It occurred to me today that perhaps Ming's Leadership didn't last as it broke the sequence of Scot, non Scot Leaders we have had back as far as 1935. The list is as follows:
Archibald Sinclair - Scot
Clement Davies - non Scot
Jo Grimond - Scot
Jeremy Thorpe - non Scot
David Steel - Scot
Paddy Ashdown - non Scot
Charles Kennedy - Scot
Menzies Campbell - Scot
perhaps if the last Leadership campaign had lasted a couple of weeks more Chris Huhne would now be Leader and the sequence and fates would be appeased! No comments suggesting that there have been too many Scottish leaders and apologies to former SDP members for omitting their leaders from the list.
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Elections bleeding elections
By the end of the year I'll have taken participated in Local Government elections, Scottish Parliament elections (Constituency & Regional list), 3 internal Scottish Party elections, European list selection and Leadership election. At least Broon bottled it so that wasn't yet one more. All this democracy takes it out of you after a while!
Ming's resignation
Here's what I posted on LibDem Voice at 4.29pm yesterday:
"I don’t think Lady Elspeth will let him stand down.
Seriously though, I’ve got really mixed feelings on this one. I didn’t vote for him, actually that’s not true, I gave him my 3rd preference primaraly becuase I was furious that all of our Scottish MP’s (excepting Charles of course) came out en-masse as Ming supporters. I strongly believe that it’s wrong for MPs to try and bounce the membership like that. Also believed that the candidate I was supporting was a much better choice for the job. Ming was brilliant at Foreign Affairs and should have stayed there.
However, he was elected, and if I can put up with that our MPs must also put up with it, ceasing their off-the-record briefings to the media and ill chosen words in public. Were Ming to voluntarily choose to stand down then I would feel that he had made a principled decision and would support that choice."
Never for a moment did I think it would come true just so soon! In the end Ming went quickly and with the typical dignity which he always displays. I trust that whoever succeeds him will have the wisdom to talk him into returning to the Foreign affairs brief in which he has always excelled.
"I don’t think Lady Elspeth will let him stand down.
Seriously though, I’ve got really mixed feelings on this one. I didn’t vote for him, actually that’s not true, I gave him my 3rd preference primaraly becuase I was furious that all of our Scottish MP’s (excepting Charles of course) came out en-masse as Ming supporters. I strongly believe that it’s wrong for MPs to try and bounce the membership like that. Also believed that the candidate I was supporting was a much better choice for the job. Ming was brilliant at Foreign Affairs and should have stayed there.
However, he was elected, and if I can put up with that our MPs must also put up with it, ceasing their off-the-record briefings to the media and ill chosen words in public. Were Ming to voluntarily choose to stand down then I would feel that he had made a principled decision and would support that choice."
Never for a moment did I think it would come true just so soon! In the end Ming went quickly and with the typical dignity which he always displays. I trust that whoever succeeds him will have the wisdom to talk him into returning to the Foreign affairs brief in which he has always excelled.
Friday, 12 October 2007
Kelvin MacKenzie's like the barber's cat - full of piss & wind
I'm absolutely outraged at Kelvin MacKenzie's anti-Scottish diatribe on question time last night and feel the BBC should issue a public apology for his nonsense.
He claimed: "Scotland believes not in entrepreneurialism like London and the South east."
Adding: "The reality is that the Scots enjoy spending it, they don't enjoy creating it which is the opposite of down south."
What a stupid buffoon! He's obviously never heard of Ann Gloag, Tom Farmer, David Murray, Tom Hunter or even Andrew Carnegie. never mind the thousands of other Scots involved in running successful businesses. Perhaps he should check his facts before spouting a load of ignorant balderdash.
He claimed: "Scotland believes not in entrepreneurialism like London and the South east."
Adding: "The reality is that the Scots enjoy spending it, they don't enjoy creating it which is the opposite of down south."
