Watching the London Marathon is exhausting - very much so ,

These top class athletes make it look so easy, running the distance is two hours plus so many minutes, but the fun runners have a ball, enjoying the atmosphere and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for various charities.

I had to take to my bed once again yesterday so missed all the fun at The Mercat Grill where they had the third of the doggie days which seems to have gone remarkably well. There were even bottles of doggie beer and even some lovely looking doggie cakes, which, I hear were sampled by some unsuspecting members of the public ( tasted nice though).  Not sure how money was raised for the Edinburgh Dog and Cat home as it has not been tallied yet.      Sort of on the same theme, a friend has published on facebook having found his dog about to eat a raw steak, covered in rat poison which had been dropped over his garden fence, possibly in an attempt to kill hid dog - in this instance the Police are involved and investigating.

Friday night made it to Loanhead RA (Honour, Concorde and Fidelity), where there were two candidates, low attendance, but excellent degree.    Nipped back to Bonnyrigg where the OES were have an old fashioned horse race night (horses drawn along the floor on strings by hand)  very good turnout and a really fun night for all.    Tuesday coming, last night before the break for Laird O'Cockpen RA.

Real disaster in Nepal with around 1500 killed so far in the recent earthquake, including a number of climbers on Everest - good job Sparky Mark made it home last weekend - real tragedy, and in one small town, the hardest hit there were only eight firefighters employed there.     Seems a bit of a coincidence with the volcano erupting in Chile last week, need to watch to see what happens next to see if there is a pattern.

Bit like the gold miners who are now suggesting that there is a "mother lode" in a seam which runs from Northern Ireland right through to Tyndrum and Aberdeenshire - need to get the panning kit out and get myself down to Leadhills and try and get some petrol money.

Had the "Time Machine" out for a couple of days, running well, and even managed to get spare keys for it, thanks to Kevin at Timpson's key Cutting, Cameron Toll Centre.

Finding the antics of our politicians rather bemusing as they seem to be desperate to outdo each other with unrealistic promises which they will never stick to - must be a medal for the biggest fibber; most dangerous; sleekit; and to think those who get elected will be on a nice wee earner for themselves and their families. 

Looks like Rangers and Hibs will be fighting it out next weekend for second place, a nail biting finish in that division.