Category: Family

Coffee with Isobel and a light – 14 February 2025

Posted on by Zogman

It’s a Friday and that means Scamp is off to FitSteps in the morning.

I usually have a free hour or so to do as I please. Today, instead, I was catching the bus to the Town Centre to listen to Isobel’s tales. Scamp was already installed there when I arrived and the serious blethering had been completed. We sat and drank coffee while we listened to her tales, mainly because there wasn’t an opportunity to get a word in edgewise. However, she kept us interested with stories about her family. The only problem I had was that for a coffee shop it was quite cold. It’s Costa, but that’s not an excuse. Even with automatically closing doors there was a chill breeze each time they opened. Both Isobel and I were sitting with an insulated coat or jacket on, while Scamp was wearing a light cardigan!

While I was on the bus to the Town Centre, I got a text from JL to say that the bedside lamp I’d ordered for Scamp had arrived. That would mean a trip into Glasgow was likely in the afternoon. And that’s exactly what happened. We drove into Buchanan Galleries and got a space immediately. An unusual occurrence on a Saturday afternoon, and Valentine’s day to boot!

We walked down to Paesano and squeezed into a seat at the back of the restaurant, near the wood fired ovens. After our experience at Costa, that was the sensible place to be. Scamp’s usual No 1 with no garlic. It comes with no cheese either, but that’s the way she likes it. I had a No3 anchovies and olives with cheese and capers. A glass of Prosecco for Scamp and a glass of San Pellegrino Aranciata (orange) for me because I was nominated driver. We were sitting across from a typical Italian family all enjoying their pizza lunch.

When we left I saw a bloke photographing the building we’d just left with his phone, and I realised the light was still good with plenty of sunshine through the clouds, so I grabbed the A6500 and took a few shots of my favourite building in Glasgow, the curved glass of 110 Queen Street. It looks as if it’s now getting a make over, replacing some of the many glass panels that have taken a tumble to the ground in the past few weeks. I wonder how much that will cost the owners!

Finally we worked our way back up Buchanan Street to allow Scamp to do some window shopping and some real shopping, I had the worst coffee I’ve ever had in a Nero. Gave them a 2 out of 5. We also got the lamp and a bulb that would fit it, then drove home.

It was a cold day and I seem to have carried the Cumbersheugh cold breeze home with us. The photo of No 110 got PoD as was inevitable.

I think we may be going dancing tomorrow, although it’s snowing at present!

More of a relaxing day – 29 January 2025

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Today I was meeting Alex for a photo walk around Glasgow on a beautiful, but cold day.

He wanted to go to Guitar Guitar for a new set of strings for his new guitar. I fancied a walk around the Barras or maybe around Glasgow Green. We both achieved our goals. I think my offering of Glasgow Green came from standing for two hours at the Turner exhibition in Edinburgh. I just needed to stretch my legs and straighten my spine.

Scamp gave me a lift to the station and I was comfortably on time to catch the express train to Glasgow. Met up with Alex at the bus station as agreed. After the usual Cafe Nero, we had a long walk down Buchanan Street and along Argyle Street to the guitarist’s Mecca, Guitar Guitar. Once Alex had his strings we walked down Saltmarket and then went through the McLennan Arch and along the avenue to the sadly neglected People’s Palace Wintergarden. Took a few photos there before walking back beside the River Clyde, back to Saltmarket.

From there we walked along Parnie Street which used to have a thriving group of games shops, now nearly all closed. Likewise the host of cafes. We turned right and walk along a narrow lane that eventually took us back to Argyle Street, but not before Alex set up a nice still life with a half empty bottle of Corona Extra on an electricity substation and a view down to the River Clyde. With a few tweaks I used his setup and took a few shots of my own. That photo made my PoD.

After that is was only a couple of zig, zags to reach Paesano. I had my traditional Anchovy and Olive Pizza and rebel Alex had a Vegan pizza with peppers, sliced potatoes and asparagus. I must admit, the colours in it were a sight to behold.

