Exercise your franchise

Evening

To an outsider, one with an interest but not a vote the toing and froing of American politics seems at times a little strange, although interesting. Political descriptions and their understanding used rather differently that here in my homeland. This week the US of A goes to the polls the winners of the senate and house of representative seats will be sent to this building, Congress in Washington.

We shall see what the results bring I know what I would like the outcome to be but there again I prefer coffee to tea.

 

Watch your step!

Hello
Imagine the scene if you can.

The sun is shining, a clear bright autumnal day. The light breeze blowing away any hint of rain. I'm striding out taking full advantage of the conditions enjoying the time and place.

The rain that had been a persistent visitor of late had left some calling cards in the shape of rainwater that had collected in the terrains trenches as deep puddles.

However being easy to spot they were avoided with the necessary hop, skip or jump.

However at times even the most skilled and adept puddle jumper can be caught unawares.

I spied a puddle and decided that rather than a one leap and he was free approach I would use the usefully placed island stepping stone as a half way point.

Across I stepped from one firm bank to the another only to realise too late that the island was indeed little more than weed and scum.

One foot sank into the decaying leafy, peaty trench bottom the other tried manfully not to! Too late, second foot belly flopped through the water as I fell flat on my face, thankfully on the opposite bank. No momentum as feet stuck in mud equals man falls over. Simple physics really!

I scrambled out of the bog, picked myself up and squelched onwards with a smile on my face alongside the drying peat.

I'm out and about

The 360 degree view

I'm out and about

Decisions

Hello

It's a very positive feeling when you have thought through a problem, written it down - a list, a mind map whatever assists in the process, looked at it from all angles, the pro's and cons, the future potential or limitations but the best option for me is to share it with my "consigliere".

Always wise, always honest, always dependable, always trustworthy.

Onwards and upwards then.

A coming of age

Evening

Tonight we went kilt hunting but not to the wild hilly places to find the fabled beastie no we decided to find a domesticated variant.

Into the shop we strode full of hope and anticipation, one of us ready to be measured and suited. The other to give positive feed back and counsel. His kilt bought many years before. He very aware of the magical effect of the kilt and accoutrements that seem to add a swagger to the walk and inches to ones bearing.

Jackets were discussed and perused, styles compared and tested. A decison made - a black sobering number, stature enhancing especially with accompanying waist coat.

Tartan what one and which variant? Thankfully the hundreds of setts were dismissed before we entered the emporium and the choice was down to the family tartans but what weave? The ancient, the modern, the old, the new, the hunting, the dancing.....yes the dancing oh and there is seemingly one for the astronomer! Yes the astronomer.

Thankfully the decision was made to concentrate on the more obvious and available designs. The old or the modern? I have the old with matching green tweed jacket but as young master Fegrig was veering towards the dark top half wardrobe perhaps the modern tartan would suit best. Similar completed kilts were worn to give a feel for the finished ensemble. Choices were being reinforced. Modern was gaining favour.

The decision was being made black argylle jacket and waist coat, along with the modern Fegrig tartan. Dark hose and ghillie brogues will set this off very nicely.

The measuring and the checking came next, the waist, the seat, the length, relation the the hip bone all noted and written down.

Finished, payment made.

Even though it will be several weeks before the kilt is ready did I detect the first signs of a swagger as young master Fegrig strolled down the street towards his flat?

The kilt effect already starting to take hold?

Hopping Mad?

Evening

I'm walking along the road and I see this lonely, abandoned sandal. It sits on the chest high widow sill of a blocked off shop window. Put there I suspect by a good samaritan no doubt hoping for an early reconciliation between sandal and owner.

Perhaps when it is unseen, it taps it's toe in a "why are they not coming back to me?" kind of impatience. A sort of defence mechanism the reality that they are lost never to be reacquanted with their owner. A thought too heavy to admit.

On a closer look the label says that it is for ages 6 to 12 months. Perhaps already it has assisted in propelling the rapidly thinning legs of its owner around the furniture or perhaps the grass they are sandals after all. I can imagine the owners legs gleefully kicking against the base of the buggy. Taking delight in the fact that these legs of theirs can now be controlled with more direction, oh and that kicking noise - its fun too!

