Gets harder as time passes.

Once again, seems an age since I last posted,  however, no sign of my name in the Evening news, which I check daily to make sure I am still in the land of the living - and as somebody said to me recently  "better to be seen and heard"  than "viewed".    Could say that there has a lot going on  - dirty word  "WORK", which for some might be a shock to the system, but for me, two years past retirement age is just a daily occurrance - problem being that the "old physique" is not up to the current stresses and strains so it gets harder every day.

Just love the one eyed teddy bear in the Thompson's holiday advert - not really a strange change of topic  as I have managed to book a holiday at long last, roll on end of October.

But, in the meantime RGB and friends have just completed their walk along various sectrions of the Great Wall of China, most certainly NOT a picnic, hard work, accommodation not quite four star, or even one star, cabbage soup, cucumbers, etc, motorbikes in the dining room, and massive steps on the wall, big question was how did the wee chappies manage all those years ago?

Ryder Cup starts tomorrow at Gleneagles, marvellous bit of advertising for Scotland and the hotel will get loads of custom over next few years - even Edinburgh hotels are making a mint from the visitors "every oen a winner".

Referendum over, good result for "No",  Westminster and apparently our good Queen happy with the result  BUT - wait and see !!!   SNP membership is swelling , so next general Election Scotland will be SNP and Labour, few Greens (not cabbage) and Tories will be nowhere to be seen.   In all probability, had the SNP been able to answer some of the improbabables before the Reforendum the oldies would have been swung and there could well have been a YES,   now Ms Sturgeon and her troops have a bit more time to get sorted before the next one.

Andy Murry dropped to No 11 in the World tennis rankings, good job his hotel is doing better,  however, will be interesting to see if his support of the YES vote has a detrimental effect on the voting for his Ma in the Stricktly Come dancing.

Edinburgh Council have just released their latest round of price increases and service cuts, great plans to repair the roads - HAVE YOU TRIED DRIVING INTO THE CITY?  bloody nightmare -  but no mention of the slight overspend and ongoing financial nightmares of Tram works - if we believe what we are told trams are very busy,  BUT - will they ever make money ?

Mrs B and friends are presently heading homewards in the North Sea, just hope there are no renegade U boats lurking out there looking for an easy target!!  safe journey ladies.

Masonic season back in full swing again, so back to the  RA, wee change of office after the Installation,   missing out on my return trip to India with the Supreme First Principal, shame.

Been out with the Steed of Steel, but not as often as I would have liked,  just need a bit more time and an open window with the weather and the open road is ours once again.

So - still up and running -  but a bit slower than normal.

Not just any old Sunday

Sunday night, feet up watching TV after a good day, weatherwise, and out and about.
Took myself off a.m. with Tom McInally on the steeds and after an emergency run to the Grill with a fresh batch of meringues out by Vogrie, Gorebridge and Middleton making for Innerleithen.  Out in the middle of the moors, three more bl**dy wind turbines,  what an eyesore - no wind no lecky, too much wind, switch off, too much lecky, turn off and happy days for the owners with subsidies pouring into the back pocket !!     Innerleithen, as usual, mountain bikes everywhere as groups headed in and out of Glentress and other parks around the town.  Back road along by Traquair House and Kelzie Gardens to Peebles, and then onto the Glasgow road for Biggar.
Just leaving Peebles and were zapped by two police officers with a radar gun, no idea if we were "done" but hope not as we were just leaving the 30 zone.  Which reminds me - Police Scotland have now registered as a cash making organisation -   coincides with a directive from Mr House's office that dedicated firearms officers will also carry radar guns and are expected to get four speeders a shift, I would hate to be the poor soul who is on the receiving end if the officer pulls the wrong trigger!!
AND on the Dolphinston straight, the speed camera van was out touting for business, obviously the police will have a strong case for their actions -   BUT.  How can the police justify someone in a call centre calling complainers to say they are unable to attend complaints, and at the same time go for the bean counting (  one speeder equals one solved crime).

