Category: Glasgow

Wet – 18 April 2025

Posted on by Zogman

Not a very bright and cheery day.

Such a shame after yesterday which started out wet, but brightened as the day went on, today was just dull and wet all day. Plus, as I’m writing this, it’s still raining.

Scamp was out in the morning to have coffee and a blether with Isobel. I was back home trying to work out how approximately 100 pieces could fit into the Lego tree. It almost worked perfectly. Of the 100 odd pieces, only one disappeared somewhere. It may be lying on the carpet upstairs, but I don’t think so. Whoever designed this Thing must have had a very clever and very twisted mind. It all works exactly as the instructions describe, but why make it so complicated? Still, it’s fascinating!

By the time Scamp got back, I’d just finished the tree trunk section, complete with two flexible vines that twine round the tree, and was starting the table that holds the flower pot. Another hundred odd pieces! I think that’s all done now and the next stage is to create the ‘stones’ that fill the pot, then deciding whether it’s going to be a tree in leaf or one with blossom. I’ll probably make both, I think.

Scamp wanted a birthday card written and posted by 4pm and after sitting for at least two hours, I thought that might be a great opportunity to stretch my legs because it looked like there was a short dry spell coming.

I walked over to Condorrat and posted the card in the afternoon and as it was still dry, I walked round St Mo’s – just one circuit, not wanting to tempt fate. The weather stayed dry, but I wasn’t impressed with today’s photos once I got home. So, for the first time in ages, I kept today’s photos and instead, posted one of yesterday’s as PoD. It’s a shot looking up at the South Portland Street suspension bridge in Glasgow, with the sandstone entrance behind it and the ill fated Virgin Hotel in the background. Three photos for the price of one!

Later in the evening, I watched and actually enjoyed Gardners’ World. It’s sometimes a bit dull and has too many little video pieces made by folk who just want to tell you how wonderful their gardens are. Time wasters, that’s all most of them are. Today had only a few of those, with the presenters doing the interesting stuff.

Tomorrow is Saturday and we don’t have a dance class because the teachers are still off sunning themselves in some foreign clime. Instead, we’re hoping to do a bit of reading in bed. We don’t have any plans for the day as yet!

A day in the Toon – 17 April 2025

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Bus in to Glasgow in the rain to meet Alex. Scamp was meeting an old friend from work, for lunch.

Thought I’d be smart and get an earlier bus, only to find there were multiple roadworks on Cathedral Street and I ended up getting to the bus station at my usual time, 12 noon.

We did our normal walk down to a Nero, any Nero really and after a wee blether we took a walk down Buchanan Street heading to St Enoch’s Square, now that the rain had abated. We took a detour through Princes Square for Alex to take some photos of the escalators. I covered that shot, but I wasn’t interested. In the winter with the decorations and the Christmas tree, it’s a good place to photograph, but not in the middle of Spring. We walked on through St Enoch’s Square to see a new bit of graffiti on the Clyde Walkway and to photograph it. It’s on Flickr if you’re interested.

While we were on the walkway, about ten folk on a RIB screamed past on the Clyde. It wasn’t immediately obvious if it was the occupants or the RIB that was screaming, but I took some photos anyway.

All this walking and talking was making us both hungry, so Alex suggested the Willow Tea Rooms as our venue and I knew it was good, because he’d taken me there before a few years ago. We had sandwiches and I had a pot of tea while Alex had Coke. Although it’s quite posh, they do a decent pot of tea! Darjeeling, of course.

Where to go next? I’d been meaning to photograph the new(ish) City of Glasgow College and with blue skies all around now, I suggested it to Alex. He is quite an architecture fanatic, mostly older structures, but we won’t say “No” to a more modern edifice, so we spent an hour or so investigating different viewpoints and different lenses with which to capture this brilliantly white building.

I just missed the X3 from the college that would have taken me home, but too late and too lazy to run to catch it, I decided to wait for the next one. Alex’s bus came first and we agreed to meet again soon. His choice this time.

I took the next X3 past the house and got out at the shops so that I could get a pizza for dinner later in case we needed it, knowing that we could have it tomorrow if we were hungry.

PoD went to a wide angle shot of the City of Glasgow College under a blue sky.

Watched the finale of The Apprentice and agreed that the winner deserved the title.

No real plans for tomorrow, but Scamp has an appointment with Isobel. I may finish part 2 of the 3D jigsaw.

Happy Birthday to Me – 8 April 2025

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Another year older and deeper …

Spoke to Hazy in the morning and thanked her for the clever little hanger to put apples in for the birds. I may have to reinforce it with wire to stop the squirrels chewing away the string that it hangs from. Clever idea again Hazy. I also got a new book to read, recommended by my daughter. It’s an intriguing start, I look forward to reading a bit more. Thank you and Neil for such clever and interesting gifts.