We had a quick look around the GOMA, but there wasn’t much to photograph until Alex found an asian girl with her dog dressed for Lunar New Year in a red embroidered jacket. He (Alex) got photographed by the girl feeding the dog for a ‘project’ she was doing. The biter bit perhaps! A walk up Buchanan Street before we went our separate ways to our buses. Mine was an hour late and then two X3s arrived at the same time. That’s what happens sometimes.

I’m hoping I’ll remember to be out early(ish) tomorrow to go and get the results of my PSA test. Scamp is due a visit to another doc in Coatbridge later.

Today we lost an old friend. Clive Davis passed away today. A lovely man.

Simonne lost an old friend too when her beautiful white horse, Valioso had to be euthanised.

It’s been a sad day.

A day for a blether – 9 January 2025

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I drove in to Glasgow in the late morning to meet Alex. It looked cold, and it was with the temperature down below zero.

The first space I could get into was up on the seventh floor of the Buchanan Galleries, nosebleed zone. There was a lovely view across Glasgow, but blocked with heavy wire netting, just in case someone would attempt a swan dive into the concrete below. I took the lift down, not wanting to knacker my knees walking down twenty odd flights of stairs.

I found Alex with a nice new crewcut waiting for me in the bus station. We waked around the corner because he wanted to take some photos of the Pavilion Theatre with the low sunlight just glancing off it. I’d tried and failed to photograph this old building in the past, so instead I watched him try.

Next stop was Caffè Nero for our morning coffee which I admit we lingered over for a while, not wanting to face the cold breeze outside ad also discussing computers and monitors. Next stop was Guitar Guitar in Argyle Street, away at the far end of Argyle Street. There seemed to be two guitars on his list, but both were electric and although I did get a chance to test my G, F and C chords, it still felt clumsy and heavy. Do you know, I’ve just realised that was the first time I ever played (slight exaggeration “played” an electric guitar! I’ve had a few acoustic guitars, but never an electric. He settled for a Les Paul copy, although I’d have chosen the Sunburst, even if the balance felt all wrong.

We walked back along Argyle Street, because now it was almost lunch time and we were heading to Paesano for a pizza. Another opportunity for a blether and to stay in the warm. We both agreed they were both lovely pizzas.

Alex wanted to photograph the sparkly lights around the GOMA and I was in agreement. I got a couple of decent shots, of the buildings with the warm light from the setting sun providing the warm colour of the surrounding buildings.

Another coffee before we were done, then we went our separate ways, me to get a cabbage for Scamp to add to her Minestrone soup and Alex to get the bus home.

The soup was lovely, warming and filling with added pasta. I didn’t think I was hungry, but of course a plate of soup is difficult to refuse!

I spoke to Hazy afterward as promised and she gave me loads of information that, like Alex’s knowledge of monitors left me with more questions than answers, but it did point me in the right direction. I think I’ve made my mind up Hazy. iPhone 15 with 128GB. That may change tomorrow, but it’s where I am tonight.

We have no plans for tomorrow at present, but looks like another cold night. Only -3.3ºc just now.

 

Not your normal journey home – 27 December 2024

Posted on by Zogman

Last night the bags were packed and we were ready to leave.

This a long story, so get comfortable and listen.

Today after breakfast we did a quick once over to make sure we hadn’t left anything behind and said our goodbyes to Simonne and got in Jamie’s car and were driven to Stowmarket for the first stage of our journey home. Said our goodbyes to Jamie and thanked him for the last week and walked over to the platform to wait for the train.

The platform was a lot busier than we’d expected, given that Christmas two days past. We were crammed into the vestibule of the train after using sharp elbows to make sure we would get in, even if we didn’t get a seat. We were the lucky ones. Others were left on the platform.

We both finally got a seat on the train, but it was an uncomfortable journey to Peterborough. I was beginning to worry that we wouldn’t make the connection, but when we got to Peterborough we found out that the Edinburgh train was running six minutes late. The six minutes eventually turned to 28 minutes, but we did get into the shelter as people who were heading for other destinations left its warmth for their trains.

