Tash and the Mountains.

Tash posted some pics on her facebook page. I hope she doesn't mind but I decided to take her travel ones of these incredible mountains and turn them into a panoramic.

Copyright violation?

Malaysian Food

Isla took me to THIS tiny restaurant last night for Malaysian food. Simply put it was ace.

The first clue to that was that there was that it was full. The second was the fact that it was full with Malaysians. The third was that it was BYOB. The forth was that the menu was extensive. The fifth and most important was that the food was incredible! I don't know if it was as good as some of the places we ate in Oz but certainly it was the best meal I've had since we got back to the UK.

Isla had some tofu veggie weirdness which she claimed was good but my Red Curry King Prawns with coconut rice was gastronomic. I loved every mouthful and I didn't want my portion to come to an end... and for the longest time it didn't. I counted 10 MASSIVE king prawns in my dish and for £8 I was very impressed.

Highly recommended and we'll definitely be back.

The Canal

So if your not already aware of this... I love Edinburgh.

One of the other things that I'm liking is the canal. OK, so it's a bit scummy in areas but the bit out side our flat is lovely. There's always people out there paddling in canoes or running along the path. Also there is always loads of ducks and swans there which provide lots of photo opportunities. It's great and when "I feed the pigeons I sometimes feed the sparrows too. It brings me an enormous sense of well-being."

Over the course of the next few months I'm going to try and get some really decent shots but in the mean time here are some feathers for you to look at.

Enjoy.

The Infamous Grey

These wee scamps are always hanging around our neck of the woods. I've been trying to get a picture of the one that sits in the apple tree in the back garden but it's always been too quick. However, one of his buddies sat still for long enough today in a tree up the street for me to snap this number.

I'm hating the auto focus though as it always preferentially fixes on the foreground. Need to figure that one out.

The Lich King is a drug dealer!

I quit. That's right. About November time last year I managed to chuck my addiction that was World of War Craft. However, thanks to a personalised email from Blizzard, extensive recent radio coverage and a work colleague who goes on about it incesantly I have succumed to purchasing both expansion kits for WoW.

I guess that means I'm going to be a WoW junkie again. Oh well, with Isla studying all the time I'll at least have plenty of time to play. Yay.

Isla's 30th Birthday Bash

Just a wee note to everyone to say thanks for coming to the party. The costumes were ace and I think Isla had a pretty good time. Here's some pics below...

Arran Zain

Hi guys. Here's some pics of the lastest addition to Sophie and Iain's clan... Click on the pictures below to go directly to the main, full-size pics.

Goldfrap - total crap!

So it was Isla's birthday yesterday and as part of her present we went to see Alison Goldfrapp play at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh. I'd heard that she was supposed to be a "good performer" and Isla is a bit of a fan so I hoped that it would be a decent show.

Is wasn't.

Firstly the stage set was rubbish. It was done up a bit like an old Henry the 8th jousting tournament - but a crap one. More like an 15th century village festival than something royalty would attend.

The next thing was that it was so "start-stoppy". There seemed to be big gaps of silence between the songs and although her singing was impressive there was very little in the way of a "performance".

I hate to say it but I was totally bored. They just didn't entertain. It was a bit like watching a school band and the fact that there was zero interaction with the crowd made things even worse. Actually that's not entirely true - there was one bit where one of the guitars wasn't working and a new one had to be fetched from back stage. At this point Alison said, "Move on... We're professionals... Shit happens" and that was the extent of her chat.

Luckily (for me) Isla started feeling unwell and we ended up leaving early. I was a bit pissed off - not because we didn't see the whole show but that music artists can charge so much money for a concert like that and then put on such a lack-lustre performance.

When I think that the last show I saw at the Corn Exchange was the Prodigy it makes Goldfrapp's show even more of a let down.

Incidently, has anyone ever got money back for tickets because they didn't like the show? Seems to me that you should be able to get a refund if the concert was as pump as Alison Goldfrapp's.

I've been rubbish - but my socks aren't!

I'm sure that I'll look back over this site in years to come and wonder what the hell I was up to during this period.

The fact is that I've been really quite lazy. In all honesty there too much to remember in retrospect with all the moving and wedding stuff. So appologies. Anyway, here is a picture of some socks that I've just bought. They're great although a little bit camp. Hope you like them - I do. Promise to be better at this blogging malarky.

Ross' Stag Do

Hey guys, if you wanna see the final video from Ross' Stag then click the links below. I had to split it into 2 clips as it would have been too long for youtube. Enjoy...

