Three posts yesterday and nothing to say today. All I can do is add another international photo - this one's from Ross' trip to Japan with WNI in 2005:
Ian R. Stewart Family Blog
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Another list
Here’s my top 10 ales and some memories and comments as recently reported to CAMRA:
1) Young’s Special. We moved down south in 1974 and my place of work was Devonshire House, which was directly above Green Park tube station. We were on the 5th floor and had magnificent views across Piccadilly to Green Park with Buckingham Palace beyond. At lunchtimes, however, I would head in the opposite direction towards Berkeley Square and in a side street on the north east corner of the square, amongst a number of fine mews properties, lies the Guinea Grill. It had a very fine restaurant to the rear, but the public bar was fairly small and, on a typical summer’s day, the punters would spill out on to the lane with their pints of Young’s Special which would wash down the fabulous “Desperate Dan” steak pies which was my standard lunch fare on perhaps more occasions than I should have.
2) McMullen’s AK Bitter – again another fond memory from our spell down in the South East. We lived in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire and our nearest local was the Bull, which was a McMullen’s pub. Sunday lunchtimes sitting in the pub garden with the kids free to run around and me supping a couple of pints of bitter – magic!
3) Bridgeport bottle conditioned IPA – this is my standard tipple when we go to Oregon each summer to visit our grandchildren. On our first supermarket shopping trip, I head for the beer section to stock up with Bridgeport’s IPA for supping back at our daughter’s home. It’s my favourite bottle conditioned beer and is great in the early evening as the sun goes down and the temperature starts to drop a little, whilst our son-in-law barbeques some of the spoils from his winter hunting season. We’re hoping to return to Bridgeport’s brewery in Portland this summer where we can usually get a couple of their cask conditioned ales on handpump.
4) Betty Stogs – a wonderful Cornish beer from Skinner’s. I guess I grew to love this one initially when our other daughter moved down to Cornwall a couple of years ago, but, strangely, I’ve probably drunk more of it in our golf club at Banchory where it was a very popular and fairly regular feature last summer.
5) Pitchfork – no specific memories – just an excellent ale.
6) Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – another American beer – superb in bottle and pretty good in “draft” – even if it’s keg.
7) Porterhouse Oyster Stout – memories of a trip to Dublin and getting fed up looking for a tasty alternative to G******s, then coming across the Porterhouse brewpub and specifically their Oyster Stout – creamy!
8) Gunner’s Daughter from the Old Cannon brewpub, Bury St Edmunds. Another trip to a wonderful brewpub – we stayed for the weekend and tried all their ales, but this one sticks in the memory. The only slightly sour point of the weekend was when the proprietor cancelled our planned demonstration of brewing on the Monday morning at short notice, leaving us in some doubt whether the beers were actually brewed in the pristine surroundings of the pub or whether this was just a marketing front and the ales were brewed elsewhere.
9) Devanha – had to mention Dixie’s early attempt at establishing a brewery in Aberdeenshire – perhaps ahead of its time, but I still have fond memories of drinking the beer while staying at the Tor-na-Coille hotel in Banchory prior to moving my family up.
10) Really hard to choose a 10th one – there’s so many beers I like that haven’t had a mention so far. Maybe I’ll stay on the nostalgia kick and evoke fond memories of Lorimer’s 80/- drunk in the Marchmont Hotel, Balerno in the late 70’s/early 80’s.
1) Young’s Special. We moved down south in 1974 and my place of work was Devonshire House, which was directly above Green Park tube station. We were on the 5th floor and had magnificent views across Piccadilly to Green Park with Buckingham Palace beyond. At lunchtimes, however, I would head in the opposite direction towards Berkeley Square and in a side street on the north east corner of the square, amongst a number of fine mews properties, lies the Guinea Grill. It had a very fine restaurant to the rear, but the public bar was fairly small and, on a typical summer’s day, the punters would spill out on to the lane with their pints of Young’s Special which would wash down the fabulous “Desperate Dan” steak pies which was my standard lunch fare on perhaps more occasions than I should have.
