Author: Zogman

Out on the town – 12 March 2025

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Just Alex and I, out for a photo walk.

We met at the Buchanan Bus Station as normal and went for a coffee in Nero. We must have sat talking about last week for over an hour. Certainly long enough for Alex’s coffee to get cold, but he didn’t want another one. Once I’d unburdened myself and answered his questions, we walked down a sunny Buchanan Street and zig-zagged down to Argyle Street where Alex wanted to get a new set of strings for his guitar.

On the way I got a photo of two old (ish) ladies, one-finger typing into their phones. I know I should be careful with the ‘Old’ word, I’m in the male category of that age group now too! Anyway, when I got home I was pleased to see the photos had turned out well and one of them became PoD. Photographing strangers is a photo technique I’ve learned from Alex. It can be a really interesting way to use a camera … as long as you don’t get caught.

Getting back to the Photo Walk, we walked back along Argyle Street and crossed over to head for Paesano, the only pizza shop Alex would go to. Pizzas were lovely as usual and another hour had passed in catching up chat. I suggested we have a day away in Dundee some time and get some photos of the V&A. Alex agreed that it might be good in the warmer weather, when the days were longer. I’m not sure he’s completely sold on the idea.

When we’d been talking in Nero, Alex had mentioned he fancied a walk up Sauchiehall Street, just to see how the renovations were going. However, we’d gone down Buchanan Street instead. He said it was probably muscle memory, because we ofter walk down that hill to go to St Enoch’s. Whatever the reason, we went for that walk up Sauchiehall Street then. I wanted to look for a book I’d seen advertised on the ‘net, but wasn’t due to hit the shelves until tomorrow. While Alex went for a wander round the books, I found the book I was looking for “Paperboy”. Out a day early. I used the book token Scamp had given me back in January to buy it. Thank you Scamp.

Another coffee and a long blether later we were ready to hit the road back to the bus station when Alex noticed that the time was fast approaching 5pm.

We said our goodbyes and went to our buses. I just got on mine and almost got to my seat when the bus reversed out of the stance. Perfect timing.

That was a good day. PoD was the shot of the two ladies struggling with the technological challenge of mobile phones.

Tomorrow we are meeting the Celebrant to finalise the remaining details for next week. Hopefully the meeting will go well.

 

A walk in the park – 11 March 2025

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The furthest we went today was a walk to the shops.

Another bright sunny day to start with, then the sun disappeared for a while and it looked like it would rain. However, the rain didn’t arrive and the sun shone again. All the time the cold north wind was chilling us. That was the end of the weather forecast.

We did go for a walk to the shops looking for something for dinner. Actually, we’d already agreed on fish risotto for dinner it was just the need for some spinach, blueberries and creme fraiche that brought us out of the house and down to the shops.

Halfway home, as is usual now, I went for a walk round the pond while Scamp took the messages home. Not a lot to report on the wildfowl though. A few Tufted Ducks and the usual hoards of Mallards. There had been a few Canada Geese last week, but they had just been passing the time on their way north again. Even the frogs and toads had left. I found some Coltsfoot Daisies, but none of the images were worth keeping. In the morning I photographed a vase of cut flowers backlit with the sunlight streaming in the window. That nearly got PoD, but was pipped at the post by a photo of a Horse Chestnut bud just about ready to burst free from the sticky scales that protect them from insect attack.

The Fish Risotto was a bit of a disappointment, I felt. Too much full fat milk in the mix, I think. It was still edible, but not as good as I’d have liked.

That was about it for the day, except Scamp has booked us for a run down south later in the year.  Let’s hope LNER are better resourced than they were at Christmas.

Tomorrow I’m hoping to meet Alex for the first photo walk in ages. No idea where we’ll go.

A fairly lazy morning – 10 March 2025

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A lazy morning for me at least, but Scamp was determined to get the washing done and hung up on the line outside to make the most of the gusty wind that was blowing in from the east.

My morning task was to clean up all the twenty five photos we’d selected for next week’s slide show. I did that, then checked it with Scamp before sening a copy of the photos to Jackie for her comments. Both ladies seemed satisfied with the images.

After lunch we drove over to Falkirk to meet Andrew, the money man. As usual, he was a lot more upbeat than any of the TV reporters and had the graphs and figures to back him up.

From there we drove to Klondyke Garden Centre, still hoping to get a pair of shoes for next week, but found nothing suitable. Lots of flat shoes and even some with Velcro straps, but none with the required heels. We actually had a decent lunch at Klondyke.

On the way home we stopped at the funeral office for Scamp to drop off some clothes for June to wear next week. Shona had been as good as her word and had chosen some things she thought her mum would like.

Back home I gave Scamp some space while I went for a walk in St Mo’s. That’s where today’s PoD came from. I think it’s a sycamore seed that has germinated down in the leaf litter. It looks as if something has chewed it already, but they are strong little plants and can look after themselves.

Dinner was a bowl of Slimmers World soup each. Quite appropriate because it was June who gave us the recipe.