What a stupid buffoon! He's obviously never heard of Ann Gloag, Tom Farmer, David Murray, Tom Hunter or even Andrew Carnegie. never mind the thousands of other Scots involved in running successful businesses. Perhaps he should check his facts before spouting a load of ignorant balderdash.
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Lamassoure-Severin report might bode ill for Scotland
The European Parliament voted in Plenary Session today adopting the Lamassoure-Severin report on future numbers of MEPs for EU member states. This will mean that the number of UK MEPs will fall from the current 78 to 73, which has worrying implications for the number of Scottish MEPs. We currently have 7, including my employer Elspeth Attwooll. It is possible, depending on the PM, that this will fall to 6.
If our numbers reduce to 6 then, in my opinion, will give the Gnats an open goal against the Federal & Unionist parties in Scotland. Why? Well Malta (Pop. 400k), Luxembourg (Pop. 460k), Cyprus (Pop. 766k) & Estonia (Pop. 1.3m) will all also have 6 MEPs. In addition; Slovenia (Pop. 2m) will have 8, Lativia (Pop. 2.3m) 9, Lithuania (Pop. 3.4m) 12 and Eire (Pop. 4.2m) will also have 12. The Gnats will surely argue that Scotland, with a population of just under 5m, would be confident of having, at least 12 MEPs if we were "Independent in Europe". They will then use this as a club to beat us Lib Dems, New Labour and the Tories for opposing their loony tunes plans to have the UK broken up. Worrying. However there are quite a few stumbling blocks before this happens so there may be a ray or two of sunshine for us yet.
Budapest for Catherine's birthday
Hah! at last a jaunt out of the UK this year!
Catherine celebrates her birthday on the 10th of December so we have booked a weekend city break in Budapest, a city neither of has visited before, from the 8th to the 11th of December.
We are both looking forward to exploring the city. I've already got the Military Museum, roman remains and Parliament building on my to do list as well as sampling some of the local wines and spirits. Catherine's eyes lit up at the thought of the Christmas market and the possibility of snow on the ground - romantic says she. Cold says me.
Interestingly enough the city has one of the longest serving Liberal Mayors anywhere in Europe.
Gabor Demszky of the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) was first elected in 1990 and has remained undeafeted at 4 subsequent elections, with his current term due to end in 2010.
Catherine celebrates her birthday on the 10th of December so we have booked a weekend city break in Budapest, a city neither of has visited before, from the 8th to the 11th of December.
We are both looking forward to exploring the city. I've already got the Military Museum, roman remains and Parliament building on my to do list as well as sampling some of the local wines and spirits. Catherine's eyes lit up at the thought of the Christmas market and the possibility of snow on the ground - romantic says she. Cold says me.
Interestingly enough the city has one of the longest serving Liberal Mayors anywhere in Europe.
Gabor Demszky of the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) was first elected in 1990 and has remained undeafeted at 4 subsequent elections, with his current term due to end in 2010.
Now I know why the chicken crossed the road!
From BBC Scotland's website today (a very eggciting story):
Chicken lorry crash causes chaos
"Much of central Scotland was brought to a standstill after a lorry containing 3,000 chickens crashed on the A80, resulting in birds running loose.
The lorry jack-knifed on the southbound carriageway, near Haggs, at 0430 BST, leaving the 45-year-old driver with serious back injuries.
Chicken lorry crash causes chaos
"Much of central Scotland was brought to a standstill after a lorry containing 3,000 chickens crashed on the A80, resulting in birds running loose.
The lorry jack-knifed on the southbound carriageway, near Haggs, at 0430 BST, leaving the 45-year-old driver with serious back injuries.
On and off ramps were shut causing huge tailbacks across the Forth Valley.
About 400 birds died and the rest have now been caught. It is hoped the M80 and M876 will reopen at about 1300 BST.
Drivers were asked to use an alternative route via the B816 through Bonnybridge/Allandale and rejoining the A80 at Castlecary.
Ch Insp Donald McMillan said: "Around 3,000 chickens were being carried and were shed on to the road."We are working with various organisations to have the road reopened as quickly as possible."
