Longer warranty on a car these days compared to some new houses.

Certainly changed days when you see how quickly new homes are built these days, and the paint is not even dry before the new owners move in.  On my daily trips to and from work I pass several building sites, and am constantly amazed where houses are being erected.  Bad enough building on flood plains and former boggy ground, now it is any odd corner and even the sites of former colliery.
Several large and probably expensive houses going up, tucked between a busy road and backing onto a wood.  This one, faces North , and on the south side is totally blanked from sunlight by the tall trees which when the wind blows are likely to end up through the house.

 To the front and side, some serious cosmetic tipping of rubble to hide a quagmire,  and from the look of things they are leaving the former pavement and just dumping a couple of feet of sand / soil on it.

I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder, just need to wait and see the end result - and whether or not they get a builders warranty or a lucky bag.

Further up the road, on the site of an old colliery bing at Rosewell, the workies have the boring machines out, every few feet making sure that the founds of the new luxury homes will be on solid ground and not above old mine workings.

Damm, just when I was going to claim the £33 million,

so there I was freshly doctored lottery ticket , standing in the queue with all the other chancers trying to stake a fraudulent claim for the cash when the genuine winner came forward.  These silly burgers down south must think that folks heads button up the back,  trying it on - I certainly believe that these were attempts at fraud, so lock the so and so's up.

Interesting article about nothing in life being free - using the Forth Bridge as an example , SNP removed the tolls , thus taking away the income generated, then when money was needed for repairs there was none and ultimately many thousands of folks suffered as a result of the bridge having to be closed for emergency repairs.  Could have been avoided if the SNP were not out touting for votes.

Free prescription charges, seemed a great idea, however, what an abuse to the NHS, when even a token charge of 50p an item would have probably cut down on the abuse and put money in the coffers where it could have been put to better use.   Similarly, there should be a charge for those appearing at A&E Departments under the influence of drink or drugs, and also for petty complaints. Couple of weeks ago there was an item about the amount of money unpaid by foreign visitors.  hOw many of us have visited other parts of the World and been asked for cash up front, credit card details or insurance  documents before anyone laid a hand on us.

I suppose the same might also be said for bus passes, again another SNP vote catcher, surely a 50p charge might be helpful, maybe not in Edinburgh where City Council are robbing the proceeds from Lothian buses to pay for their trams!!!  Only a thought.

Might even say the same about borrowing books from the local library, I have been so used to downloading from Amazon, Kindle, etc, and /or buying from charity shops. So I would not mind a token charge for borrowing from the library, less than the price of a bag of crisps maybe.
Need to see what pops into my head next.

Snow brings out the eejit drivers once again

So, down it came again last night, probably not as bad as forecast, but does not stop the silly faction who insist on driving around with their cars covered in snow, no obvious attempt made to clear the windscreen , etc.   Headed down to the Mercat Grill this morning, roads were not too bad, and came back the high road where only one section gave a bit of cause for alarm, caused by drifting from the fields.

I see headlines where there might be a consideration to disqualify drivers caught using the phone, saw two today on my way home,  man behind me in Dalkeith, and when he realised I was watching in the mirror he backed right off, the other, much worse was a Pollock Scotran lorry driver in the Rosewell area.
Excellent piece of film on Facebook where a driving instructor makes his pupils text messages on their phone while trying to pass a test, they lose control, fail the test and then take him to task saying that texting while driving is dangerous  LESSON LEARNED?

perhaps I need an electric chair

Maybe not, however, here I am again, sitting up due to aches and pains and seriously pi***d off with the lack of response from the Admin at the ERI.  Not hellish much I can do though, just bite my tongue and wait , or maybe that is what I am supposed to do - think again.
now getting paranoid that someone from the Admin I have been complaining about is going to sneak into my ward in the hospital and tie a knot in my oxygen line or drip - James Bond style.

Took ourselves off to Makro and Costco today , great excitement, however needs must, so the Grill is now restocked, and I have a nice shiny bottle of Bombay Saphire which I need to hide away from thirsty visitors.

Problems with the TV today, modern new fangled inventions, I never had these problems when I was a lad, the good old black and white set had BBC only, no worries.  Sort of reminded me of going next door to the Hope Scott garage at Currie and getting acid for the batteries which ran the wireless - showing my age now.  We had Clydesdale horses on the farm and a threshing machine run by a steam traction engine, cut small hayfields with a cythe  and singled turnips by hand.

