  not that the wee one was  really aware of that.
Today the rain was blowing sideways and the last time I saw that was on Mull when even the water from the waterfalls was going sideways along the cliffs.  BUT  it did eventually stop.

New TV up in the lounge,  just a pity we have no power for it or an ariel!!  just another minor  glitch to be dealt with.

Meringues have been doing very well, even had a lady in today who complained that she had been given too much to eat and it had stopped her from having a meringue !!   so she is going to pop back some afternoon  for tea and cake with her friends - sooner than later.

Had planned on a bit of a rant tonight,  but as I now have an early rise to go to the BNI in the morning, I need to be calm and relaxed before bed.

Not too boring for me either.

 Thought for a change I might try a photograph as the blog has been a bit naked for a while, and I am still not sure why I was messed about by Blogger a while ago.  This is the bold RGB thanking the young piper on Saturday night at the Mercat Bar  Burn's Supper.

 

But back to the mundane events of the World !!   I read an article today about a man who has just finished building a Spitfire plane, as a result of being given a rivet from a plane years ago and challenged to build one - this he did, searching the country for bits, restoring, etc.,  BUT he was a bit annoyed to hear that several brand new Spitfires have been found, all crated and in pristine condition in Burma,  currently being salvaged and eventually built.   The Burmese government recently executed a number of the locals who were captured looting the site.

 

I see the Scottish Criminal lawyers are up in arms following the changes in legal aid announced by the Scottish Government,  today they were out demonstrating outside Holyrood -  one commented that people would suffer with the changes in the payments - of course the lawyers will suffer, no more "gravy train" for them !!  and their criminal clients.      How long are we to sit back and put up with appeal after appeal, all funded by the taxpayer,  it is just another form of economic warfare.  

This morning's news was of another batch of lawyers who are taking on cases against the MOD for alleged offences in Iraq- they have queues of claimants - doubtless taking a good percentage of the awards.   I do not see foreign lawyers queueing up to defend British citizens overseas - unless we have the cash in hand to pay up.

 

For regular readers you will know that I enjoy the occasional glass of red wine, so on Sunday night my nibble with it was another of my much likes, liquorice - it is smashing - what a superb aftertaste - however - I ate / drank just a bit too much !!!   So yesterday it took me a while to realise why the "loo" was my chamber of the day - but when the "penny dropped" !!!     It brought back memories of when I was doing my first aid training at the Police College -  we used to have a couple of trainers from the Red Cross who were former miners, and extremely down to earth -  In one lecture about internal bleeding  we were told that one sign was "dark coloured stools" - then as an aside he told us not to get to worried about our own health after a night on the Guinness!!! 

 

I had a wee visit to the hospital today and one of the Doctors I saw heard about the red wine and liquorice and said he would try it -  that was after he had me pounding the treadmill, breaking sweat and kind of puggled - end result for me being yet another series of tests and visits. BUT - I have no feelings of guilt , my NI contributions are still being paid  -  unlike several non English speaking patients (and their interpreters) present today.

 

Grant@photogenics has already got a full house for his Charity race night this coming Saturday night at Bonnyrigg Ex Serviceman's Club, but we now have our tickets available for the one we are holding at the Mercat Grill on 23rd March

Weekend past

Sunday night now -  in between I managed a Burns Night dinner at the Mercat Bar - and rolling on from year to year it was one of the best - superb meal, well organised, good speakers - what more can a man want ?       Downside being that I was on  antibiotics, so it was a drink free night and I was the driver - home late,  and then up early to open up at the Mercat Grill which turned out to be another good day - lovely customers once again, and several back after a couple of years absence.

Pity Andy Murray lost today,  however, for me the hardest thing about the game was listening to the the TV commentators whose commentary and predictions were, as usual a load of crap. Just a real pain to listen to their absurd predictions, better off to watch with the volume off.

Worse for me today, with a sore head, was listening to the bigoted rubbish being spouted across the public bar after Celtic lost to St Mirren -  for me it is simply a game of football - however for many - it is an obsessive way of life - one which I can do without.

Woke up this morning to rain, green fields and no snow !! for me - pleasant, but for some, impending floods as the snow melts into the saturated landscape.