The road closure caused widespread disruption for motorists travelling to Perth, Stirling, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with severe tailbacks on the M9 northbound Kinnaird to Pirnhall route.
Vets were at the scene, along with a specialist team from Noble Foods in Glenrothes which was helping to catch the birds. It is understood the birds will be taken to the company's hen processing plant in Gainsborough.
Motorist Tony Collins, from Cumbernauld, said: "There are boxes all over the carriageway and there were still a few chickens running around the embankment."
The Scottish SPCA said it was concerned for the welfare of the chickens.
Spokeswoman Doreen Graham said many of them could be in shock and may die.
Central Scotland Police appealed to motorists on the north bound carriageway not to slow down to watch the recovery operation and to refrain from taking photographs while driving.
The police added that they would like to remind drivers that using a mobile phone while driving is illegal. "
I really should not laugh especially because of the poor chooks and delayed drivers but somehow there is something really, really amusing about this story. Was fowl play involved?
The photograph above is BBC Copyright as is the text of the article.
Scunnered with postal strikes
The news this morning that there have been wildcat strikes by posties in London & Liverpool makes me want to bang the heads of both sides together and shout at them that they are destroying a once great institution.
I appreciate that the CWU and their members have a genuine grievance with Adam Crozier and his fellow managers but, quite frankly, continued strikes and especially these wildcat actions are losing them a lot of support with the long suffering postless public. time for the Government to get involved and get this resolved.
Some years ago when I worked at BT as a specialist International Directory Inquiry Operator I was a member of the CWU. However, when BT stated closing call centres all across the UK, the CWU was as much use to it's members as a chocolate teapot and did absolutely nothing to save my job or the 117 other jobs at the UK's specialist International team.
P.S.For non Scots readers: "Scunnered" means absolutely fed up with something.
I appreciate that the CWU and their members have a genuine grievance with Adam Crozier and his fellow managers but, quite frankly, continued strikes and especially these wildcat actions are losing them a lot of support with the long suffering postless public. time for the Government to get involved and get this resolved.
Some years ago when I worked at BT as a specialist International Directory Inquiry Operator I was a member of the CWU. However, when BT stated closing call centres all across the UK, the CWU was as much use to it's members as a chocolate teapot and did absolutely nothing to save my job or the 117 other jobs at the UK's specialist International team.
P.S.For non Scots readers: "Scunnered" means absolutely fed up with something.
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
Barbados here we come
In October 2008 Catherine has a Soroptimist Conference in Barbados for 3 days. Well after some humming and hawing, by me, because of length of flight, we decided to have a decent length of holiday so we booked up for 11 nights in the 4 star Amaryllis Beach Resort (pictured) and upgraded to a superior ocean view room.
We've been saving our Tesco clubcard vouchers as they get exchanged at a rate of £1 of clubcard vouchers to £4 of Virgin holiday vouchers. In the end we got about £600 off our holiday - not bad for just doing our everyday shopping!
To say that I'm really loking forward to the holiday would be a slight understatement.
Back in the swing of things
I'm delighted to report that I started back at work, full time, a week past Monday. It's been a longer recovery than I had expected but am delighted that I'm back. I'm also back into my full range of party activities and thoroughly enjoyed our Scottish Lib Dem Autumn Conference on Saturday.
I am however somewhat relieved that Broon did "bottle it" as I didn't much fancy a second election campaign in one year - too bleeding tiring! Wouldn't mind betting that the next GE will be the same day as the European Parliament Elections on the 1st Thursday in June 2009.
I am however somewhat relieved that Broon did "bottle it" as I didn't much fancy a second election campaign in one year - too bleeding tiring! Wouldn't mind betting that the next GE will be the same day as the European Parliament Elections on the 1st Thursday in June 2009.
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
How do you pronounce the Polish word Rzeczpospolita?
I'm currently researching a Polish army from the period 1576-1631, which is known at the Rzeczpospolita, or "Commonwealth" in English. The idea is that I shall construct a wargames army of this ilk. however I feel that it would be a tad embarassing to have an army the name of which I can't pronounce, so would welcome pronunciation from any Polish speakers out there. Ta.
