Finished my audiobook of Cormac McCarthy's The Road - I see there's now a film coming out soon.
Still reading No Mean City - haven't read much of it recently. The books are piling up beside my bed - some good holiday reading - perhaps even this weekend.
We watched Quantum of Solace last night - pretty good - although I'm not sure exactly how much of the story you actually follow in detail. As Jo says, just go with the flow and it'll all become clear in the end - the goodies always win.
The new Ian Dury biopic is out this week - may even go and see it on Saturday night when we're down in London for our footy weekend.
Ian R. Stewart Family Blog
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Memories of 26 years ago
The continuing snow reminds me of winter 1983/84 when we first moved in to Banchory. It arrived with a vengeance on 1st January, 1984 and the snow hung around until the end of February. "Daddy, I want to go back home" was a wail I recall. Of course, there was also a certain little madam who told me in no uncertain terms about the same time that she didn't care where my next job took me, she was staying put in Banchory - 10 years old and giving me orders! - and now look where she is!
Anyway, remember we didn't even have carpets down in the living room and we huddled up under duvets? We lost power, phones and TV reception. Remember the long queues at the video shop? - one in, one out.
I wonder if this winter is heading the same way? I rather like having "proper" winter weather, rather than just the bland, damp winters of more recent years. As long as the roads are open, it's rather nice - very pretty.
We went for a long(ish) walk yesterday. I think it was a bit further than Jo intended and she was pretty tired when we got back home. She had plans A & B ready for our New Year meal, depending on whether Gary, Carole and Luca came over - if they had, it would have been Jo's famous steak pie, but the snow put paid to that and so we had to "make do" with haggis instead! Very tasty it was too.
This was one of the photos I took at the far end of Banchory:
Today we're due to be heading off for a few days away at the Kenmore Club, Perthshire - if the weather behaves. More snow is forecast, but, so far, no sign of anything major. Have to wait for Jo to awaken anyway - she's still in recovery mode after yesterday!
Anyway, remember we didn't even have carpets down in the living room and we huddled up under duvets? We lost power, phones and TV reception. Remember the long queues at the video shop? - one in, one out.
I wonder if this winter is heading the same way? I rather like having "proper" winter weather, rather than just the bland, damp winters of more recent years. As long as the roads are open, it's rather nice - very pretty.
We went for a long(ish) walk yesterday. I think it was a bit further than Jo intended and she was pretty tired when we got back home. She had plans A & B ready for our New Year meal, depending on whether Gary, Carole and Luca came over - if they had, it would have been Jo's famous steak pie, but the snow put paid to that and so we had to "make do" with haggis instead! Very tasty it was too.
This was one of the photos I took at the far end of Banchory:
Today we're due to be heading off for a few days away at the Kenmore Club, Perthshire - if the weather behaves. More snow is forecast, but, so far, no sign of anything major. Have to wait for Jo to awaken anyway - she's still in recovery mode after yesterday!
Friday, 1 January 2010
2010
Happy New Year! Twenty Ten, Two O One O, or two thousand and ten? You choose - I think Twenty Ten will be the most favoured, particularly given that the London Olympics is already being marketed as Twenty Twelve.
We had dinner at Anne and Leslie's last night. Peter and Srie Hodgson came along and it was a bit of a buffet as Anne's bed is still in the dining room. Srie, Jo and Leslie were doing most of the work. Smoked salmon on tattie pancakes was Jo's starter, and we had a choice of 3 main courses prepared by Srie - chicken, beef and veggie. Jo's pavlova to follow of course.
Colin made a brief appearance whilst Johanne slept off the effects of the sedation - they had just got back from Ninewells hospital, Dundee at 4 pm after Johanne had had a small operation/procedure to replace the battery in the stimulation unit implanted six and half years ago. Colin reckons her walking may have improved a little and her speech is less slurred, although the volume has not increased. It's a bit too early to be sure, however - I hope it improves things for Johanne for a while.
Here's the group after the bells this morning:
We had dinner at Anne and Leslie's last night. Peter and Srie Hodgson came along and it was a bit of a buffet as Anne's bed is still in the dining room. Srie, Jo and Leslie were doing most of the work. Smoked salmon on tattie pancakes was Jo's starter, and we had a choice of 3 main courses prepared by Srie - chicken, beef and veggie. Jo's pavlova to follow of course.
Colin made a brief appearance whilst Johanne slept off the effects of the sedation - they had just got back from Ninewells hospital, Dundee at 4 pm after Johanne had had a small operation/procedure to replace the battery in the stimulation unit implanted six and half years ago. Colin reckons her walking may have improved a little and her speech is less slurred, although the volume has not increased. It's a bit too early to be sure, however - I hope it improves things for Johanne for a while.
Here's the group after the bells this morning:
Gary has been on the phone this morning to officially tell us the worst kept secret in the world - never could cover up his tracks, that boy! The christmas card to "my fiancé" was a bit of a give-away - even though it was the wrong gender! Many congratulations to them both.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Indoors picnic
This was the lovely scene that greeted me when I arrived at Inverurie for Luca's 3rd birthday picnic:
Carole had laid on a lovely spread - Jo and I appreciated it, although Luca didn't eat much other than some crisps and chocolate cake - too excited, I guess.
Carole's taking a photo of Luca blowing out his candles:
On my way home, I took a slight detour via Anderson's and saw this chair, which I quite like. What do you think?:
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Luca is 3
Happy birthday to little Luca, who stayed over again last night - and also slept right through till I was leaving for work. Bye bye, Luca - "happy Christmas, Grandad".