Finally the train arrived and we were in the first class carriage, only to find that two folk were in our seats. Luckily an assistant was on our coach and the two chancers were ejected and we had seats and on our way. All the seats were taken on our coach and some folk were standing in the vestibule. We did manage to get a cup of coffee, a glass of red wine and Scamp had two buttered crumpets and I had a soggy microwaved veg sausage roll cold on the outside and hot as hell inside. My, First Class standards were falling. But worse was to come.

At the next stop the carriage became a lot busier with folk standing in the aisles and by the time we reached Doncaster there was no room to move in the carriage.

At the staff changeover at Newcastle, the crowding was a bit less and Scamp asked one of the attendants if she could please have a bottle of water and got the reply of “NO! I’m far too busy!” Standards certainly are slipping!

A family of four were taking up some empty seats as the crowding reduced. One of them went looking for water, but got the same reply from the harridan. Eventually after others were asking too, she relented and gave out water, but point blank refused to hand out beer or wine. I think a letter of complaint will be heading to LNER.

We were running 2 hours late by the time we eventually reached Edinburgh and just missed our connection to Croy. Then there was an automatic alarm telling everyone to evacuate the station immediately. Not knowing how long we’d have to get back in and what state the trains would be in, I suggested we walk down to the bus station and get the bus to Glasgow and a taxi home from there. Scamp agreed and we picked up another woman who had the same idea but didn’t know how to get to the bus station, so we three found the entrance went our separate ways to our buses.

We reached Buchanan Street without further problems just as the X3 arrived. So instead of getting a taxi, we chose the X3 to make sure we did actually get home after such an eventful and avoidable day.

PoD was a lovely sunset as we crossed the River Tyne at Newcastle.

Things I’ll remember for a long time:

  • Crammed in a train that was 100% full.
  • The arrogance of the Harridan.
  • The lack of inspectors or staff on the train.
  • A long, long way home.

Tomorrow will hopefully be a day of relaxation.

 

More visitors – 26 December 2024

Posted on by Zogman

Today we got a message about 10am to say that Hazy and Neil were on their way to meet us and should arrive in about two hours.

That message gave Jamie and Simonne all the information they needed to plan today’s dinner which was based on a Three Bird Roast (Duck, Pheasant and Wood pigeon) with the warning that there might just be some shot in the mix as some of the birds were shot in the wild. Everything was organised and running to schedule which left us all some time to spare before the work needed to begin.

Scamp chose to sit and read in the comfort of a warm room heated by a log burner Jamie and Simonne were reading and I wanted to go out to get some photos of the old church and churchyard in the village. I’d come prepared with my trusty leather boots and a pair of jeans. Since everyone was settled for an hour or so, I went out to take in the countryside.

I walked through the churchyard, past the church itself and down the path that would take me to a bridge across a stream. From there I could travel in one of three directions. I chose left, which was the muddiest of the lot although I didn’t know that until I was part way along it. It gave me an opportunity to try out my new Shokz headphones.

The further I went, the muddier it became until I was slithering along with just a patchy hedge to stop me sliding into the stream. Eventually I came to a path that would lead me up to the village, but I knew the path got steeper later in the walk and didn’t fancy coming a cropper on our second last day in this countryside and having to bundle my muddy boots and jeans into a Tesco carrier bag and carry them all the way home. No, safer was best, I turned round a walked back the way I’d come with a few photos in the bag, but nothing spectacular. PoD turned out to be two of Vixen’s Kong toys stuck in the gate of the house to be rinsed by the rain while she played with a new one.

Not long after that, Hazy and Neil arrived and our family was complete again. Stories were told and prezzies were exchanged. Vixen inevitable got another new Kong, an octopus this time. Then it was dinner time! The Three Bird Roast was lovely. Scamp, not being a meat eater had chosen fish again for her meal and it looked very nice. I think all the family had Salted Caramel Cheesecake for dessert and it too was really good. I think the diet will have to start as soon as we get home.

