Category: Family

Another day at the horses – 19 June 2025

Posted on by Zogman

Only nine days ago Scamp and I went to see the Kelpies. Today Alex and I went visiting. Scamp was meeting Isobel for coffee.

I didn’t want to go on a photo walk in Glasgow. I’m just Glasgow’d out for now. Too many days trailing around our second city. I gave Alex some suggestions for destinations and he asked if we could go to the Kelpies. Not his fault, he didn’t know I’d been to see them just over a week ago, so I agreed. It’s not a long drive from Cumbersheugh to Helix Park where the Kelpies live and my other suggestions would have taken a lot longer, besides, there is always a new angle on these magnificent steel masterpieces.

I picked Alex up at the station an we drove over. I wanted to take a shot looking through the cleats where the boats tie up with the Kelpies in the background. Also, I’d offered Alex a loan of my 10-18mm f2.8 ultra wide angle lens as he was considering buying one. We did both manage to get some good views with Helix Park producing some lovely skies as a background. Lunch was a sandwich and a bottle of juice halfway through the day. Then we split up and found some different subjects. I walked under the canal bridge and took some photos looking back, but the pylons behind the structures rather spoilt the view.

We met up later as I was just finishing my attempt at the view through a cleat to the Kelpies behind. Alex seemed happy enough with his collection too. However, he needed to be back home earlier than normal because he was looking after the kids back home to allow their mother to go out to a concert. It was a tight run back to the station, but we made it with a few minutes to spare. Dropped him off and agreed to have a think about our next destination.

Dinner was a salad with a trout fillet each. A lovely bit of fish and the salad was so much better than I could make. Afterwards we sat and read in the garden, making the most of another beautiful warm day.

It was later in the evening I found that there was a green cast at all the shots taken with the A6500/10-18mm combination. I’d not seen this occurrence before and will have to look out for it. I doubt if there is an easy solution, other to shoot in mono.

Tomorrow Scamp is hoping to go to the FitSteps class in the morning, the last one for a few weeks and I’m maybe going to relax in the sun again.

Happy Father’s Day – 15 June 2025

Posted on by Zogman

It’s nice to wake up in the morning to two lots of cards and breakfast in bed courtesy of Scamp. My turn to reciprocate tomorrow.

Spoke to Hazel in the morning and caught up with what was happening down south. Glad to hear that Ivan is no worse and pleased that he might be getting home soon. Also happy that the rockery is settling into its own shape and planting. Thanks for the cup and phone holder. It sits comfortably on the arm of the couch. You are such a clever girl!

Other than that, it was a bit of a dull day. Occasional drizzle, but no real rain on the windows, so that’s a bonus. We watched the F1 qualifying and watched an F1 car lose its carbon fibre covering and have to drive back to the paddock almost ‘naked’. I bet a lot of paparazzi’s cameras would almost be reading melt down trying to find what’s underneath the skin!

After much discussion, we settled on Carrot & Lentil Curry for dinner. An old favourite, tried and tested over the years.

Later in the afternoon I got a taxi over to to Central Health Centre for my Covid vaccination. A Covid jag on a Sunday and on Father’s Day too? What are these folk thinking about? The lady at the health centre almost managed to get me a Shingles jag too until I told her I’d already had one and she agreed. Another sore arm avoided! I’d got a taxi, because our street is double parked to max when it’s Fathers’ Day and the prospect of trying to find an empty space was not in the least appealing. Being driven there and back was worth the tenner and a bit.

Spoke to Jamie later in the afternoon and got the amended details of their plans for Arran. Nice card Jamie. As you know I’m always losing my glasses!!

PoD was a photo of some crystalline ice with the remainder of some blackcurrant juice looking decidedly like blood.  Believe me, it’s fruit juice! Would I lie to you?

That was about it for the day. A lovely day with great folk. Even the lady who gave me the jag had a good sense of humour.

No real plans for tomorrow, although there are rumours that shopping may be necessary!

Westward Ho – 4 June 2025

Posted on by Zogman

Today we were going west. Along a great road. In fact we were on the Great Western Road to Gartnavel Hospital to drop Scamp off for her brain scan.