I'm at work again this morning but will leave for Inverurie at lunchtime - can't resist the lure of Peppa Pig cake. We had some snow last night - it must have come quite late as the roads in Banchory hadn't been cleared - although the ploughs were on the roads as I gingerly drove to work. The temperature is a lot higher though - at least 10 C warmer than yesterday - i.e. it's now a positive number! More snow forecast for tomorrow - don't think I'll bother travelling to work in that case.
I had intended to come home home in the early afternoon yesterday but made a slight diversion to go in to Comet to look at their range of cameras. I'd like to get a decent quality camera, but I like the convenience of being able to carry a small camera on my belt. Digital SLR's are getting smaller, but they're still relatively bulky in comparison with non-SLR's. In fact, it appears the dividing lines are breaking down - a few manufacturers are advertising hybrids nowadays - you've probably seen the PEN adverts on TV. I'm still not quite sure what the distinction is exactly - I'll probably have to talk to somebody that knows a bit more about it.
Anyway, I was heading home through the busy city centre traffic when Keith sent me a message proposing racquetball at Kippie, so that meant another diversion on the way home - firstly to get a quick sandwich for lunch, then to Kippie, then a quick beer with Keith and Les - we swapped cardiac stories - an increasing trend nowadays.
I'm at work again this morning but will leave for Inverurie at lunchtime - can't resist the lure of Peppa Pig cake. We had some snow last night - it must have come quite late as the roads in Banchory hadn't been cleared - although the ploughs were on the roads as I gingerly drove to work. The temperature is a lot higher though - at least 10 C warmer than yesterday - i.e. it's now a positive number! More snow forecast for tomorrow - don't think I'll bother travelling to work in that case.
I had intended to come home home in the early afternoon yesterday but made a slight diversion to go in to Comet to look at their range of cameras. I'd like to get a decent quality camera, but I like the convenience of being able to carry a small camera on my belt. Digital SLR's are getting smaller, but they're still relatively bulky in comparison with non-SLR's. In fact, it appears the dividing lines are breaking down - a few manufacturers are advertising hybrids nowadays - you've probably seen the PEN adverts on TV. I'm still not quite sure what the distinction is exactly - I'll probably have to talk to somebody that knows a bit more about it.
Anyway, I was heading home through the busy city centre traffic when Keith sent me a message proposing racquetball at Kippie, so that meant another diversion on the way home - firstly to get a quick sandwich for lunch, then to Kippie, then a quick beer with Keith and Les - we swapped cardiac stories - an increasing trend nowadays.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
CBeebies
With Luca staying overnight, it wasn't my usual start to the day, listening to BBC Breakfast over my Fruit and Fibre - oh no, Nina and the Neurons instead - how educational - today it was all about sound echoes.
I'm at work, but it took a while to scrape the car this morning - hard frost. The temperature dipped as low as -9.5 C as I drove over the moor at Garlogie. My water bottle, which sits in my car, has now been resting on my desk in the centrally heated office for over 3 hours and it's still 90% ice with only a little of the block having defrosted.
Yesterday was footy again at Strikers in Aberdeen - check football blog for photos - it was Andy Gore's 63rd birthday and also my 600th match - not bad considering I stopped completely for 6 years from 1991 and even now, only play occasionally when they're short. It pales in comparison with Andy's record - he's now played 888 matches since we first started keeping records in 1990.
Done some work now, but going home soon - got to break myself in gently.
I'm at work, but it took a while to scrape the car this morning - hard frost. The temperature dipped as low as -9.5 C as I drove over the moor at Garlogie. My water bottle, which sits in my car, has now been resting on my desk in the centrally heated office for over 3 hours and it's still 90% ice with only a little of the block having defrosted.
Yesterday was footy again at Strikers in Aberdeen - check football blog for photos - it was Andy Gore's 63rd birthday and also my 600th match - not bad considering I stopped completely for 6 years from 1991 and even now, only play occasionally when they're short. It pales in comparison with Andy's record - he's now played 888 matches since we first started keeping records in 1990.
Done some work now, but going home soon - got to break myself in gently.
Monday, 28 December 2009
Movies
Well, I think we both enjoyed Nowhere Boy - a sad little tale, according to Jo. I obviously knew the story inside out, but it was pretty well done - particularly Kristen Scott Thomas as Aunt Mimi.
We also watched Australia on Sky Anytime. I thought this was meant to be Nicole Kidman's attempt to get her home country's history more fully recognised - like America had been, particularly in the 50's with wave after wave of cowboy movies. It was, however, trite, banal, cliched and full of stereotypes - and incredbly long - we watched it over 2 nights.
Oh - just spotted another deer up on the embankment - everywhere's still white and frozen, so they'll be scavenging elsewhere.
Jo's away to have her hair done, and I'm heading in to Aberdeen for the footy now. We've got Luca tonight whilst Gary and Carole go to see Avotar in 3D.
We also watched Australia on Sky Anytime. I thought this was meant to be Nicole Kidman's attempt to get her home country's history more fully recognised - like America had been, particularly in the 50's with wave after wave of cowboy movies. It was, however, trite, banal, cliched and full of stereotypes - and incredbly long - we watched it over 2 nights.
Oh - just spotted another deer up on the embankment - everywhere's still white and frozen, so they'll be scavenging elsewhere.
Jo's away to have her hair done, and I'm heading in to Aberdeen for the footy now. We've got Luca tonight whilst Gary and Carole go to see Avotar in 3D.
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