I assume they were purchased at the tail end of the summer. Then of course acceptable during an Indian Summer to be worn with bare legs or the less socially acceptable dress code for an adult at least of short socks. Now though as Autumn starts to creep they were probably worn on top of a pair of tights or winter socks depending on the sex of the wearer.

Will the parents be grieving? I sit here typing this knowing that first pairs of shoes and early sets of clothes sit in an attic box waiting for intermittent perusal and memory refreshing. It is funny having grown men standing before you or indeed having their feet wafting odours before you and having images of small pairs of blue and red shoes easily obtainable in ones mind.

I'm out and about

The pipes are calling?

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I'm out and about

In the peace and darkness nothing stirred but the geese.....

Evening

Tonight I went for a walk in the woods not the impenetrable, dark, cash cropped trees but the more open ideal for wandering and thinking woods. The light was fading but was still light enough to be safe without tripping up and falling over.
Tonight it was so peaceful apart from me and the hounds.

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Not long after I made the recording above I made the one below. It may seem a bit over the top but as with most things in nature it was impressive and as I say I have never seen so many flying geese before. I do remember witnessing more flying creatures once when in Australia near Fraser Island in 1993. One dusk many more hundreds of fruit bats left their roosting points for their evening feeding, filling the sky for many minutes.

However as a comparitor imagine waves of planes from some World War 2 news reel perhaps the grey geese where not as noisy but the formations filling the sky were just as impressive.

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If I had thought about it I would have videod the flight but its in my mind and will stay there for a very long time.

 

Stoorie has laid her last egg....

Afternoon

A very busy week at work has resulted in my absence from the blog, partly as a result of the amount of work and latterly due to having a lazy boy day catching up on R&R.

However it is with sadness that I have to report the demise of Stoorie the old chook of the small flock we have who died the other day at the ripe old age of six and a half. Now as far as I am aware there is no equation that you can make like 1 chicken year = x human years, but six and a bit is pretty good going. There are reports of chickens living up to 15 years but they must be unusual and perhaps live in some hamlet in Japan or that valley in an old Soviet Republic where people live to well over 100.

She was laying up until just a couple of weeks ago. A record that puts her much younger recycled battery hen sisters to shame but they seem to be having a good life and maybe they are just spent as egg producers?

Stoorie had been a bit limpy last winter but the warmer months perked her up a bit and for periods she was positively sprightly again. To our limited knowledge it seemed that arthritis had set in. With the creeping temperatures she became a bit slower and less willing or able to move. It was a concern on how she would cope this winter and I am glad that she did not have to endure and suffer the next few months.

Death and disease has been visiting this week after Stoorie flew away to chook heaven, we found a lump on the tail of one of the dogs. A visit to the vet ensued along with some fine needle aspirate samples for analysis. We await the news.

Finally no 2 son it seems may have been kissing the wrong sort with possible signs and symptoms of glandular fever. We await a confirmed diagnosis.

Hopefully then the house will be free of anything new and we can get on with looking after the poorly.

Perhaps we need the wood burner on that should heat the bugs to their death? Or keep it off and freeze them into submission?

 

The creative process

You sit,
you think,
you type,
you edit,

you dot the i's and stroke the t's
you smile pleased with the results,
brain emptier your ideas committed to the screen,
50 minutes where thoughts that have rented too much space in your brain of late temporarily evicted,

you press the green for go button,

post.....

it disappears!

snatched from the ether by the blog boogles the creatures who steal your posts as they travel through the air

a word of frustration leaps from your mouth without a safety net

you smile and hope that the memory will be there when you try again but not tonight it's late and time for bed someone having pressed the green time for bed button thankful that this works as designed

hopefully the sleep snatchers, (cousins of the blog boogles, distant relatives of the sock monsters who steal the other sock mid wash) will annoy someone else and I'll get a good sleep

Night!

Sent from my iPad

The Lone Diner

"Evening!!!"

The young man was perhaps too eager in his response and with reflection I should have taken this as a warning, in the way that flies should when enticed by a Venus Fly Trap.

