Davis Cup success.

Big well done to Andy and Jamie Murray and the rest of the British Davies Cup team who won the trophy this afternoon.  I dare anyone to slag the boys off, team Murray broke the back of the opposition, so they will be British today, and Scottish when they lose !!!

Just a shame that Mr Salmond was more interested in himself during the week than taking part in the debate on the terrorist crisis.  I see his prophecy about how rich Scotland would be with North Sea oil was sort of ever, ever so slightly off the mark -  I see our local Asda selling unleaded at 99.7p this morning.

I am hoping that NHS Scotland, run by the SNP government at Hollyrood does not go "ti*s up" this week and my appointment for the 7th cancelled along with the many other procedures which are
being postponed at short notice.  It must be soul destroying for all these dedicated members of staff to be working under such pressures and in some cases with one hand tied behind their backs (so to speak).

Had our writer of crime thrillers, Peter Ritchie, in for a coffee, cake and a catch up during the week -  working on a Novelette to be out for X-mas then he will start on his fifth "Grace Den Herder" book.

Few Masonic visits,  Currie;  Gorebridge (well done Simon Fairly); Loanhead RA - with candidate - very good.

Mercat Grill ticking along nicely, busy weekends and lots of folks enjoying the food and hospitality.

Sad news I am afraid

No -  I have not expired yet,  keep looking in the Edinburgh Evening News and no sign of my name yet - no excuses then for not writing - just too much and too many distractions.

Sadly and unexpectedly my Nephew died last Sunday, aged 43, our thought are with his family and parents.

Following the tragedy in Sharm el Sheikh, we had the shootings and bombings in Paris, aftermath in Belguim, and to in Malawi - with the French being the primary target.    As I keep saying, it is only a matter of where and when we in the UK will targeted again.      Sadly our politicians are brilliant at sitting on the fence with Corbyn and Sturgeon not winning many brownie points.

Weather now on the turn, lots of rain (no need for a hosepipe ban) enough wind to remove umpteen topees and make for a bumpy landing at Edinburgh Airport.  Tonight snow forecast for a wider area than the tops of the mountains -  Aviemore and the ski runs will be looking for a long winter season this year.

Had a job though the West during the week so while the "Steed of Steel" was resting I treated the "Time Machine" to a good thrashing on the Motorway,  (which is becoming more of a joke every time you travel it)  massive roadworks by Eurocentral which should help.   On the way, the usual hold ups causing frustration with lorry drivers taking ages to overtake - so much so that one van driver was seen to make a wild "undertake" on the hard shoulder !!!  not clever.

Last weekend very busy at the Mercat Grill, no no rest for the wicked, and just to prove how bad I have been,  back there this weekend - so having to miss the Grand Superintendent's Dinner at Bonnyrigg - apologies.   Even missed the 720 pensioner's dinner last week, but I am not sure if I am old enough to qualify.


Good news from Peter Ritchie who is now writing book number five - missed him this week when he came a looking for me at the Grill.   Anyone wanting a chat with a real life author - give me a call and see what can be arranged.

Meetings of 720 ; Loanhead and the OES this week, few more next week before I take enforced absence  - wee trip to the hospital and then a period of recovery so I will need to be good and behave.

Watching the brilliant  BBC TV special with Adele,  she is superb, very natural, interviews well , singing live - unlike Cheryl and the hopefulls on the second rate X-factor.

Might try to write again sooner

Needing some sunshine I think.

Sitting here with the makings of a gale blowing outside, certainly has me feeling peeved that there is still no news from Sharm, Egypt, apart from all the negatives which the media appear to thrive on.

Interesting the comments about the detector devices which have been fund to be worthless, which were sold in their hundred as part of a scam by a British businessman who made £millions  before he was caught and jailed.  If someone has lost their live due to his con  !!!

Busy day in the Grill, long one for me which proved to be a sore one for me - ruling out any doubts that my ailments were figments of my imagination.  Now just need to wait for a bed, etc - and with the latest news about bed blocking and the state of the NHS - signs of an aging population and visitors / immigrants !!!