Part 1



Part 2

Renovations 3

So this is how the bay windows are looking and hopefully soon we'll have soon appropriately tasteful double glazing in place - may be a few months for that though...


...it should also give you an idea of what our view from the living room is like.

Renovations part 2

So you thought that the ceiling in the bedroom was bad? Yellow? That was nothing. Take a look at what had been done to the ceiling in the living room before I got the dulux Once (or "thrice" as it should be called) on to it...




And look at the state of the fire place!!!!.....

Pedal for Scotland

Well I just completed this today with my mate Stuart. It was more gruelling that I thought it would be but that's because I'm really REALLY out of shape. Now I feel totally spaced and after 55miles and almost 4 hours on the bike there's no wonder. Also I had a 40kph crash near the end where I took out another cyclist who was well pissed off especially since his wheel was missing a few spokes afterwards. Actually I was lucky to get away with a bruised elbow and some damaged pride.

Anyway, a good time had by all and I'll post the whole story on the Triathlon website for anyone who's interested.

Renovations Number 1

Howdy everyone. We've been busy in the last 2 weeks since we moved to the 'Burg. Our first project has been the bedroom and here are the pictures of how things have gone. Alas it's not finished yet but I hope these pics give you the idea...













Enjoy!!!

Edinburgh.... at last!

Hello Everyone. It's been ages since I wrote something on this and the reasons are quite simple......

1. We've been busy selling and buying flats and moving through to Edinburgh.
2. We've not had the internet FOR AGES.

At long last we've finally made it through both of those ordeals (the worst being the lack of the net - by far) and are presently trying to settle in the 'Burg. I have to say that I'm finding it rather pleasant here. It's certainly better than Glasgow in so many ways. (This particular picture was taken at 6am on a Sunday morning when the Mile was empty - completely empty!)

Firstly there are no neds - or at least none that I've seen. The weather is better - it still rains here but it still seems brighter and according to the Met Office it has 1/3 the rainfall of Glasgow. Also there are loads of people out on bikes. To be honest everyone here seems healthier and although people say that the folks here aren't as friendly as the Weegies, I still haven't had any experience of that.

So I'm looking forward to our life here. It almost feels like every day is a holiday - I mean how many people get to drive or cycle through the countryside to work and back but still live in a major city? And where we live totally rocks as there is a beautiful park outside where we had a picnic last week - and there wasn't a bottle of Buckfast in sight. (That's our view above!!! - Jealous yet?)

So I urge all my mates in Glasgow to join us any time you want. You'll be more than welcome.

One Tree Hill

This is a pointless entry but it's the only way I could show KP & Co the tree that I was going on about. I think it's quite cool - but they think I'm a bit... weird!

One Ring to Rule Them All....

Hi All,

I don't know if Isla has got round to posting a picture of the engagement ring yet but here it is in all it's glory. Thought some of you ladies out there might be interested in having a look at it.

I'm sure Isla has filled you in on it's cut and carot etc. All mumbo jumbo to me but apparently it's a goodun. Actually, I just really like this photo so needed an excuse to put it on the blog.

Enjoy.

PAAAAR-TAY!

Hi Everyone.

Been really remiss with this blog but having no internet in the flat really makes keeping these up to date almost impossible. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks to everyone that came to our Cheese and Wine the other night. It was a good laugh and testament to that is that fact that I had to spend almost the whole of Sunday in bed!

The wines were great and there is so much cheese in the flat at the moment that the place gets a fresh stench every time the fridge is opened! Special mention to Angus who's Pensilar Cheese smelt like a junkie's foot. Tasted not bad though.

Anyway thanks again. Think we're going to start a wee wine tasting club through in Edinburgh if any of you are interested in joining us!

Wino

At long last the wine is brewed and bottled. It's not quite ready to drink yet as it needs to settle for a few days and despite all the precautions, I can still see a little bit of sediment floating about in it.

I have to say that it smells...ok. And just OK. Nothing particularly special. I got a little taste during the rustic siphoning episode and again it tastes just OK. I'll see how it is a few days as I've put some in one of those 200ml airport bottles so that I don't have to open a full one. Who knows, in 10 years time they actually might taste above mediocre.

Thirst for life/booze

Well that's another year and another 40 days booze free. Actually quite difficult this time as I was doing it at my folks house where mother-dearest always has an open bottle of red, a glass of which is consumed nightly. Makes it hard which each dinner is accompanied with the question "would you like some wine with your meal?"

Despite that hurdle the 40 days passed quickly and although many of my friends question the worth of this exercise, I do find that if nothing else at least it makes you question you're reasons for wanting a drink.