While some roads have been blocked by the snow I have had to contend with worse than that - queues waiting to get to Costco- Ikea, Asda, etc, the scourge of planning authorities, the out of town shopping centres .   So while Midlothian, and other Councils, revel in the extra rates from these cataclysmic malls,  the City centres and small town centres are suffering, individual traders dying at the hands of the Corporate moguls -   once upon a time there was a novelty in being able to drive out to a mall,  however, we are now paying the price with City Centres dying, rates increasing, and for us sadly, not helped by the tramworks -  but decisions are decisions - right or wrong, winners and losers.

Watching a USA detective movie -  Police are called and dozens cars arrive -  we have a major incident, so plus fire, ambulance etc, we manage a maximum of twenty vehicles =  or is it the TV.

Impending events -  the funeral of Otto Just tomorrow, a real old gentleman, and back to hospital on Tuesday -  watch this space as silence might not be golden.

Now Mr H. was this worth waiting for ?

So far today, no haggis !!  and on Burn's day of all days -  never mind, I will have the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties tomorrow with a wee dram, antibiotics permitting, at the Merat Bar.   BUT the group I met with yesterday in Dumfries were having their haggis, plus Iron Bru last night.
Well done Andy Murray, making it through to the Melbourne Finals, a bit of cheer and an excuse to keep us in front of the fire to keep warm - we will leave the snow to melt on its own when the projected heat wave!!! arrives.
A very good item on BBC tonight about Robert Burns, with a number of snippets by John Cairney which brought back memories of when he did a one man show at Kirkhill Golf Club, Cambuslang,  many years ago - outstanding, and a man whose live was taken over by this magnificent persona.

The old saying,  anything you can do, we can do better -  ????  so how does the latest talk of a tripple dip recession fit in here - sounds like a jolly large ice cream.  Despite the latest claims that the dreaded fences round the tramworks might be removed much sooner than was expected - no one is holding their breaths any more - they speak with forked tongues - and apart from lining the contractors pockets - there is no light on the horizon - and no thanks to the landlords who have have continued to pressure their tenants.

Never mind, Mr Fishy Salmond and his cohorts are covering our country with wind farms; advocating that the Irish do the same - especially in the windless regions of their country -  I wonder when someone will decide that a new nuclear power station is the most practicable solution -  probably when we are freezing in a windless winter and cannot afford the French produced electricity owned by Spanish companies - whose populace is 25% unemployed.  I wonder how many fires the £15 m payoff to Ian Marchant, former incompetent head of Scottish & Southern Energy would fuel?
But I heard Nicola Sturgeon repeating how we would manage with the oil revenue - it will help to fund the next flood of immigrants from Eastern Europe who are about to descend on  our local benefits offices.  I need to find our where I can get a batch  of the "Big Issue" and get myself a site in the town provided the current batch of "homeless" move on.
Not sure what the Border Agency are going to do with the latest batch of 16000 immigration applications, found in some dusty cupboard - keep them till Halloween and fling them onto the bonfire with the rest .   I do not think that the USA immigration would have let a fraction of this number stay longer than twenty four hours, and with the latest news from Libya, all that is needed is a dictate for all western foreigners to get on their bikes and head for home.

Pleased to see that despite two officers from L & B police letting the side down by accepting a tale from two men with a stolen canoe who claimed that they were going sledging, their colleagues have done a bit better and arrested two "chappies" from Leicester who had the nerve to come to Edinburgh and  carry out the biggest jewel robbery ever in Scotland last week.
So despite this doom and gloom,  where my washing machine has been dispatched to the great recycling centre in the sky, think of poor Pudsey the dog, star of Britain's Got talent,  he is to be made a mega star in Hollywood, so there is JUSTICE IN THIS WORLD -  just hope any Aliens passing earth in their eco UFO's find it as funny as us.

Another day on the road.

Been a long day - off early heading for Glasgow,  this time the first car to speed past me was Police car, followed shortly by a - guess what, a white van man!!  Into Glasgow, then Southwards, where again, yes, the white van men were passing me at 90 mph plus.    never mind, roads were clear, no snow, and on the way back North from Risley the sun was shining and it was rather pleasant.
Been busy the past couple of days doing what have not done for while,  working for myself at my old trade -  been fascinating, some interesting sites and nice folks - makes a change.

Start of the silly season,  six nations rugby starts so hopefully Merat Bar will be busy,  but with these bloody tramworks, everyone in the area is losing money hand over fist - so long may the Councillors sit in their ivory tower and oversee a debacle -  next poor sole to go under - please stand up.

