A fruitful day so far - we've agreed to buy this as Jo's new car:
Astra Elite 1.6. Now it's time to empty and tidy Jo's Nissan Almera!
Ian R. Stewart Family Blog
Saturday 23 February 2013
New car for Jo
From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/
A fruitful day so far - we've agreed to buy this as Jo's new car:
Astra Elite 1.6. Now it's time to empty and tidy Jo's Nissan Almera!
A fruitful day so far - we've agreed to buy this as Jo's new car:
Astra Elite 1.6. Now it's time to empty and tidy Jo's Nissan Almera!
Friday 22 February 2013
Friday frustrations
From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/
So here I am, in the office at 4:10 pm on a Friday afternoon - well after my usual departure time - and I could be here for a while yet. My car has been having some vibration issues and I took it in to Law's Tyres opposite us to get them to balance the wheels. They've just come back and shown me a video of one of them, and it's bent. They have a new machine that straightens wheels out, but there's always a risk that they'll actually break the wheel when using it - and I don't have a spare (run-flats only).
So I'm going to be here for another hour at least - and it could be more if my wheel breaks. There might have to be an emergency phone call home - Jo - come and get me! Fingers crossed.
Bloody pot-holes - they're everywhere - and some of them are really deep. I've had quite a few serious thumps recently.
Squash last night then the final episode of The Fear, followed by episode two of Spiral, Series 4. Are we becoming too crime-oriented? Jo reads endless crime novels and watches virtually nothing but crime on TV. No wonder I wake up during the night - and it seems I'm being drawn in to watching crime drama now as well. Still, got to know what to watch out for, haven't I?
The local news we've all been expecting for a while has finally come - Inchmarlo Golf Centre has gone in to liquidation - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-21549139. Will somebody buy it as a going concern, or will it just wither away and the land revert to the local Laird (http://www.burnett.uk.com/leys.htm) again?
Ironically, it was just this week that I tried to book the lodges there for the Lesinas and Steele/Stewarts. Never mind, they'll still be there come Christmas - not sure if they're part of the liquidation or not, but hopefully somebody will want to own/run them.
That's all - the weekend starts here - eventually.
So here I am, in the office at 4:10 pm on a Friday afternoon - well after my usual departure time - and I could be here for a while yet. My car has been having some vibration issues and I took it in to Law's Tyres opposite us to get them to balance the wheels. They've just come back and shown me a video of one of them, and it's bent. They have a new machine that straightens wheels out, but there's always a risk that they'll actually break the wheel when using it - and I don't have a spare (run-flats only).
So I'm going to be here for another hour at least - and it could be more if my wheel breaks. There might have to be an emergency phone call home - Jo - come and get me! Fingers crossed.
Bloody pot-holes - they're everywhere - and some of them are really deep. I've had quite a few serious thumps recently.
Squash last night then the final episode of The Fear, followed by episode two of Spiral, Series 4. Are we becoming too crime-oriented? Jo reads endless crime novels and watches virtually nothing but crime on TV. No wonder I wake up during the night - and it seems I'm being drawn in to watching crime drama now as well. Still, got to know what to watch out for, haven't I?
The local news we've all been expecting for a while has finally come - Inchmarlo Golf Centre has gone in to liquidation - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-21549139. Will somebody buy it as a going concern, or will it just wither away and the land revert to the local Laird (http://www.burnett.uk.com/leys.htm) again?
Ironically, it was just this week that I tried to book the lodges there for the Lesinas and Steele/Stewarts. Never mind, they'll still be there come Christmas - not sure if they're part of the liquidation or not, but hopefully somebody will want to own/run them.
That's all - the weekend starts here - eventually.
Wednesday 20 February 2013
From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/
The only reason for this blog posting is because it gets me one nearer my 1,000th posting. This will be number 997 - and there have been 28,992 viewings of this blog so far. On average, 29 people read each post - and that doesn't include those who only view it by e-mail. It'll be 6 years next month that this blog has been running.
Of course, that's only half the story - when you add my other 8 blogs, there have been 1,939 postings and 52,692 viewings.
So, all of this statistical analysis suggests I'm going for quantity rather than quality in my blogs. Well, maybe, but not on purpose - it's just that I'm not very good at it. When I first started doing my blog, I didn't know what tack I should take - opinions, comments on the news, sport - what should I talk about? I got the feedback that it should just be some kind of diary - what I've been up to, what plans I have etc - and I've stuck to that ever since. The feedback was also responsible for starting up the separate football, golf, squash, beer etc blogs - subjects which hold no interest for different family members, so it was best to keep them separate.
So that's my side of it - and I'll keep on doing it for as long as I can. I originally thought it would be something that I would do more when I retired - and I fully expected to be retired by now - but it hasn't worked out that way.
So, am I a blog addict? Answers on a postcard please - and incidentally, I had a Board Meeting this morning and I went to the gym at 4 pm - that was today that was.