NOW THAT IS REMINISCING !!!!    Just reminded me of an old water cooled Velocette motorcycle I had in the 60's,gear levers on the tank, dead quiet, I had it stripped down and my mother put it out in the bucket while I was away working in Durham.

The tax man takes the money, no matter what

So when the Sheriff's officers arrive at a small business looking for money for the tax man, just think of how much money Google have made and how much tax they have avoided paying. the bigger you are, the greedier you are, the more brazen you are, the more likely you are to get away with it. In the meantime the small business gets thumped and goes down the tubes with the he associated stress to family and friends. So that is yet another of my friends in the crap.

Have been watching the antiques road tour on the TV at tea time, where two so-called experts try and buy antiques at bargain prices and then sell them at an auction with the week endings profit going to a charity. What strikes me is , a) the stupid prices that some antique dealers charge their clients - obviously some silly folk out there , and b) the bargains which can be had at an auction room, especially if you know where to go.

Kind of wet wet once again, roads awash and more flooding in the Scottish Borders, add that to the strong winds , perfect excuse to bring out the buckets and pails again.

Old habits die hard.

Old habits die hard, so this morning when these two cars pulled into the car park at The Grill, I spoke with the driver of the green one who told me he was going for petrol for female in the second car.  However, fifteen minutes later still sitting in back of green car, seriously not amused when I took this photograph, so having suggested that I was a peado !!! and being advised that I would be happy to give my account to the Police all three loaded up and drove off.  Young lady in the gold car waving her disability sticker at me -   good to know that there is to be a clamp down on the abuse of these blue badges.

Not sure if Police Scotland are interested , but I did call it in on the 101 system - personally I smell a rat !!!

No news yet

Been a busy weekend at the Grill, couple of full houses, however, I was only there for my usual morning shifts, and then had time to potter.   Saturday made it down to Ocean terminal and did my usual Trip to the roof to view the ships in the harbour,  a few oil supply vessels tied up and obviously not going anywhere fast, or for a while. There was even a Calmac ferry so someone must have been rowing to and from one of the Outer Isles.

Certainly an ideal weekend for a run on the motorbike, but no such luck for me.  sad event at Aberlady where a young fireman from North Berwick died in a motorcycle accident .

Sadly more bad news from the RPOA, with two more of our former colleagues, Alex McNee and Eric Riach passing away.
On the tennis scene, so far, so good in Australia for Andy Murray,  football, Bonnyrigg Rose doing really well with nineteen wins a row, their manager Robbie Horne seems to be good for them.

Currently still holding our breath awaiting a response from the Administrators at the ERI

Capt. Dougz, still afloat on his cruise ship, now in Brazil and heading south.

Nice wee change of mood today

Big psychological boost this afternoon, with the sun shining and temperature up to a mild 10c the Steed of Steel was wheeled out and I had an hours run out on reasonably dry roads. Took a spin by Dolphinton, Blythe Bridge, Lyne Station, Peebles, and home with a detour round by Portmore Loch, only twitch was due to loose gravel on the roads having been washed there with the rains. certainly lots of flooding along by Lyne Station during the past weeks bad weather.  Even RGB managed a run out on the Time Machine although that was my fault as he had to come home and collect something I had brought home by accident, never the less, better than the bike sitting in the garage.
Might have won a free liposuction session at the ERI on the 1st, having received a request from a research project who want a wee bit more of me to be removed during my procedure !!!!  Told them they can have a few kilos!!
Next wine night at the Mercat Grill is planned for the 20th February, so book early and avoid disappointment.
Mild weather at the moment, but there is a hint that we may be in for more of the bad stuff for the next few weeks, big winter snow storms in eastern USA are forecast qat the moment , so just need to wait and see.  Hope our friends in PA, USA , have got their stocks in and shovels sharpened.
Even raining in Australia so Andy Murray is feeling at home, better win and get ready to head back sharpish to greet the new baby. not sure why we have to spend English speaking commentators over to Oz to report on the tennis, thought the down under folks spoke English., or is it an excuse for another junket out of the licence fees.