"Evening, are you open?" I tentatively asked studying the empty table after table all laid waiting for who knows who.

"Yes, yes please come in" Did I hear him clap? Said the young supervisor of the Marie Celeste dining room.






He showed me to the LB (lonely boy) table in the corner walking past the many waiting for the rush perhaps? His hospitality education was building momentum as he showed me to the table.

Before my bottom had hit the seat he was in full flow. Drinks, menus (reguar and specials), a paper (I had one), starter breads and olives.

My order was taken and I was updated regularly on it's arrival time like he was the guard informing the waiting passengers on the arrival of the special train.

God was he going to feed me!

"Open the tunnel for the fishy train, Choo! Choo!, yum, yum"

"Dessert?" I inwardly groaned not at the thought of putting more food in my stomach but could my system cope with a sugary pudding overburdened as it was with Jim's glucose syrup delivery? Could my pancreas produce enough insulin to cope?

With this ring....

This evening I am enjoying the flavours of life that only a family wedding can provide, until tomorrow then.....

ps these are not my legs

Are you hungry?

See the full gallery on posterous

Afternoon

We're out for a late lunch and being the practical vegetarians (a very apt descriptor I picked up from a Huffington Post article) we are and lovers of mezze have ended up in Nargile.

Nargile is a Turkish restaurant that's been a fixture of Edinburgh's restaurant offerings for over ten years. The food is always fresh, well prepared and most importantly very tasty.

We had a cold & hot veggie mezze selection with pitta bread, aubergines, haloumi, pates, humous, beans & tomato, courgettes stew all lovely. We washed it down with a pot of mint tea and a few nibble sized portions of Turkish delight.

Edinburgh city centre is less frenetic than our collective memory remembers but the excuse the escape the crowds for a seat and some good food still stands.

Come and join us you'll enjoy it but in the evening best to book.

Now is there room for baklava?

It's seems only moments ago....

that I was waking up and now it's dark again and time for sleep I'm either in some Bill Murray Groundhog Day scenario or days are very busy and the time flies.....

The airport dash 5

Phew!!!!!! Sitting in my seat next stop home, hopefully cooler and rested.

The airport dash 4

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I'm out and about

The airport dash part 3

Puff puff So we got to Paddington bought the ticket only to see the train pull away 15 mins to the next. I'll arrive at 2025 with a flight leaving at 2100. Run Fegrig Run!!....... I'm out and about

The airport dash part 2

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I'm out and about

The airport dash part I

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I'm out and about

The Cathedral of Saint Jobs

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Evening

This evening my fellow pilgrim Mr Dave and I went (post dinner) to give thanks at the new cathedral of the fastest growing religion - that of the Apple.

 

 

The new Cathedral of St Jobs in Londons Covent Garden is all shiny and naked brick work. Drawing from a traditional seminary it has large open spaces for meditation.

There are large screens for the faithful to worship before and lots of personal altars for that   1-2-1 confessional Appletini experience.

All of this though can be a long process for the pilgrim who may have resisted the need to eat or drink in some sort of fast - no food or drink at the altars. That white and brushed aluminium do show the crumbs. The iPad - well let's not talk about greasy fingers.

However there is one over riding need that no pilgrim can avoid for long... but the Cathedral of St Jobs has thought of that too with the provision of "facilities".

I'm not sure though if they are called what else but the "iP"?

There's an app for that

Hello
In my in basket today the fab news that posterous have produced a phone app to enable users to more easily access their service. I'm using it now in a vain attempt to continue blogging daily and I'm also doing it now just in case the day overtakes any scribbling plans. It has the potential to be rather busy.

Smell That?

Hello

Yesterday you read my description of my morning journey to work on the Thames river bus. This was a refreshing and unique mode of transport for me to get to work and I looked forward to the return journey. The dusk brushed Thames with the twinkling lights of the city easing my journey into a relaxed evening, the breeze blowing through my hair - you get the picture.

I arrived at the quay expecting the "big boat" only to be met by a little, low set chugging thing. In I tentatively stepped the cabin was split into two the front end and the back end both containing bench seating. At the back it followed the curve of the hull and at the front seen through the half glazed doors it looked like a waiting room for the floating doctor.