2) McMullen’s AK Bitter – again another fond memory from our spell down in the South East. We lived in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire and our nearest local was the Bull, which was a McMullen’s pub. Sunday lunchtimes sitting in the pub garden with the kids free to run around and me supping a couple of pints of bitter – magic!
3) Bridgeport bottle conditioned IPA – this is my standard tipple when we go to Oregon each summer to visit our grandchildren. On our first supermarket shopping trip, I head for the beer section to stock up with Bridgeport’s IPA for supping back at our daughter’s home. It’s my favourite bottle conditioned beer and is great in the early evening as the sun goes down and the temperature starts to drop a little, whilst our son-in-law barbeques some of the spoils from his winter hunting season. We’re hoping to return to Bridgeport’s brewery in Portland this summer where we can usually get a couple of their cask conditioned ales on handpump.
4) Betty Stogs – a wonderful Cornish beer from Skinner’s. I guess I grew to love this one initially when our other daughter moved down to Cornwall a couple of years ago, but, strangely, I’ve probably drunk more of it in our golf club at Banchory where it was a very popular and fairly regular feature last summer.
5) Pitchfork – no specific memories – just an excellent ale.
6) Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – another American beer – superb in bottle and pretty good in “draft” – even if it’s keg.
7) Porterhouse Oyster Stout – memories of a trip to Dublin and getting fed up looking for a tasty alternative to G******s, then coming across the Porterhouse brewpub and specifically their Oyster Stout – creamy!
8) Gunner’s Daughter from the Old Cannon brewpub, Bury St Edmunds. Another trip to a wonderful brewpub – we stayed for the weekend and tried all their ales, but this one sticks in the memory. The only slightly sour point of the weekend was when the proprietor cancelled our planned demonstration of brewing on the Monday morning at short notice, leaving us in some doubt whether the beers were actually brewed in the pristine surroundings of the pub or whether this was just a marketing front and the ales were brewed elsewhere.
9) Devanha – had to mention Dixie’s early attempt at establishing a brewery in Aberdeenshire – perhaps ahead of its time, but I still have fond memories of drinking the beer while staying at the Tor-na-Coille hotel in Banchory prior to moving my family up.
10) Really hard to choose a 10th one – there’s so many beers I like that haven’t had a mention so far. Maybe I’ll stay on the nostalgia kick and evoke fond memories of Lorimer’s 80/- drunk in the Marchmont Hotel, Balerno in the late 70’s/early 80’s.
My day in Glasgow
The train arrived in good time and I picked up a cab to take me to the Erskine Glasgow home - I was first there and got a cup of tea and a biscuit for my troubles - one of the staff said I looked like I had travelled a long way - but she was a little surprised when I told her that she was dead right! When Barry arrived she handed us a nice photo they had taken of Dad at Christmas:
He looks a little stressed but he was OK. Note newly blonde - and still limping - Dawn.
The 6 month review went OK - Dad's dementia is obviously getting worse and basically he can't do anything himself now, but he's happy enough and the staff like him and say he's no bother at all. The only potential issue was his weight loss - he was down to 67 kgs - a drop of 3kgs in a month. He doesn't eat much and they will get the dietician to see him.
Dawn also asked them to keep trying to get him to go out for short walks - and we did that ourselves afterwards:
He looks a little stressed but he was OK. Note newly blonde - and still limping - Dawn.
Dawn dropped me off in the city centre and I walked around a bit and spotted the office where I began my training in 1965 - indentured apprenticeship they used to call it - and it really was Dickensian. Note the small round window at the top of the building - that's where I worked before I went to Glasgow University:
It was rather sad to see the entrance was all blocked up - obviously some kind of development is planned:
I had a meeting at HSBC in West Nile St and I passed through Dury Lane and the famous old Horseshoe pub on the way there - and, no I didn't go in!:
That was my very civilised day and I arrived home in the early evening, refreshed and not feeling tired after a long drive.
