A year ago today this was published. The first post in my embryonic blog, and I have my daughter to thank for that. Without her help and knowledge it wouldn’t have happened. The 13th of August may seem a strange date to begin a blog. Surely better on your birthday or on New Year’s Day. August 13th 2014 was the date I should have been going back to work if I hadn’t retired on the previous June. So you see, this blog has been a record of my first year as a free man! Hopefully I’ll manage to keep blogging my tales for a few more years, still as a free man.
Today dawned bright and sunny with a blue sky and white fluffy clouds. I couldn’t believe at first that the weather fairies had got it right again, but it was true. Blue skies and sun. Temperature only just making it into double figures though, but set to rise we were told and they were right again. Spent the morning clearing up my extremely untidy painting room and stretching some old, but excellent paper for painting.
After lunch Scamp and I went shopping and I bumped into my cousin who I
had been meaning to phone for ages. The chance meeting replaced the phone call, but made both of us later than we should have been. When we go home, Scamp wanted to do some gardening and I wanted to cycle. Since Scamp doesn’t cycle and I don’t garden, we had reached an agreeable compromise. Again, I used the quite excellent one bike carrier to take my Kona to Auchinstarry where I parked and set off for a run to Twechar by the old railway then 
back along the canal past Auchinstarry to Dullatur and then turn back along the path to the car. Managed a few shots of old guys fishing in
the quarry before I set off. Don’t know what they are fishing for – must ask the next time I’m there. Got some flower and insect shots along the way. On the way back, I passed a group of weans with the usual Bucky bottles under the road bridge.
Him “How ye doin’ mate?’
Me “I’m alright how are you?”
Him “Aye, we’re no bad mate. Jist huvin’ a wee spliff know?”
Me “Yeah, you look all set up there.” – He’s got a home made bong made from a lemonade bottle.
Him “Ye want a go at the bucket?” <laughs at his excellent joke> (BTW Bucket = Bong)
Me “Not me. I’m a bit old for that”
Him”Ye sure ye don’t want a go on the bucket? <laughs again and repeats ad nauseum>
You will lose the humour in this conversation if don’t hear it delivered in the Ned patois which is a nasal monotone.
What made the conversation even funnier was the fact that there they were with their hash, hiding under a bridge, when across the canal, the Dullatur elite were drinking their vastly overpriced craft beers at the Auchinstarry Marina. Who are the real dafties? Anyway, passed the happy crowd on both sides of the canal and finished the run. Got home and made a rather unsuccessful Chicken Jambalaya for dinner.
The magic weather fairies say it will rain tomorrow. 🙁