some things you look forward to

 No longer got steam coming out the ears, however the matter at the ERI still remains unresolved and until such time as I wake up gutted and stitched I will not be holding my breath.
I had a colonoscopy with a difference !!!!  Called in the drain experts as there was a bit of a problem, so they arrived with their rods and cctv camera and eventually found mains pipe under the floor which had totally disentigrated. So, up came the floor and the damage was repaired, all done overnight with no disruption to business.
Should have been at 720 tonight, however I was unable to make it as I needed a bit of beauty sleep to recover.
Latest botch up in Edinburgh City, is a bus shelter built on a road which is not even on a bus route!!! And it is not even a weatherproof shelter,  add this to the proposed 20 mph speed limit it is yet another bit of poor planning in the city.
Lovely meal at the Mercat on Sunday night with John Cooke, Lorrie, Darrin, Lucille, Julie, Jamie, etc, catching up with old times once again.
Burn's themed dinners being held at the Mercat next week and another wine night there end of February, something to look forward to.

Still connot getit right.

Saturday am, still freezing and still fizzing after last Monday's debacle at the ERI.  This was not helped by the letter I received with a new date of 1st Feb., however, letter is unsigned, no contact number and contains the same wrong instructions which caused the appointment on 5th December t be cancelled.   Serious problems in an admin department I think.   Plans for me to attend a wedding on 6th Feb now up in the air, with possible problems over my anticipated holidays in late March looking kind of shakey also.

Usual comment about mobile phones in cars, still seeing lots of drivers using while at the wheel.  My two incidents of note this week,  lady nearly sideswiped me on the Sheriffhall roundabout as she swung from lane to lane while on the phone, and the other - despite all the adverse publicity bin lorries have received recently, Midlothian Council bin motor, heading home from Hopefield Bonnyrigg to their depot, driver blethering on the phone while his two companions looked on.  Had him on the car video camera - till it was overwritten.

Met up with my friends John and Laurie Cooke yesterday who I have not seen for thirty three years, now living in Northern Ireland they have returned to Penicuik to catch up with old friends.  Lovely to see them and all being well will meet at the Mercat Grill on Sunday.

Went into two "up market" shirt shops in George Street on Thursday, staff in one shop "blanked me" for the second time in three weeks, so I will never be back there again ( Charles Teywits) so I bought a lovely shirt from the staff in the second shop who were exceptionally pleasant (Hawes and Curtis), thanks folks.

Talk about being "fair scunnered"

Well,  what can I say -  been stressed out for weeks waiting for second go at surgery in the ERI.  Missed out on  lunch and drinks yesterday as I was fasting for this morning.
Up at 3,15 am, stressed , and found things to do to keep me going till 6 a.m.,   headed into the ERI and arrived at 0700 on time and all set to go once again.
BUT after four hours, during which time I had been tagged, labelled and blood removed, I was advised that my operation was being cancelled again.  On this occasion it was because the bed I was to be allocated in the HDU was no longer available.     What can I say,  there are seriously ill folks out there, and I have already had to use the same resource in HDU following my past heart attack.
last cancellation five weeks ago was because someone made a mistake with the instructions over my medication, otherwise I would have been cut, patched up and on the mend by now.

Several years ago when they closed the old ERI to build the new one it was pointed out that the new hospital had fewer beds, and with a growing population in the Lothian health Board catchment area it was only an fool who could see what was going to happen.   Today I was not alone in having my operation cancelled.  The "front line" medical staff are marvelous , doing a great job, as best they can but with one hand tied behind their back.
No consolation for me - stressed, doing my best to keep exercising and still waiting - cannot arrange anything -  BUT do the bean counters care - NOT A TOSS.

In need of a bit of sunshine

I am sure that the sun is shining above the clouds and certainly is in other parts of the world,  however, - certain parts of the UK are still under water and with little respite from the rain. Now, we have some snow and freezing conditions which will make life even more difficult.  Just a pity that all our Foreign Aid is heading out the country and not being used at home - so sooner or later we will all have to pay - most certainly by increased insurance premiums irrespective as to whether we have made a claim or where we live.      Alex Salmond seen in Inverurie, scene of the most recent flooding in Aberdeenshire,  and sounds as though the lovely Nicola is planning a visit, avec wellies to see for herself !!