The only reason for this blog posting is because it gets me one nearer my 1,000th posting. This will be number 997 - and there have been 28,992 viewings of this blog so far. On average, 29 people read each post - and that doesn't include those who only view it by e-mail. It'll be 6 years next month that this blog has been running.
Of course, that's only half the story - when you add my other 8 blogs, there have been 1,939 postings and 52,692 viewings.
So, all of this statistical analysis suggests I'm going for quantity rather than quality in my blogs. Well, maybe, but not on purpose - it's just that I'm not very good at it. When I first started doing my blog, I didn't know what tack I should take - opinions, comments on the news, sport - what should I talk about? I got the feedback that it should just be some kind of diary - what I've been up to, what plans I have etc - and I've stuck to that ever since. The feedback was also responsible for starting up the separate football, golf, squash, beer etc blogs - subjects which hold no interest for different family members, so it was best to keep them separate.
So that's my side of it - and I'll keep on doing it for as long as I can. I originally thought it would be something that I would do more when I retired - and I fully expected to be retired by now - but it hasn't worked out that way.
So, am I a blog addict? Answers on a postcard please - and incidentally, I had a Board Meeting this morning and I went to the gym at 4 pm - that was today that was.
Tuesday 19 February 2013
Second Tuesday Blog Posting
From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/
Today keeps getting better. Kelly's news this morning and then, when I get home, there's an envelope waiting for me from AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club) telling me I've got a pair of tickets in the ballot for Wimbledon this year! Thursday 4th July - great - second week, bound to be some good tennis. Even better, it's Centre Court tickets. The ever so slightly disappointing news is that it's Ladies Semi-Finals and Mixed Doubles that day - so no Andy - boo-hoo!
Just to clarify about the Lesina/Steele/Stewart visit this Christmas - I thought everyone knew I had always intended putting them all up in the lodges at Inchmarlo - a bit more civilised than cramming in to our house, or even, as Gary alluded to, shuttling back and forward to Inverurie.
Anyway, back to today. I presented the CAMRA Club of the Year award to the Legion tonight - with Jas in tow:
When I got home, Ross, whose days off are Monday and Tuesday, was downstairs gaming again. I suggested he was regressing a little - his riposte was "yes, but at least I'm saving money this way". Good answer. Ross is hoping to move out before the summer and needs to save up a bit, so fair cop. He's still off the fags - sorry, cigarettes - too - that shows some will.
Enough from me - Arsenal v Bayern Munich calls.
Today keeps getting better. Kelly's news this morning and then, when I get home, there's an envelope waiting for me from AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club) telling me I've got a pair of tickets in the ballot for Wimbledon this year! Thursday 4th July - great - second week, bound to be some good tennis. Even better, it's Centre Court tickets. The ever so slightly disappointing news is that it's Ladies Semi-Finals and Mixed Doubles that day - so no Andy - boo-hoo!
Just to clarify about the Lesina/Steele/Stewart visit this Christmas - I thought everyone knew I had always intended putting them all up in the lodges at Inchmarlo - a bit more civilised than cramming in to our house, or even, as Gary alluded to, shuttling back and forward to Inverurie.
Anyway, back to today. I presented the CAMRA Club of the Year award to the Legion tonight - with Jas in tow:
When I got home, Ross, whose days off are Monday and Tuesday, was downstairs gaming again. I suggested he was regressing a little - his riposte was "yes, but at least I'm saving money this way". Good answer. Ross is hoping to move out before the summer and needs to save up a bit, so fair cop. He's still off the fags - sorry, cigarettes - too - that shows some will.
Enough from me - Arsenal v Bayern Munich calls.
Xmas good news
From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/
What a good start to the day - Kelly and Chris - and baby - are coming to Scotland this year after all! Lucy and Scott have also confirmed they are coming when the boys are off school - 20th December to 3rd January - so it's going to be a mass gathering of the clans this year!
What a good start to the day - Kelly and Chris - and baby - are coming to Scotland this year after all! Lucy and Scott have also confirmed they are coming when the boys are off school - 20th December to 3rd January - so it's going to be a mass gathering of the clans this year!
Monday 18 February 2013
Monday evening
From http://ianrstewart.blogspot.com/
We're all at home and Corrie's on the telly - good background for blogging. Good to see Gary, Lucy and Jo all blogging again - keep it up!
So how was our weekend? Pretty good actually. Friday night was the usual few beers and a chat with the footy lads - always a good laugh. As I went out, Jo said she was jealous and lamented the fact that none of her pals wanted to go out and do the same!
On Saturday, Jo and I walked along to the Burnett for an early bite before jumping on the bus to Aberdeen to attend the annual CAMRA meeting that selects the pubs from our area that will make it in to the Good Beer Guide next year - and which ones will be our Pub(s) of the Year. We had a few beers there then walked from the Dutch Mill in the West End all the way down to Union Square to go to the cinema.
We were tight for time so it was a very brisk pace - but what a disappointment when we got there. I had screwed up somehow - I had checked the programme guides very quickly before we left the house and thought that if we got there before 5:30 pm, we would have the choice of Tarantino's Django Unchained or Speilberg's Lincoln - or even Ben Affleck's Argo if we were prepared to wait another hour or so. Not so.