Actually the time scale wasn't completely booze-free as I choked on some of the home made wine a couple of weeks ago when I was trying to syphon it out of one bucket and into another. I hope that inhaling alcohol doesn't count!?!

Home brewed wine

So I've started trying to ferment my own wine. I bought one of those homw starter kit last week and mixed everything up in a big (sterilised) tub, stuck the one-way valve on, and let those busy yeast get to work.

I've been meaning to try it for ages and the kits are really straight forward. The only thing that I can't help feeling is that I'm being ripped off. It cost £25 and that should make about 6 bottles of wine (Cab Sauv in this case) but really all you are paying for is the grape concentrate, a few additives and some buckets and tubing. Of course, you get to reuse the equipment and further batches should be a lot cheaper but £4 per bottle isn't all that cheap especially if it tastes like complete crap.

I think what I'll do is by the additives in bulk and then just stick any old fruit juice in there and see what happens. That might, however, put an end to my wine career and my liver. We'll see what this lot tastes like.

What's up?

Well I've been a bit remiss recently with this blogging business. It was really easy in Australia as we were always doing new things and that made writing the blog a piece of cake. Here, although I'm trying to focus on new things, I'm finding that the weather, amongst other things is against me.

Acutally I can't really blame the weather. I've been doing a fair bit of point-and-shoot of late and I've been constantly surprised about how often the sun has shone and you can feel it beginning to gain warmth. Take this photo for example. This was from last week when my Mum and I went to Loch Lomond for the day and had lunch at the Duck Bay Marina. There wasn't a breath of air to be felt and it was jackets off in the car as there was real heat in the sunshine.

I think that the weather is reminding me a lot of that dry, crisp climate that you get in ski resorts around early March - cold mornings but warmish afternoons. With the sun blazing so much recently all I need is a glass of vin chaude and I'd be set.

However, there have been a few bad days like today where the wind is topping out at 30mph and the spray from the waves is coming right over the wall and into the garden again. The sun is still sporadically out though and it makes the waves more exciting than soul-destroying. I hope this picture gives you a better impression of what the elements can be like down here when they feel like it. The last one I took of the waves was at night and should have almost been left off the blog as the detail was soooo poor. I really need (or should I say "want") a better camera. I don't see myself being a famous photographer but I would like the opportunity to put the odd one on the wall - but this quality is... mediocre at best.

This chilling air and cloudless skies have made for some fantastic sunsets and being stuck in Skelmorlie it gives me something to appreciate almost every evening. There is so many reds and oranges and purples and yellows that each picture looks fake and I marvel at the results. In all honesty I'm not doing them justice with my rubbishy little camera and in years to come (when I can actually afford it) I think I'd like to splash out on a digital SLR - a compact one of course.

And finally to Arran. It sits across the water there taunting me every time I leave the house or look out the window. I hear it saying "There's no way you could cycle round me and master my hills on that road bike!" What am I to do. I suppose I should try it out. Once there is more that double figures on the thermometer I'll brave the trip to Ardrossan and put the pedels to the metle and see who comes off worse - me or a several million year old chuck of rock. Your money really had to be on the island doesn't it?

So that's it. No news, just views. Meeting Matt and KP in Glasgow tonight for dinner so at least that'll get me out of the house in something other than cycling gear or running shoes.

Arran Sunset

Hello readers,

I was looking through some more photos and I came across this one that I meant to post ages ago. It's the view across the water from the Folks' house and it was the first sunset I saw when I got back from Oz.

I know it's not exactly Noosa Beach but it's still pretty remarkable and a reminder that things here aren't all bad - you just have to know what to look for in the everyday.

Z

Weather chat

I'm quite surprised that the weather hasn't been worse since I got home but actually it's been quite nice. Although there has been the odd bit of rain and crazy winds most of the days have been bright and fresh.

There has been the the occasional dusting of snow in the garden which is a bit unusual as we are so close to the Clyde. However, there has been a few storms and the waves have been so high that they've easily cleared the road and made it into the garden. I think that they've had to close the street a few times now but luckily it's always been at night so we've not had any issues with it.

I think basically I'm trying to find ways to show that being here is not as bad as I thought it would be and although I miss the sunshine of Sydney sometimes the heat is too much and almost unavoidable. A decent Scottish summer would be most welcome though.

Alien Invasion

So I'm on my way home at 1am this morning like that bloke David Vincent from the program "the Invaders" - which was pish by the way - and just like him I'm "a man too long without sleep".

Out of the darkness comes this crazy site which was so awesome that I had to take a quick photo - that camera seems to be with me all the time these days. A hangover from Australia I think.