Monday, 20 August 2007
In memory of John Rubie Dale 1925 - 2007
This post is to celebrate the life of my Dad, John Rubie Dale, who died at 00.45 hours on Saturday the 18th of August 2007.
Haven't been up to posting before now for obvious reasons.
Dad was born on the 23rd of March 1925 and was one of 5 brothers, one of whom died at around the age of five. Those who survived to adulthood were (in age order) Archibald, John (Dad), William & Robin - Uncles Archie (84) and Robin (66) are still living.
On leaving school at the age of 14 he, after several jobs, was apprenticed as a slater & roughcaster, to the Rubie firm, which he was related to. This apprenticeship was interrupted by the second world war. A pragmatic man he eschewed the opportunity to join the commandos and subsequently "accidentaly" managed to fail his training course to become a rear gunner on the North sea bi-planes (life expectancy of 6 weeks). Eventually he settled in as an armourer on aircraft carriers of the Fleet Air Arm, serving in th Med and Far East. He always warned Billy and I to avoid the Isle of Man, just in case we met anyone who looks like us!
In 1946 he joined Scottish Masonic lodge number 149 - Irvine St Andrew's (which iconic Scottish poet Rabbie Burns attended during his period in Irvine, although well before Dad's time) and remained an active member for some 60 years
A year later he met the love of his life, Marion Lockhart (Mum) and married her in 1948. Mum and Dad had many happy years together but these were cut short by my Mum's early death on the 1st of April 1989.
John and Marion had two Sons - Billy, my Brother, was born in January 1950 and after, as Dad quipped "eleven years of going on to Glasgow rather than getting off at Paisley"I appeared in August 1961.
Dad worked consistantly at his Trade until 1972 when he decided that our family would be better off if he set up for himself. He ran his own sole trader business for almost 30 years and was a tradesman of high reputation which, according to impartial winesses, was well deserved.
In the last few years he suffered a stroke which caused Dementia. This led to him being hospitalised some 23 months ago then going to a Nursing home 16 months ago. As noted above he died on the 18th of August 2007. Cause of death was bronchial pneumonia.
There is so much more that I would like to say about Dad but shall leave to future posts. I will however, with many others, celebrate his life on Thursday at the Funeral Parlour, Cemetary and Purvey.
Goodbye Dad.
Haven't been up to posting before now for obvious reasons.
Dad was born on the 23rd of March 1925 and was one of 5 brothers, one of whom died at around the age of five. Those who survived to adulthood were (in age order) Archibald, John (Dad), William & Robin - Uncles Archie (84) and Robin (66) are still living.
On leaving school at the age of 14 he, after several jobs, was apprenticed as a slater & roughcaster, to the Rubie firm, which he was related to. This apprenticeship was interrupted by the second world war. A pragmatic man he eschewed the opportunity to join the commandos and subsequently "accidentaly" managed to fail his training course to become a rear gunner on the North sea bi-planes (life expectancy of 6 weeks). Eventually he settled in as an armourer on aircraft carriers of the Fleet Air Arm, serving in th Med and Far East. He always warned Billy and I to avoid the Isle of Man, just in case we met anyone who looks like us!
In 1946 he joined Scottish Masonic lodge number 149 - Irvine St Andrew's (which iconic Scottish poet Rabbie Burns attended during his period in Irvine, although well before Dad's time) and remained an active member for some 60 years
A year later he met the love of his life, Marion Lockhart (Mum) and married her in 1948. Mum and Dad had many happy years together but these were cut short by my Mum's early death on the 1st of April 1989.
John and Marion had two Sons - Billy, my Brother, was born in January 1950 and after, as Dad quipped "eleven years of going on to Glasgow rather than getting off at Paisley"I appeared in August 1961.
Dad worked consistantly at his Trade until 1972 when he decided that our family would be better off if he set up for himself. He ran his own sole trader business for almost 30 years and was a tradesman of high reputation which, according to impartial winesses, was well deserved.