It was rather sad to see the entrance was all blocked up - obviously some kind of development is planned:
I had a meeting at HSBC in West Nile St and I passed through Dury Lane and the famous old Horseshoe pub on the way there - and, no I didn't go in!:
That was my very civilised day and I arrived home in the early evening, refreshed and not feeling tired after a long drive.
Travel to Glasgow
I'm writing this on the train down to Glasgow for Dad's 6 month assessment at Erskine. It's a beautiful clear, crisp day. Thankfully, the Slug road was fine this morning, so, so far so good. It's a lot stressful than driving.
We had an adventure last night - I'm looking forward to reading Jo's blog today and her account of events - I heard a version last night, but no doubt there will have been other bits she missed out. I had dropped Jo off at Inverurie on my way to Fraserburgh - a particularly nasty day there - not weather wise - there was no snow - but we had to tell the staff at one of the factories (the canning plant) that we would have to move on to a 3 day week starting next week due to a loss of orders in Australia, Scandinavia and the UK - not pleasant at all - I hope we can revert to a full week in a couple of months' time - if we have any staff left by then, that is.
Anyway, back to Jo - we were late leaving Inverurie on the way home - I had scheduled to play doubles that evening and had put our scheduled 5:15 start back to 6:00 pm which, if we left Inverurie at 5, would be plenty time to get Jo home and me up to Findrack in time for squash. Inevitably, we were late and I had no option but to go straight to squash and let Jo take the car home from there. All was OK on the roads until we got past Torphins and turned up the Tor-na-veen road, which was pretty snowy. Jo looked apprehensive and her face turned even more ashen when we turned in to the Findrack estate.
I drove up to the courts OK - I had to drive fairly carefully but the car seemed to handle the snow OK and I thought as long as Jo went gingerly down the hill, she wouldn't have a problem getting back home. Of course, I hadn't reckoned on the conditions worsening a little allied to Jo's legendary lack of a sense of direction.
When we finished playing we drove down the hill of the estate and had to help some poor unfortunate in a little Polo with bald tyres who was stuck trying to get up the hill. He was being helped by a man who was trying to cycle through the foot deep snow and had lost his chain in this foolish act! It was only after all this that we got to a place where I could get a signal on my mobile - and the first thing was a voicemail message from Jo saying she was stuck and was holding up all the traffic - and she didn't know where she was!
Fortunately, I eventually got through to her mobile and discovered that all was now well and she was safely home again!
We had an adventure last night - I'm looking forward to reading Jo's blog today and her account of events - I heard a version last night, but no doubt there will have been other bits she missed out. I had dropped Jo off at Inverurie on my way to Fraserburgh - a particularly nasty day there - not weather wise - there was no snow - but we had to tell the staff at one of the factories (the canning plant) that we would have to move on to a 3 day week starting next week due to a loss of orders in Australia, Scandinavia and the UK - not pleasant at all - I hope we can revert to a full week in a couple of months' time - if we have any staff left by then, that is.
Anyway, back to Jo - we were late leaving Inverurie on the way home - I had scheduled to play doubles that evening and had put our scheduled 5:15 start back to 6:00 pm which, if we left Inverurie at 5, would be plenty time to get Jo home and me up to Findrack in time for squash. Inevitably, we were late and I had no option but to go straight to squash and let Jo take the car home from there. All was OK on the roads until we got past Torphins and turned up the Tor-na-veen road, which was pretty snowy. Jo looked apprehensive and her face turned even more ashen when we turned in to the Findrack estate.
I drove up to the courts OK - I had to drive fairly carefully but the car seemed to handle the snow OK and I thought as long as Jo went gingerly down the hill, she wouldn't have a problem getting back home. Of course, I hadn't reckoned on the conditions worsening a little allied to Jo's legendary lack of a sense of direction.