Scamp and I were off to Glasgow today on the bus, for a wee jaunt round the city with a spot of lunch thrown in for good measure. First stop, as usual, was Nero for a coffee and a plan. Also, as usual, there was no plan. A wander down Buchanan Street and that’s when I realised I’d left my glasses at home. No big panic, I could source a cheap pair anywhere in central Glasgow. After that, we walked down to Waterstones to find a book I’d been looking for, but couldn’t remember the title although it was not one of those on the tables in the book shop.

Then it was time to head for Mowgli on St Vincent Street. Scamp had booked a table and we started investigating the menu. Since it was my birthday, I get to make my choice first.

I had Sticky Chicken and Supergreen Chicken Curry with rice and two Roti. All washed down with a bottle of Cobra beer.

Scamp had Tea Steeped Chickpeas and Mowgli Paneer with rice and two Roti. She had a Pomegranate Prosecco Fizz to help it all go down.

Instead of a dessert, I had a Smoked Cardamom Old Fashioned and Scamp couldn’t resist another Pomegranate Prosecco Fizz.

As we were tidying up the bill, I dropped it into conversation that it was my birthday and was given a free, double layered Brownie topped with a ball of ice cream, with a birthday candle on top!

A lovely meal in Mowgli again.

We wandered round the centre of Glasgow and just managed to catch the bus home. We had intended sitting in the garden, but I thought it was a bit cool.

Spoke to Jamie later and thanked him for the Lego Bonsai Tree with 800 odd pieces! It may take a bit of time and a pair of tweezers to get it assembled properly, but it’s an interesting challenge. Thank you and Simonne for keeping me engaged for a while!

PoD was a shot of folk on the stairs of the Concert Hall in Glasgow.

Tomorrow, I think we may be looking for a birthday present for a one year old. I’m sure Scamp has ideas aplenty!

 

Out on the town – 2 April 2025

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Alex and I were doing a photowalk in Glasgow today.

A beautiful day for it. I wasn’t wearing my Orange Rab jacket, nor my other rainy jacket, although I did have it with me, just in case there was a change in the temperature. There wasn’t.

We started off in Nero as usual and once a plan had been discussed and accepted by both parties we walked down Buchanan Street and on through St Enoch’s Square then down to the Clyde Walkway. We watched a bloke setting up his grid of white squares on a newly painted bare black wall. Once he was happy with the grid he didn’t take long to sketch in the rest of the tag. I’d meant to go back and see how it turned out, but I forgot, so that will have to be a walk to take on another day DV.

Instead, we walked along the Walkway and I got some shots of the St Andrew’s Cathedral as a flight of pigeons did a flypast. I seriously thought that was going to be PoD, and it was, temporarily.

By then, food was calling and Alex said he fancied a lighter lunch, so we went to Greggs for a Mexican Chicken Oval Bite. Basically sliced up chicken with salad leaves and chilli mayo on a soft roll. Maybe that’s doing it a disservice, because I really enjoyed it. We dined alfresco sitting on a statue’s plinth in what used to be George Square. Now it’s a barren wasteland with almost all the grass removed and a paltry few benches around the central statue were all taken, that’s why we settled for the plinth.

Fed and watered, we wandered down through the Merchant City looking for a building Alex had seen, but couldn’t remember where. What we did find was a quiet wee cemetery which I couldn’t remember seeing before, but now realise was the Ramshorn cemetery.

Once I got my bearings I easily found the building Alex was looking for, it was the Cranberry’s building a three or four storey almost round building. Once Alex got some photos, we walked down to Argyle Street and had a coffee and a blether then headed for home.

I managed to catch an x36 bus that would take me to Condorrat with a lot fewer stops than the usual X3. Then we had a wee glass of Clarence wine in the garden. Very civilised!

That was a very enjoyable day. 84 photos taken and about three quarters made it through the first pass. Just over 13,000 steps. I even remembered to take a selfie of Alex and me as we headed for our buses, just to prove to Hazy that I’m back, but probably not normal – never normal! You’re right. That’s boring!!

PoD was some ladies being served a trio of cocktails in a posh restaurant in Exchange Square.

Tomorrow we may go dancing, proper dancing, among people.

Keeping Fit – 28 March 2025

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Scamp was out early this morning to go to her Friday morning FitSteps class. That left me with the opportunity to read a bit more of my book. I’d done my bit this morning by driving up to Tesco to ensure that that wee Blue car had enough fuel to take Scamp to her class.

As I said, I had done my bit by making sure the car had enough fuel to get Scamp to her class. The next thing I had to do was make a decent cup of coffee and find my place in my book. A quick review of the photos in Flickr and a solution to Wordle and I was done until Scamp returned.