No real plans for tomorrow. Nothing either of us have to do, touch wood!

A day in the garden – 9 March 2025

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A dull, misty start to a day that was supposed to have sunshine from Morning to Night. It did eventually get itself in gear and let the sun shine in.

Scamp was busy today in the garden and I was enlisted to prune the Schoolgirl rose at the front door and also to cut back Alec’s Red the rose that has grown in almost every house we’ve lived in. Scamp is wary of pruning it for fear of going too far. To be honest, so am I. It’s a very elderly rose now and the flowers are great heavy blooms, but every spring I tend to err on the side of safety and although I know it will be better for the plant if I cut it back severely, I’m always wary. So it was today, although it did get a good haircut.

Scamp spent a lot of time, teasing out weeds from her array of plant pots, while all the time looking for fresh growth from the perennial plants. She did find a few, then she brought her garden table into the kitchen and did some potting up of a collection of some little plug plants. Tiny little things in conical tubes about the same diameter as a 10p. They seem to be making good growth. Finally I lifted my latest bargain, an orchid in a glass jar. It was looking a bit sorry for itself and I soon saw why. Although it looked very pretty, and I’d been watering it once every two weeks, the actual plant was in a tiny little plastic tub and was as dry as a bone. It’s now been watered properly and I’ve removed all the damp compost and allowed it to dry out a bit. I might remove the plant from its plastic prison and allow it spread its roots into the compost.

By the time we had both completed our tasks for the day, Scamp decided it was coffee time and I reckoned it was time to go for a walk over to St Mo’s. Thought I saw the white tail of a deer when I was over in the woods, but it disappeared too quickly for me to be sure. I did see a host of frogs, or were they toads? I’m never sure about them, and it was one of those shots that made PoD.

Spoke to Jamie and gave him a better explanation of the last week, now that the fog of confusion is lifting. Heard about his latest purchase, an Apple iPhone 16 no less. He seems to be happier with it than I am at present. I hope he gets good use from it.

Tomorrow we’re hoping to see the money man in Falkirk.

Good Friends – 8 March 2025

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Crawford & Nancy came visiting today.

Just after the early hour of 10.15am! We’re not used to such early rises, but they did bring cakes!

They were doing what all good friends do, they were showing support. We sat and talked about June, Paul, Shona and Ian. We listened to the antics of their grandkids and made all the right noises. We complained about all our aches and pains and what we could do about them. It was a strange morning, but a welcome one too. Living life in the ’New Normal’. Later in the morning we got a message from Hazy. Asking after Scamp and just making contact. It really is good to have the support of family and friends. Sometimes we just take them for granted and we shouldn’t.

We are still in the Shoe Hunt, so in the afternoon we drove in to Stirling for a change of scenery and also to see if any of the shoe would fit the dainty feet of the princess. They didn’t. We went back to Waitrose where we’d parked and took a basket rather than a trolley. It seemed a logical way to get the shopping we needed without getting too much. It worked, except we still got more than we’d intended and I felt my arms were getting longer with every jar or bottle we put in the basket!

PoD was a photo of a ‘Ghost Sign’ we saw in Stirling. A ghost sign is usually an advertising sign above a shop or building that has been badly damaged by wind and weather. We saw this one over a shop in Stirling. When did you last see a three digit phone number?

We drove home and received an email from Paul with more information about the funeral. We agreed to meet him at his house. He had done a fair bit of work during the week. So far:

  • We now have a date and time to meet the Celebrant.
  • We have the codes for the streaming of the funeral.
  • There have been a lot of problems with getting the death certificate as I outlined a couple of days ago, but it should be in Paul’s hands on Monday or Tuesday.
  • Scamp and Jackie have agreed a tea for after the funeral.
  • The Docherty family are providing the flowers.
  • Music for the Entrance, Reflection and Exit from Daldowie are almost complete.
  • The photos have almost all been scanned, or assembled.

All in all, we are in a better place than we were a few days ago.

No plans for tomorrow yet.

Shopping for shoes – 7 March 2025

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Scamp decided she needed new shoes.

Not the “Strappy, Cappy low shoes” that Frida Wolfe wrote about in her poem, but black shoes with a heel. Except, either the shoes weren’t high enough or they were too high or worst of all, she couldn’t find any in her size. I told her she just needed to get bigger feet, but that was met with a cold stare.

Eventually she gave up and we went for a lunch, a scone each with a weak coffee in JL. She then went looking at the dresses in JL while I perused the ‘toy shop’. That means, the pre-loved tech stuff. What other people call ‘second hand’ without finding anything I couldn’t live without.

I did find an opportunity to grab a photo or two in Buchanan Galleries. A dangerous game to play as the guards delight in telling you “You can’t take photos here.” To which I will one day reply: “Too late mate I’ve taken it and uploaded it to the World Wide Web. It will be winging its way across the Interweb as we speak and your face will be on every billboard in the world.” I didn’t, of course, but it would have been good to say “Where is the notice that says I can’t?” There are no notices.
A mono photo of a wee man sitting in the hall became PoD. His head and his hat will be “winging its way …” you get the gist!