When we finished playing we drove down the hill of the estate and had to help some poor unfortunate in a little Polo with bald tyres who was stuck trying to get up the hill. He was being helped by a man who was trying to cycle through the foot deep snow and had lost his chain in this foolish act! It was only after all this that we got to a place where I could get a signal on my mobile - and the first thing was a voicemail message from Jo saying she was stuck and was holding up all the traffic - and she didn't know where she was!
Fortunately, I eventually got through to her mobile and discovered that all was now well and she was safely home again!
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Broxbourne
Jo was right - at least on one count - I did manage a game of squash yesterday - but I'm afraid her word blindness/dyslexia/memory loss (delete as appropriate) got the better of her again - Seasick Bill?!!!!!
Squash wasn't without incident - I packed my bag and went out the front door - but no car! Where had it gone? Ross had gone in to Aberdeen earlier on and I had suggested he should take my car which would be better in the snow - and cheaper! He declined on that occasion, but I guess he must have taken it as read that he could take my car any time he wants - which is mostly OK - as long he tells me!
I tried to get a lift up from Keith, but he was taking Richard (who couldn't get his Jag out of the drive because of the snow) in his little 4 wheel drive Audi TT and there really wasn't room for me as well. I then had no option but to take Jo's car - then I remembered that my racquets were in the Volvo so I had to phone Keith back and get him to take a spare racquet for me.
As I climbed up the Glassel hill, the snow on the roads got steadily worse and when I left the main Torphins road to turn up at the Tor-na-veen crossing it was pretty deep and Jo's car started sliding about. Fortunately, there was nothing coming the other way. I turned in to the Findrack estate and tried to climb up the road towards the squash court. I (just) managed up to the first level in front of the main house but couldn't risk any further so I left the car there and walked the rest through the deep snow.
When we came out after squash, there had been more snow (see squash blog - http://deesidesquashracquetballclub.blogspot.com/) and I had to be pushed to get going again.
We watched Charlie Wilson's War on Sky Anytime last night. It stars Tom Hanks as a senator supporting the Mujahideen in their guerilla war in Afghanistan against the Soviets in the 80's. It's written with the full benefit of hindsight and the obvious irony of what's happened in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere since. Not bad. Sky Anytime is now showing virtually all of the Bond Movies - may watch some of them, but I think I'd quite like us to pay a rare visit to the cinema soon - everyone who has seen Slum Dog Millionaire tells me it's great.
Sadly, it looks like all the grass is gone and it's been tarmac'd over.
Squash wasn't without incident - I packed my bag and went out the front door - but no car! Where had it gone? Ross had gone in to Aberdeen earlier on and I had suggested he should take my car which would be better in the snow - and cheaper! He declined on that occasion, but I guess he must have taken it as read that he could take my car any time he wants - which is mostly OK - as long he tells me!
I tried to get a lift up from Keith, but he was taking Richard (who couldn't get his Jag out of the drive because of the snow) in his little 4 wheel drive Audi TT and there really wasn't room for me as well. I then had no option but to take Jo's car - then I remembered that my racquets were in the Volvo so I had to phone Keith back and get him to take a spare racquet for me.
As I climbed up the Glassel hill, the snow on the roads got steadily worse and when I left the main Torphins road to turn up at the Tor-na-veen crossing it was pretty deep and Jo's car started sliding about. Fortunately, there was nothing coming the other way. I turned in to the Findrack estate and tried to climb up the road towards the squash court. I (just) managed up to the first level in front of the main house but couldn't risk any further so I left the car there and walked the rest through the deep snow.
When we came out after squash, there had been more snow (see squash blog - http://deesidesquashracquetballclub.blogspot.com/) and I had to be pushed to get going again.
