Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've been very busy with work and also, I admit,. a bit lazy too. You know the stereotype about seals lying around? Well sometimes these are true. Nothing much happening just now although today the Summer Solstice is upon us. I hope you all have a happy and holy day. I'm going to walk to Torphichen again although this time from my home. I'll leave at 2 p.m and hopefully arrive for a meal at 6 pm followed by a Bluegrass concert. However the weather is not great but I'm determined to get fit...

Returned from down south. My friend was attending a course near Marlborough so I tagged along. Everything went well until I reversed the hire care down a country lane smashing in the back! This part of England is so beautiful and the evidence of a much larger scale of Diamond Jubilee celebrations was there emphasising my feeling that Scotland is different in this area.
Visited the Cotswolds and also Bath although the latter was a day which could have done without the incessant rain. The next day after my return celebrated a friend's 50th birthday drinking so much that the karaoke had the benefit of my intentions. Only now recovering.

Not in my name

One of the downsides of living in Britain is having to put up with the fawning attitude to the Royal Family. The media is especially guilty but, for those reading from outwith these shores, do not believe the hype. Especially here in Scotland where celebrations are hard to spot. In the West it seems to be largely members of the Orange Lodge( an extreme Protestant sectarian organisation which organises anti- Catholic marches with their attendant tensions) and in Edinburgh the few parties are organised but incomers who really don't get the local culture. Surrey by the Forth if you like.
I'm not against the Royals personally, indeed I like Prince Charles very much. The Queen just does not do it for me though. Her much vaunted" never puts a foot wrong" praise does not quite ring true here in Scotland after her ill advised remarks during the 1970's Assembly referendum campaign. However no harm to the woman. If there has to be a monarchy though it should be the above man who is the rightful monarch, Francis, Duke of Bavaria. However he's probably glad he's not involved in all the events.