I was glad I didn’t listen to my, now dodgy, sat nav as it tried to direct me through a line of bollards and then a steel barrier onto a road that no longer exists. In fact, a road that hasn’t existed for about 10 years. That’s what’s good about Nissans. Their technology make life more interesting. The sat nav was trying to direct us off at junction 17 of the M8, when we knew we should leave by junction 18. The rest was fairly well know to us from when we went dancing twice a week along Woodlands Road. Not exactly on the road, but in a building, just off Woodlands Road!

I dropped Scamp off at the hospital and as she was happy to go into the hospital alone and there were no spaces in the car park anyway, I drove back into the centre of Glasgow and parked in the JL car park.

I was too early to meet Alex, so I thought I’d have a wander through town first. That was before I saw the sheets of rain being blown down the street. Maybe it would be best to walk through the car park and over the covered bridge to Buchanan Galleries. From there I only had to cross the road to get to the bus station where Alex would arrive about 20 mins later.

The bus station is busy and a great place for people-watching. That’s what I ended up doing. “All human life is here” was a leader in the Times Literary Supplement some years ago and it can certainly be applied to train stations, airports and bus stations. Watching folk coming and going some carefully consulting their watches when connections are simply not connecting. My connection worked today when Alex strode along the concourse.

We walked down to Nero and discussed our plans for today. We agreed to do our usual walk down Buchanan Street, on through St Enoch’s Square and down to the Clyde Walkway to see what new graffiti there was. The answer was, not a lot. I’m guessing the rain that had fallen during the last week would make outdoor painting difficult, if not impossible.

I got a message around about then to say that everything was going well. Her injection had been in the back of her hand and she was now going to wait for it to spread through her body.

We on the other hand walked on past the St Andrews Church and further still until I found an old cobbled street that I recognised as Paddy’s Market. The market’s name originated with the large numbers of Irish immigrants who came to Scotland in the early 19th century, and I remembered it as a dirty alleyway where much wheeling and dealing went on. Now it’s just a cobbled street with some poor quality, but colourful graffiti adorned the walls. The view down through Paddy’s Market made PoD.

From there we walked up to Paesano for lunch. We agreed that it was one of the best pizzas we’d had. Quite, quite delicious. We had a look through the GOMA, but there wasn’t much to see there so we headed round the corner and had a coffee in Costa. Just then I got a message saying Scamp was on the bus back into town. I’d told her I would collect her, but Scamp is her own woman. Always has been.

We three sat and talked about the day in town and in Gartnavel and then we all headed home. Scamp was keeping her distance because she had been warned that the injection could be slightly contagious and she didn’t want Alex carrying it in to the house. Very thoughtful.

We split up at JL we were going to get the car from the car park and Alex was heading for the bus. A strange thing happened when we went to pay for our parking. I was parked on level 6 but I tried to pay on level 1, but I, and everyone else on level1, got the same message that card was rejected. We walked up to level 2 and got the same result. In fact, everyone had the same problem. Then one girl showed us where the help button was. We pressed it and before we could explain to the operator that the machine wasn’t working, he told us to go straight to the exit because the gate would be open for us due to a system error!! That saved us £14 for the day’s parking!! Wasn’t that nice! A lovely way to end the day.

Tomorrow we may visit Isobel in the morning for coffee and a blether.

A better day today – 25 May 2025

Posted on by Zogman

Today was a better day. More sunshine and some broken cloud.

  • Jamie arrived right on time and he, Neil, Scamp and I went to a different garden centre for lunch
  • Hazy was resting at home and Simonne was looking after Vixen.
  • We had lunch and were careful not to overdo things because we were having dinner later.
  • Scamp was in her element wandering round the plants, mostly varieties of lavender.
  • I do believe, if we had the space, she would have brought half of the plants home with her.
  • After Neil drove us home we said goodbye to Jamie who had a two hour and more journey home.
  • Hopefully we’ll see him and Simonne in a month or so’s time when they break a journey to Arran, with us.
  • I got some photos of the sparrows and bluetits feeding on seeds in the garden.
  • Later Scamp and I went for a walk in Horton Country Park. A maze of paths through trees that we’d ventured through the last time we’d been here, five years ago.
  • On the way home we passed the strangest garden. The front garden of the house was a collection on toys and hand painted signs. Weird!

Hopefully we’ll visit London tomorrow while Neil and Canute go to football on the other side of the capital and Hazy has another day’s rest.

The Number 71 to Kingston – 23 May 2025

Posted on by Zogman

Another day of sunny skies with a few clouds.