We watched Charlie Wilson's War on Sky Anytime last night. It stars Tom Hanks as a senator supporting the Mujahideen in their guerilla war in Afghanistan against the Soviets in the 80's. It's written with the full benefit of hindsight and the obvious irony of what's happened in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere since. Not bad. Sky Anytime is now showing virtually all of the Bond Movies - may watch some of them, but I think I'd quite like us to pay a rare visit to the cinema soon - everyone who has seen Slum Dog Millionaire tells me it's great.
A beautiful day today but it looks like it's going to be cold enough for a while to keep the snow on the ground - so definitely no golf! I'm going down to Glasgow on Tuesday - it's Dad's 6 month assessment at Erskine - I may try to book the train.
I'd been encouraged to write a short article for the next edition of the local CAMRA's branch's newsletter, North Sea Ale on the question of my 10 favourite beers. It got me to thinking about where and when, and our move down south in 1974 brought back some happy memories. We often used to visit the Bull in Broxbourne at weekends - particularly if it was sunny. They had a nice garden and Lucy (and eventually Gary) could run around whilst we supped a couple of pints. I looked up McMullen's web site today and there is a recent photo of the pub there:
Sadly, it looks like all the grass is gone and it's been tarmac'd over.
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Snowy Saturday
When the snow came down in Aberdeen yesterday afternoon, it seems every man and his dog decided to panic and rush home - including me. The upshot was chaos - Bridge of Don instantly became a car park. I left before 3 pm and it took me over one hour to travel the 400 yards from my office down the hill to the McDonald's corner. I was going to drop out of the football but I was getting nowhere anyway so just decided to try to get to the Beach and hopefully the traffic would have moved by the time we had finished - this plan eventually worked, although not all of the players made it in time, so it was a bit disjointed.
We got back to Banchory - which showed little signs of weather disruption - safely and I had a few beers at the Douglas after tea, whilst Jo caught up with her X-Files. This morning, however, we have snow - I've got 2 tickets for the Scottish Cup match against East Fife, but I'm not sure whether or not I want to go - will take a rain check.
As nobody wants to take part in my photo quizzes, I've decided to give the answers up front. This is Kelly and I at the Performing Arts Center (sic) at Branson, Missouri in 2002:
Kelly must have wondered what hit her that year - not only was she on holiday with her parents at the age of 23, but she - and we - discovered that being in your 50's actually makes you one of the younger generation in Branson - where it seems many Americans go to spend their final years whilst being entertained by former stars of their era giving it one last hurrah at the many shows in town.
We went to see the Platters - or at least one of the many touring franchises bearing that name - and a dreadful Neil Diamond impersonator (Eric Monet). Here we are just before the Platters show:
The theaters (sic) were full of vets - not Vietnam or Korea but from a greater vintage - many wearing their medals, and each show was preceded by the national anthem when everybody stood up, saluted and sang along. We also stood - we felt we had no option - but saluting and singing? - we didn't know the words anyway. We felt like traitors or spies - it seemed every eye was on us. Weird feeling, but remember this was our first US holiday since 9/11 and all the nationalistic tendencies were coming out - although I have a feeling that Branson is caught in a bit of a time bubble and is always like that.
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Troublesome travel
What a waste of a morning! Headed off for Fraserburgh at 7 am this morning - travel OK until I got nearer Kintore/Inverurie and encountered a virtual white-out. I decided it wasn't wise to carry on my journey so I stopped off at Gary and Carole's. Gary was heading off in his 4 wheel drive to Dyce, but an hour later he'd only got as far as Kintore (3 miles away) - the dual carriageway ahead was gridlocked - cars couldn't get up either side of Tyrebagger hill. Gary headed home and another hour later he made it.
Just after 11 am, the snow relented a little and I decided to try the roads again. Should I try to get back to Banchory, or should I try to get to Fraserburgh (where there was no snow)? I drove gingerly to Oldmeldrum then on towards Methlick and then started to think twice - by the time I would get to Fraserburgh (if at all) I would have to turn back again. Finding somewhere to turn the car round was tricky but I finally managed it and got home at lunchtime. Deeside was fine - the roads were black - but the lunchtime TV news showed the problems around Inverurie and north of there.