I took some photos of crocuses in the garden, but the wee man won the day.

That was about it for today. It almost felt like a ’normal’ day for a while.

Tomorrow we are expecting visitors in the morning.

A walk in the park – 6 March 2025

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We woke to a misty, almost foggy day.

Jackie was travelling up to Skye on the morning bus. We waved her off as she got in the taxi that would take her to Glasgow on the first leg of the journey. The second leg was a six or seven hour journey on the bus from Glasgow to Portree on Skye where Murdo would be waiting to take her on the last leg to Staffin. A few days later she was intending to do the whole thing again in reverse to return to Cumbersheugh.

With a morning and part of an afternoon to fill, I was pleasantly surprised when Scamp suggested we go over to Kilsyth for a walk in the sunshine that had appeared just as Jackie was getting in the taxi. We drove over to Colzium estate and that’s where I saw a single white crocus flower among the miniature daffodils. Just one, though, but it was shining brightly in the sun. That became PoD. We walked our usual path round what had been the driveway to the “Big House”, and then onward into the trees. This was the first time we’d walked in Colzium and there were a lot of torn up trees courtesy of the storms last month, or was it two? Anyway, a shorter than normal circuit took us to the coffee shop that, conveniently, was just opening. After coffee we walked back to the car and drove home.

Just enough time for a quick spot of lunch and then we had to get a bit better dressed for a meeting with the Co-op funeral office where we had a meeting with a funeral director. Paul, Margaret, Shona, Scamp and I were present at a rather disjointed meeting where it appeared the lady who was dealing with us had to also speak to a constant stream of other customers. Not the most professional way to treat people who are already stressed and upset. However, I was not running this show and had little to do, but on two separate occasions we had a thirty minute hiatus while someone somewhere talked to someone else.

The upshot was that a firm date for the funeral was agreed and all the papers were duly signed by Paul who was the senior member of the family today. We left after about two hours and went for a quick coffee and a discussion with tasks being allocated to willing parties.

Drove home and dropped people off as we went. Finally got home and parked. Dinner was Paella and it was a good one this time. It isn’t always so good.

Tomorrow we’re hoping for a more restful day.

A meeting of minds – 5 March 2025

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We met the interested parties in Tesco for coffee today.

We were discussing the plans for June’s funeral. Margaret phoned Scamp to ask where we were, because they were waiting in Costa. Then Scamp reminded her that she had told us it was to be at Tesco. That maybe ‘put her gas at a peep’ as my mum would have said. Scamp, Jackie and I had been prepared for a fight, but as a result, it never happened.

The group was Ian, Jackie, Margaret, Paul, Scamp, Shona and myself (listed alphabetically for fairness!). Everyone offered suggestions to the group with Paul and Shona as adjudicators.

The upshot of the meeting was that:

  • We had some photos of June to use in a short display
  • Paul wants to do a short ad hoc speech about his mum
  • Jackie would probably write a talk and if she wasn’t comfortable with it, I’d be ready to take over.

We left it at that and have a meeting planned with the funeral directors tomorrow.

We drove over to The Kelpies because Jackie had never seen them in real life. It turned out to be an awful day as far as the weather was concerned. Heavy rain showers driven along on a gusty east wind. However we did get a walk around the mighty beasts and I think that brightened Scamp’s day. The size of the sculptures impressed Jackie. We finished with another cuppa and a scone paid for by Jackie.

Later, at home I was delegated to go to the chip shop for fish suppers. A successful day with some of the pressure removed. Jackie goes back home tomorrow and is intending to return in a couple of days.

PoD was a slightly different view of a Kelpie,

Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow.

Some kind of normal – 4 March 2025

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Today we had shopping to do. A chance to turn the day into something approaching normal.

Afterwards we drove up to Torwood for lunch and a look at what the garden centre had to offer. Scamp got some seed compost and a very dark coloured hellebore. After I’d dropped her off at home, I took the Blue car for a spring clean at the car-wash! It looked so much better after that.

I went for a walk in St Mo’s and found that the frogs were back. Almost all of them were busy making more frogs. Yesterday there were none, but seemingly the message had got out that it was time to procreate. There were vast rafts of frogspawn. I’m sure this will bring crowds of primary school children eager to capture some of the frogspawn to put in jars in their classrooms. Probably there will be a law against capturing frogs eggs, but children know nothing of the legality of such ambushing.

Today’s PoD was inevitably “Frogs”!

We drove in to Glasgow in the middle of rush hour to pick up Jackie who had travelled south from Skye to add weight to the Scottish contingent. We were very glad to have her. It gave Scamp an opportunity to explain in detail the last few days. It also gave the sisters a chance to bond. I hate that ‘bond’ word, but it’s the only one that fits

Tomorrow we are invited to have coffee in Tesco with one of the English side of the family who may try to put her case for what happens next. I’d have thought a better, and less public place could have been chosen, but maybe, just maybe, it was the choice of Paul and Shona.