Sick to the teeth with the incessant politics around the YES / No Referendum, no one cares about telling the truth, yobbish behaviour from some elements, and despite being a proud Scot I am worried stiff that it goes horribly wrong -  as some one has already said we will be dependent on immigrants to boost the workforce in the future.  Been in the bank recently and watched large sums of money being withdrawn - some most certainly destined for foreign homes.

On a more serious note, the IS campaign in the Middle east is nothing but pure unadulterated murder, without reason whatsoever - just well organised terrorism and with no connection to religion. Newspapers have described the recent killings of journalists and aid workers as executions -  NO  just plain MURDER,   an execution is usually carried out on an individual because of their criminal actions.    The International community has to stand up and be counted -   but I suppose if we have a YES vote, our leaders, having gotten rid of Trident to its new base in the USA, probably disbanded the military or turned them into a civil defence force, opened our borders to immigrants, will not really be interested in foreign affairs. DREAD.

Ongoing saga.

Past in a flash, yet another week away, and what do I have to show for it ?   Work, work and more work, and meetings.        Tuesday night had a branch meeting of the IPA at the Grill,  certainly been a busy time with lots of overseas visitors to Edinburgh,  but how this is managed in the future remains to be seen.
Our long term cleaner in the Grill eventually retired this week,  she has been there for over twenty years, and the last three with us, - She will be missed, but is now needed to help more at home.

Friday night , first of the R.A. Installations, Gorebridge Dundas with John Scott taking the chair and giving up his post as Secretary. Did not stay for the social side  but no doubt it wasa great evening, not sure if Sparky has made it home yet !!

Saturday, headed down to North Berwick for a wee course held in the "Barefoot Sanctuary", what a lovely building, a super facility, well used by several groups practicing yoga, pilateas, etc, and as the name suggests, shoes off at the door.
There was a half marathon through East lothian, but I hear that they added an  extra four hundred yards to it, which has caused a bit of consternation to those who keep precice times of their runs, unlike myself who used to be quite happy to stagger my way round the route -  yesterday I managed part of the route, but on my motorcycle.

Andy Murray  knocked out the tennis again, hopefully his mother Judy will do a bit better at the "Stricktly Come Dancing" which starts tonight.  I actually saw her in person last weekend heading home from the gym - looking fit.

Grill is getting busier and busier, a good sign, but hard work.

Coming up this week , a trip to carlisle to meet with more IPA motorcyclists and explore the Lake District, something to look forward to.

A quick catch up, maybe to build up on later.

Just been informed that I have been falling behind with my writings !!!    But we have been busy this past two weeks.   All started with a last minute trip to London to celebrate our wedding anniversay so visited famil. Started a hectic few days , trips to Woking, Kingston upon Thames, Brooklands race track with its museum,  Concord; and many attractions.    Home again week past Sunday,  then mid week William and Sandra made it here to Penicuik, and we started our wee outings to the Falkirk Wheel; the Skelpies; Forth Bridge at South Queensferry and later to North Queensferry, Gleneagles, etc.
Had met up with the IPA motorcycle group at South Queensferry for a meeting, and also as a reception party for a group of German IPA motorcyclists,  but had to leave and I missed them by a matter of minutes.
Big event of the weekend was attending the wedding of our Neice Christina to Martin , the ceremony held in the beautiful chapel within Glasgow University, followed by a marvellous gathering and meal at the Aaron Mor in Byres Road, Glasgow.    Fabulous day and so nice to meet up with family and friends.  We stayed at the Millenium Hotel in George Square which was really handy for wandering around the city centre.

On our way home on Sunday we detoured via The Gleneagles Hotel where they are busy getting organised for the forthcoming Ryder Cup golf challange. I did not fully appreciate the history of Gleneagles and its amazing connection with golf, not only a beautiful hotel but an amazing place.

Had to give the Sunday run out with the IPA group a miss this weekend although they did have a great day out ending up at Loch Katrine -  but as it was I had a sqiffy tyre which was fixed this morning, so maybe it was just as well.