Blue and Buzzin'

The East Lothian countryside is changing again. The bright, harsh yellows of the oil-seed rape and daffodils in Spring are being replaced by ripening crops turning golden and these are occasionally interspersed with patches of scarlet as poppies push through to make a dramatic impact.
After flowering, the rape is actually quite a scruffy crop and remains so until it is harvested once the tiny seeds are ready.
Replacing it in the spectacularity stakes has got to be the fields of blue linseed that are becoming more common and look great from a high viewpoint. They also provide a great source of pollen for thousands of bees and there's quite a buzz if you're near one of the fields.
We've also noticed that some farmers seem to be planting the margins of other crops with linseed - presumably to encourage the bees and other wildlife.
These pictures were taken just north of East Linton and give a wee taste of what it's like.
I like it - it's kinda cool!

Another Maiden is Bowled Over

No news has come n the post about my PET scan, so as predicted, another waiting game has begun.

It was Davy and Linsey's wedding today. They got a braw day for it and the evening reception at the Royal Musselburgh was excellent. The bus home was a bit of a laugh, except for the bit where the driver under cooked a bend and we nearly ended up on the beach!
I went to see Preston Village Cricket Club today - and they won for the first time this season!
Well done to the Villagers.

The Annual Grand Day Oot!

It's Mum's birthday today - happy birthday Mum -
and as usual, we're off on the Grand Day Oot.
This year the magical mystery tour is headed for Loch Katrine and a cruise on the steamer 'Sir Walter Scott'. The SWS is no longer coal fired - it runs on recycled chip fat!

First stop though is Bridge of Allan for a nice breakfast at a pavement cafe - it was really hot (the weather, not the breakfast, although that was good too!). A few shops later and we're already behind schedule so we have to abandon a stop at Aberfoyle and go right on up the A821, The Duke's Pass. It was just as well we got there early because the efficiency of the ticket office leaves a bit to be desired and despite having booked and paid for our tickets online AND printed the vouchers off, we still had to wait for 20 minutes to get them transferred to a receipt. That meant that we were among the last to board and there were no seats left but as the cruise only lasts an hour, it wasn't too bad and you get a much better view from the rail.

I had hoped to see some wildlife like eagles and ospreys but there was absolutely nothing to be seen. The views were good though - especially the four peaks of the Arrochar Alps at the west end.

After the cruise, we had lunch by the pier and from there, we drove north to Killin and then along the north side of Loch Tay to Kenmore where we squeezed in a final shop at the Court Yard before closing time.

Onwards to Aberfeldy before finally turning south and homewards via Crieff and Auchterader where we had our tea in a braw wee Italian Cantina.

Thirteen hours after leaving Port Seton, we were home again - now that WAS a Grand Day Oot!

Grumpy Old Men

Met up for lunch with old mate Phil today - we went to The Vu which is in the hills above Bathgate. It was Phil's idea - I had never heard of the place, despite the fact that it's only about four and half miles from my work and it was really good.
It's years since I last saw Phil, so it was a good catch up. I suspect we're more like Jack and Victor nowadays but in the olden days of the hockey club we like to think that we were more Ronaldo and Rooney!

Big Steps and Wee Steps

Finding Out Day has arrived at last and not a moment too soon. However, as you will see, it didn't turn out exactly as everyone had hoped.

It started out ok with a trip up to Haddington early this morning. I always think that Haddington is at its best at this time of day, with everybody going about their daily business. It's a bit like Trumpton.

In the afternoon though, we're off to the clinic and this time, for the first time, we get to meet Dr Davies.
And the news from the CT scan is . . . . . . . . . . inconclusive!
This time there is some good news and some as yet undetermined news.
The fact that my general health and well being is good, is good news.
My kidney and everywhere else is (still) clear from lymphoma, so that is also great news.
However, my liver, which was always the worst affected area, still has a 'mark' on it. Dr. Davies explained that this might still might be an area of lymphoma that hasn't gone away BUT he also thought that it could be some scarring caused by the chemo treatment. Both are real possibilities and he just doesn't know. He knows that we would have wanted to hear him say 'all clear' but he can't do this until he's sure.
So, no need to panic but to find out for sure, I've got to have a PET scan. (I'll need to get a pet first!!*)

A PET Scan means drinking some radioactive isotope which apparently sticks to any lymphoma which then shows up on the scan. So, if the scan's clear, I'm clear.
I read in the paper today that Russia and America have agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenal. I hope Gordon Brown doesn't join in - I may be surplus to requirements!