Got an engagement party coming up next month -  young Christina, our niece, so that will be something to look forward to.

Need a couple of days to recover now.

Snow brings out the ar**holes along with the snowballs

Slowly grinding to a halt here, snow on snow, but never mind,  it could be worse,  looks like other parts of the UK are far worse off than here.  Must be bad when Heathrow is cancelling flights, but then again !!
Tragedy at the weekend with four young students being swept away by an avalanche in Glencoe - our weather conditions here are as unforgiving and dangerous as many of the wilder parts of the World.

One of my pet hates is seeing snow covered cars on the road, the drivers are not only lazy, but their actions are dangerous and it would be good to see the Police stopping some of them as was threatened last year.  Drivers seem to treat the snow as a badge of honour a sign of bravery (look at me I can drive with snow), personally I think  "Di*kh*ad".

Good documentary tonight about the undercover immigrants living in the UK - not quite as bad as the  immigrants who are blatantly screwing the system - one lady featured in the paper today was openly bragging about how much she was making from  welfare benefits -  I am sure we would never get the same treatment if we turned up on their country's doorstep looking for hand outs.   Time we had a minimum residency clause before qualification.

Got some of my own work in the offing - just a pity it is not in sunnier climes.

Otto Just - RIP.

As though things are bad enough with the weather, we had bad news today when I heard of the sudden death of my former neighbour Otto Just, who died yesterday in the Care Home where he has been living for the past year of so.
I had known Otto and his wife, family, sine about 1967 when I first met them in Loanhead, then we moved in as next door neighbours some thirty two years ago.
He was a hard working man, a good parent and a great friend, who will be missed.
Otto, old friend , RIP.

Dashed Chilly out -

So the snows have come at long last - just too much to expect us to get through another year with a mild winter, however, so far, touch wood, Penicuik has not been as bad as many other parts of the UK. Bigger problem is the cold with the mercury dropping so the old hot water bottle rather than a hot toddy might be a sensible option.
Mercat Grill, Whitecraig continues to evolve and our customers are intrigued with the changes, and are returning to monitor the work with interest. Word of the changes seems to be spreading - hopefully good news rather than gossip, although there are some odd stories circulating probably by former clients who are afraid to own up as to the real reasons why they are no longer welcome.

Have been keeping a low profile these past few days, "chilling out" as sparky would say, even had an afternoon of watching comedy films on the TV whilst Mrs. B. was away with her friend - as they old saying goes,  "when the cat's away the mouse will play" -  and as a sideline,  our resident mouse has not even been out for it's chocolate treat.
Might be keeping up my strength, saving myself, for the next wine tasting at the Mercat Bar, West Maitland Street, on Saturday - early start at 2.30 p.m.,  but it should be good -   that is provided Sparky and I have survived a mornings work without flooding the "Grill".

Quite disappointed with the closure of Jessops, the photographic chain, especially after Jacobs which was next door in the West End, closed before Xmas.    I was fortunate enough to get in and use my gift vouchers in time,   unlike those who have lost out due to the demise of HMV yesterday. 

Making use of NHS these past few days, first visits since last July, so between blood tests, an ECG, and  new medications I seem to be getting VFM,  now need to see what the outcome is this time around.

Had a really brutal session on the phone with a sales person from one of the Companies marketing for British Gas on Monday night - certainly an experience I do not wish to repeat - it was a prime example of high pressure selling, puts me off talking to apparently pleasant young ladies on the phone again.  So if I have a heart attack I know who to blame !!!No point in talking to OFCOM which is a toothless organisation.

Um - gastri bands and all that.

Um;  Um;  Um  -  -  firstly  having a feet up session tonight, finished early today, after a sixteen hour session yesterday, Um;  Um. watching the One Show,  where Paul McKenna  the hypnotist is doing his guest appearance to promote his book on Gastric bands,  however,  our friend Andy McArthur has been doing hypnotic gastric bands for the past two years -  but not getting the same publicity -  and it works - although I have not had the mind bending experience.  BUT - Mr McKenna needs to hypnotise himself to stop all the Um'ing.    I once had a boss whose thing was "You know" - every other sentence - and at some of his presentations we used to sit and keep a tally of how often he used the phrase.

