Category: Folk

The last day of March – 31 March 2025

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We went for a walk today. The options were Glasgow Green and Drumpellier Park. Drumpellier won for the simple reasons that it was closer and there was a good chance we’d find an ice cream van waiting at the end of our round trip.

It was a pleasant walk in and out of the trees and across the fields of this lovely park, especially as the trees were now beginning to show some of their greenery. A few of the older trees had been blown down in the gales, but a surprising amount of them were still standing. Possibly the amount of trees in the park protected them. About an hour long walk in total, and yes, the ice cream van was there! I don’t think I’ve seen ice cream vans on Glasgow Green, more’s the pity! Can you believe I didn’t take one photo in that hour long walk!

Drove home and had lunch before Scamp was starting on the back garden, cutting back, planting cuttings and generally tidying things up now that fresh growth was forming after the long winter we’ve had.

The good weather and sun from the morning was disappearing in the middle of the afternoon, so I wore my orange RAB jacket for a walk over to St Mo’s. On the way I bumped into our new next-door neighbours. Two women and maybe three girls. I’d bumped into them Thursday or Friday of last week and they were asking about the house and I told them I’d never been in it, but that it was almost exactly a mirror image of ours. They seem fine. Just wanting to get schools sorted out for the girls and eager to get furniture in. Scamp had bumped into them too while I was over in St Mo’s, and of course she found out names and a lot more than I did. I completely forget everyone’s names … except mine, or only sometimes does that happen.

Today’s PoD came from St Mo’s and was a shot of a dandelion. I had to scramble down a slippery banking to get that photo. Ended up muddier than I’d intended, but I got the shot.

Off to Kirsty’s Dance class for a lesson on Tina Tango. I can’t believe I’ve been dancing that sequence dance for years and only today I discovered I’d been doing bits of it wrong all along! Simple steps that I should have known, but didn’t. Anyway, I was dancing, not with Scamp who was dancing with Kirsty, but with Nicola who has been dancing since she was knee high I’m told, but she too was making a few mistakes … and I admit I trod on her toes, just like I do with Scamp. Scamp introduced Kirsty to Ed Sheeran’s Shivers. So much better than the old fashioned tango music she was playing. Next week it’s to be Melody Foxtrot to the tune of Go Gentle by Robbie Williams. That might be fun!

Possibly meeting Isobel for coffee tomorrow. Who will be the April Fool?

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 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.

Dull and Cold – 11 February 2025

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That sums up this year so far.

Another lazy morning, playing games on our phones and tablets, but finally got our act together and agreed we should go to Waitrose in Stirling for some ‘messages’.

As usual, we spent more than we’d intended and overloaded the poor wee Blue car on the way home. I had intended stopping at Haggs, near Cumbersheugh, to get some photos looking down the Forth & Clyde canal, but the light was so poor, we just continued on our way.

After lunch I went for a walk in St Mo’s, carrying the A7 with it’s usual 24 – 105mm lens, but with the addition of an old 10-20mm Sigma lens I’ve had for years. It only connects to the A7 with an adapter, and the autofocus doesn’t work any more. It’s what photogs call ‘Old Glass’. The actual lens is still immaculate and I don’t mind having to manually focus it. I’d hoped to get a chance to use it today, but the light was too poor to do it justice.

I’d bumped into an old friend out walking her dog. We walked round the pond and discussed our ailments and folk we knew. I often think I’ve got the woes of the world on my shoulders, then I meet someone who has much bigger problems than me. It makes you stop and reassess your life.

When we had completed our circuit she said she was off to exercise her dog and I went for a walk in the woods, still hoping to find those elusive sixteen spot ladybirds that may still be sleeping in the moss at the bottom of the tree. Then I noticed a crack in the bark of a tree with a strange “Thank You” message carved into it. I’d seen the tree and message often in walks in the woods, but the split was new. I’m hoping it’s just the bark that’s split and not something more serious. I’ve often wondered what the message meant. That was my PoD for today.

Don’t know what we’re doing tomorrow. I may have to phone the optician in Larky to get my eyes checked now that the Mr Sharma’s drops seem to have repaired my eye.

 

Goodbye 2024 – 31 December 2024

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A bit wet and windy for the last day in 2024.

The morning was devoted to cleaning up the dining room table and it did look better for a while before I messed it up again, but I did get two of my three targets on my To Do list ticks off and another one partially ticked off. It’s an on going list of shortcuts to use in Lightroom.

It wasn’t a day for going out anywhere, even if it was the last day of 2024, but of course I managed an hour out in the park, because that’s what I do. Managed to get two half decent photos, one of which with a bit of jiggery pokery became PoD. It’s a view down that path I’m addicted to. This time it’s sepia toned with a couple of spots of colour to catch the eye.