'What seems to be the problem"

"I'm sea sick"

I chose the more open ended seating. I rapidly became aware of the smell, the smoke and the sense of CO poisoning from the idling engine as we sat waiting for the departure time. With nausea rising I moved from the seats to the steps which were on either side as exit points to the quay side. I also thought this was a better escape option and accompanied by my constant thought of "could I swim from here" provided the closest thing to a life jacket that I could see. From my new vantage point I was aware that where I had been seating was becoming enveloped in gas however before anybody succumbed we were off.

By this time the crew had packed a few more commuters below decks and it looked like a re working of the evacuation of Dunkirk with people seating, standing and hoisting them selves onto the engine casing. Rather their bum than mine, it was hot even from my removed position.

Down the Thames we zoomed from my position twisting as I was to get a better view I felt that if one of my fellows had knotted the collective ties together and hopped on their briefcase they could have waterskied down the Thames we were moving pretty quickly. As this image of the boat and its wake shows. I know you'll have to concentrate a bit, it was dark.
As we chugged down I felt like Martin Sheen in the movie "Apocalypse Now" travelling along the river in the motor boat, darkness and foreboding. The only smell still in my nostrils was the burnt diesal apposed to the napalm of the aforementioned movie.

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Eventually my bus did reach the destination point at Chelsea and as I left the boat regaining my land legs I was aware of a less laboured engine approaching it was the "big boat" in all its empty glory.

 

 

I'm out and about

On The River Bank?

About a week ago I was in London for one of my regular business trips. I had decided that I would stay in another more distant neighbourhoods Chelsea sounded a good idea.

Well it was until the workers on the London Underground decided to have a 24 hour withdrawal of labour. Oh! what to do? How would I get to Central London for work?

Being housed in a hotel a mere giants stone throw from the river the thought dawned I'll use old Father Thames as my highway. The river bus hooray!

 

I'll be like Hammy and the others from Tales From the River Bank, wonder if there was mail on the boat?

http://www.youtube.com/v/5Yaddg6eZXk?fs=1&hl=en_US

As you can see the boat was a good size with an enclosed inside and an open deck where you could enjoy Thames life as it passed you by.

Along the way you got a different view of the Houses of Parliament and it was all rather serene and jolly as Jerome K Jerome might say although there were several men and women and a big boat rather than the traditional three in his Thames chronicle.

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The guy with the camera was actually filiming on the river bus and as he came off tried to shoot the people disembarking and the boat moving off. However he was challenged by a ticket seller who shooed him off the quay and onto the river bank. The film appeared on the local news that night highlighting how plucky Londoners triumphed against Johnny Striker and his pals managing to make it to work.

What was not reported was the obnoxious ticket seller that would have been a story. Hammy, Gerbil and GP would have been much friendlier.

 

And finally

Ok posterous what gives? Not sure if I'm doing anything wrong but heres the final beach movie

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I'm out and about

Missing beach videos 2

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I'm out and about

The missing videos from the beach

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I'm out and about

To help you relax

Mmm some of the images in the last post are video as is this which I'm posting to ascertain if it works. Enjoy.

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I'm out and about

Sea, sand and salt encrusted dogs

Evening

We have had a day at the
A bracing walk along the sand, dogs eating sea weed and decomposing crabs.

The  beach is in a part of Scotland with a rich coal mining history long since gone and you can see traces of carbon running through the sand.

A liitle apprehensive of the waves at first - being country bumpkins but the dogs soon lost their inhibitions.

But as with all things the sea soon returns washing the physical trace away but the memories and a ruddy red face from the North Sea wind remains.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday

Evening

It was my Dads birthday yesterday so we had a family birthday lunch for him today.
An enjoyable day had by all.

Happy Birthday + 1 Dad!

I'm out and about

Texting Tiredness

Evening
I'm sleepy tonight, it could of course have something to do with waking early this morning. Or perhaps it's because I had a huge multiple texting marathon on the way home tonight.

Now some of you will read this and in the end will say "paltry number", " is that all", "I text more in my sleep". On the train home I was involved in 5 texting conversations. Apart from the physical aspects of the finger gymnastics the most tiring thing was the mental aspect.