All too soon it was time for Hazy and Neil to head back down the road again but we’re hoping to see them next year, all being well. It’s strange how empty a house feels after two members of the group leave, but that’s how it felt to me today. We will be the next to leave tomorrow.

Watched TV in the evening but had to make the break and start packing later in the evening.

Things I’ll remember:

  • That complete family feeling when we’re all together
  • The slippery clay path beside the stream
  • The antics of a dog with a new kong
  • Food!!!

Tomorrow it’s our turn to head for home again.

At the seaside – 23 December 2024

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Jamie had organised a walk on the beach, twice today.

Simonne was working today, but Jamie had a plan. He drove us to Southwold and we had a walk along the long promenade. We didn’t go on to the pier, but I got a few shots of the pier with some interesting clouds as a backdrop, while Jamie and Scamp walked on. We passed a long line of painted beach huts. Loads of photo opportunities, but eventually we came to the end and turned back, then we headed into the shopping area. No boarded up shops here and no Poundstretchers.

Jamie knew of a good ice cream shop. Ice cream on a day when the mercury was in the lower single figures. But, he was right. Lovely ice cream cones and coffee afterwards. We walked round the town, although it was more of a large village, A busy place though. Plenty of folk out getting last minute prezzies. It has a lighthouse in the middle of the town/village though which prompted another photoshoot.

That was the first part of the seaside visit. Jamie drove us in a bit semicircular path to Dunwich, another beach. This one was almost the complete opposite of Southwold. The beach was half sand and half shingle. Steep cliffs rising behind the beach. We passed one man fishing from a wee black tent with a beach caster rod. I haven’t seen a beach caster for years. I didn’t envy him because the wind was even colder here, but he did seem to be well sheltered.

We passed two couples on our walk along the beach, but decided it would be better to turn around after about a mile and headed for a pub next to the car park for lunch which was soup for Scamp and me and a ploughman’s platter for Jamie, but he kindly gave me a large slice of his sausage roll.

Jamie drove us home by a different route from the way we’d come and by the time we got back to the house it was quite dark.

In the evening, Jamie took us all to The Ship pub in Levington. The pub was fairly full and a bit noisy. Food was good and so was the drink, but not for Jamie because he was driving.

PoD was a beautiful cloud bank behind the pier at Southwold.

Went to bed fairly early after a very interesting and busy day. We may go for a walk tomorrow, all being well.

Things I’ll remember:

Southwold
– The model boat pond – no boats today!
– Beach huts in Southwold.
– Ice cream on a cold day.
– Black recycled coffee cups – might try to source them.
– Lovely wild sky.

Dunwich
– Beachcaster on the shore.
– Picking pretty stones from the shingle.
– Food and beer in the pub.
– Cold wind

The Ship Pub
– Noisy locals.
– ‘Terry’ just a bloke one of the locals fancied.
– Terry’s wee dog wanting to get out of the pub.
– Us being called back because the waitress had messed up the bill.

Training – 22 December 2024

Posted on by Zogman

Off on our travels again.

Taxi from the house to catch a train to Edinburgh, an hour earlier than we needed to be there, just to make sure that there wouldn’t be any glitches because of the unnamed storm that was threatening to disrupt our journey to Jamie & Simonne’s for Christmas.

We found the First Class lounge for LNER so at least we were fed and watered as well as being comfortably warm as we waited for the platform for our train to be displayed.

We had the long walk along the platform to our carriage which was second from the front, so almost the furthest away one from the gate.
Settled and sorted sitting across from two young Japanese(?) twins(?) who were very serious looking and seemed only to speak in their native tongue, at least between themselves. While we enjoyed a glass of red wine each at around 11.30am! (Not something we usually admit to!) Said red wine was useful to help wash down the Roll ’n’ Chicken with Stuffing and Gravy. Delicious. That’s why we book First Class when we can.

Unfortunately we had to get off at Peterborough and into the freezing cold, but not for long because we continued our journey in a fairly comfortable train that took us to Stowmarket where Jamie was waiting to transport us to the house.