In the last few years he suffered a stroke which caused Dementia. This led to him being hospitalised some 23 months ago then going to a Nursing home 16 months ago. As noted above he died on the 18th of August 2007. Cause of death was bronchial pneumonia.
There is so much more that I would like to say about Dad but shall leave to future posts. I will however, with many others, celebrate his life on Thursday at the Funeral Parlour, Cemetary and Purvey.
Goodbye Dad.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Welcome to the world Magnus Charles Dundas
For the fouth time this year I delight in welcoming another wee one into this world.
Magnus Charles Dundas came into the world at 11.35pm on Wednesday the 25th of July.
My congratulations, and love, go to Mum Siobhan and Dad Charles. Hope to see you three soon.
Magnus Charles Dundas came into the world at 11.35pm on Wednesday the 25th of July.
My congratulations, and love, go to Mum Siobhan and Dad Charles. Hope to see you three soon.
Sunday, 17 June 2007
Liberal Party - 1977 centenary medal - info please
Around 15 months ago I purchased a piece of Liberal Party history on eBay, which is a Liberal Party centenary medal (stamped no. 32 of 500). Photos of the medal (badly taken by me) are shown above.
I would greatly appreciate some information about this item & would be really interested to hear from other others who are custodians of other medals such as this. Thanks.
Friday, 15 June 2007
Felicity
There's a young lady who lives across the street from me and she has designs on me!
Nothing untoward in that and Catherine should have limited worries as Felicity, as I've named her, is a smashing wee ginger and white moggy.
Two problems:
1. Catherine ain't keen on cats.
2. I'll be moving to Kinross-Shire within the next 12-18 months to set up shop with Catherine.
My dilemma: I really love cats and this wee lady is a beezer - she doesn't bother too much with the tidbits which I give her and goes into heavy purr mode by just kicking around the house with me. The folk who she already owns have, at least, one other cat and three weans.
Therefore I need assistance with the following questions:
i. If I let Felicity "own" me will I be causing hurt to the family already "owned" by her?
ii. Will Catherine accept her when they are both in the house or will there be a cat-fight (worst pun on this blog - ever!)
iii. What happens to my relationship with Felicity when I move to Kinross-Shire?
Answers on a postcard please.
Please support Cats Protection.
More info at: http://www.cats.org.uk/
Nothing untoward in that and Catherine should have limited worries as Felicity, as I've named her, is a smashing wee ginger and white moggy.
Two problems:
1. Catherine ain't keen on cats.
2. I'll be moving to Kinross-Shire within the next 12-18 months to set up shop with Catherine.
My dilemma: I really love cats and this wee lady is a beezer - she doesn't bother too much with the tidbits which I give her and goes into heavy purr mode by just kicking around the house with me. The folk who she already owns have, at least, one other cat and three weans.
Therefore I need assistance with the following questions:
i. If I let Felicity "own" me will I be causing hurt to the family already "owned" by her?
ii. Will Catherine accept her when they are both in the house or will there be a cat-fight (worst pun on this blog - ever!)
iii. What happens to my relationship with Felicity when I move to Kinross-Shire?
Answers on a postcard please.
Please support Cats Protection.
More info at: http://www.cats.org.uk/
I was 16 before discovering that F***ing Tories were two separate words
The 25th "anniversary" of the Falklands war brought back home to me why I loathe, hate and despise the Tories and that auld witch Thatcher in particular. You see, it reminded me of what life was like under them in the early 1980's.
Hearing her voice, almost from beyond the grave, as she gloried in her decision to send hundreds of British service personnel to their needless deaths or wounds in the Falklands sent shudders up my spine and made me recall what life was like under her Premiership.