Pressing send caused a slight flutter as I made sure that the lovey dove text was sent to n rather than to a work colleague. Or that the text to one Fegrig jnr did not cross over to the other. Mentally exhausting.

So performing the mental gymnastics that were involved in the text I think has exhausted my reserves and I need to go to bed. Night, night.

A ray of light

Hello It's a busy time at work at the moment and after a testing meeting I decided to venture out for a walk and some nourishment. Eventually I ended up in a local cathedral to the new religion. Many people were moving around like worker ants on the forage, the shopping forage.

It was a very bright and sunny day not cool by any stretch, an Indian summer type of day.

The sun shone through the glass roof and at one particular spot had been filtered through the coloured signage above a shop front.

The image was too unique to ignore and between ants I managed to take this picture in all it's rainbow mimicking glory.

A little colour makes the bleak seem more bearable don't you think?

I'm out and about

Lefty or righty?

Evening

I was sitting at the table earlier today and looking across I was aware that my co-habitee at the table had a nostril imbalance.

Now I must hasten to add that it's not a huge lack of symmetry but the left nostril opening was slightly smaller than the right. So you could say a "righty".

I raised this anatomical observation as a conversation piece and asked the "righty" to decide what I was - "lefty" was the reply.

Now I'm on the look out for "sameys" those with equal sized nostril orifice.

I can see a whole science developing here. Who needs finger prints or ID cards when you can use nostril prints.

Now I did consider using an image of my nostrils below but as I could not arbitrate on when you would be reading this. It could after all be when you where eating. I considered it unfair and unpalatable. Instead I have volunteered the nose of The Boris. Who looks like a "lefty"

What are you?

I'm out and about

Inside the TUC

> > Hello > For the last couple of days I've been attending a course within Congress House home of the TUC.
> > The buildings are built around an open space the floor of which is glass thus providing the ceiling of the basement conference facilities.
> > The western wall of this hidden space comprises of these green tiles and in front is this large sculpture. It does not appear to be named or labelled and seem rather sad and lonely. > > Having seen it on many occasions I decided to discover more about it.
> > It is a piece by the artist Jacob Epstein and is a memorial to the fallen trade unionists of both World Wars.
>

> > > > > I'm out and about

Finally

And finally here is a close up of the sculpture unveiled in1959.

I'm out and about

Technological tantrums

So another night and more problems with posting - three photos and only this one gets through sorry not much to see or read. Normal service before too long I hope but for now my chariot - well ok airplane awaits.

Inside Congress House

This is a shot of the grip strips on the marble stairs

I'm out and about

I've had enough!

Evening it's late and due to technology failures the evening hasn't ran as smooth as it should blog posts, skype conversations, I'm away to bed. Pah!

I'm out and about

It's a blur

Evening
You know how it is you have plans to write something and then one thing after another takes the hours off the clock and it's time for bed the evening seems to have gone in a blur.
until tomorrow then, hope I can stay awake in class?

Sent from my iPad

Challenge complete

So the tube train moved on power restored, my plan to head out for a run on arrival proving to big a challenge as the clock is the only thing to win tonight I'm now in the hotel ready to sleep.

Hopefully tomorrow will not offer the same challenge or it could be a very tiring 48 hours.

Night, night.