I bumped into an old friend from school in the park and we walked around St Mo’s discussing the world and our various aches and pains. It’s been ages since I’ve seen her and I thought she was looking a lot older – she probably thought the same of me. We said our goodbyes as the light was failing, she headed back to the park to walk her dog and I plodded off home. Hope you get better soon Susan.

Dinner tonight was a pizza from M&S that was getting near its use by date, but a tin of anchovies on it cheered it up nicely.

I think that is as much as I’m going to do tonight. I might read another chapter of the book Hazy gave me. Really enjoying it H. You always pick such good books. Strange, but interesting too.

We might treat ourselves to a glass of something to see in the bells. I pity the poor folk in Edinburgh who have had their fireworks display cancelled at the last minute because of the high winds and torrential rain that’s predicted for tonight. Or the Australian couple we met on that ill fated train on Friday who were going to Edinburgh hoping to travel to Inverness for “The Bells”. Hope you managed to get there in all the snow, rain, thunder and gusty winds.

That’s about it for now. Hope all our lot and anyone else who reads my ramblings are well and have a Happy and Healthy New Year.

 

Going home – 15 November 2024

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It always comes to this. Hopefully we’ll come back again next year, all being well.

Breakfast, and then Murdo drove us to the bus stance in Portree. Lots of hugs and handshakes, then we got on a much newer bus and thankfully a different driver. Relieved, we settled down to wait for the wheels to start turning.

Three or four women boarded after us and they were a noisy lot. Maybe it was their first time out of the island. Scamp can tune noise out, I can’t. Thankfully I had good earbuds and another of the podcasts that Hazy had sent me the link for. ‘Ologies’ they are called on Spotify if you want to try them out. Every conceivable topic under the sun. Roughly 1hr 25min each. There, my advert’s done!

Irritating as the women and their little Indian friend were, they were nowhere near as irritating as the the VoiceOvers that came on the loudspeaker at random times.

Woman’s voice: Thank you for travelling with us

Man’s voice: The next stop is …

I kept hoping the man would actually tell us what the next stop was, but he never did. It was like the company had paid for the basic setup, but couldn’t afford the detailed info that would actually be helpful.

Apart from those nuisances, human and taped, the journey was fairly painless, especially compared to the journey from Fort William to Staffin with ‘Popeye’. Scamp found the seats really uncomfortable but a couple of Paracetamol made it easier to deal with. I just found it a bit annoying and a pain in the back.

We arrived in Glasgow exactly on time to the minute. Better still, we walked round the corner of the bus station and the X3 pulled up and opened its doors. That was very welcome. No silly messages and decent seats. The ‘ladies’ had left at Glasgow airport.

Pizza for dinner. Not the best. Nowhere near as good as Paesano, but it filled a wee space.

PoD was the view from the bedroom window in Staffin looking down the croft.

Tonight we’ll sleep in our own beds and tomorrow is another day.

On the road – 13 November 2024

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Out just before 9am to get a taxi to Buchanan Street bus station.

Showed our ticket and our bus pass to the bus driver and we were ready for the loooong journey north. Little did we know then just how long that journey would be.

Scamp demanded that I get the window seat on the bus, because I’d never had the luxury of being able to look out the window as someone else did the hard work and drove us all the way to Skye. I’d always been the one driving us to Skye since way back in 1987!! That was last century, you realise!! Anyway, I enjoyed the run out of Glasgow and up past Loch Lomond. We passed Glencoe and crossed the Ballachulish Bride over Loch Leven and on along the snaking road to our first official stopping point of Fort William. A half hour stop there, just enough time for a coffee and a cold panini each and we were on the bus again.

We’d changed drivers at Fort William and climbed up past Lochs Lochy, Garry and Loyne, then along Loch Cluanie where we stopped for a comfort break (ie, a fag break for some). We were now at the highest point on the journey and it was all downhill from there … literally. We drove past the ‘Biscuit Tin’ that is named Eileen Dolan Castle. Not nearly as old as it looks.We cruised along to Kyle of Lochalsh where the driver did another ‘comfort break’ stop. That felt like a stop too many. It was now gloaming, and as the sun sank behind the Skye hills I walked on to the slip and got a few photos of the Skye Bridge. When everyone got back on the bus the driver kept saying “Oh Dear!”, like the comedian he later turned out to be.

What happened was a warning light had appeared on his dashboard when he tried to start the engine. His solution was the same as every driver; he switched the engine off but immediately turned it back on again. Now, even I knew that he should have counted to ten first before restarting. It’s all about allowing capacitors and other electrical devices to discharge and give the engine a chance to have a clean restart. Not surprisingly the warning light was still there, but he drove off anyway, possibly with his fingers crossed. Maybe he thought he could drive the almost forty miles with a wounded bus.

