Farewell 2017, let's see what tomorrow brings

Once again,  nearly three weeks since my last Post, either a sign that I have been busy or just a mood thing.   Probably both, we have been very busy on the lead up to the Xmas and New Year, so much for supposedly trying to take it easy and enjoy retirement, just impossible.     At the end of the day things have been going pretty well at The Mercat Grill, the restaurant is very popular and believe it or not, we have already had a request for a booking for X mas day 2018 !!!    We could have filled the place several times over,  but we decided to stick with the single seating which allowed both clients and staff to enjoy the day and the evening.

Must say that Xmas day was a treat, certainly made up for all the doom and gloom we are having to cope with these days,  lets hope that things improve in 2018, but I very much doubt it.   Much as I would love to have a real old rant and rave, not very appropriate tonight, so will just wait and see if I can find a few positives to comment on later.

All the best. 

Eddie Anderson, RIP

I attended the funeral service of one of my former colleagues yesterday.  Eddie Anderson, who I worked with for a number of years at Penicuik,  He retired twenty eight years ago, but sadly passed away in the ERI after a short illness.    Eddie was a keen bowler and he and I used to play at the Penicuik private Bowling Club, and also took part in many Police competitions.  I remember playing in a pairs competition at Grangemouth years ago and we were playing the Scottish Champions and managing to keep our nose ahead.    The heavens opened and the other rinks cleared however Eddie said that we would stay on and keep playing. Our opponents were not happy and as the rain belted down we drew ahead and eventually won the match.  Our opponents were jeered off the green by their compatriots, so they took the huff and took off !!!  seriously dischuffed.   
In the days before composition bowls, Eddie had a set of "woods", one which had literally no bias and which would do a right or left turn in its last few inches of run, thus turning round behind lying bowls, the number of games Eddie won with that bowl.
He and I both used to walk our dogs with us when on the night shift, him with Dawn, a German Shepherd and me with Goldie, a golden lab.   I am sure the local worthies thought they were properly trained as they gave us a wide berth.  One morning we left Goldie in the office while we took Dawn home,  however when we got back Goldie had wrecked the office - that certainly caused me a lot of grief.   Eddie had a lovely family who he was so proud of,  I am sure they will all miss him.   RIP

Mr Grumpy once again, and more gripes with Midlothian.

Bit of a tantrum yesterday when I tried to get parked at the B & M car park in Penicuik,   not a single space to be had, yet there were spaces over at lydl , however you need to buy in Lydl to get your parking validated or you get one of their parking tickets.   So, here I am trying to support local shops but cannot because of the inconsiderate folks who use Penicuik town centre as a Park and Ride.   Even folks trying to support the new Storehouse Shop in the High Street are struggling, which will not help this enterprise.
Add to this the temporary lights on the A701 at Beeslack corner, not a soul working there , just a big inconvenience to our commuters.      So bottom line, I actually phoned Midlothian Council to complain, not that it will make the slightest difference.
BUT I did hear that the next round of cuts proposed by Midlothian Council, might be the death toll for all but one library in the District, so much for encouraging folks to read and write and what kind of service where there be thereafter.    ALSO, a suggestion that there will be more cuts to local bus services, including Pathead.
Looks like it is fine for hundreds of houses to be built, causing increased congestion further and further out of the City.  Town planning, a bloody shambles.

Midlothian Council and even more money wasted.

I was going to say that I often wonder how local authorities get away wit wasting money,  in reality it is not often, but daily !!!  Literally very time I get in the car and drive somewhere in Midlothian I see some form of money wasting exercise taking place.  BUT to be fair, no doubt this is replicated throughout the UK by Local Authorities who do not appear answer to anyone.  Tonight it was replacement temporary traffic lights at Loanhead,   normally two way lights operate,  but with road works it is now three way,  however, last night they were not working and traffic was running smoothly , no problems :    this is yet another example of  health and Safety Regs costing us a fortune.
Question or observation :-   on a daily basis there are hundreds, if not thousands of "Lolly pop people" manning crossing, near to schools every day, and some just stand and press the button on the trafffic lights for the Green Man,  eg, Dalkeith ;  Carlops Road, Penicuik;  Whitecraig,  but to identify a few locally ::  WHY,  WHY,  when outwith the hours of their attendance  children manage to cross the same roads on their own /   Stick up 20 MPH signs outside schools, ban dropping off within two hundred yards,  maybe more, then no need for these staff.

Again,  not just Midlothian  Council employees,   but right across the board,    how often do we see workies sitting in vans, skiving off jobs,  busy texting and blethering on phones when they should be earning their wages,  bet your bottom dollar if they were self employed or paying the wages it would never happen.

Queensferry Crossing,  or the third Forth Bridge,  I hope the government is not picking up the snagging bill for the repairs which are causing the current closures and subsequent delays.

Lighting offences,   can now be counted in their hundreds,  every day once darkness falls the one eyed monsters hit the roads and very little seems to be being done by the Police.   I keep looking for something on these fancy overhead gantries about the need to ensure lights on motor vehicles are working,  but no,  watch out for deer, fog, rain, etc.        Tonight I followed two cars with no lights on at all,  yet, despite my hatred of cyclists I saw and have to compliment a couple whose light, back and front were brighter than most cars.

Tesco Diddle (or the opposite)   in our local store was looking for  Hellimans mayonnaise,  small bottle cost £1 after a reduction,  cost per 100 ml was 24p,   beside it was large bottle , double the size, cost £4 at 54p per 100ml  ???????????????   people,  please pay attention and do your sums.

Saturday 2nd, 720 Installation.

Bit of a surprise to be typing here tonight,  today I had five different appointments in my diary,   9am  funeral of Norman Saunderson,  member of RA  Loanhead, Honor Concord and Fidelity, a real wee gent, super mason and brilliant in his time:  11am  funeral of David Ewart who used to be a waterman at Glencorse Reservoir and then moved up to Logan cottage  between the two reservoirs, Davy used to look after my Labrador, Goldie,  when we were on holiday,  it was like sending the dog to a health spa, he was always looking brilliant when we got him home.    1 pm  Squaremen at Haymarket,   and  2 pm   KT;s  St Bernard De Clairveaux at Newbattle,  however having been ill yesterday , slept all night in a chair and still ill this morning,  just not realistic.    However, I was committed to going to the Installation at Lodge Dalhousie  Bonnyrigg  No 720 at 5 pm where I was to present the Harmony jewel to Neil Russell who was being reinstalled for his second year.   Must say, a brilliant installation by Alex Mcbeth, doing his first ever, faultless.  I think there were ninety seven present who witnessed a super degree, well done.   Just unfortunate that I was unwell as I no doubt missed an excellent Festival of St John,  (especially when  I was supposed to be a top table guest).