Music & a lazy Sunday

Not the best of mornings just now. I'm having a slow 'coming to' morning after a special night out at Strathkiness Tavern where Birthday girl Barbara and I enjoyed a delicious meal. A local ad hoc group of Scottish folk musicians and singers gather in the bar every Monday night which is where we retired to after the meal. They even, without too much persuasion, coaxed a song from Barbara. All in all a very enjoyable Barbara Birthday and continuation of the Scottish Fiddle, Accordian and folk music scene in general which has been the underlying theme of my 2016 yearly stay here in Fife.

I accompanied Barbara to Cupar last week where she was playing at the local park bandstand with the 'Billy Anderson Kilrymont Accordion and Fiddle band. During the concert I walked Tanya around the park and got into conversation with a couple enjoying their lunch in the sunshine.
"Oh yes!" I said in answer to their question about renumeration for playing in such a prestigious band.
"Think twenty then add three zeros".
"Really". They answered, sandwiches paused in mid air and eyes firmly fixed in my direction.
"Yes, three gigs with zero payment and one end of season cheque for twenty pounds". I replied.
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The weather here has been fantastic with virtually no rain for the last three weeks. The garden has been modified and tidied, the shed painted and lots of time  spent sitting out front in the sunshine. This cottage is not called 'Sunnybraes' for nothing.
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We are now moving west where rain has once again welcomed us. We have resigned ourselves to sharing rain and sunshine as we head toward a ferry to Belfast thence onward to Ireland and Grandson Kaden way down in Co Kerry. Barbara is travelling with me so Foxy10 is getting a good two person shake down. I have to say she is doing really well giving us both the familiarity and quality expected of a high quality French built Rapido plus greatly improved social area, quality of ride and overall warmer and cosier Motorhome.

The fridge is functioning perfectly now too after my earlier visit to Knowepark Motorhome dealers near Livingstone. They seriously blasted out the gas burner flue at the back of the fridge with an air hose. Lets just say the amount of sh*t that headed for the atmosphere was a pretty good clue as to why Mrs fridge was struggling to operate efficiently. Thanks guys. Good job done.

Simple pleasures are great. Today has been a simple pleasure/lazy Sunday. Wild we are, at the end of a tiny no entry road not far from East Kilbride. The day has been a mixture of sunshine and showers with us enjoying a late breakfast, leisurely showering/grooming before walking to the local garden centre for lunch. Tanya got a treat while we were there too. A sensibly sized knitted woollen coat for the cold nights ahead. Our afternoon proved productive with Barbara generously donating her needle skills and shortening curtains plus elasticating headrest covers. I meanwhile delved headfirst into the large underbed garage area to re position a light fitting.

All exciting and simple motorhoming pleasures designed specifically for the clinically certified elderly wandering itinerents of this world. Who, incidentally, at the end of this 'simple pleasure' day really appreciated a  delicious 'motorhome cooked' fish and veggie kedgeree supper accompanied by good music on Radio 2.

All in all a most enjoyable day.

Mirrors, Confidence & Grandaughters

I saw the plastic skid across the road via my rear view wing mirror which did not seem to be damaged at all from the impact with this 'other' mirror. I also saw the 4x4 slow and stop.

"Shite" I muttered as I brought Foxy 10 to a stop in a conveniantly situated car park. I was driving the narrow and busy road along the Eastern shoreline of  Loch Lomond. I left Tanya inside Foxy 10 as I walked back to the stricken 4x4 to be met by a scowly faced and not in a good mood lady driver. Such a face put me on my guard .

I'm learning the hard way that Foxy10's wing mirrors have the potential to be lethal weapons. They sit on the end of extended arms which are conveniantly at the height of virtually all other similar sized vehicle mirror assemblies.

"Wing mirrors eh! A hazard of modern day motoring don't you think?" My jovial testing of the waters only whipped up stormy waters and increased scowliness.

"I've been driving this road for 20 years and never had an accident in all that time!!". Came testily at me from the reddened, scowly and not amused face.

"Well I did notice you were well out in the road, not leaving me much space". I replied deciding I may as well attack as there was going to be no shrugging of shoulders and 'ah well, these things happen' end to this incident.

I re-assembled her mirror with help of Gaffer tape (your not a motorhomer if you don't carry Gaffer tape) while she wrote down my registration number and requested my name. I, with difficulty, held back the 'fer f***s sake lady, its a wing mirror, get over it'. I could not however; resist the temptation, when asked frostily for my post code to reply by pointing to Foxy10 and uttering the immortal words "I live there lady, I'm of No Fixed Abode". The scowly face stared, turned purple, muttered something incomprehensible, climbed back in her 4x4 and drove off.

Could take a while but I got a feeling there will be an insurance company seeking me out sometime.

The day did improve. Ten minutes further on Cashell, 'Forest for a thousand years', welcomed us with dull but dry skies. My dear wife Kate lies here. A pleasant walk up the steep forest track was enjoyed by Tanya and myself before some silence and reflection in this most beautiful of spots overlooking Loch Lomond, its islands and Luss Hill beyond. A hill Kate and I walked many times.

The day remained benevolent saving the rain until we were safe and dry inside a once again rolling Foxy10. And rain it did. All the way to our destination of West Sands alongside St Andrews famous golf links where the skies cleared and granted us a warm, dry and patchy blue sky evening. Oh! So good to be once again walking barefoot amid sun, sand, waves & wind.
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Several days later now and I think I have writers block. Or maybe as I listen and be with family, friends and old work colleagues I realise my life, compared to theirs, even though on the outside my life looks escapist and glamorous, is, in reality nothing more than an old man living on his own with a small dog in a white van and doing little else. Pretty boring really. Not to me you understand, I still enjoy the lifestyle even though as the years go by I am finding it increasingly difficult to relate to the pace and tumult of quote; normal life. Unquote.

My recent trip into Glasgow is an example of this.  The Crown Plaza Hotel, right on the waterfront opposite the BBC and the Science Centre graciously allowed me to stay overnight in their car park in order I might attend the labour party hustings with Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith. Never mind the politics. We'll stay well clear of that minefield. 

Affecting me was the fact a guy, not disimilar in looks and of the exact same age as myself was up there, centre stage, giving it his all and fighting for the second time a leadership battle against his own party plus every dirty trick that party can think up and throw at him. I'm not him, I know that, but I am of the same generation and like him have walked the same history. I returned  to Foxy10 humbled. I needed some quite and reflective time to arrive back at myself. I needed reminding that brilliant white light only happens through every colour of the rainbow playing their equal, unseen, individual and vitally important role.
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After such excitement plus various appointments with Doctors, Dentists and Vets it was time for a couple of days out wild. Especially as being continually and soundly thrashed at Dominoes by my grandaughter had pushed my wise and skilled grampy self confidence to a previously unheard of low. I suppose I just have to be thankful that Becca, the youngest of my Scottish grandaughters is as bad as I am at playing the Blues Harp. Not a nice sound but a wee compensation!!

'Wild' equated to a beautiful Woodland park tucked snuggly under the steep and dominant Ochill hills. We were between Alva and Tillicoultry enjoying the stunning views across the river Forth. The area is riddled with good walking paths liberally spattered with good quality doggy sniffs. Tanya was in paradise.

Confidence returned. Fridge is nearly empty. Babara and St Andrews here we come once again but this time for a longer stay.