In 1980 I moved from Irvine to study at Teesside Polytechnic in Middlesborough. At first I behaved as any 19 year old would being away from home and off the leash for the first time. However, after a few months my eyes started to open and I realised what the "Thatcher Revolution" was doing to the area and the other areas of Britain which hadn't supported the Tories in the '79 general Election. If you worked in heavy industry, then tough, your jobs were going. If you lived in poor housing, then tough, the market should sort it out. if you believed in society and helping those around you, then tough as the Government didn't. If you were sick, old or unemployed, then tough because the Government would give you a pittance to survive on. If you believed in peace and nuclear disarmament, then tough, because they were going to spend billions on nuclear weapons and yet pay squaddies a pittance. If you were against us, then tough, as you were the "enemy within" and would be treated as such.
Thatcher and her cronies are the reason why we now have an avaricious, selfish, society in which too many people are only concerned about me, me, me and don't give a damn about their fellow citizens, their communities or our society.
Andrew Marr said on TV the other night that "we are all Thatcher's children". That may well be true but I am proud to be one of the rebellious ones.
Hearing her voice, almost from beyond the grave, as she gloried in her decision to send hundreds of British service personnel to their needless deaths or wounds in the Falklands sent shudders up my spine and made me recall what life was like under her Premiership.
In 1980 I moved from Irvine to study at Teesside Polytechnic in Middlesborough. At first I behaved as any 19 year old would being away from home and off the leash for the first time. However, after a few months my eyes started to open and I realised what the "Thatcher Revolution" was doing to the area and the other areas of Britain which hadn't supported the Tories in the '79 general Election. If you worked in heavy industry, then tough, your jobs were going. If you lived in poor housing, then tough, the market should sort it out. if you believed in society and helping those around you, then tough as the Government didn't. If you were sick, old or unemployed, then tough because the Government would give you a pittance to survive on. If you believed in peace and nuclear disarmament, then tough, because they were going to spend billions on nuclear weapons and yet pay squaddies a pittance. If you were against us, then tough, as you were the "enemy within" and would be treated as such.
Thatcher and her cronies are the reason why we now have an avaricious, selfish, society in which too many people are only concerned about me, me, me and don't give a damn about their fellow citizens, their communities or our society.
Andrew Marr said on TV the other night that "we are all Thatcher's children". That may well be true but I am proud to be one of the rebellious ones.
Yes it was foodie heaven
As intimated in my last post, I attended the Channel 4 organised "Taste of Edinburgh" event at the weekend. Catherine decided it wasn't her idea of a good day out so the party consisted of her Dad, younger Sister and myself.
The entry fee of £25 seemed quite steep but it did include £15 worth of tokens to spend in the restuarants, bars & retail stalls and actually proved to be reasonably good value for money. Some 15 Edinburgh restaurants participated, each of which offered 3 taster dishes from their menus. I won't rant on about the whole panopoly but shall say that it is my intention to visit two particular restuarants in the shortest order. these are Suruchi & Iggys. I just hope that the full experience lives up to the taster menus and ambience they created.
I ended up coming away with Boerwoers sausages, Jordanian lemon infused olive oil, Appleton's 12 year old Jamaican rum, stuffed olives, zait & zaatar*, dolmades and Oleifera rapseed oil. Also ended up slightly tipsy and replete with good grub.
Hopefully this will be an annual event and that the organisers can expand to hold a similar event in Glasgow each year.
*Zait & Zaatar is Arabic for extra virgin oil and thyme mix. 1. Take a piece of bread 2. Dunk the bread in the oil 3. Dip the bread in the zaatar. 4. Enjoy a really wonderful taste sensation!
The Zaatar comprises of thyme leaves, roasted wheat, roasted sesame, roasted coriander, roasted fennel, roasted caraway etc.
The entry fee of £25 seemed quite steep but it did include £15 worth of tokens to spend in the restuarants, bars & retail stalls and actually proved to be reasonably good value for money. Some 15 Edinburgh restaurants participated, each of which offered 3 taster dishes from their menus. I won't rant on about the whole panopoly but shall say that it is my intention to visit two particular restuarants in the shortest order. these are Suruchi & Iggys. I just hope that the full experience lives up to the taster menus and ambience they created.
