long day - but good

12 mn and totally pissed-

6 am up and away to Musselburgh to see to the monies and cash and carry as little Princess asked for extra supplies. Uncle Chick appeared early but was just slightly under the weather, maybe the Vodka breakfast was a contributory factor, never the less he got on with his job,so when Paul appeared later to do the self same work - just what did he do ?

Me - I headed for home, changed and then we headed for the big "smoke" on the bus,me with my bus pass and Annfor £1 each way. Made it to the "Standing Order" where Archie was run ragged with orders, we chatted to Bert , Ronnie and Lynda from the old SODS beer club. Ann headed off to the shops and I made it to the Supreme Grand Chapter meeting in George Street, an excellent day out followed with a nice meal, eventually leaving at 8 p.m. So a wee group of us went along to the Mercat where Andy had fish and chips which we all shared..
Bus home, and onto the phone - Greg in West Chester had the first call, so many thanks for being able to listen, and hi to Bonnie, the long suffering good lady.

Kerrin is pissed at the moment and wants to smoke , but I said no.

Will have to continue later

The Tortoise people

Off I went, nice clear morning , but I was surprised at the number of lorries early on heading into Glasgow. No problems with white van men, although I was passed tweice by a big blue VW van tramping down the motorway. What i was wondering this morning was about the number of trades people who seem to travel fifty plus miles each way to their jobs - just how cost effective is this and who pays for it.

Fraser was bright as a button and had all my stuff ready for me so it was a quick turn round at Glasgow and off on the long haul south - it just seemed to take ages, and not helped by listening to Terry Wogan on BBC2 so I just turn the radio down when he was talking and up for the music till I reached the reception area for "Smooth Radio". Usyal couple or star turns on the M6, lady in her Chelsea tractor doing about the ton, passed me and then veered straight over onto the inside lane to brake and go off on a slip road !! , another one in a wee Citreon, bouncing all over the road out of control at about 90 +., and yet another who nearly sideswiped an ambulance which I honestly thought was going to roll over in front of me.

At Runcorn, a cheery Jill on reception to greet me and dig into her computer to get an E mail I had just been sent, had I not been in Runcorn I could have been in Aberdeen - no difference is there. Lorraine and the folks in DNA were surprised how cheery I was this morning !! just how bad have I been in the last few visits ! but again, up , up and away ( which is Superman's saying, not the Lone Ranger who said Hi Ho Silver away) and back on the road.

By now the morning was bright, the usual bampots were playing silly buggers on the four lane bit between the M61 and M55 which helps keep the adrenelin flowing - BUT BUT , worse than that the "tortoise people" were on the move - loads of them with their camper vans, vans and trailers and caravans, adorned with bicycles, boats, kitchen sinks, etc. all heading north probably to The Lakes or further. There were a couple on the TV a few weeks ago who lived in a sleeping bag under trees, doing no harm - but this lot - maybe Chancellor Darling is having a go at them and their big motors.

Home via Moffat where I took the photo of the hills near to the Devil's Beeftub, and then up the road which was busier than usual. In Broughton, near to the edge of the world, one of Lothian and Borders Police, finest was filming the speeding motorists !! obviously nothing better to do with his time.

Home to find Ann still stripping in the hall!! - looking tired and should have been resting. She saw the Doctor this morning and is back to the hospital in April again.

Checked out the Aberdeen job where the problem was not as bad as first thought, but I might still have to go up next week depending on what else happens over the weekend.

Wee shot of shut eye, then off to Costco and Musselburgh where the troops are now aware we are leaving, so it was a case of "Cheerio, Cheerio" from Murphy, whilst others said they would rather that we stayed on. Q . How do you get barred from a Chinese Restaurant? well one of our clients did.

Had to go into the Cellar so Tam the man gave me a hand and did something I have never seen in three years, he came down the shute on his backside, giving both me and Elaine a fright - and a laugh. As Joanna was right up to date with this mornings blog I have included a photo of her and Tam.

Currently taking some quinine based fluids to see if I can stop the leg cramps tonight!!!

Now a wee bit tired but looking forward to my day out and dinner tomorrow.

The lone ranger

4.20 a.m. alarm clock went off and I had already been awake half the night. The mobile was under my pillow so I pressed buttons in the dark then the house phone started to ring - so everyone was wakened.

I did a 1471 and fount that it was me who had rung the house from the mobile - no idea how.

Q.Q. Just how do you get a good nights sleep whenyou know you are up early? because i cannot and am knackered already. Hopefully i will wake up when I get rolling - doubless the white van men will get my dander up.

Up, up and away - used to be the shout from the Lone Ranger

A different day

Here is a real treat tonight, me at the command centre, writing to the world - I wish, anyway I thought it might be nice for you to know that it was not a cardboard replica churning out my nonsense.

Today I had to go to Musselburgh to make up the wages for the troops and see that Chick was OK. Ann wanted him to put a bet on at Cheltenham for her, of course he had to go and pick the last horse in each race and not the winners - what a man.

Was getting hot under the collar with the number of cars parked across from the pub on the pavement - just about where the Traffic Warden booked me on the motorbike - but no sign of her today !!

Rushed home and found Ann stripping again in the hall !! but once she had dressed herself we headed into the Cash and carry to stock up the kitchen at The Mercat so that Claire, Jamie and Duhai can treat the clients over the weekend. Shaun is apparantly about to leave us for pastures green.

