Saddam’s Execution

Still not sure that hanging Saddam was the right thing to do.    Sure, he was responsible for the deaths of many thousands, but a public hanging is only going to take him nearer to martyrdom.   
I am not sure which appalls me most:  the hanging itself, or the media and internet coverage of the ‘actual event’.     [...]

Read Full Post »

New Year – Flambeaux

We are planning to go to Comrie for Hogmanay where there is a procession of flaming torches called Flambeaux.   These are birch poles soaked in the river Earn for six weeks before having tarry sackcloth wired to their tops ready for the procession.    They are lit and paraded through the village with a pipe band [...]

Read Full Post »

Christmas Service

Like lots of people, we always go to church at Christmas.     Normally we travel a distance to church, but at Christmas we like to go locally.   
This year, it was very much a family service, which was fine as far as it went, and great if you were under 5, but for the rest of us [...]

Read Full Post »

Old Peter’s Russian Tales

What a treat.   Old Peter’s Russian Tales on Radio 4.     These are great stories – fantastic and magical, happy and sad,  some are hauntingly beautiful, and some dark and frightening.      They are great to read to children.    Difficult to get a copy now, but perhaps the Radio 4 drama will kindle interest in a new edition.
So [...]

Read Full Post »

The Dog Days between Christmas and New Year

Post Christmas and pre New Year are the real dog days of the year.    But it is a welcome chance to sort stuff out, see family and enjoy the festive season.
It has been dark and misty with very little sun, but no wind and just hovering on freezing, which has made it pleasant to be [...]

Read Full Post »

Leaf Blower vs rake ‘em up.

Having spent today raking up a whole trailer-load of leaves (that’s a small Massey Fergusson trailer – for the enthusiasts)  I wonder on the economics of a leaf blower.    After all, many people use these now, including councils.
The trouble is, after you have blown the leaves into a heap, they still have to be lifted.    [...]

Read Full Post »

Booking Fees

Here is something that I really don’t get:   booking fees.     I call it a monumental rip-off, and fail to understand why the price of a ticket cannot be inclusive.
Price of two tickets to see Van Morrison:  £60 plus a £6.25 booking fee.    That’s a whole extra 10% …….. why?   How much does it cost to process [...]

Read Full Post »

Van Morrison – Clyde Auditorium Glasgow

I have spent years listening to Van Morrison on vinyl and cd, but had never seen him live onstage before, so I was looking forward to this gig in Glasgow.
It was really great to see this legend of a man belting out old and new tunes as well as some blues numbers.     He had a talented [...]

Read Full Post »

More Foul Weather – Flooding

It has been raining for weeks now.   Luckily we live on a hill, but the folk in Milnathort were not so lucky last night.    About 50 people were evacutated from their houses as recent flood defences (costing £500,000) failed their first test.    When this happened in Perth last time, the people who had their homes [...]

Read Full Post »

Scottish Ensemble – Metamorphosen

The Scottish Ensemble were as wonderful as ever in their latest concert touring Scotland.   We are so lucky to have such world class music at our new concert hall in Perth.
The meat of the concert was a peformance of Metamorphosen by Richard Strauss.   This is a 30 minute piece scored for 23 individual string players, [...]

Read Full Post »