Edinburgh City Council are about to rubber stamp the new "widespread 20 MPH" speed limit in the City, so looks as though either walking , cycling or just leaving the car at home will be a realistic option,  for me - I will avoid the town like a plague and do my shopping elsewhere.  THAT IS - providing I can get in and out of Penicuik where planning consent given to house builders is going to lead to massive roadworks on two of the major routes in and out of the town - tent in the back garden and deliveries by an Amazon Drone might be an option.

Once again we are now being reminded of the evils of alcohol, I have no objections to the advice provided I believed it was sensible and realistic -  but having only had a bottle of wine and two glasses in the last nineteen weeks !!! (and now really tempted) it can be done with just a wee bit of will power.  Public houses are suffering, however they actually offer a greater degree of control than supermarkets, and off licences which punt out cheap booze.  I was in a local shop during the week and two customers bought bottles of spirits, obviously to have along with their bacon butties, or instead of !! and before 10 am.
Took myself out for a run on the "Steed of Steel" on Wednesday, lots of water about, rods not too clever, but perhaps my last run out on the Steed for a couple of months while I recover from my impending surgery.

Friends are just back from a rather disappointing stay at the Peebles Hydro Hotel, which has gone downhill over the past few years since I was a member of the leisure centre there.  Bit of a shame as it used to be a "must" to go and stay at,  now part of the Crieff Hydro Group and in need of some refurbishment, and from the comments received sounds as though some of the staff are not quite as caring as others!!
This in stark contrast to the staff in the O'2 shop at Cameron Toll shopping centre who spent an hour helping me out yesterday and at the end of the session I had nothing to buy or pay for - thanks a million, and this is not the first time they have assisted me.

I see that the "Flying Scotsman" train is now back in use again and being run around North Yorkshire, did spot an advert in one of the daily papers marketing trips from York I think. A superb train which held the speed record for years and also did London to Edinburgh non stop - brilliant.

Sadly - breaking news of a shooting incident at a hotel in Hurghada, Egypt, tonight - looks like yet another set back for the tourist industry there.

Enough for tonight - just have to see if I get the chance to write before Monday's appointment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Took myself off to Peebles on the Steed of Steel couple of days ago, mega wet roads and signs of rising water along the roadside.  Friends are just back from the Peebles Hydro Hotel, which is now part of the Crieff Hydro Group of hotels, and from what I hear it is sadly no longer the prestigious venue I was a member  of the leisure club several years ago e down

Wellie weather - still.

No sign of a hose pipe ban yet !!!!  wonder why,   looks like those who said that Global Warming was going to mean that the UK would be wetter and wetter than ever - so looks like wellies for the beach this summer.
More seriously, real devastation and disruption now, West Coast rail line closed till February at the earliest; an Aberdeenshire Castle about to crumble into the river, stories of massive damage all around the UK.

One of earlier blogs I mentioned our custom !!! built greenhouse at the Grill and the huffing and puffing of the wind -  greenhouse slightly altered and great use made of my favorite "Gaffer Tape"

Looks like a bit of drastic work needing done before the tomato plants return.

Mercat Grill has been really busy, more so than expected, so staff need a real pat on the back for their efforts over the past few weeks.

2016 - and a happy if not chilly new year.

1st January 2016, New Year's Day, so to  my readers I wish you all he best for the new year.  And to all the members of the emergency services, nurses and service workers who are working whilst everyone else tucks into their steak pies - a big THANK YOU.

Kind of chilly, in fact rather baltic last night with ice on the ground and frozen windscreen this morning as  I headed off to work,   this vehicle I was was a stationary Police car sitting watching passing motorists !!  

Popped into the local shop in Whitecraig where the young assistant was being harassed by three of the local yobs who were either stoned or pissed - setting a fine example - not.  Stocking up with more firewater to see them through a few more hours of oblivion.   Maybe it is just as well that the Grill has a reputation as a restaurant rather than the drinking den it used to be.

Horrendous fire in the Address Hotel in Dubai,  started on the 20 th floor of a 63 floor building, fortunately no fatalities and to date no reason whys.  Certainly puts me off in staying in high rise buildings.

More rain expected so still no sign of a respite from the flooding which has affected may areas of the country, and now snow and ice expected.