We thought we'd try one more and headed off to the Vue, but neither film was on there at a suitable time either. Oh well, nothing for it then - another beer at the Brentwood then head down to the Jewel in the Crown - we hadn't been there for years - and it was terrific.
The pace had been a bit hectic and Jo took a bit of a funny turn for a few minutes, but she was soon well enough to climb up the famous Bridge St. stairs (a bit like Waverley Steps in Edinburgh) with the carrot of a beer and a curry to keep her going!
Nice day out - and Sunday was another lovely mild, almost spring-like day, which allowed me to play my first game of golf for over 3 months. It was great to be out again - and I even played pretty well.
You've probably gathered that we're really in to our crime series on TV - and there's lots of good quality ones around just now. Sorry, Jo, but this doesn't include your favourite Midsomer Murders, Murder She Wrote etc.
I mentioned The Following and The Fear before, but we've now started the new Vegas series as well, plus another foreign language one - State of Terror. It's series 4 of the latter, so we're latecomers to it, but it looks pretty good so far, even if it's in French with subtitles.
Last week there were a lot of programmes on radio and TV commemorating - and with other stars trying to replicate - the Beatles' feat of recording their first album, Please Please Me under the intense time pressure of finishing the whole album in just 12 hours on one day 50 years ago last week. I have to swallow hard each time I say that - 50 years! - where has it gone?
I can remember it like it was yesterday - I was approaching my 14th birthday and this album was released. I didn't even have a record player then, but one of my pals did and we all used to congregate round at his house on every spare minute we had. It may not seem like it now, but it was revolutionary at the time and marked the start of the rock era as far as albums were concerned. Prior to that, LP's ("long-players") were mostly for classical acts, or were soundtracks for movies and musicals etc., but this changed all that.
I can still sing along to every word on the album and I instantly know what song's next when one stops - it's ingrained on me. This is the famous iconic cover:
Ah - memories.
We're all at home and Corrie's on the telly - good background for blogging. Good to see Gary, Lucy and Jo all blogging again - keep it up!
So how was our weekend? Pretty good actually. Friday night was the usual few beers and a chat with the footy lads - always a good laugh. As I went out, Jo said she was jealous and lamented the fact that none of her pals wanted to go out and do the same!
On Saturday, Jo and I walked along to the Burnett for an early bite before jumping on the bus to Aberdeen to attend the annual CAMRA meeting that selects the pubs from our area that will make it in to the Good Beer Guide next year - and which ones will be our Pub(s) of the Year. We had a few beers there then walked from the Dutch Mill in the West End all the way down to Union Square to go to the cinema.
We were tight for time so it was a very brisk pace - but what a disappointment when we got there. I had screwed up somehow - I had checked the programme guides very quickly before we left the house and thought that if we got there before 5:30 pm, we would have the choice of Tarantino's Django Unchained or Speilberg's Lincoln - or even Ben Affleck's Argo if we were prepared to wait another hour or so. Not so.
We thought we'd try one more and headed off to the Vue, but neither film was on there at a suitable time either. Oh well, nothing for it then - another beer at the Brentwood then head down to the Jewel in the Crown - we hadn't been there for years - and it was terrific.
The pace had been a bit hectic and Jo took a bit of a funny turn for a few minutes, but she was soon well enough to climb up the famous Bridge St. stairs (a bit like Waverley Steps in Edinburgh) with the carrot of a beer and a curry to keep her going!
Nice day out - and Sunday was another lovely mild, almost spring-like day, which allowed me to play my first game of golf for over 3 months. It was great to be out again - and I even played pretty well.
You've probably gathered that we're really in to our crime series on TV - and there's lots of good quality ones around just now. Sorry, Jo, but this doesn't include your favourite Midsomer Murders, Murder She Wrote etc.
I mentioned The Following and The Fear before, but we've now started the new Vegas series as well, plus another foreign language one - State of Terror. It's series 4 of the latter, so we're latecomers to it, but it looks pretty good so far, even if it's in French with subtitles.
Last week there were a lot of programmes on radio and TV commemorating - and with other stars trying to replicate - the Beatles' feat of recording their first album, Please Please Me under the intense time pressure of finishing the whole album in just 12 hours on one day 50 years ago last week. I have to swallow hard each time I say that - 50 years! - where has it gone?
I can remember it like it was yesterday - I was approaching my 14th birthday and this album was released. I didn't even have a record player then, but one of my pals did and we all used to congregate round at his house on every spare minute we had. It may not seem like it now, but it was revolutionary at the time and marked the start of the rock era as far as albums were concerned. Prior to that, LP's ("long-players") were mostly for classical acts, or were soundtracks for movies and musicals etc., but this changed all that.
I can still sing along to every word on the album and I instantly know what song's next when one stops - it's ingrained on me. This is the famous iconic cover:
Ah - memories.
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