  • We walked up the hill to catch the No 71 bus to Kingston.
  • After a fairly circuitous journey through Surbiton because of roadworks, we reached Kingston.
  • We walked around the town for a while trying to see where there were changes from the last time we’d been.
  • Food came from a stall in the square. Lightly spiced chicken on a sub roll.
  • Got the No 71 back to the usual stop and walked the rest of the way.
  • Neil’s mum and dad arrived in the early evening for dinner. That seems to be a tradition.
  • Dinner was a variety of fish with chips. Scamp had haddock and I had cod.
  • It was good to see Canute & Delia again.
  • Quite a busy day, but a well filled one

No plans for tomorrow.

Let the train take the strain – 22 May 2025

Posted on by Zogman

It could almost be subtitled. “Busy doing noting”.

  • Taxi to Croy from the house
  • Train from Croy to Edinburgh.
  • We got access to the posh waiting room with it’s shower ( broken) and Wi Fi (broken).
  • Four hours on the train heading south being fed and watered (not bad!)
  • Scamp directed us through the labyrinth of the London Underground to Vauxhall.
  • She also took us up to catch the overground train.
  • Got out of this seemingly constant procession of trains to be met by Neil outside the station.
  • Neil also made tonight’s dinner, spiced chicken in wraps. Lovely.
  • An early bed tonight.

No plans for tomorrow yet.

A Day in the Toon – 5 May 2025

Posted on by Zogman

Not off the leash this time, but joining Scamp on a shopping spree.

Well, a shopping spree and a bit of window shopping too. Scamp wanted to look at interesting things, like Freezers (Brrr) and Fridges ( Just Cool). Me? I went looking for bottles of descaler for my coffee maker. I know it’s just about due a decoke, I just don’t know when, exactly, but it’s best to be ready for it when it occurs. I did have a look at a new coffee maker like Jamie’s, but the prices were just a little over the top.

I’d forgotten to take my sunglasses out of the car and was half way down Bucky Street when I realised. I thought I’d be able to buy a pair of clip-on shades now that I need a pair of distance glasses and also a pair of readers. A clip-on pair can be hot swapped across both pairs of specs although it’s a bit of a faff. Also I can flip up the clip-ons and give myself Mickey Mouse ears. Scamp always laughs at that. I’d have liked a pair of clip-ons, but nobody in the vicinity of Buchanan Galleries wanted to sell me a pair. Maybe they’ve gone out of fashion these days.

I got a couple of photos while I was wandering aimlessly down and around Buchanan Street. My favourite was a couple sitting eating ice lollies on the steps of the Galleries. That became PoD.

We drove home via Tiso where I was hoping to find a pair of trainers. Maybe found one pair of Scarpa trainers, but I was getting tired by that time and just wanted to get home. Maybe go back again toward the end of the week.

Spoke to Hazy for a while after we got home and heard about folk who can’t take a hint about over staying their welcome, even if they are distant relatives (not our side of the family, by the way) and that poor Tilly needs an expensive x-ray of her back legs.

Just had time to drive down to The Link to attend Kirsty’s dance class. Tonight was a full class. Six or seven couples gyrating in a Tango. We had missed last week, but enjoyed the class tonight. Some bits of it need cleaned up, but the general shape of the dance is ok. A much more compact routine than Stewart & Jane’s, but still with all the technical terms.

Tomorrow, Scamp is supposed to meet Isobel for coffee in the morning. I might go too.

The start of the long drive home – 25 April 2025

Posted on by Zogman

A great week of weather and family had almost come to an end. Jaki had brought Grian to say bye-bye before we left. One last wave from the end of the drive and we were off. Heading south on a cooler day than the last ones, but probably better for that. Scamp filmed the hoards at Store and I tried to avoid most of the potholes. You can never avoid them all, but if you miss the majority, you’re doing well.

PoD was a photo of Ben Nevis from Neptune’s Staircase.

Things I’ll remember from today:

  • Feeling that summer was over when the clouds rolled in.
  • Filling the tank at Portree almost to overflowing.
  • The drive over the Skye Bridge, feeling like we were flying.
  • Climbing up the hill after Cluanie with no cars in front of us.
  • Going out for a walk up Neptune’s Ladder with Scamp before dinner.
  • Disappointment with the Chicken Tikka Masala served to us by what might have been an Indian family.
  • Wishing I’d had Scamp’s Fish ’n’ Chips!