After a short time he realised this was beyond his skill set and stopped to phone for a mechanic. Meanwhile about a dozen folk were complaining that they needed to get to Uig a further twenty odd miles from Portree to catch the ferry to Harris. He did manage to get the bus to a carpark in Broadford and arranged for a minibus to take them to the ferry port, so maybe I shouldn’t be so down on him.

However, two more breakdowns later we ended up halfway up a hill in total darkness, miles from anywhere (there are no streetlights between villages in Skye). Another call to a mechanic and then the driver started telling stories to the folk left on the bus and carrying on a repartee with a Canadian(?) teacher(?). I think they thought they were entertaining, but they obviously weren’t looking at the faces of the folk on the bus. We were all just fed up by then. Fed up and sore too.

Eventually, Scamp cut into his flow of consciousness and asked how long we’d need to sit in the dark, because we had people waiting for us in Portree. He disappeared for a while and came back with a message from the mechanic to say that we should be on the road again in 20mins.

As it turned out, the mechanic was as good as his word and on the way we dropped off one lady at a different ferry taking her to Raasay. Thankfully Jackie and Murdo were waiting for us. They’d even got a Chinese carry-out for us all! That was very welcome. Our advertised seven hour journey took Nine hours

When we described the driver to Murdo, he just said “Oh! ‘Popeye’, that ***** idiot of a man.” Expletives deleted.

PoD went to the photo I’d taken in the ‘Blue Hour’ looking out from the slip at Kyle.

Is it significant that today was the 13th? Lucky white heather!

Tomorrow we are hoping to meet Grian.

Getting things done – 2 August 2024

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Scamp was out to FitSteps and I was hoping for a lazy morning … but.

I got strange emails from someone, possibly robot generated which said I had to sign in with my password. No indication who or what was requesting it. So I typed in my password … ‘course I didn’t. Do you really think my head buttons up the back? (That was a rhetorical question). I deleted it and it came back, again and again and again. Each time I deleted it, it returned.

I gave up and when Scamp returned, I drove up to the doc’s to book my diabetic blood test. I had already tried to phone the health centre, but I got a terrible line each time I tried to speak to Gort’s sisters who man Kenilworth. I finally got to speak to a human face to face after driving to the health centre and she gave me my little sample bottle and a note with my date to donate some blood and also a date to speak to the nurse.

When I got home we drove in to Glasgow to book the car in for MOT. I had had enough of phone conversations for one day. Got the MOT booked then we went for lunch in JL.

Later, while Scamp went looking for a new bag ANOTHER ONE, I wandered round Buchanan Street taking candid photos of folk, any folk who would stand still for long enough for me to press the shutter. Then we met up again and drove home.

The messages I’d got in the morning just wouldn’t go away and Scamp was getting similar messages from Mickysoft. I began to smell a conspiracy. Were there really Reds under the Beds?

I left it for a while and made dinner which was paella and a really good one for a change. The fact that it was washed down with a very nice red wine only improved dinner even more.

I got an WhatsApp from Alex to say that their car was booked in at Edinburgh for the flight to Jersey and then I realised that we had forgotten to book ours in at Glasgow for that same destination. Oops! While I booked the car in, Scamp booked the Holiday Inn. Rather than get up at stupid o’clock it would be so much more civilised to walk across to the check in. Thank you Alex.

Those messages that started this morning just wouldn’t go away. Then I realised they were only appearing on my phone, and not on any of my Gmail addresses. That narrowed things down. The clincher was the dates they started appearing. Those three things gave me the solution which was to simplicity itself to repair. Thankfully it worked.

That was about it for a fun-packed day which ended better than it started. PoD was a photo of a bloke sitting on a bollard gazing in bemusement at the crowds rushing past on Buchanan Street. Some editing was necessary.

Tomorrow looks like it will be wet, just as this evening was.

Out for a walk – 6 July 2024

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Scamp suggested we drive to Colzium, just outside Kilsyth and go for a walk in the park.

That sounded like a good idea. The weather looked fairly settled with blue skies and white clouds, so off we went. We parked in a small carpark in the trees and started a ‘figure of eight’ walk by passing Colzium House which was once the seat of the Edmonstone family but became the property of the Burgh of Kilsyth after the Second World War. Built in 1783, it was substantially enlarged in 1861. Beyond the house, the path climbs a long tiring hill with excellent views over to Bar Hill and the intervening fields with their different shades of green. From there we walked through the woodland, still climbing until we reached the top and took a wee rest on a rough hewn bench.