I’d received a text from JL to say that my new bedside lamp had arrived in Glasgow and was ready to pick up. Once Scamp returned, we drove through heavy rain, then hail to get to Glasgow. Wild weather these last few days. Lots of thundery rain and high winds too, but we got to Glasgow without too much bother and collected the lamp and the bulb which was almost as expensive as the lamp at just over £7. Seven quid for a bulb? What is the world coming to?

We went for a coffee in JL where there seemed to be a lack of cups in the cafe and we were handed our coffees in paper cups. No reason given, so it’s probably something else to blame Mr Trump for. Well, we can’t blame Boris this time and Starmer hasn’t a clue what’s going on, so DT is the easy fall guy.

We took a walk down Buchanan Street and on to St Enoch’s Square where I found a view of the old subway office and the new magic greenhouse that is the new entrance and those two buildings made the subject of PoD, along with a guy looking serious as he avoided stepping on the lines as he walked past. You can’t be too careful these days.

Lunch with Scamp was in Paesano. It’s usually Alex and I who eat there every couple of weeks, but this time Scamp seemed happy to be my guest. The pizza place was very quiet, as was the town in general. That is, except for a bunch of wahoos who were toting banners and singing songs. No polis to be seen, so they weren’t Rangers or Celtic fans, just wahoos!

The lamp seems to work well, and I’m off to bed now to see how easy it is to work with its touch technology in the dark!

Tomorrow there may be a return to ballroom dancing. Oh dear!!

A journey through the past – 18 February 2025

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Today I got the bus in to Glasgow to meet two old friends.

It was a cold bus I got in to Glasgow. By the time I got there my feet were freezing and I went for a walk around town to warm myself up. It was a day for searching out the bits of Glasgow architecture that don’t make the glossy brochures. PoD went to a photo of a couple walking up an alley just off the posh streets. It was the cobbles that took my eye. Just imagine riding down them on a bike! Think of the damage that would do to your tyres and rims, not to mention your posterior!

A month ago, Charlie McKillop had suggested he, Steven Miller and Ian Harrison meet up with me at the Horseshoe Bar in Glasgow for a beer or two and take it from there. In the end, Ian didn’t arrive. Charlie said it’s difficult to get him out these days since he retired. Charlie is the only one of us who is still working. He’s determined to stay on for another year … or so. It was a pity that Ian couldn’t make it, but the three of us had a few beers in the bar and then went upstairs for what Scamp calls “School Dinner Lunch”. It’s quite good description really, except I don’t remember Guinness being on the menu for school dinner. It’s one of the cheapest lunches you’ll find in Glasgow and it’s always freshly cooked.

The Horseshoe hadn’t changed much since the last time I was there with Fred, Ray Jack and Val. Still the same lack of decor or decent seats and with a noise level that increased with ever pint we drank. It seem the fire in the corner has disappeared, but that’s about it. Upstairs there are a couple of big TVs, but no other visible changes. Sometimes it’s best to let a good thing lie instead of trying to pretty it up.

After lunch and a couple more beers, we went our ways. Steven was off home to Hamilton, Charlie and I were heading for the bus station, then home. He to Greenock and me to Cumbersheugh. I really enjoyed the conversation today, and I’d probably do it again some day, when it was a bit warmer.

Thankfully the bus home had a heater and with my fancy headphones on and decent music to listen to, it was a pleasant homeward run.

Tomorrow I expect to do a similar journey, this time meeting Alex in Glasgow and getting the train to Paisley.

What we did today – 31 January 2025

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With all the shenanigans yesterday, going to see a doc here and a consultant there we had no time to celebrate our unofficial anniversary, so we nominated Friday to stand in for the 30th!

Scamp went out to FitSteps as usual and arrived home tired, aching but happy. I’d been in slob mode writing yesterday’s blog while she was out, so both of us got changed into something a bit more in keeping for an anniversary and got the bus to Glasgow to look for dragonflies in December!

We found one in Argento in Princes Square. A pretty one with blue wings and diamonds was the choice. Deal was sealed and the girl in the shop saved my day by inserting the charm into the bracelet for Scamp.

With the main work of the day done, we walked round to get a book in Waterstones with a book token Scamp had given me along with a bar of Fruit & Nut. As it happened, I changed my mind and bought a fancy bookmark instead.

We had discussed lots of places we could go for lunch / dinner but hadn’t settled on any particular one, but we headed up the hill roughly making for Sauchiehall Street after I’d taken a photo of a building John Malley had told me about. We were discussing going to an Italian restaurant we’d been in before when we noticed a place called Mowgli on St Vincent Street. We’d tried to get in there a while ago, but didn’t have a reservation and it was a two hour wait, so we left. This time we did make it and were placed at a small table beside half a dozen ‘Ladies wot Lunch”, obviously having a great time.

