On my high horse.

Sitting peacefully at home, slowly being screwed up by the mind tricks of our politicians. We are sitting here realistically in a fog because none of our politicians have the slightest intention of telling us anything near the truth. 
Personally I admit to being biasied against our First minister who instills little or no confidence in me.  We have had "junkets" to the USA and still no accounting for excessive expenses, and personally knowing former employees even if there is only a fraction of the truth in what they say, then there is cause for doubt about his motives, personal and politically.

Rumours can destroy, the pen is mightier than the sword, and persecution by the media - so now we have Sir Cliff Richard placed under the media microscope for a so called "historical offence" -  big question now,  who leaked the story to the media, was it the Police, was it the victim, MASSIVE denials all round,  but at the end of the day, irrespective as to whether there is or is no truth, major damage done.

Talking of damage done, story in the news about an American company cancelling a trip to Glasgow for six hundred employees because the Glasgow Council are now flying a flag, in support of the Palestinians outside their City Chambers.   SO,  six hundred visitors, spending in the local economy,  down the tubes.   NOW - having heard about that, we have an Edinburgh Councillor who has suggested renaming Regent Terrace, Edinburgh,  "State of Palestine Terrace" ,  and of course we know that Regent Terrace is the home of the USA Consulate,  established in Edinburgh in 1798.   Just how far up their external rear orifices do these Councillors have their heads?        New Scenario - Scotland after a "Yes" vote and being boycotted by USA visitors and Jewish visitors bcause of our wish not to upset anyone!!!

Better still,  "Yes" vote, independence, and we are chucked out the EU,  brilliant,  we can stick our fingers up at the Bill of Human Rights,  so we can save money by returning our prisons to the Victorian style,  no rights, no luxuries, jail is jail a punishment, and save a fortune on legal aid for lawyers just out to screw the system.

No nucs in Scotlansd so shut down Faslane and Torness ( because we are going green), all the submarines head South , lose nine thousand jobs;  shipyards will close becasue we have no more MOD contracts;  BUT do not worry, we are going to use them to build thousands of wind turbines to make up for lost energy - just have to hope that we have plenty wind -  however, with so many wind turbines it will not matter as we are already going to have fewer visitors taking photographes of our spoilt countryside - and of course, paying a bigger green tax means we will not be able to afford the cameras anyway.

Our new leaders (if we have a Yes vote) will be able to cancel any and every agreement made by the UK Government, and for me that might well be my pension rights - .   Big question,   where will our tax office be,  we have none ,  where will the DVLA be, we have none,  if we say YES looks like we might need hundreds more civil servants,  unless of course all teh Local Authorities are disbanded and merged, just like the Police !! and we kneo what happened there.    Young female PC had to phone her mother on her own phone to call the station to get someone to relieve her during the Commonwealth Games as he had no radio.

AND of radio/ TV,  Mr Salmond told me last week (and lots of others) that there would be a Scottish Broadcasting Company,  who would have theri own programmes and buy into BBC networks.

Edinburgh's military tattoo, what will happen if we go "YES" ,  no Red Arrows, might even get fewer overseas involvement.

Big new words,  "Micro Targetting" -  in other words cold calling to individuals,  me have had three calls today from automated call centres - now under seige in our own homes.

Knights Templars commemerative service at Temple Kirk.

Saturday morning took part in the annual service  held within the ruins of Temple kirk, Midlothian, and attended by members of the Knights Templars.     The kirk, sited in the village of Temple, is reputed to have been  the preceptory of the Knights Templars  granted under charter by King David 1 in 1127.  At that time and up until 1570 the village was known as Ballantrodach or Balanatradoch.  The KT's supposedly lived there until their suppression in 1309.  At that time two of the local templars, Walter de Clifton and William de Middleton were put on trial with many others in Hollyrood Abbey, although they were cleared of all charges of heracy.

Is is said that after the Templers were forced to leave that the site was handed over to the Knights Hospitallers, whose main Preceptory was in Torphichen, West Lothian. 

On the bell tower, whether as part of the original building or added at a later time, is a carved stone, with the inscription, VASEC MUHM , which has two interpretations,  "The sacred Council of Vienne to the Knights of St John of Jeruselem and Malta "  and "Church sacred to the Vigin Mother of Jesus. Mediator of Men".   

 

Our purpose on saturday after the short service in the ruins was to lay a wreath at the war memorial in the graveyard in memory of those who have died in the great war and subsequent conflicts.

 

As a parting item, amongst the old gravestones within the kirkyard is one for a Farmer, John Craig of Outerston farm nearby, who is seen in his finery, in which he was buried.

 

In recent times new discoveries have been made within the churchyard, it just remains to be seen as to what, if any significance they have on the history of the site.

 

Updating - but under the weather

Totally exhausted, sitting here watching the European Games, where Jo Pavey ; Mo Farrar; James Dasoqulo; and our lady 100 m hurdler have all won Gold medals.   To Jo Pavey amazing and after her silver at the Commonwealth  Games , this has to be the highlight of her career - especially after she had a new baby a year ago,

To Andy Murray, plodding on to get into the final sixteen in the USA, and Rory the Golfer doing wondrous things with a wee white ball -  maybe I should have had a bit more patience years ago.