Was back at Costco again today, which reminded me of yet another "bee in my bonnet" ,  watching all these folks munching away at the freebies, taking the wife and kids out for lunch !!  and 99.9% of them not interested in the slightest in buying the product.  If I am likely to buy I will sometimes taste, but otherwise I keep on walking.

Last weekend I watched the X factor, and on Sunday was so disappointed with the gutless judges who avoided making a decision and with the result that the better performer lost out - no more X factor for me.   Looks like it will be another book for me - so hopefully Peter Ritchie will have his fifth crime thriller finished fairly soon.

Very much against my will I was in Edinburgh on Tuesday night, what a nightmare, roads are a mess,roadworks in London Road so I took twenty five minutes to travel four hundred yards, cyclist a total hazard with no lights, dark clothing,  one eyed cars (lights) -  no pleasure at all and I am sure the Rdinburgh City Council are doing their utmost to discourage from coming into the town.

Letting off steam again.

Looks like the situation in Egypt will get a lot worse before it gets better - and in the meantime all the folks we know over there are doing their best to reassure us that the overall security is still good and being reinforced.  We will just have to wait and see - pity though as I could have done with a week away in the sun.

We have a saying in the security world, "it takes a serious incident like this to concentrate the mind", and folks here should do well to remember that !!!!  Where will it happen next?

BUT in the meantime life here goes on and I still get a few serious "bees in my bonnet".  Yesterday it was a group of cyclists (yes - more bloody cyclists) who I had to follow through a built up area for nearly two miles before they moved over and allowed me to overtake safely.

Item in the newspaper today about a school where the youngsters are encouraged to run a mile a day  !!   about time to,  as it is little wonder our country is tipping over with the ever increasing weight of the UK population.

I see Midlothian Council are doing their best to encourage a healthy eating culture !!!!!! they granted planning permission for a KFC and Burger King to be built at Straiton, extra competition for the nearby McDondald,s and Frankie and Bennies.   Going to need a fleet of Chelsea tractors to ferry the little darlings about.

Wee run down to Duns on the Steed of Steel where hopefully, a new inner tube in the front tyre will cure  a regular soft and save me a great deal of huffing and puffing.

Tragedy in Egypt

It has been a terrible couple of days following the news of the loss of the Russian airliner and the death of all its crew and passengers after it took off from Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.    Our sympathies must go to the families of the deceased.

At the moment there is still a great deal of speculation as to the cause but it does look as though it may well have been the work of a terrorist, even if it was not, the members of IS have already claimed that they were responsible, and having done so are are making great political headway from it.

We now have to consider the effects it will have on the local economy in and around Sharm where there has been massive investment to attract businesses and boost tourism and we now have the situation, that with the peak winter holidays only weeks away our Government has suspended all flights to and from the region.   Having visited Sharm on several occasions and made many friends amongst the staff in the hotel, we can only pray that things return to normality as soon as possible, and we can then return to see them.

A fine weekend

Lovely day here today weather wise,  not quite as nice as the South of France though.  Managed to get myself organised enough to have time to take a run out on the Steed of Steel.  Did my chores at the Mercat Grill, then headed off down the A68 and made my way to the ancient hospital site at Soutra Isle, spectacular views in three directions, just a shame that a band of trees stops the view to the west.  Early records for the site date back to 1164, although there was an older Roman Road running through the area even earlier than that.  Spent half an hour or so admiring the views and reading the several information panels and generally just enjoying the peace and quiet, sunshine and fresh air.  Thereafter, made for the A7 and south  through Stow, Clovenfords, Innerleithen, Peebles, Portmore and then home.  Pleasant round trip of about seventy miles.

Good final match of the Rugby World Cup with New Zealand taking the cup for the second time in a row.   Might have supported the upside down lads had not been for a few e mails from one of Botany Bay's finest who kept telling me how well the Wallabies would do !!!!

Ranger's unbeaten run broken today by the HiBees which will make the league much more exciting now.

Bit of a crunch with a difference tonight as a tooth broke - looks like the dentist will get a call in the morning and I will be on "saps" for a wee while.