Continuation of Twinning story.

Missing photos from previous item, are of Depute Mayor and the group are Murial ; Lynne;Alice and Wallace who have been involved for many years.

The group have several other engagements this week before heading home to L'Isle.

I just had a look on Google Earth and was surprised about the amount of information there was on L'Isle.

After the function I headed home via the Penicuik Bowling Club, which sort of slowed me down a bit !!! and did not help with the sleeping either as I was up early again today and ever so delicate this morning which made it a long shift in The Mercat.

STOP PRESS

Archie and Tracy Dennie are now the proud parents of a new born baby boy, born 8.41 p.m. tonight . Both well. Well done - Sarah will need to come back from Oz to see the baby.

Busy Sunday - L'Isle Sur la Sorgue Twinning

Sunday , I was in the pub , supposedly for four hours but ended up there for seven - place was pretty busy with lots of tourists.
Ealrly p;.m. just as I was leaving I had a surprise visit from Wee Michelle and Sandy who had come up from Myusselburgh to take in the comedy shows downstairs, good to see them - and today I have had a nice message from Joanne and Tam, obviously missing me!!!!! Just a pity that Big Simon has not seen fit to follow suit.

Made it home where the sun was shining and sat out for an hour or so in the garden till it clouded over but then I had to get ready for the Twinning Reception in Penicuik Town Hall.

There was a really good turn out with a large group over from France and many of my old friends from the local Twinning Association.

The "doo" was to sign copies of a new agreement to continue the link with L'Isle sur la Sorgue which was formed exactly thirty years ago (Sunday) 17th.

The documents were signed by the President of the Twinning Committee here, Mrs. Imrie, the Provost of Midlothian Council Adam Montgomery and the Deputy Mayor of L'Isle.

All of the the Penicuik folks present had been to L'Isle at some time or another and several will be going out again in October for the second part of the signing which should be good.

Sparky has arrived so I will stop meantime and add more later.

Day with the Templars

This had been planned for a while, special church service a.m. and regular meeting of King David p.m.

Had a shocking night, leg cramps were horrendous, woke me up a couple of times so I just got up early again.

Collected Sparky mark at 10.20 a.m. who was still hung over after a night on the black Sambuca, so we headed over to temple Village where me met another twenty or so members at the churchyard. Inside the gate there is a plaque for visitors with some of the history and going back to when King David gave the lands of Ballentradoch to the Templars. With the graveyard there are lots of facinating old gravestones , some with apparant masonic symbols thereon.

The group assembled and were led into the old church where we had a very nice service led by the Rev Ray Williamson. We then moved outside and a wreath was laid at the war memorial - beside which we took a group photo, We had a visitor from Alberta , Canada, with us, Tom Forrest.

After the service Mark and I headed over to Bonnyrigg to see (annoy) Grant at Photogenix who copied off a CD to be used for the KT's website.

Mark popped through to the lounge at 720 for a "hair of the dog" - and I collected him and we headed down to Dalkeith for the regular meeting of King David of Ballentradoch - where two of our friends were joining. Graham managed to make it out from the bar to see them going through.

We eventually headed off and I dropped Mark and Dougie at 720 before I headed home again, where I met Frank the mechanic who was returning the Ford after getting it back on the road again after the water pump packed in.

Mrs. B. off to the cinema with Irish Christine and a friend to see the Movie "Mama Mia" again.

Presently watcing re runs of the Olympics - athletics at the moment with Kelly Sotherton running, but no medal . Team UK have done well today with medals in the rowing, cycling, and sailing. We wish Paula Ratcliffe well in the marathon when she runs later tonight.

Mens 100 m about to start - Usain Bolt - has just broken the world record, 9.69 secs and that was him easing off !!!!!!!! fantastic

Up and off again a.m. as I have five days early openings to do at The Mercat.

A different day - slightly

Once again - sleepless night but lay till 7.30 before getting up, then checked out things on the lap top, while watching the Olympics. Our cyclists did well with Chris Hoy and the team getting their first golds of hopefully many- and the rowers are doing OK.