After dinner we watched TV and relaxed.

PoD was a view from the First Class lounge in Edinburgh at what looks like a deserted platform – Everyone was away to the left, waiting for the Polar Express to arrive!

What I’ll remember:

  • Hoping against hope that the wind wouldn’t spoil the day.
  • Enjoying that hot chocolate and pain au chocolat in the posh lounge.
  • Getting a window seat. Scamp gave me the window seat. Thank you.
  • That roll ’n’ chicken with all the trimmings.
  • ‘The Twins’.
  • Horrible wee noisy boy on the train to Stowmarket. Some children should be seen and not heard. For preference they should not be seen either!
  • Seeing Jamie waiting for us at Stowmarket.
  • The drive-by tour of the inflatable Xmas decorations near Old Newton

Tomorrow we might be going out to the coast.

 

The gas man cometh – 18 December 2024

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Today we were waiting in for the boiler engineer to come and sign off our water boiler for another year.

Thankfully he didn’t arrive dead on 9am but knocked on the door an hour later when we were properly awake. He didn’t take long to clean out the boiler and certify it until next year, all being well.

That left Scamp me just enough time to run Scamp up to the town centre under a clearing sky to meet Isobel. While they were having coffee and a blether, I started putting everything back into the boiler cupboard. We’d decided that there were too many jackets hanging behind the cupboard door and we had to dispose of some and put others in long term storage, which is almost the same as disposing of them. I’d visited Tesco on my way home and brought home some essentials like milk and bread.

Scamp arrived not long after I’d finished and we had some lunch. I was about to dig out my boots and go for a walk but Hazy phoned and I wanted to speak to her, so delayed my walk. Scamp spent a while talking to her about her travels to Manchester and faulty buses. I asked her about the difficulties of moving Android data to iPhones. We were both glad that Neil is finally getting recognition for the work he does outside school hours.

There was just enough light left to take some photos over at St Mo’s pond and I’d brought some cabbage leaves to feed the waterfowl. Well, attempting to feed them. apparently they hadn’t had the memo about green leaf veg being good for them. They sailed past along to a bloke who was feeding them bread.You’ll regret this later waterfowl! A low level shot of the mixture of birds on the pond today made PoD.

It took me about an hour, probably more to copy the data from an almost full micro SD and paste it into a shiny new and much larger one Mr Bezos was kind enough to send us by Royal Mail, free of charge. Hopefully that’s the last of the computer work I’ll have to do for a while.

We watched the finale of the Portrait Artist of the Year and watched Brogan Bertie paint his version of Lorraine Kelly. It wasn’t the worst painting I’ve seen on this program, but it wasn’t great either. So different, it was from his work in the heats, I began to wonder if there was a ghost painter somewhere. Just thinking out loud. I must ask Fred for his opinion.

Tomorrow Scamp is OUT AGAIN. This time she’s intending meeting her pal Mags for lunch. I might go looking for a new shaver.

Another early rise – 11 December 2024

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This time it was just me who was rising early. Heading for the 10.14am bus to Glasgow.

I met Alex at the bus station as agreed, just exactly at 11am. We were adventurous today and went to an old Nero for a coffee and to plan our day. After we were finished I tapped a lady on the shoulder and told her she could steal. She’d asked me a few minutes earlier if she could have our seats and I said we’d leave them for her when we finished. I headed for the toilet, but all of them were full, so I went back and tapped her on the shoulder and told her and her mother(?) that they could steal our seats. They thanked us as we left.

Alex was looking for a down jacket like mine and I told him I’d show him it in Tiso in Buchanan Street, so we had a wander through the shop and I do believe he may be writing a letter to Santa as I’m sitting writing this to you. While we were in the shop, I saw a lovely pair of gloves. Light as a feather as befits a pair of gloves stuffed with feathers and they were only £60! I liked them, but not that much.