Anyway, no sign of Jo here - she had a hairdresser's appointment this morning but it's after pm now and she's still not back. Ross was here however - asleep in his bed, still fully dressed! Just home for a lunchtime nap, he said! Chancer!
Just after 11 am, the snow relented a little and I decided to try the roads again. Should I try to get back to Banchory, or should I try to get to Fraserburgh (where there was no snow)? I drove gingerly to Oldmeldrum then on towards Methlick and then started to think twice - by the time I would get to Fraserburgh (if at all) I would have to turn back again. Finding somewhere to turn the car round was tricky but I finally managed it and got home at lunchtime. Deeside was fine - the roads were black - but the lunchtime TV news showed the problems around Inverurie and north of there.
Anyway, no sign of Jo here - she had a hairdresser's appointment this morning but it's after pm now and she's still not back. Ross was here however - asleep in his bed, still fully dressed! Just home for a lunchtime nap, he said! Chancer!
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Rake-ish glasses
Perhaps the following photo demonstrates the extreme angle of my driving glasses now - the optician told me it's normal to have about a 5% angle but mine are now more like 35%!
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Tuesday - home early
Left work early - had enough - long board meeting. I drove back to Banchory to see the optician about my driving glasses - one of the lenses had popped out (again). He fixed it no problem but asked me if I had sat on the glasses? It was only then that I noticed that the lenses were sitting at quite an acute angle when you put the glasses on. I checked and I could still see OK and we decided it was best not to tamper with the frames for the time being.
I had a look at new frames when I was there - I've got a slight adjustment to my prescription and I thought I might try varifocals again. They checked my records and it was 1991 when I bought the last pair. Apparently, technology has moved on quite a bit, so perhaps time to try again. The only problem is which frames? Eyewise has a very uninspiring collection - perhaps I should try the new optician we now have in Banchory? May need some help here.
I also had time to nip in for a quick haircut - number 3 all over, in case you were wondering.
Chilli for tea, then Jo and I nipped out to the Potarch and the Feughside to do a couple of quick pub surveys. Reluctantly, we nipped in to Scott Skinner's when we got back to Banchory, hoping against hope that the beer was OK this time - how wrong can you be? I almost feel like reporting them to Trading Standards or Health and Safety - gross!
Still no snow - looks like we are going to miss it this time.
Today's archive photo is from which country - and when? Bit of a clue in the photo:
I had a look at new frames when I was there - I've got a slight adjustment to my prescription and I thought I might try varifocals again. They checked my records and it was 1991 when I bought the last pair. Apparently, technology has moved on quite a bit, so perhaps time to try again. The only problem is which frames? Eyewise has a very uninspiring collection - perhaps I should try the new optician we now have in Banchory? May need some help here.
I also had time to nip in for a quick haircut - number 3 all over, in case you were wondering.
Chilli for tea, then Jo and I nipped out to the Potarch and the Feughside to do a couple of quick pub surveys. Reluctantly, we nipped in to Scott Skinner's when we got back to Banchory, hoping against hope that the beer was OK this time - how wrong can you be? I almost feel like reporting them to Trading Standards or Health and Safety - gross!
Still no snow - looks like we are going to miss it this time.
Today's archive photo is from which country - and when? Bit of a clue in the photo:
Quiz answers
It was Washington Park in Portland that we were in - and it's the Looney Tunes (Bugs Bunny etc) cartoons that end with "That's all folks!"
Monday, 2 February 2009
Portland state of mind
With occasional snow flurries outside my office window, forgive me if my thoughts today turn towards summer holidays, so, with apologies to Billy Joel for corrupting his song title above, I'm looking forward to going back to Portland again this summer.