It's a shame my camera isn't a bit better as this picture just doesn't do it justice but it's the smoke tower at Inverkip Power Station and there was a bank of mist moving in just at the top of it. It looked like a bloody space craft was landing so I snapped away. Unfortunately this is the best picture I could get but still it's eerily ominous and atmospheric I think. Hope you like it.

The cat is a nutter

Look at this fool.

This is Kismet - mum and dad's bengal. She's a lovely cat but not very affectionate which is a shame as she doesn't really have a coat - she had a pelt and petting it is very moreish.

Anyway, she's got this real thing about this stupid little mouse toy and when you throw it she goes bananas and will do anything to catch it. I've not managed to get a picture of her at the apex of her jump yet but she's usually a foot or so higher than this and it's very cool.

Random I know but I'm really bored just now.

Wind and Rain

There's just so bloody much of it here that I can't seem to get out on the bike. This morning the wind was so strong that I'd definitely would have been blown off. Very frustrating!! Perhaps I should get one of those indoor trainers - might at least prevent me cruising over the finish line in last place!

Clover-pish

Hmm. Went to see the first showing of "Cloverfield" today and was sorely disappointed. Total gash. I don't quite know what I was expecting but it was full of weak characters, horrifically bad acting and a story that was so full of holes you could use it to drain spagetti.

On the plus side some girl exploded into a pile of blood which was cool (even if it was behind a barely transparent curtain) and the actual "monster" was pretty decent. However, if you've ever played Half-Life of Halo 2 then it's not really all that exciting a film.

And the ending? Well let's just say everyone was waiting for more because they didn't know whether it had finished or not.

4/10 (mainly from the special FX point of view).

Working 9 to 5

Well actually Friday, Saturday and Sunday were spent working 1700 - 2400 which is substantially worse than working 9 to 5. It was at Stobhill A&E which was a bit boring but easy money.

That said, the going rate for the clinical assitants is £23.18 per hour (before tax) which is quite dreadful when you consider that the Medacs locums are getting £35 per hour and the GP Reg that was doing a locum there was getting £60 per hour (after midnight he went on to £70 per hour).

And people ask why I'm wanting to go into GP? Even when the are doing the same jobs as us shmucks they still get paid like kings. FFS!

Running....

...I hate it!

Shetland - Part 3

So where was I?

Ah that's right. We were just about to get ourselves ready for Up Helly A. In the town square the Jarl and his squad he erected a large A-frame sandwich board whis had a load of drivel written on it. I tried understand what it was going on about but failed however I did come to the realisation that the names of all the different squads were mentioned throughout the tedious essay.

After leaving that KP and I wandered over to where the Jarl Squad were showing off the galley that they've spent the last year building. I was reasonably impressive but when you consider that they live on Shetland where there is absolutely nothing to do then you have to wonder why, in that time, they hadn't put together something more akin to a working naval battleship or luxury cruise liner. I guess a 20ft wooden viking long boat on wheels was all that was required and as far as those are concerned they'd done a great job.

Then we drank coffee.

Later back at the flat we wrapped up warmly and went out to meet up with some of Matt's Kiwi friends who amusingly pronounce Shetland as "Shitland" - I laughed alot. We had a great view of the 900 or so marching torch bearers as they meandered down the main street pushing the galley. It was then deposited in the middle of the park before finally all 900 flaming torches were chucked onto it setting a whole years worth of work ablaze.

There was a brief firework display and then we all went home and got changed into out threads before going to the TA Hall for the rest of the nights activities. As I mentioned those basically took the form of....

1. Have a drink
2. Do a country dance e.g Strip the Willow
3. A squad comes in a does a skit (or sketch)
4. Go back to 1 and repeat.

We lasted for quite a while although Matt and KP had more in the tanks than I did and by 4am was really concious of the fact that I was going to be flying in a few hours so needed some sleep. Also some girl from Livingston started talking to me for hours and I couldn't get away from her. "Why don't you want to dance?" "My Mum is a psych nurse," "I work in the local bank" "A&E doctors don't know anything about psychiatry!"

Well up yours biatch - I wouldn't come and as you to re-tile my bathroom would I?

Anyway, by 5am I really turned up the moans and eventually the guys agreed to leave. It's a bit of a shame as it had a real Daft Friday feel to it (Google that if you don't know what it is) and by the time we left people were beginning to talk about going to the pub. It would have been a bit of a laugh to go along but I was totally spent.

