Friday/Saturday

Well, the social worker was positive and promised to get her report done and support the application for Dad to go to Erskine Glasgow. It was all a bit much for Dad, however - he knew something was happening but couldn't be sure exactly what. When the bus came round to take him to the Gatehouse, he refused to go and said he just wanted to go to sleep. He went to bed and laid down and no amount of cajoling from Barry and Dawn could change his mind. It was all rather sad and made us reflect again - but it's still probably the only and best option - the results of his fall last week were still evident yesterday:

Barry's got a new car but he's had a few minor problems with it and the Mercedes dealer is not playing ball - here's the car:

In the afternoon, I drove down to Turnberry - home of the 2009 Open (not this year as I said earlier). Here I am on the 18th fairway in front of the famous hotel:

I enjoyed the golf and played pretty well - but it's a long drive home and I was tired and stiff when I finally got to bed. Up again for the competition at Banchory this morning and I did well there too - net 66, so my handicap's back down to 11 now.

Gary brought Luca round this afternoon and he was his usual happy self - the video shows him playing with his toys.

Thursday

Didn't get a game of golf last night - they kept the course closed even after all the snow had melted away. Hoping to get a game tonight instead, after which I will head down to Glasgow - just heard that, at last, the Social Worker is coming out to assess Dad tomorrow morning. Hopefully this will be the start of things moving along at last.

I've got an invite to play Turnberry tomorrow afternoon and I'd like to take it if I can - it's where the Open is being played this year. It'll mean I'll be late home on Friday night - and then it's a busy weekend, with golf on Saturday morning, Woodend Barn in the evening and then back down to Glasgow on Sunday to see Thistle play Rangers.

Wednesday morning

Not looking too good for golf tonight - this was the view from the pro shop this morning:

Tuesday

Nothing much to report - Aberdeen won last night to make the top 6 and Ross and I just watched a great Liverpool - Arsenal match (4-2).

Golf tomorrow night then off to Glasgow on Thursday night to see Dad. Got an invite to play Turnberry on Friday afternoon and on Saturday we're off to Woodend Barn to see Karine Polwart (http://www.karinepolwart.com/). Then on Sunday it's back down to Glasgow again to see if Thistle can pull off another major shock and beat Rangers to make it all the way to the Cup semi-final.

It's already 2 days past the Vernal Equinox and just 72 days until the Summer Solstice!

Got a new audiobook - a Jack London collection - White Fang and Call of the Wild. I remembered my Mum recommending the latter to me when I was in my mid-teens and I really enjoyed it - not sure how I'll take it now and whether it has stood the test of time for me.

Monday

Back to work for Jo today - she's going to ask about early retirement instead of simple resignation.

Ross drove over to Auchenblae yesterday to get spares for his Saab - but he's going to have to go back again on Tuesday when he's at Stonehaven anyway.

Aberdeen v Falkirk tonight for a place in the top 6 - think I'll watch it on Setanta rather than go to Pittodrie!

Dad's had another fall and been in hospital again. Dawn showed up on Saturday and there was nobody in the house and no message had been sent - but she phoned the hospital and sure enough there he was. He's not safe at home on his own and we need to get him in to Erskine - we've been waiting months for a Social Worker to be appointed to his case and finally we've got one - hope we can move ahead now - and that there's still a place for him there.