Needing some photos for the Twinning doo on Sunday so we managed to find the negatives but no photos, however as the spool was there, we called Grant and arranged to take it down to Bonnyrigg.

Down we popped and he printed them off, and also did a big A3 blow up of the Callander Bridge which he has kept for the shop.

Found the picture od me and a young calf, taken in 1951 in the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, at the Scottish Agricultural Show, when they used to alternate annually between the Waverly Market , Edinburgh, and the Kelvin Hall. I was four at the time and had wandered off to talk to the beast when the Reporter from the Glasgow Herald spotted me - at one point inside the pen, and much to everyones amusement.


Headed for Argos but as Mrs B, was in need of a cuppa and a roll I thought - big treat today - so we stopped off at Dougie's Snack Van on the A7 at Gilmerton beside Bernard Hunter's yard. Just a bit of a change from Gleneagles Hotel - however Dougie was delighted to see us as I have not been down for a few weeks, and his tea and rolls are good.

Off to Argos where it was a real doddle to get my stuff, then popped into PC World to ask the techie there a couple of questions.

Traffic was terrible with a burst water main en route, which kept is back for ages.

Dropped Mrs. B. off at John Lewis , St James Centre, and I headed off to help out at The Mercat Bar , where having parked up dropped into Imarni's to get organised for 22nd - wedding anniversay.

Bar was busy, but I helped out with Jim Hannah (DASH) who was finishing off a job, before going and helping in the bar.



Our four friends from Tuesday were in , Mike,( from AlterEagles) KD and co - who although staying at the Hilton have been in every day for breakfast then either their lunch or dinner - off home on Saturday a.m. They have enjoyed Edinburgh so much they plan to come back again next year.



Had a good blether to some of the customers, and then downstairs filled up for the comedy show at 3.15., change of line up as one of the boys was missing - so there was a lad from the USA there who was good.





Home to the hils and was still pottering when Graham called to ask us to meet him at the Craigiebield Hotel for dinner - so off we went again. However , the meal was a bit bland and overpriced.



So home, to blog before my day out with the KT's tomorrow.

Perhaps a new era or what?

Now on the new lap top which is Vista rather than windows XP and rather confusing as some of the systems are not compatible, I have spent agrs trying to get the Canon EOS on line with no luck, while the Ixus is running OK.

Today, Thursday, back to normality with a 4 a.m. wake up, eventually got up at 5 a.m. and started to learn how to work this new machine.

When Mrs. B . got up she thought I was already away to work, just a bit early !!!!!! however I soon got the message and went on my way - but with no one in the office at Bush i had a wander and then came home. BUT - we were soon on our way to Bathgate to see Sheena, (friend) for a blether - they did some "spekin" while I , assisted with the new kitten, experimented with the lap top.

Bathgate is famous for something other than the production of the Hillman Imp car - the car plant having been flattened and built on, but we never got the chancve to read the signage.

Off then to McArthur Glen Designer Outlet at Livingston for a wander through the shops, and then into J.D.Wetherspoons for lunch, however a 33 minute wait later the waitress admitted that she had lost our table number so I had cool chips and a hard burger!!!! Just how many times do I have to complain about this place.

Onto the A70 and then the A720 (Edinburgh City By pass) where the far too regular mobile crane was causing havoc, with everything down to 25 mph - then down to Dobbies Garden Centre , which is just an amazing place now, with an incredible selection and the food hall is amazing - great choice of vinegars, including raspberry and figs.

Up to Bonnyrigg to see Grant @ Photogenix who is working harder than ever, plus he has some new tropical fish.

Anyway - home and then the rains came down - with avengance - pouring buckets - so we had the follow on from the floods in Lanarkshire this afternoon, with water coming through the roof at one stage. Local drains were lifting, Bog Road was flooded and the park was under water, no doubt there were major problems elsewhwere.

So now I am having to listen to Mrs. B. and RGB Jnr who are nipping at each other - and doing my head in!!!!

Wee experiment in progress

about to try the next blog from the new lap top.

Blaikie's tour of sunny Scotland - yes.