A challenge indeed

> > Arrived and it was/is indeed a travel challenge.
> > First up a delayed take off, a hole in one of the Heathrow runways had been disrupting the schedule. Ho hum, better safe than sorry I thought. Of course the grumpy brigade kicks off but I'm sure they would be first in the queue for compensation forms when the plane went head over heel on landing or disappeared down a newly formed chasm. I'm tempted to write the authorities are looking into it.
> > Then we get an earlier departure slot hooray! Off we zoom southwards. On landing we can't park as a result of the parking thingy not being on. Sounds a bit like a homing beacon for the plane even though you can see the gate. More volume from the grumpies then we can get off but onto buses. Wrong gate can't accommodate the flight. > > Some of my travel "chums" are getting stoked now harumph, harumph!
> > Off the plane onto the bus and a passenger yelling at the ground crew enquiring when his bus can leave. > > "what are we waiting on!!" > > this specimen of snot yells oblivious it appears to the fact that an elderly lady with a stick is being assisted to the bus.
> > Taken aback by this I sit and bide my time just in case he winds up again. I lapse into wicked thoughts of what I could do without being arrested and decide a flick of his ear or pushing his coat tail in the escalator just as he is stepping off sound good punishment. > > Perhaps he was brought up well and has suffered a pang of guilt or maybe the negative vibes all aimed at him from the passengers on the bus make him apologise. He's still a piece of snot though, on probation.
> > So on the ground and my intelligence (thanks n) informs me the tube line to central London is running, double hooray. Off I stride, Oyster card in hand waving my travel document at the sensor and on the train.
> > So the expected travel challenge was the plane and not the tube and I'm chugging along. I'm sitting working out my next move once I get off the train as I'm staying somewhere new over the next few nights.....
> > > We have stopped, not moving, on the going nowhere express. The laconic delivery from the driver apologises over the PA the power is off. No power no train go basically.
> > The reason - some one under a train on our section of line. Power off whilst they sort the problem. > > Not being an evil person really I wonder if it is Mr Snot who driven by dark thoughts and negative suggestions has thrown himself under a train?
> > We sit and wait the challenge proving a worthy foe...... > > I'm out and about

Transport challenge!

Evening

Sitting waiting for my plane to London with a tube strike awaiting me at the other end what solution will I try to address the transport deficit?

A boat perhaps?

My flight call for boarding has just been announced, big smoke here I come!

Sent from my iPad

Where's the razor?

Hello

I've just seen the movie, (accompanied by my fellow restaurant and movie critic hombre - Al).

"The Town"

http://www.youtube.com/v/QQ7wcayQQLQ?fs=1&hl=en_US

And I liked it a lot. It was entertaining, didn't lag and the performances were suitable and appropriate.

OK it did seem a bit like Mr Affleck who was the main creative engine behind the film may have watched "Heat" a few too many times but we can forgive him as there are only so many cops & robbers plots variants that you can pursue and it was different enough to entertain.

However special mention must be given to the sub plot. This being the tale of leading man stubble with both Ben Affleck and John Hamm's chin bristles making most of their place on celluloid. Being film land the stuuble did not turn into a beard until a scene later on and the clock never seemed to change from seven o'clock as the shadow persisted through out the film. I feel that a product placement opportunity was lost however. I'm sure Gillette or Wilkinson would have been happy to have their products deforesting the aforementioned chins or perhaps babyliss and their stubble trimmer shaper machine.

So unlike the stubble the movie I can say was a cut above, go see enjoy.

7.5 out of 10

Eye, eye

So there I am and I feel the need to brush something from my cheek just below my right eye however a bit too close was the brush as the next thing I am aware of is that my contact lense has been dislodged and is now heading north to hide like some shy creature up in the eye socket, or so it feels.

I can feel it creasing and crinkling but as I am sitting in the dark at the movies this is not the best time to send out a search party to return the lense to its rightful place. I sit and wait thankful that the other lense is there and that the screen is several metres high making the images easier to follow, even in my half blind state.

By the end of the movie my left eye is a tad tired having carried is compromised brother for longer than usual. I move gingerly to a safer and brighter environment and with cupped hand ready in case we have an escaping contact lense the fingers of my other hand head into the orbital depths.

My accomplce for the evening stands ready with a second safety net his hands cupped as if waiting for alms just in case the lense does a shimmy past my hand and heads floorward. This is a wonderful gesture but as he is now of the age when glasses are required for close work he is probably just a bit more visionary than I in this situation.

I find the offending lense and extracate it to safety. However it looks in a sorry state creased and drying, will it sit flat, will it hydrate? After a few tentative attempts - success lense in place and slowly soaking up secretions from the lacrimal gland, we have vision.

This is a great relief as we are an hours drive from home and the thought of driving one eyed or indeed to pass over the keys with no insurance cover for my emergency driver are not options I was quick to explore.

So there you are all eyed up, emergency over and home safe and sound