Once we had caught our breath we crossed the bridge over the Colzium Burn and started the descent, because “what goes up must come down” on the other side of the burn. I was taking some photos of moss fruiting bodies ( a long time favourite of mine) when a man stopped and asked what camera I was using. Obviously a photog, he said that he had a ‘crop sensor’ Nikon, but just used it for family and holidays. He stood and talked for a while and then we went our separate ways. It’s uncommon for folk to ask what camera I’m using. Only serious photographers do that, so I think he was more serious than he seemed.

Down to the old curling pond, the first one in Scotland it’s said, and finished our circuit back at the carpark. Drove home and had a quick cup of tea and toast, intending to go over to The Cotton House later in the afternoon for a late lunch … except, both of us were too busy reading and by the time we realised, the restaurant would have been near to closing.

Instead, Scamp put some washing in, then worked in the garden for a while and I helped out for a while. The parking area was full when we got back from our walk and I had to park quite a distance away, but I noticed when we were in the front garden that a parking space had appeared, so I went to retrieve the car while Scamp hung out the washing. Just as I was parking the an ice cream van stopped and as I had some ‘real’ money in my pocket, I got two ’99’ cones and watched Scamp’s face light up. Her second surprise this week.

We spent more time discussing plants and what could be cut back and what couldn’t. Scamp was also making plans for another planter to go into the front garden. Always thinking about next year. We were standing in the living room discussing whether to water the plant tonight because many of them in the tubs were very dry when I noticed it was raining. We brought in the washing which was nearly dry and realised that we wouldn’t need to water after all.

Dinner was a Spice Tailor curry made with Chicken Thighs. Just a wee bit hotter than we were expecting.

Watched The Duke. A 2020 British comedy we’d seen before, but neither of us could remember the whole thing. A harmless bit of fluff, allegedly based on a true story.

Pod was a photo of Colzium House.

No plans for tomorrow, but the weather looks not as good as today.

 

A dull start to a Sunday – 23 June 2024

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It was a white sky day again today. Warm with just the risk of rain in the air.

We’d planned to go down to Glasgow Green, but never really got organised enough to go, then after lunch I was moping around looking at a couple of lenses which had dropped considerably in price when I noticed that WEX in Glasgow was listed as being open on Sundays. It had previously been a Monday to Saturday shop. I thought I’d risk a phone call to see if they had one of the lenses available for testing. They did have. That put a different complexion on the day!

Scamp didn’t want to come into town with me, being more interested in getting the front grass cut, so I drove down to the station and was just in time to get the express train to Glasgow. The day was brightening up and the sun was poking holes in the cloud, so I walked up the Bath Street hill and down the other side to WEX. Unfortunately, it was the expensive lens that they had on display, but I tried it out, just in case it would be worthwhile. Lovely bit of equipment. Almost perfect for what I wanted, but just a little out of my price range. However Baz, who was the salesman I spoke to said they could get a lens sent up from the warehouse for the middle of next week. I agreed and went home to dream about things I couldn’t afford!

I grabbed a couple of candid photos in a walk-by shooting spree on Sauchiehall Street and another couple of more planned shots in Buchanan Street, then walked through to the station, where I bumped into Cathy Donaghy who used to be in the office at work along with here daughter. They too were waiting for the Croy train to arrive after the previous one had mysteriously disappeared from the display board. We talked for a while and I found out that Danielle, her daughter was getting married in September and that a few of the teachers we knew had retired, as had Cathy. It was a really good catch-up with folk I hadn’t seen for years.

Back home, Scamp was sitting in the back garden with a Soda & Lime having done a great job on the front grass. I told her my tale of woe of the wrong lens and of meeting Cathy and Danielle then recharged her glass with Pimms and filled mine with Birds & Bees Summer Ale. We then soaked up the sun that had cleared the sky of clouds for an hour or so until it was time for dinner.

Later in the evening we watched a processional Spanish F1 GP. Which was won by the usual suspect. Later still just as the Scotland vs Hungary football was starting, Jamie phoned and we discussed work and the prospect of Simonne getting a job with a more localised area. That wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Finally we watched a lacklustre Scotland losing to the better team, Hungary. Apparently Scotland were robbed of a penalty because the referee was from Argentina?? I think that’s just clutching at straws. Anyway, what difference will it make. They didn’t win and that’s it for this year at least.

One of the Sauchiehall street shots got PoD. As usual it was a mash-up of two photos!

A few too many glasses of wine, brandy and beer last night meant this blog was carried over until today! My appy-polly-logies. Hicº

Hopefully another warm but sunny Monday for the start of the week. We have no plans.