Happy Bunny, something to cheer about at long last

For those who do follow my words you will no doubt be wondering what has been happening, no scribbling for ages !!
However,  today, after seven months the Steed of Steel (K75RT) has returned home, new front forks, brakes, and petrol tank.   I know there are times when the saying “beyond econaomical repair”  means just that,  but there are times when a wee bit faith and expertise overcomes all.  So now, back on the road on the Steed nd RGB can have a go on the 1150 RT at long last.

In the meantime, we have been away on our travels, six of us headed off on the Fred Olsen ship, MV Balmoral, sailed from Rosyth and during following two weeks passed through the Kiel Canal,  to Copenhagen, saw the wee mermaid, the Royal Yacht, And had a good walk about.  next stop the lovely city of Tallin, beautiful, and well worth a visit,    Next stop St Petersburg where the World Vup football was taking place in the new stadium there.   City was heaving with both tourists and football supporters,  too busy and vey hot,  but certainly some stunning buildings to see.   We had to make do with a coach tour on the first day and a trip along the coast of the Gulf of Finland, sea was just a tad nippy for swimming.     Onwards to Stockholm where we visited the ABBA museum, quite an experience and very busy.    next stop Gothenburg (it was raining),   And finally Oslo ( lovely city). Before our final trip back over the North Sea, Force 7 gale did not make for a happy day, spent in bed so a wasted day for most of the passengers and a lot of the crew.
The Ship was excellent, loved every minute of it apart from the Gale,   Food, drink, staff, service,etc, just  the business.  Would have no hesitation in recommending this smaller ship to anyone, hidden bonus, (no children) .   Our group, theee Ann’s, William, Sandra and self,  were kind o9”f notorious, the G&T Brigade, staff knew our room numbers off by heart and the young singers and dancers looked forward to our support during the evening shows. Lots of photos but no idea how to get them into the blog on this I pad,   Not a problem on the other lap top. Cheers

back home and still all go, lots of work to do in the garden, dug up the old decking which was becoming dangerous in the wet, so the area now paved and new trellis fencing erected.   Still at it as we speak, a regular at Beatson,s the builders merchants, and Screwdix ( nice new Titan hammer drill, and several other bits and bobs!!!  Toys for the boys),

Victim of the potholed roads

Well, have written previously about the state of our roads which puts us on a par with many “Third Eorld Countries”,  and had the privilege of admiring one for several weeks directly opposite my house, and in such a position that there was little chance of missing it when parking or turning.   Couple of weeks ago it was filled by the local potholing squad.  However, today when I went to MOT my car, and knowing there was an issue with my suspension, CORRECT, broken spring.  Fortunately the Guys at the Edmonstone Garage were able to get replacement springs deliver and fitted within two hours, so happy bunny, car fixed and MOT’d  all in the same morning.

Gin night at the Mercat Grill on Daturday was excellent, several superb Scottish craft gins, a lovely meal, and in all a brilliant night, other than the fact that as designated driver, I did not get to taste any of them!!!   So , a wee arrangement made for a private sampling at a later date.

Seriously jealous that Ian Buchanan, Doug Wright and Steve Bolton are presently in the USA travelling the famous Route 66 from Chicago to New York on Harley’s.   Granted, due to my current health issues I would never have managed it, but I am still envious.

Although Masonic Season is in its quiet period , I missed the Colington and Currie RA Centenary on Saturday as I was out of sorts,  this week. Lauder was on tonight,  St Andrew’s tomorrow and Craigmillar on Thursday.      My proposed Mark Degree on 8 th has been cancelled till a future date.

E&SESLTA had their regular meeting last week,  next meeting will be their AGM on 3rd July at the Queen Charlotte Rooms, Leith .  Where, hopefully a few more of the local membership might attend.

Bit of a bit of a surprise with the weather this year, managed to get all my bedding plants in ten days earlier than usual, and before the 1st June , they are just bouncing out the ground, however , the runner beans which look like the Triffids re being eaten by invisible beasties, just need to wait and see.

Busy time ahead,  just avoiding Facebook, so any news from me will come through the blog.

Bloody EU Regs

Just logged into this blog , first time for a while and straight away a 2arning about the new EU data protection regs.  Like millions of others I have been  inundated over past few weeks with messages from all the companies I have allegedly subscribed to. Just gave me a chance to cancel a few,  time to repeat the exercise already.
Masonic season has calmed down fo4 a few weeks, no more five nights a week and every other weekend for a couple of months.     However with this tremendous spell of lovely weather and light evenings the garden has had a bit of a seeing to, before the normal 1st June deadline.   OK, we might have a bit of fog in the mornings which clears away, but tha isn’t better than the us7al frost which kills off the bedding plants.
managed a few runs on the “Time Machine”. But I st8ll like my own machine, just like an old pair of slippers, so used to it after all these years.    Need to keep my wits about me due to the potholes on the roads, however I have se3n a number of the so called Pothole teams out and about doing a useless job at patching the road.  They are n3a4ly as bad as the lazy so and so,s who sit in their =and watching queues at their health and safety inspired zones around roadworks.