Not sure what happened last night but I slept like a log - perhaps it was the red wine, etc, but there I was at 7 .30 .a.m. still dozy !!!

Up and off to see the nurse who drew lots of blood - enough to keep a few vampire bats going for a while, then home and a quick run into town to drop Graham off at The Mercat.
May be able to add photos later.
I had no idea where I was going but having promised Mrs. B. a day out , we set off - also clutching a few pound which Graham had donated to help pay for lunch.
Off we went heading north , but I soon turned off and went down into South Queensferry where we stopped , in bright sunhine at the pier opposite the Hawes Inn ( mentioned by Robert Louis Stevenson in his book "Kidnapped") and took some pictures of the two bridges, The Forth Railway Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, lots of sailing boats and the ferry which goes out round Inchcolme Island. Into the centre of the village and stopped to look at the harbour, and also the Jubilee Clock which was erected in 1877, and beneath it on the wall a plaque to thank the Earl of Rosebery who gave the residents a "bleaching green" and fresh water supply in 1817.
It was then off and over the forth road bridge , now minus any tolls, through Dunfermline and then out into the country past the motor racing Circuit at Knockhill, which is getting all set up for the racing this coming weekend - through Glen Devon and eventually arrived at Gleneagles Hotel where we were going to have some lunch. There was a lot of activity with tents and marquees but I was not sure if they were still taking down the tented village from the last major event, or putting more up - there was a "Johnny Walker" sign. Had a look up the Kings Course and watched a few teeing off from the 1st.

Into the hotel, had a wee browse through their shpping arcade and then into the restaurant. the place has been changed around since I was last there, but it is very nice, there are cold meat, fish and cheese counters with chefs, etc, who cut your choice up and hand it over to other chefs for cooking. Out of curiosity I had a ribeye steak, which came with three tomatoes and a mushroom , the chips were £4 extra, and not being biased - I honestly think that Claire does a better ribeye in The Mercat Bar, plus trimming, for half the price I was charged. Mrs. b. had a small glass of Rose wine which cost £9.99p - Having said that , the place is a five star hotel and if we could not have afforded it we would not have been there.
From Gleneagles we headed further north heading for Crieff, and en route passed through a small villagge, name of which escapes me at the moment, where there were several stuffed dummies, dressed up along the main street. The one at Sweeney's Garage was good as was the one outside the pub.
Not sure what to make of Crieff today , being Wednesday many of the shops were closed half day, but there was the Stuarts Crystal and a few other places to go. We had tea, with scones, jam and cream then had the cheek to buy some mixed bags of sweeties.
Off we went and past "The Grouse Experience" which was previously Glenturret Distillery, one of the smallest in Scotland, but it has been bought over - along through St. Fillans, along the side of Loch Earn to Lochearnhead before turning south and stopping at Callander in the heart of the Trossachs . William Wordsworth the poet visited the area in 1803, and in 1810 Sir Walter Scott wrote his poem " The lady ofthe Lake" about the area , with a part description !" Each purple peak, each flinty spire was bathed in floods of living fire" describing the rugged mountains and cliffs for which the area is famous , with Loch Katrine, and The lake of Menteith, sitting on either side of Aberfoyle.
Callander and the surrounding area was the stomping grounds of Rob Roy McGregor a famous outlaw, and by the looks of things he has plenty of relatives still carrying on the tradition !! - shop was charging £2.15 p for an small ice cream cone , and the local council had pay and display machines on every possible parking area. Looks like the tourists are funding everything.
Our car park was next to an archeological site known as the "Tom Na Kssaig - Hill of St Kessog" , St Kessog was a follower of St Columbus who preached in the area in the sixth century.
Eventually off again, (still in bright sunshine) eastwards, past Blairdrummond Safari Park, where there were crowds at the gate waiting on buses for Stirling, then past the Deanston Distillery, now part of Scottish Leader Whisky, before getting onto the M90 motorway and heading south back to Edinburgh.
I stopped off at PC World and eventually bought a new DELL lap top to replace the old one as my promised replacement has never arrived.
So home, a round trip of about 180 miles, and now to bed - photos later.