5 years ago, we visited the Bridgeport brewery, home of my favourite bottle conditioned IPA - Jo liked the live hops growing everywhere - although Cade was a little disinterested:
Seven days after Christmas, January 1, is the feast of our Lord's circumcision
Thirty three days after that, February 2 is the feast of his being offered in the Temple, the purification of the Virgin Mary. So Candlemass is fourty days after the birth of Jesus.
5 years ago, we visited the Bridgeport brewery, home of my favourite bottle conditioned IPA - Jo liked the live hops growing everywhere - although Cade was a little disinterested:
The news today is full of the snow storms that are affecting the southern part of the country - London and the South East commuter area seems to have come to a virtual halt. We're OK here - the roads are clear and they're absolutely no sign of snow on the ground in Aberdeen - but it could be coming our way tonight.
I managed to watch a bit of the golf from Scottsdale, Arizona last night - perfect weather and great courses in what is, I think, my favourite American state (from those I've been to so far).
You'll all be pleased to know that Ross (or should that be R***, given his likening for conspiracy theories?) made it back home safely yesterday - as did my car! They seemed to have a good time and the weather was kind to them on their drive. He could be going from the sublime to the ridiculous as this Saturday Aberdeen are at home to East Fife in the cup!
Today is Candlemas - I knew it as a traditional Scottish quarter day when ground rents were due under the old feudal system. It's also the half way point between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox, but the internet has a variety of other stories, and historical and religious significances, including the following beauty:
February 2 is "Candlemas" in many churches and is the day for observing the ritual purification of Mary forty days after the birth of Jesus as well as the presentation of Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem (see Luke 2:21-40). The day has pagan roots and was a Christian adaptation of the older practices for this midwinter festivity from which we get our "Groundhog Day." Since the presentation was also the purification of Mary (40 days after childbirth), the church developed ritual practices known as the "Churching of Women" (see additional notes at bottom of page) or "Thanksgiving of Women after Childbirth." The following is an explanation:
Seven days after Christmas, January 1, is the feast of our Lord's circumcision
Thirty three days after that, February 2 is the feast of his being offered in the Temple, the purification of the Virgin Mary. So Candlemass is fourty days after the birth of Jesus.
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Oakbank school
Check the letters page in yesterday's P & J - http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1055720
Kelly's and Craig's old workplace is still providing controversy!
Kelly's and Craig's old workplace is still providing controversy!
Weekend before the storms
Not only have we booked our flights, but I've also now booked the hotels in Portland. We were last there in 2004 - note how small the boys were:
Today's quiz is what is the name of the park we were in?
Today's quiz is what is the name of the park we were in?They're forecasting heavy snow in the UK for tonight, but most of it seems to be south of here, so we might escape. Right now, it does seem like the calm before the storm. Conditions have been fair and pretty mild for the time of year - golf this morning was fine - it was good to walk on soft grass again after all the hard frosts and ice that has been lingering for a while.
Well, Ross made it the Man U match OK - he phoned me from the corporate hospitality lounge. They made it in nice time after I managed to persuade him that leaving here at 9:00 am was not really sensible, especially given that he had to go in to Aberdeen to pick up Liam and Thomas, then detour via Penicuik to pick up Harris. My rant for today is about people (like Ross) planning a trip like this and not building in any slack for things going wrong - as they inevitably do. Anyway, for once, he listened and adjusted his departure time to 7:30 am. Let's hope they get back safely as well!
Played football Friday, squash last night and golf this morning - and then I nipped out to Dave Williamson's to do a technical check for our next headbang in 2 weeks' time - he's got a new toy that he tells me converts digital sound output back in to analogue which should apparently further improve the overall sound quality. Dave's sound system is already pretty good, so this will be an interesting experiment.
Footy this afternoon is the big Liverpool - Chelsea match - both teams will be feeling the pressure after Man U managed another win last night to move 5 points ahead.
That's all for now, folks! (2nd quiz question - where did you see this phrase?)
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