Dr Davies promised that the scan would be within two weeks and that he'd phone me as soon as possible afterwards with the result.
(He also explained that a further liver biopsy may also be required.)

OK - it's disappointing but it isn't the end of the world and it certainly isn't the worst news I've had this year, so it's just a case of staying positive and patient for another two weeks or so.

On the way home, we look in at Archerfield, where Gary Player is having a pro-celebrity golf two day tournament. We saw Dennis Taylor, the snooker player and commentator and Martin Bayfield - best known to me as a 6' 10" England rugby player and Radio 5 Live commentator but probably more famous to younger viewers as Robbie 'Hagrid' Coltraine's body and stunt double in the Harry Potter films.

To cheer ourselves up a bit, we went to the Castle Inn for our tea. Things are looking better already!

* - Acknowledgement - Chic Murray - c1972. Thanks, Chic.

ps - my website of the day is Optical Illusions. For no other reason other than I think they're good.

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Sea World Adventures

It's been a long wait so far but a good weekend helped to pass the time.

Preston Lodge had a Club day on Saturday which meant training at 10am (for me, 'training' means 'watching'!), then a clear-out of the storage area under the Pennypit stand, then down to The Thorntree to watch the third and final SA v Lions Test on the telly.

The training looked good from where I was standing but the highlight for me was a pod of about 8 dolphins that swam past just about 50 yards offshore. They were jumping and tail standing and everything. Dolphins in the 'Pans - amazing! The world's gone mad.

The clearout of the stand was also a great job well done, so well done to Euan and his band of merry men who helped out.

To top it all off, The Lions won - 9-28! A good performance and a deserved consolation victory.

All in all, the day was a complete success.

We went out for tea - we tried to get into The Rocks at Dunbar. It looks really nice but unfortunately there wasn't a table available until 9pm - a wee bit too late. So we went to The Bayswell Hotel instead. Unfortunately, their bookings were running late too so we got sent upstairs to a dining room, rather than in the nice conservatory. The view was as good as the food though. Lobster for me and grilled sea bass for Liesl.

Sunday morning - down to North Berwick for the rolls and papers but as it was a braw morning, we got a coffee and croissant and sat in one of the seafront car parks.

It's quite busy with people unloading boats and kayaks and filling them with loads of water and provisions. They're going to paddle around the Bass Rock and it'll take them about four hours.

Good luck to them - sounds quite good!

Hope they look out for the dolphins.

Roll on tomorrow - Finding Out Day.

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Testing Times

The Lions lost the second Test in South Africa on Saturday. Disaster!

It looked like they were going to get a draw which would be the least they deserved until Ronan O'Numptie had a rush of blood to the heid and gave away a daft penalty after the hooter had sounded. Morne Steyn bashed it over from about half way and the series is lost.

Today was the day of my final CT scan. The one that will reveal all or hopefully nothing.

I seem to be getting better at drinking the contrast stuff and find that I'm way ahead of schedule - it was nearly finished with still half an hour to go. I had to slow down a bit.

The trouble is, that when you add this litre and a half of liquid to the litre of water you have to drink on the way in . . . . it doen't half make you burst! That's the point though. For some reason, your bladder has to be full.

The gowning ceremony was a good bit better today. The Chief Nurse of the Gown Chamber left me two, with strict instructions as to how they were to be applied. The first, as usual, goes on backsides foremost and the other goes on top, 'housecoat' style (according to the CNotGC). This is much better with zero chance of a wardrobe malfunction.

Anyway, everything goes according to plan and now it's just a case of waiting until next Tuesday for the result.

That seems a long way away and I'm counting the days already.

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