Terrible things going on around the world, the ISIS terrorists, biggest and richest terrorist group ever, who are certainly an immense threat to peace and stability in the middle east at the moment, but with their long term plans for world dominance by the Muslim state - they are recruiting fanatics on our own streets,  people who will make Alex Salmond's attempt at Independance look like  a kindergarden tantrum. Let us hope that sanity prevails and this mass slaughter of the innocents is stopped.

Documentary tonight about the first declaration of Jahid in 1914 by the muslim leaders - so the holy war we are dealing with now is not new and has a basis in recent history - much of it originating from the actions of a German archeaologist,Oppenheim.  So where are the Germans now in trying to put the current problems to right.

Immigration - someone said that all those queuing up in the camps at Calais are potential Tories if they get into the UK - do not care how many get in, we cannot afford to keep tehm - and many think that earning more than £50 a week makes them a king - so sweat shops and slave labour will flourish.

Devastaing news about the death of Robin Williams, brilliant, but who suffered from depression, the silent killer, totally misunderstood - especially by gobby loud mouths like Allan Brazil, so called sports commentator, former overpaid footballer and still overpaid by Sky TV - so perhaps I will cancel my SKY B subscription - and with enough Freeview programmes to deal with our limited viewing needs why not.

We recently had a bit of road resurfacing going on in Penicuik, took six weeks to do a couple of hundred yards - because the workers had to have their holidays - so the local residents had to make do with detours and buses were rerouted.
Passing through Musselburgh this week we have new traffic calming measures being installed along the old A1 - so we have seven men , four talking, one working and two with brushes;  now we have road resurfacing taking place in Whitecraig - just started, and having watched them in action,  I intend to dish out the Christmas menu's as these guys are likely to still be here upsetting our business ( deja vu the tram works in Edinburgh).

Giant female panda is hopefully pregnant in Edinburgh Zoo so hopefully we will have a baby soon; brilliant documentary on TV with Claire Balding who visited a panda hospital in China where they are successfullly breeding baby pandas - wonderful, so let us hold our breath for Edinburgh Zoo.

Coming weekend , BBQ at the Mercat Grill, well wortth a burnt banger of two!!

Have been well out of sorts for the past week or so since my unexpected return trip to the ERI last week,  probably a viral infection of sorts but, not amusing, and messing up my life at the moment, sooner it clears up the better.

Six Feet under - (water) (nearly).

Been a strange week, between work, feeling out of sorts and the dammed weather one does not know whether I am coming or going.
Impromptu BBQ on Thursday evening after a long day between the Grill and dotting about the town, super evening, good meal, good drink and laugh. Talking of BBQ's, there will one at the Mercat Grill on the 16th August.

Kind of paid the price on Friday but the weather compensated when I got back, except for a horrendous thunderstorm which appears to have been the tail end of Hurricane Bertha - but for me it was nearly a case of six feet under (water) in the back garden.

 Yes,  I had laid out my shoes to clean them and totally forgot when the rain came on, and this morning when I went out they were all full of water !!! so it might take a couple of days of natural heat before they will be fit for wearing again.

Today we had a super group of visitors in at the Grill, thirty six members from Rochdale IPA who were in Edinburgh for the tattoo tonight. So they had a bit of a detour to Whitecraig, where they joined a group of our local IPA Branch for dinner.   Lovely to see them, and all we need is  for them to enjoy the performance tonight.

A few varied days

Had a bit of variety in my life since the last post;  Monday took a bit of a turn and no amount of "puffer" would right things so it was another wee run to the ERI Edinburgh.  Usual blood tests, xrays and ECG,s and popped into a ward for the night.  Turns out to have been a virus with similar symptoms as a heart attack and there were several others treated like me around the same time.
On this occasion I had four Police officers to keep me company  till I was moved into the Cardio Ward. They were there escorting two prisoners , one having overdosed on metadone and the other drunk and fighting mad,  what a waste of resources to look after these ratbags -  in this instance the Officers were unable to shake their heads in agreement with me as they had to be PC -  unlike myself.  AND for a short time there were another two there looking after some mad female.    In the old days these so and so's would have been chucked in a cell and left to come to on their own, or handcuffed to a bed. One managed to pull his canular out his arm three times with blood all over the place and medical staff having to be nice to him - sod that for a caper.

Middle of the night in the ward my phone went and I later learned it was to let me know that there had been a break in at the Grill.  Committed by two young hoodlums on a motorcycle who had committed a series of crimes throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians - and the Police had missed them by 90 seconds at the Grill - having passed them going in the oposite direction.

Now having to take it a bit easier so I have had the opportunity to watch the Commonwealth Games,  really quite good, the "friendly games" very well attended by the public,  just a pity the Corporate ticket holders/purchasers failed to take up their allocation of seats. Old story, if it costs you nowt you have nothing to lose by not using it.   Nice to see Lyndsay Sharp and Usain Bolt in action tonight.

The diving taking place in the Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh, and there is no way I would get up that ten metre board, even to jump in the water let alone dive !!!

Had some free time in Edinburgh yesterday, coffee in the Warldorf Caledonian ( they have upped the price of their cuppa) and then a quick lunch in one of our regular watering holes,  noting that the usual menus had been replaced by amended "Festival menus" - few pence added here and there and the normal extras removed - so tourists, beware.
Managed to buy a new suit, for weddings and funerals,  so I now know I will be looking smart when the time comes !!!
KT's tomorrow if I can make it to St Bernard De Clairveaux, with the Grand Priory attending.