I got to bed at 7am and then was up at 9:30am packing for the flight. Naomi (one of the Kiwis) somehow had remained sober and was still up (somewhere in Lerwick) and after a hasty phone call from Matt agreed to give us a lift to the airport. It was a bit of a relief to get there on time and after brief and quite poiniant good-byes I was on the plane.

So what did I think of Shetland? Well for all my moaning I had a bloody good time but had KP and Matt not been there then I don't really think that it's a place I would venture to too often. That said, it was awesome to see the guys and Up Helly A was great. The croft we stayed in for the first few nights was also pretty damned good fun but I can see why those two are happy to leave the island for the bright lights of Inverness in a weeks time.

Good luck to them and thanks for having me - Inverness next?

Shetland - Part 2

After a short and very light sleep (for fear of someone coming into the on-call room to find me ZZZing out in their bed Goldie-locks style) I packed the evidence of my stay and wandered into KP and Matt "quarters". As usual it reeked of curry as their flat mate has eaten nothing but Sommerfields Chicken Tikka Marsala for the last 2 months. According to the guys he has had one other thing on the menu in that time and KP prooved this by showing me a jar of Chicken Tikka Marsala sandwich spread! Mind you there was no bread that belonged to him so I must assume that he just eats it straight from the jar when he can't be arsed heating one of his TV dinners. I say TV dinners although he never comes out his room and has certainly never been observed watching TV.

ANYWAY, after Matt had left for work KP and I jumped in the car and went down to the Shetland Museum. It is a relatively new affair having only opened 6 months ago and surprisingly looks brand new despite catering to over 70,000 visitors since it's unveiling in June. It does an incredible job of outlining the history of the Island from days of the Picts through the various ages and owners up to the present day. The authenticity of the artifacts on display is apparent and the museum staff appear to have vast amounts of knowledge on the subject which they are only too happy to share with us punters.

It didn't take long to look round as we skim read everything and mostly talked about "how hardy the locals must be" and how glad we were that we didn't live here permanently. After that we stopped in one of the scarce Lerwick cafes and had lunch consisting of soup and sandwiches - simple but filling. We talked for ages then decided to drop the car back at the flat and walk to one of the local watering holes so I could se how it's done on the Island.

Flints was a dive, but the remaining sun shone weakly through the smokey windows providing the days only natural light so we took a corner window booth to bask in its feeble glow. We had a pint of Strongbow of all things, and talked into the darkening afternoon in this, what can only be described as, "Old Man's Pub". The time went by rapidly and we decided to head home.

It was overcast and spitting as we got back to the flat just in time to meet Matt. After plesantries and liquid refreshments we did a Fish and Chip run to the Happy Haddock which provided us with better than average chow. Not up to Australian standards but kicked the arse out of anything in Glasgow or remotely Central Belt-ish.

A night in front of the box saw us watching the very mediocre "SNL - Best of Dana Carvey" and then some Little Britain which was as always hillarious. Other hilarity came in the unlikey form of a book reading whereby I'd found a book in the bathroom called "Delete this at your Peril" and read, out loud, a chapter to Matt and KP. It was about a man trying to get talking lions sent to him as his reply to an email scam and various other comic anecdotes. A real laugh out loud book!

A restless night with strange noises from the bathroom followed by a late start from me and KP. The Up Helly A' preparations finally went on show today in town and we went down to get a program and see the initial build up to tonights partying.

It's all very secretive, in a Free Mason sort of way, but as far as I can tell this Viking Fire Festival consists of...

1. A main group (the Jarl Squad) of men (about 50) who have been preparing their viking costumes, firey torches, a wooden galley, skits (or sketches) and the 12 "Halls" for the last year.

2. Several other smaller groups or squads prepar their own costumes and skits but have nothing to do with the galley or arranging the halls (but their wives help at the halls).

3. The galley went on display this morning and tonight the street lights all go out and the fire dudes parade down the street in their costumes in front of the gathered townsfolk before chucking all the torches onto the galley and watching it burn whilst singing "The Galley Song".

4. The Halls open and are run by the wives/partners of the Jarl Squad and the other squads.

5. People go to the Hall that they have been invited to where drinking and eating abounds. We've scored tickets to the TA Hall which is run by the Head Jarl's wife so is the most sought after of the Halls. Don't know how Matt blagged these. Whenever we mention it to any of the local they look at us like we've just eaten their child. We don't mention it any more.

6. The squads go from Hall to Hall doing their skits and getting everyone up to dance and sing and drink.

7. This carries on until 8 AM and then the pubs open.

8. Zain misses his flight.

Anyway, hopefully number 8 won't happen but I'll fill you in on the rest of Up Helly A soon and hopefully there'll be some good pictures up soon.