Treat indeed,  red wine and liquorice -  brilliant, as long as I can stay awake for the evening.
Nature programmes on the TV,  Africa, excellent, and the Polar Bear programme - superb,  the guys in the Mercat Grill last night were enthralled with the revelations about these magnificent creatures.  And tonight - stargazing live -  so much going on out there, it is time the wee people(aliens / UFO) accepted their invitation to dinner at Bonnybridge, centre of the UFO map.  Bit I do not understand is how light can travel for 13.7 Billion light years,  but we have light bulbs which only last a week or so !!!!

Next wine tasting at Mercat Bar, W.M.Street on 19th and a Burns supper the following week , all on the web site,  new menu at The Mercat Grill (EH21) Whitecraig, coming on line, and nice to hear from our clients who are now returning and recommending the Grill to their friends.

Watched the item on the Company "Car Stoppers" working in the Midlands, just another example of a money raising "Con" / public bullying - so with advice never pay up unless you are 100% certain that you are in the wrong.

Gas explosion - Whitecraig.

Will try this for a second time- having hit a delete button somewhere.

Greaty excitement today in the Mercat Bar and Grill, whitecraig as diners tried to keep tally of teh emergency services vehicles passing the window to deal with what turned out to be a gas explosion. there were nine Police cars, four big fire engines, four ambulances, incident support vehicles, fire and ambulance,  unmarked cars with blue lights.   Some were going so fast they missed the turning and had to go to the roundabout and turn - and teh big Fire Brigade Unit got lost !!
The elderly house occupant was taken to hospital,  roof blown off, and four houses damaged -  just hope she survived.

Reminded me of an incident many years ago when a lady in Penicuik, whilst drunk, turned on her cooker, lit up a fag and blew herself out a window later nicknamed flying Betty.   Although she survived on that occasion, she died later having fallen asleep under a roadside hedge on a freezing night.

X-mas decorations came down today, although we were never in the house long enough to appreciate them.

So - 2013   lets see what happens next.

Zapped or not - a diddle or not ???

Had a fun day !!!!  out, Glasgow by 5.45 a.m.,  quick scoot to Risley,  turn round and now waiting to see if I was zapped by one of Cumbria's revenue generating speed cameras -  two of them on the M6 today,   one catching the Scots heading home and the other catching the Scots going on holiday( southwards).

As predicted, the fastest motors on the road were the white van men - hired motors must take a hammering.

Started the year off yesterday with a trip to Tesco's "diddle" factory where the price of a bottle of Smirnoff red (and  some other spirits) jumped overnight from £16 to £19.   Now,  considering that at one stage the price was as low (pre christmas) as £14  then £15 to encourage buyers,  it reminds me of how drug dealers flood the market of potential customers with cheap drugs and then once hooked the price is then hiked up - so, is this an example of sensible retailing - (plain greed) or is it morally wrong!!
AND - the bargain boxes of beer contain smaller bottles than those sold in pubs, bars and conventional off licenses.

Had a nice E mail today from friends in the Land Of Oz who we met three years ago on our trip to the USA, and who are coming to visit Edinburgh in May.   Just a pity that we cannot make the trip down under in March with the Johnston's of Chopham.

Belated new Year's greetings

Obviously a belated Happy New Year to my friends,  again, normal service suspended due to working in the Mercat bar and Grill over Hogmanay and New Year's day.  BUT  a worthwhile exercise as we are seeing more and more customers coming through the doors to dine.   

The Mercat Bar at Haymarket, has again, like most of the businesses in the Haymarket area been affected by tramworks (or lack of them) as the men packed up, left the railings in place and went off on holiday.  I am sure that if something went seriously wrong with one of the businesses that the City of Edinburgh Council could be challenged for Corporate responsibility.     Now a total farce with banners in place advising folks to shop in the West End Village !!!   Where,  the place resembles a war zone, and reminds me of the haphazard road works I witnessed in Mumbi, India -  only difference there being that the sun was shining and the workers were actually doing something.

Going to have a day off tomorrow - correctiuon,  I am not working in the Grill,  but doing one of my regular runs to Risley- so hopefully the weather will remain fine.  Might even be lucky enough to have a quieter run if the white van men are still on holiday.

Looking forward to a bit of a "bash" on Saturday night - fingers crossed.