I ended up coming away with Boerwoers sausages, Jordanian lemon infused olive oil, Appleton's 12 year old Jamaican rum, stuffed olives, zait & zaatar*, dolmades and Oleifera rapseed oil. Also ended up slightly tipsy and replete with good grub.
Hopefully this will be an annual event and that the organisers can expand to hold a similar event in Glasgow each year.
*Zait & Zaatar is Arabic for extra virgin oil and thyme mix. 1. Take a piece of bread 2. Dunk the bread in the oil 3. Dip the bread in the zaatar. 4. Enjoy a really wonderful taste sensation!
The Zaatar comprises of thyme leaves, roasted wheat, roasted sesame, roasted coriander, roasted fennel, roasted caraway etc.
Monday, 4 June 2007
Foodie heaven
I'm through in Perth again this weekend as Catherine has a meeting from 10 o'clock until the back of four - yep, Soroptimists again.
Whilst she's stuck in her meeting her Dad & I are planning to pay a visit to Edinburgh to visit Channel 4's "Taste of Edinburgh" event which is being held in The Meadows from the 7th - 10th of this month.
There are three different entry levels and I'm planning on doing the £25 one which gets you in and also gives you 30 "crowns" to spend on grub and booze. There are 15 "prestigious" chefs creating "signature dishes" for tasting, a beer masterclass, wine tasting, chef demonstrations - including Martin Wishart, live music and 80, count em, 80 specialist food and drink stalls. Truly a heavean for us foodies or pseudo-foodies. Yummy!
www.channel4.com/tastefestivals
Whilst she's stuck in her meeting her Dad & I are planning to pay a visit to Edinburgh to visit Channel 4's "Taste of Edinburgh" event which is being held in The Meadows from the 7th - 10th of this month.
There are three different entry levels and I'm planning on doing the £25 one which gets you in and also gives you 30 "crowns" to spend on grub and booze. There are 15 "prestigious" chefs creating "signature dishes" for tasting, a beer masterclass, wine tasting, chef demonstrations - including Martin Wishart, live music and 80, count em, 80 specialist food and drink stalls. Truly a heavean for us foodies or pseudo-foodies. Yummy!
www.channel4.com/tastefestivals
Soroptimists are off the hook
In a previous post I railed against Catherine's Glasgow Soroptimist Conference depriving me of her active participation in most of my Birthday this year and also meaning we would not be able to get away for our usual early August break.
I'm delighted to be able to recant and inform that either Catherine or her Mum had got the dates wrong. Catherine blames her Mum for this but I have my doubts!
Anyway, it means that I get the pleasure of her company for all of my birthday and we also get 4 days in Dublin, a city neither of us have been to before, which we both eagerly await visiting.
I'm delighted to be able to recant and inform that either Catherine or her Mum had got the dates wrong. Catherine blames her Mum for this but I have my doubts!
Anyway, it means that I get the pleasure of her company for all of my birthday and we also get 4 days in Dublin, a city neither of us have been to before, which we both eagerly await visiting.
Probably also means that I won't get her to buy me dinner at Rogano's to assuage her guilt.
I will have to work out our carbon offset for a return flight from Prestwick (Rabbie Burns International as it should be called - see rants in previous posts!) to Dublin. Any suggestions as to where I can work this out would be appreciated.
I will have to work out our carbon offset for a return flight from Prestwick (Rabbie Burns International as it should be called - see rants in previous posts!) to Dublin. Any suggestions as to where I can work this out would be appreciated.
Bryson at his best
I bought Bill Bryson's "Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" a few days back, which is the story of his childhood in Des Moines. Having enjoyed all of his previous books I thought that it would be a good read. Well I certainly wasn't let down. It's absolutely side-splittingly hilarious and in certain parts had my crying with laughter. Indeed from time to time I had to stop reading it as I was hurting too much from laughing.
It is recently published in paperback by Black Swan and it's RRP is £7.99.
www.billbryson.co.uk
It is recently published in paperback by Black Swan and it's RRP is £7.99.
www.billbryson.co.uk
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