Mercat Grill has been busy as usual and next weekend , 2nd June is the Gin tasting and dinner, I wonder if I will be the designated driver, yet again.

BBC’s attack on Police Scotland

Cannot allow it to pass without comment,   I , obviously did not support the formation of Police Scotland, but our SNP run government were hell bent on the formation. The former Legacy Forces were all doing well apart from Strathclyde which was a law unto itself.
BBC female reporter with big ego, reading a leaked report commissioned by the former chief Stephen House, obviously did have something worth delving into but decided at the end of the programme dto challenge the current Acting Chief Constable Iain Livingston about something which happened seventeen years ago,  not really playing the game, and if he had been a criminal such exposure of events would have not been allowed.   Police have a bad enough job to do, taking a hammering left right and centre , morale at an all time low,   So from me they get nothing but support.

Today,  stuck on the A720 City By Pass due to it being closed under the A702 at the Lothianburn Junction by an accident.   Not a cheep out of our local Radio Station, Radio Forth, Or even BBC Traffic Station,    Radio Forth are too busy trying to generate cash , rather than being the local news station, all the DJ,s need to do is fade the music a bit, read the quickie news and then get on with the show.   And why?  Why? Have the sent a DJ to Orlando to transmit the programme from there,  nearly as bad as ITV in the morning with Andy Peters being paid to promote a quiz for a car and mega bucks from all over the World.  Probably just me being ba humbug as usual.

And while at it,   I did comment some time ago about these blokes who set up traffic lights at roadworks then sit in their van all day twiddling their thumbs,  perfect example now on the A702 at the new roundabout under construction at Mauricewood , by Penicuik.   That is two unproductive wages, cost of a vehicle, etc, every day they are there.  No doubt blamed on the latest Health and Safety Regs foisted upon us by EU Jobsworths.

On a happier note, off to Peebles this evening where their Royal Arch Chapter is celebrating it’s Centenary with the new Supreme First Principle and a team from Supreme carrying out the ceremony.  And as a wee fund raiser, a baked potato night at Tranent on Friday in aid of the Eastern District Order of the Eastern Star.           Cheers.

Blink and summer has just passed - maybe?

What a hellish year we have had ( here in parts of Scotland),  rain, snow, rain, more snow and yet more rain.  Was looking out the window into the rain and my poor bulbs in the garden were sitting in three inches of water. Ground is so sodden that bulbs are rotting.    However, so far, no hurricanes, and nothing we cannot cope with apart from the escalating gas and electric bills -  just how arre some folks expected to manage. Use more energy, bigger profits for the energy companies and their shareholders,  but can we just keep switching left right and centre.

What use a drone?

I was working in the garden during the week and spotted a remote controlled wireless drone hovering not far from my house.  It was obviously fitted with a camera and seemed to be watching all that was going on, and when  I photographed it with camera it shot off .  I had a look around the local park and no sign of operator etc, so called Police Scotland  who have a set of questions for such an incident.  Where it was hovering was above a local primary school at playtime,  peadeo ??  someone watching nearby houses or kids in gardens, who knows,  but certainly an invasion of privacy.    Just gto be on the safe side I spoke to the school staff who were certainly concerned.

Yesterday, heading south on the A1 at the Cement works , Dunbar, spotted another drone hovering over the main road.  Why ?   

Wedding day for Claire and Darren at the Three Kings

Obviously been out and about this last week, between Star, Masons and Royal Arch, and things not helped by snow and even more snow.
However, Mrs B and myself made it through to a wedding venue, called The Three Kings at Shieldhill, near  Falkirk.   Mkind you,  when we arrived the car park was deep with snow and the owner had to call in a tractor to clear the place,  so we had piles of snow for a snowball ficht after the wedding !!!    Lovely service and reception, only down side was that there was no non alcoholic lager in the bar,  just booze and lots of fizzy drinks.  \I had to make do with cups of tea and water, being the designated driver (again).  The happy couple, Darren and Claire had a great day, certainly helped by the maddest minister I have ever come across, he was excellent and certainly had all the guests singing their hearts out.   So to the two of them, have a wonderful time,