Food was sort of Indian and interesting. It was served like tapas with different things appearing at different times. We had too many small portions to list here, but basically we had starters to share, three smallish mains to share and instead of a dessert, Scamp had a latte with a measure of Kahlúa (coffee liqueur). I had their version of an “Old Fashioned” (whisky cocktail with bitters, soda water cardamom and orange). I’m glad we chose to take the bus and didn’t drive!

We went for a wander along Sauchiehall Street before we got the X35 bus home with a crowd of rowdy weans on the top deck. We chose the bottom!

With a bit of tweaking the photo John told me about became PoD. It actually looks a lot brighter that it was in reality.

A lovely relaxing day just what an anniversary should be.

Hopefully dancin’ tomorrow, although we don’t have a confirmation that it’s actually on yet!!

A frustrating day – 14 January 2025

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Scamp gave me a lift to the station this morning.

I was hoping to get a solution to my problem of squeezing my Android data into the new iPhone. I headed straight to the Apple shop and got my first let down. I spoke to the ‘greeter’ at the shop and was told that they didn’t actually do transitions between Android and Apple. The reason she gave was that they weren’t allowed by law to work with third party equipment, or words to that effect.

I told her I wasn’t impressed much with Apple, since they proudly state that they made the software for the changeover, but weren’t willing to help with its use. She checked with her manager and he confirmed that. My hopes of an easy answer were gone.

I left and went to get my hair cut. A wee old man in a long white ankle length coat, like Muslim men wear, asked me for directions to the Bank of Scotland and I said I was going that way and told him I’d walk with him up to Sauchiehall Street. He looked as if he was very tired and walked quite slowly. Eventually we walked up to the top of West Nile Street and I pointed out the bank. He thanked me and crossed the road to it. That was my good turn for the day.

I got my hair cut and told my tale of woe to the barber who didn’t sympathise with me but told me that was just how business was done these days. I paid him and went for a spot of lunch and thought about what he’d said and was heading for the train when I spoke to Scamp and she agreed with the barber.

That made me think again and I went for a walk to clear my head, then phoned Scamp again and told her I would get a later train, then went back to the Apple shop and apologised to the manager for being a hot headed eejit and he explained what I was doing wrong with the attempted transfer of data.

I took him at his word, phoned Scamp and to get a lift back to civilisation and did what the bloke in the Apple shop had said. This time doing it by his method. The last time the transfer took about two minutes maximum. This time it took about 45 minutes, but almost everything transferred without a problem.

The only thing missing was the emails. They needed to be installed separately and individually. There were only four of them, but even after working at it for three or four hours, I’m no further forward. I may have to go to that Apple shop again to have it explained to me.

A frustrating day, I said. It certainly was, for me.

PoD was a photo taken in Queen Street Station. I liked the light in there.

Tomorrow, Scamp may be going out with the rest of the Witches. I might go back into Glasgow for another tutorial. I’m sure it’s something simple I’m missing.

Decision made – 11 January 2025

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I’ve hummed and hawed for weeks now, but today I made my decision and, of course, immediately regretted it.

We drove to the station and just missed the Glasgow train. Worse still, the next one was cancelled, so we sat in the barely heated waiting room and did what it was intended for, we waited. I expected the train to be mobbed. Folk rammed into the vestibule and the remainder standing on each other’s toes along the carriage, but no. There were plenty seats, we had our pick of them. Scotland knows how to run a railroad!

Once we arrived in Glasgow we headed to the Apple shop in Buchanan Street, but not before I took one three photos of the crowds coming and going on that wide retail avenue, just to make sure the 365 didn’t die off completely. One of the three made PoD. In the shop I buttonholed the bloke I’d been talking to last week. I know he probably wouldn’t remember me, but just in case he was on commission, I gave him a description of the phone I wanted and paid for it there and then. An iPhone 15 with 256GB of space on it was mine. A blue one, but a very weak, watered down blue.

We went to Cafe Nero for coffee and a pastry each to celebrate and in the process, missed the next train home. Another half hour late, because the next one was cancelled too! It was so cold that I encouraged Scamp to walk along with me into Buchanan Galleries to at least be warm while we waited for the train. Queen Street station was freezing.

The train arrived, we jumped on and were swiftly taken to Croy. Then and drove home via M&S. Dinner tonight was the remainder of the soup from earlier in the week.

After dinner, I started into charging the new iPhone and that’s where things got a bit tricky. I managed to get the phone charged, and I even went as far as to get it looking like a phone, but the problems started when I tried to install the data from my android phone. The iPhone refused to see it and it wasn’t until later in the evening I discovered that it can only be done on a completely empty phone, in other words, I had to return the iPhone to Factory Settings, losing all the work I’d done. I decided to do the reset and leave it there until tomorrow, In fact I left the blog until tomorrow as you’ve probably realised by now.

Tomorrow is another day and we’re both off to Hairmyres to get my eye examined by a consultant. It seems there is a bit of swelling that needs looked at.

No iPhones will be fiddled with until we get back.

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.