It was pointed out to me that the email subscribe function was not working. Indeed it was not, and cannot have worked for well over a year.
Should all be fixed now, so hoping to see lots of subscriptions to the mail list now.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Another day logging
Another Saturday morning with the chain saw cutting up logs, with Rosemary stacking them in the shed. Think the blade has gone blunt again, so gave up for lunch time. Next week will have to get the blade sharpened again.
Wood for next year’s fires!
Decided to cut down 4 willow trees. Despite all having been cut down before, they had now grown to a rather large size. Out with the chain saw, started first time and away we went cutting. Alas after several minutes not much impression. Blunt saw.
Sent Rosemary off to Longmoor’s to have it sharpened. She came back suitably chastened after being told that it had not been serviced, the oil was not lubricating the chain and the chain was too tight. Soon was cutting again, like the proverbial hot knife through butter.
Managed to cut down all the trees and started logging some of them.
Another wet and horrible day
Working from home to day, the weather is absolutely crap. The Blasdale field is flooded, the poor sheep are wearing (Wellington) boots today.
Alice Cooper
On Saturday Selina, Graham and I went to Wembly Arena to see the headline act Alice Cooper. It started promptly at 7.00 with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. New York band. I have never heard of them, they did a reasonable 45 minute set. I was a little worried about the quietness of the gig. At the back of the standing area you could actually order beer and hot dogs without having to shout.
I need not have worried, when Motorhead started at 8.00 It was like your whole body was picked up and shaken with every drum beat. The sound resonated through your skull shaking your brain. Wow it was fantastic.
Next it was Alice. What a show, definitely a grotesque rock opera, with infanticide, beaten abused women, blood spaying out of cut arteries and the hangman’s noose at the end.
The mix of people at the show was fabulous. From the young to the aging rock aficionado like myself. I was down near the front, 4 rows back slightly left of center. The crowds at these events are getting very civilized, no crowd surfing and no mosh pit. One guy started to push and shove. He was soon picked on by security and stopped.
Even all the people selling rip off T shirts outside the event had somehow been banned. Ah well I have a new expensive kosher T shirt, so I can feel smug.
Next morning, the ringing in the ears. Believe Graham had a head ache from the brain being knocked around by the sound.
Scotland and the Mai Thai
Well I finished the week in Chicago, and arrived back on Saturday. Looks like I won’t be back for the conversion weekend. That day was delayed and now coincides with my holiday.
Had a week in the office doing some support for the Polish, since then £ signs always seem to display as some other odd character on my PC. Must look at my keyboard mappings. After a nice week going home every day I felt rather spoilt.
Weekend at home, meal with John, Carol, Anne and Chris (& their two dogs). All stayed over night.
Monday back up to Edinburgh for a final bit of development. The Mai Thai restaurant was closed, the chef was taking a four week break back to Thailand. So I went elsewhere to eat, the Siam Thani on Broughton Street. I am afraid it was no cheaper, and the food was not nearly as nice as Mai Thai.
Ate one meal at the Petit Paris. Have not eaten in the Grass Market one for a long time. The waiter commented on not seeing me for such along time. Had a nice meal of duck and lentil casserole.
Met Ed and Jo for a curry at Zest.
The past week the weather has been pretty good. Sunny, but was quite cold in the evening.
Edinburgh Festival about to start
This week is the Jazz Festival, and the most wonderful day in recent history. Sunshine all day, though a little cold. The Easyjet flight left almost on time, and now I am pre-checking in on the Internet and the zero security queues at Luton, I get an extra 30 minutes in bed at home.
Lovely meal at the Mai-Thai.
TOM YUM GOONG
Hot and sour soup of prawns flavoured with lemon grass, kaffir lime and chilli
YUM NEUA
Char-grilled sliced sirloin steak dressed with chilli, cucumber, Thai celery, tomato and red onion
Sunshine at last
The weekend, the sun shone at home. OK rained Saturday night, but Sunday was lovely. Was able to catch up on the grass mowing. Looking at the way the willows have grown this Summer there should be plenty of fuel for the Winter.
Did manage to get some of the galleries updated onto the web.
Cambridge Visit to the Docklands
There is still our Cornish and French holiday along with some photographs of the family from the sad occasion of the funeral of Jean Blasdale. They should be available in the next few weeks.
Paris on Saturday
We started the day a little later than normal after an excellent breakfast in the Radisson.
Out on the metro, changed onto the line which takes us into the Latin zone. First stop was a visit on the Pantheon. This is where the great people of France are entombed. We visited the tombs of Voltaire, the Curies and Victor Hugo and a few other famous authors. At 11.00 we took the tour on to the roof. This allowed us to take pictures from a height inside the building, and to take pictures of Paris from just below the dome of the Pantheon.
Next it was of to see the Notre Dame cathedral, stopping on the way for a coffee. In front of the cathedral was a Fête du Pain; just what we needed. We bought an Artisan Pain to go with the remains of yesterday’s Camembert. Trekked around the inside of the Notre Dame, looking at the Rose windows.
Orsay was next on the agenda. This building is an old railway station converted into an art gallery. Some very fine clocks adorn it. The building is definitely worth looking at, as are some of the pictures. Large collections of Monet, Manet, Mondrian. As usual in a Paris museum you were allowed to take photographs.
The evening was spent visiting the erotic museum. This contained examples of erotica from many ancient cultures. Afterwards we had a rather poor meal at a Creole restaurant nearby.
Back in Edinburgh
I see my last blog entry was a month ago. We have been doing quite a few things this month. A visit to Cardiff for a long weekend and a trip around the London Docklands area with the Cambridge Society. Alas I delegated these write ups to Rosemary who has failed to come up with the goods.
I am back in Edinburgh for a short trip. Excellent flight up here, we left early and arrived in Edinburgh early. The flight was full so I can claim it was a Green Flight, Mr Blair. Lovely and sunny here, but how cold. Cold East wind blowing all day.
At out at the Mussel and Steak, and had yet again a wonderful Rib Eye Steak, hung for three weeks, and served rare. They do know what rare is, lovely.
Well that’s it, must get off to work now. Should be here this year for at least four more months. So looking forward to the next festival. Maybe I can persuade Rosemary to come up here again.