Received a wee call from Fraser in Glasgow so it is early to bed, and up even earlier with another trip south to Runcorn in the morning.

I was going mental last night when I saw our "chancellor" Mr. Darling, poncing along Downing Street with his little budget box - little rat that he is, and today one of the papers was running a front page on what he is doing to the motorist. it reminded me of the time when he was on Edinburgh City Council and came up with "a strategic traffic plan" for the City - which would have screwed everything up - now he has his way, but he is screwing the nation instead.

Had planned on going back to another meeting in Dalkeith tonight, however, common sense must prevail and will have a quiet night - I can make up for it on Saturday by attanding Supreme and going to the dinner afterwards in George Street.

Un Bon nuit

Silly me, I completely forgot about the visit to Dalkeith, Esk 42 RA by seven members from Tours, in France, last night. There was a very good attendance and the evenings ceremonies were first class. Trhe French companions were a wee bit lost at times however six of them affilliated to 42. John Wright, Most Excellent, claimed to be fluent fin French but I am still waiting for him to get into the lingo. Several missed faces over the past weeks reappeared, and old John McNeill was over the moon to get the 2rd part of his Hon. Membership.
Having forgotton about the event, taken my dinner before leaving, and not feeling too clever, I made my apologies and left before the formal dinner.
Managed to swallow a couple of glasses of tonic - for the quinine of course, so last night only one twitch of leg cramp.
Now today is a new day!!

No suitable heading

Normally the heading gives a sort of clue as to what I am about to write - however - not the case today.

Last night headed out to Tranent for a RA meeting, only a small group present but it was still a good meeting with a cuppa, egg pieces and some nice scones for afters.
On the ay home popped into the Sportsmans to see big Michelle who is leaving us at the weekend to start a new job nearer home in Haddington, she will certainly be missed , and I wish her all the best.

Dropped in at The Bush nearer home and tracked down one of the lads I have been looking for for a few days - certainly keen, working away in a garage at 10 p.m. on a cold windy night.

Had a terrible night with leg cramps for over three hours, every time I goyt to sleep it started again and woke me up - it was either that or the anticipation of knowing I would be stripping in the hall !! Anyway , that's just what we did this morning untill I took a wee run out to the Council tip to dump rubbish. Reminded me of my father, he just loved to go there with me and would always have a wee rummage about to see if there was anything in the skips he fancied.

The Budget was on today, and our Mr Darling is tarred with the self same brush as Gordon Brown and the rest of the thieving Labour Party. 4 p on a pint ; 14p on a bottle of wine and 55p on a bottle of spirit - it certainly will not stop the binge drinkers - just lining their pockets to pay for their latest round of expenses increases and to try and fill the big hole they have dug for themselves.

Graeme McKay, beloved Ratcatcher ( appropriate considering I have just been talking about the Government) called to see how I had got on with my mysterious noises in the attic - looks like it was the patter of tiny feet (not wearing New Balance trainers)- but some of the tasty, although poisonous, nibbles he left had been eaten by very appreciative, although hopefully now dead intruders. Graeme has fortunately recovered from his recent knee injury and was able to clamber up into the loft with the greatest of ease " just like the man on the flying trapease" - as the song goes.

Rob and Caitlin have reported in , doing OK, job hunting, visiting their relatives who seem to be spread far and wide probably in an effort to hide from the Police!! just as their ancestors once did before being put on the prison ships. They have published lots of photo's on facebook of their last weeks in the UK ; their search for the elusive Nessie; a drunken spree on board a train to London and Robs attempt to take the Ashes back to Oz from the MCC.

Anyway - time to get the feet up for an hour before yet another meetin, this time at Dalkeith.

Plans astray once more

Nice quiet night last night, feet up and watched the new series called "Fixer", about the bad guys getting their comeuppers.

Up early and away to do a job for myself and then headed for Bonnyrigg, but had to about turn , go home and get changed to go and open up for Kerrin. Turned out that on her way home last night she had a bit of a run in with Lothian Region bus, driven by one of those Polish chappies, who decided to alter the shape of her car and repaint it with his colours by scraping all ong the side of it while she was parked and dropping someone off.

Bus driver seemed to think that she was at fault !! - wrong call. Anyway, other than some bruising and whiplash she is not bad, the car is driveable but considered a write off by the insurance who say cost of the repair is more than car is worth.

On my way down there was a monumental shunt on the Rosewell Road at Gourlaw, where a Volvo estate and Pugeot had collided at speed. Police and ambulance were there but it was not prudent to stop and take pics. I managed to by pass it by taking a side road but ened up having to go through a flood without water wings, no problem.

Grant of Photogenics fame was busy as usual but did a couple of photos for me to take to the pub.

Dalkeith was total chaos with nothing moving due to cars on double yellow lines and the roadworks, and no traffic warden in site, however, on my way home later I met the "nice" warden in Penicuik, with his notebook working out who had been parked for more than 45 mins, etc., Spoke to him about Dalkeith and he said there were two other wardens there, so they must have found somewhere more important to go and hide.

Arrived home to find Ann stripping off (the wallpaper) in the hall - that's nice, bit of a hint that she wants to decorate I think.