Tomorrow we are intending to have breakfast in Morrisons, do some shopping in Fort William and driving home.

 

Is this summer? – 24 April 2025

Posted on by Zogman

It certainly feels like it. Long may it continue, but the weather fairies say the weekend may be wet. We’ll see, they’ve been wrong before.

Today we decided on a less stressful morning. I quite fancied driving a couple miles north to Loch Langaig. It’s more like a lochan, than a loch. It sits high above the road and collects water from the surrounding hills then passes it through some gentle falls down to the sea. It’s position muffles the noise of passing traffic with only the sound of the burn breaking the silence

When we got there, today, a girl was erecting a bell tent beside the loch. Then she started carrying seats, tables, a cake tin and a bottle of champagne. I wandered off to look for possible photo opportunities round the other side of the loch. While I was away, the girl told Scamp that she was building a picnic for a couple who had been married today at daybreak on Quiraing. She asked Scamp if she was “ ‘One of the ‘Easterhouse Girls’ ” I could imagine Scamp’s hackles rising and her replying “Provanhall, if you don’t mind!!” However, Scamp kept her cool and Alex, the girl, explained that she knew Jackie.

While I was off scouting out potential photos two French (?) blokes appeared one with a camera taking the same photo you see here, the PoD. I won that game, because I had already taken the shot and I had a bigger camera. They wandered off round the loch and started climbing up to the rock face at the top.

Then the wedding party arrived. Man in a suit and lady in a floaty white dress followed by a photographer who beat both the French bloke and me, because he was toting about four cameras on various slings over his shoulders. Some folk just like to show off.

At that point, we headed back to the house because we were going to Hungry Gull for lunch; Scamp, Jackie, Murd, Jaki, Mairi and me. Star attraction though, was Grian the smiling boy. Food was great and the draft Spidermonkey IPA I had was lovely, and so was the Kombucha drink Scamp had.

With lunch over we went back to sit in the sun in the little sunspot at the house. Soaking up every last minute of a busy, but also relaxing day. While we were there, I say the first two swallows this year! I’d already heard the first cuckoo earlier in the week.

Tomorrow we’re homeward bound.

Coffee in Starbucks? NOOoooo!!! – 16 April 2025

Posted on by Zogman

Actually it wasn’t that bad!

I was driving over to Hamilton today to meet Billy Kent. He was married to my distant cousin, Margaret. Margaret’s mum and my mum were cousins, so that probably would have made us second-cousins. Margaret died about two years ago.

I got a Christmas card from Billy last year saying that we should meet up some time. He put his phone number on the card and for once I put it into my contacts. In February we had a phone discussion and decided we’d meet halfway at Starbucks in Hamilton. Unfortunately every day he suggested didn’t suit me and all my suggestions didn’t suit him. It was beginning to look as if we weren’t going to have this meeting. However, last week we did find commonality and that day was today.

Scamp and I had visited Billy and Margaret’s house for dinner many moons ago and I they had visited ours. I really think it was Covid that broke the bond between us and it was difficult to rebuild it. Then Margaret died. So, in a way, this was the rebuild beginning. Although I wasn’t sure if it was the same person I was going to meet today. Thankfully it was.

Over a couple of mugs of coffee, we just blethered like two auld guys do. Telling stories, some of them slightly exaggerated and some just stories. After an hour and a bit we were both talked out and it was time to go our separate ways. I enjoyed the experience and we said we’d do it again. I think we will.

I’d arrived a bit early and it was beginning to drizzle. By the time we were leaving, it was bucketing down. I think they were even throwing down the buckets as well as the rain.

The motorway was treacherous with standing water making driving a bit risky, but I got home ok. I stopped at M&S to pick up some things for dinner. My turn to cook and it was to be fish risotto made mainly in the oven.

Since I had some time to spare in the afternoon I re-started work on the giant 3D Lego jigsaw. The first section from last week was easy to visualise. This one, not so much. To make things more complicated, some of the parts were made as mirror images of each other before being joined together later. I’m glad there was a QR code that I could scan to see the construction in more detail. That was a great benefit. Hopefully this present section will be completed tomorrow. I should also photograph the sections as they are completed.

PoD was a picture I saw while I was building the Bonsai. It’s a Poinsettia plant that sits on the window ledge of the back bedroom. Beautiful colours that contrast so well.

I’m hoping to meet Alex tomorrow for a walk and a blether.