We walked down to St Enoch’s to see if the stalls were worth photographing. They weren’t, so it was a quick walk around them and then along Argyle Street as far as M&S where I got a pair of underwear while Alex was photographing the “Star Tunnel”. Not its real name, but close. Two ladies (different ladies) were walking past and one said to the other “Would you look at that! The place is falling to pieces and they waste money building a thing like that!!” I had to agree. A lot of time, energy timber and electronics for something that would be torn down in a month, if it hasn’t been vandalised before that.

By now it was lunch time, or thereabouts, so we walked along to Paesano where we both had a pizza Number 3 Anchovy and Olive.

I went to Cass Art to get some charcoal pencils to test out a sketching method I’d seen on the Sky Arts program on TV. Alex went for a wander in the gallery but came away saying it was all about Collage which never interested either of us. By the time we’d walked up Miller Street, the temperature was dropping and so was the light level, so the coloured lights of the Roundabouts and Big Wheel were beginning to be worth a shot of two. The newest attraction whose name I now forget, consisted of a gigantic glowing square column with a four sided set of chairs for those of an adventurous disposition to sit in and be winched up to the top before a disembodied voice called out 5 – 4 -3 – 2 – 1 ZERO and the whole set of chairs dropped like a stone, accelerating downwards 9.81 meters per second, per second, before even more rapid deceleration pulled it safely to a halt. We didn’t go on it, surprisingly!

About an hour later I’d had enough and told Alex so and headed for the bus. Later he sent me a message to say that he’d stayed on for another 45minutes, before doing the same thing and going home.

PoD was a monochrome photo of two ladies (yet another two ladies) having lunch on a stage behind the main attractions.

Back home dinner was a bowl of soup. Lovely soup too, Scamp. Later we watched the finale of Shetland. Worth waiting for.

Tomorrow we may go dancing in the last tea dance of the year at Glenburn.

 

A lovely clear morning – 8 December 2024

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So good to wake to a bright, clear winter’s morning. Makes such a difference from the dull, milky skies of late and the gale force winds too.

It was Scamp’s suggestion that we drive over to Colzium, just outside Kilsyth and go for a walk in the woodland. I agreed, and off we went. Instead of our usual clockwise walk, we ignored tradition and walked it anti-clockwise. I hadn’t realised just how tiring the climb up the side of the Colzium Burn was until we were about half way up. Then we both realised that it was going to get even tougher when we crossed over the burn by the bridge and covered the last stint. A stop at the top gave us both a chance to rest for a while and take in the view down the waterfalls that tumble down to cross through the park many metres below.

After taking some photos of the waterfall and the rapids, we walked along the far gentler path that would take us through the trees to the once private road that led to Colzium House, now a wedding venue. On the way we were passed by a girl leading, or trying to lead her Setter along the path and through the trees. They made it Flickr, but didn’t get PoD. That went to a photo of the waterfalls at the top of the climb.

We took our time and followed the road past the house and back along a different burn on a higher channel. The burns cross at one point, but one is carried through a pipe below the higher one. It’s a strange sight to see. One sailing sedately along while the other drops through a manmade waterfall, through a pipe on off on a totally different direction. You probably have to see it to understand what’s going on.

We drove home via Lidl where we stocked up on sweets, beer and a loaf. The loaf was to be lunch, toasted and covered in baked beans. Beans on Toast, in other words!

Once lunch was past, we brought the tree out of the loft and unrolled the Snowman table cover in the living room to allow it to warm up and stretch a bit after being in cold storage for eleven months.

Dinner tonight was ‘Rats’ for Scamp and a steak for me. Steak was overdone but the baked potatoes we had with our protein were great.

Watched yesterday’s ‘Strictly’ and the F1 GP. Strictly was instantly forgettable but the GP was full of thrills and spills.

Spoke to Jamie later in the evening and heard about his plans for Christmas. We also heard of the problems of pleasing all of the people all of the time when it came to Christmas food. I don’t believe it can be done. Please yourself, that would be my suggestion. Then at least one person will be happy!

No definite plans for tomorrow, but a trip to the skips wouldn’t be a bad idea!