We're All Going on a Summer Holiday

Under doctors orders (Dr Davies that is) - we're going on holiday - tomorrow!
- although the NHS isn't paying - unfortunately!
We're going to Gaucin in Andalucia. (That's in Southern Spain before anybody asks!)
Gaucin is one of the Pueblos Blancos (white villages) that sit high in the mountains about 20 miles up from the coast.
We found what looks to be a nice play to stay - Molino del Carmen - a converted olive mill right in the heart of the village. We're staying in the Smugglers' Suite.
I'm really looking forward to it but to be honest, I've really enjoyed planning it all and I think I'll miss that once it's all over and done with. All of those months of sitting around in the house, surfing the internet, bidding for stuff on eBay or playing Sporcle is nowhere near as good as booking flights, hiring cars and finding places to go once we're there.
Apparently, it's even possible to go to Tangiers for the day - how cool (or hot) would that be?

So the car park at the airport is booked, the flights are booked (Ryanair - Edinburgh to Malaga), the money's been exchanged, the car is hired (Hertz - Volkswagen Polo or similar), the accomodation is booked (see above) and all systems are good to go!
Take off at 12:55 tomorrow.
YIPPEE! ! ! !
OR . . . as they say in Spain . . .
JIPPEE ! ! ! !

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Plus Ca Change . . . .

And we're off!
And we lost! (PL, that is.)
14-17 to Newton Stewart.
Did anybody think it was going to be easy playing in this division?
However - it wasn't all bad - in fact, for me, it was all quite good.

It was a bit strange being back behind my microphone and to be honest, just a bit emotional.
Apart from a couple of training matches, I think it was the 6th December since I've made any announcements - that's 38 weeks! And it's passed as quickly as Usain Bolt with his pants on fire.
Thanks to Fraser and others who stepped in for me while I was 'away'.

Sitting in the stand after being away for so long, I found myself thinking about too many daft things and what might have been - but all my rugby pals were there and it was great to see them all.
It's really good to be back - and another milestone is chalked off.

A Bolt of Lightning

Well the great Summer of British sport is over and the highlights for me have been Usain Bolt breaking the world records to win both 100m and 200m at the World Championships and England winning the Ashes.
Who says Test cricket is boring?
The lowlight was of course, The Lions losing the Test series in South Africa but all this means is that it's time to move into Winter sports mode and the rproper rugby season starts next week.
Following relegation last season, PL will start their National League Division 2 campaign at home to Newton Stewart.

Good Guys and Bad Guys?

A couple of Cancer patients have been in the news.
I have something in common with one of them and absolutely nothing in common with the other (except for the obvious).
The first is BBC TV racing and sports presenter Clare Balding
- she has just been given those magic words - 'All Clear' - after receiving successful treatment for thyroid cancer. That's great news because I really like her and hope she stays clear like me. (26 days now since I heard my Doc say 'All Clear'). Stay lucky, Clare.

The other patient is the Lockerbie Bomber - Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi. He's been released on compassionate grounds by Scottish Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill because he has terminal prostate cancer and only has three months to live.
This has sparked great debate on whether or not he should be released at all and if any behind the scenes deals were done to aid trade and industry between Britain and Libya in the future. He dropped his on-going appeal against his conviction, seemingly to expedite the process that would see him re-patriated under the prisoner transfer agreement between the two countries.
That means that we'll probably never know if he actually planted the bomb on Pan-Am 103 or not. There seems to be plenty of doubt in the minds of many people - except if they're American. President Obama and Hilary Clinton are no' happy. I think they're going to stop speaking to us Scots.
Ach weel - we'll just have to get some new pals.
A correspondent to The Times summed it up brilliantly
- "Our showing compassion has nothing whatever to do with what he is. It is to do with what we are."
John Graham-Hart, Aug 09.

I wish there had been less celebrations and no Saltires when he got off his plane though.

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Of Mice and Men and Machinery

The East Lothian countryside is changing once again.

On the rare occasions when the sun's out, the golden colour of the crops is so bright that it hurts your eyes.

This is the signal for the farmers to get their skates on and their combine harvesters out to get the harvest in before any more rain comes along to spoil it. All of the rain we've had means that their costs also go up because they have to dry the grain before storing it, otherwise it will rot and will be worthless.

It's not just oilseed rape, wheat and barley that's getting harvested though - this picture was taken near Morham, just south of Haddington and it's grass that's being cut here. Presumably it'll be used for silage to feed the animals throughout the winter.

As the grass crops get cut, it's also a great time to spot wildlife. There's plenty of hares, buzzards and especially kestrels hovering high above the verges looking for unwary mice and voles.

Also, I don't think I've ever seen so many weasels running about on the roads than I have this summer - they always look very busy and give the impression that they're up to some mischief or other.

If you don't know how to tell them apart from stoats, well . . . . it's easy.

- They're weasily recognised and stoats are stoatally different!

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Razzle Dazzle and All that Jazz

Tonight we did something jazzy.
After eating at No.12 Quality Street, we went to see the Scottish Jazz Allstars at North Berwick.
This is part of the Fringe by the Sea series of concerts and events that now take place annually as a sort of satellite part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
For the first time though, the famous Spiegeltent had made the trip down the coast and was erected by the harbour, near the Seabird Centre and this was where the concert took place. It was a packed house and a fantastic venue for this type of thing, although the organisation of the bar could maybe have been a bitty better.
Joining the Allstars for the gig was the legendary Scottish folk and blues singer, Tam White.
The whole event was brilliant and I hope the Spiegeltent is brought back next year.

I think it's quite a feather in North Berwick's cap to host events such as this and they need to blow their own trumpet (and trombone!) a bit more to ensure that the event goes from strength to strength.

Boots, Bats and Odd Shaped Balls

The rugby season has started again.
Well . . the pre-season to be exact. PL had their first friendly game on Saturday - against Lismore.
They're a division or two below us so it would be a nice'n'easy warm up - right?
WRONG!
We managed to hold on for a draw. It looked like we were just a wee bit rusty. I'm sure things will be fine once the season starts for real. (My fingers are crossed behind my back).

And just as the rugby season starts, I'm playing cricket!
And just as I'm about to play cricket . . . . the heavens open to show that the first week in August is not the time to play Summer sports.
The cricket match was part of an Atos Origin Family Fun day. We did eventually play and it was good so maybe next year we'll play again - in June!