Update - Buddy Guy - Scottish Proms - Night Out

Well Howdy - how time has flown again - phew! Need to give you an update as to what ahs been happening in my life sine London Town

Reading Sonia Choquette - Ask Your Guides which I am finding very interesting and a friend of mine has just given me a set of motivational CD's by Joe Vitale which I am listening to whilst driving to and from work every day . . . so keeping myself busy.

Speaking of work this is my last two weeks now - finish off on 11 July - looking unlikely that they will keep me on after that - spoke to K and she has been very helpful and made a proposal which would be to everyone's benefit - but I am not sure that they will be able to work like that . . .

So where to from here - a couple of applications pending - I am optimistic - one way or the other something will turn up . . .

Haven't really been up to a lot so I will just inform you of the highlights . .

Thursday 26 June went to Carling Academy - to see Buddy Guy - now way back in 80's I used to be in the music industry (in a past life . . . lol - that's how it feels sometimes) - [couldn't got to Blue Chip evening] - I used to see 'A man e the Blues' - it was a regular seller - so I was really looking forward to the concert - he is an outstanding blues guitarist . . . I was mildly disappointed with the concert - I might be a bit old fashioned - I expected him to work through a repertoire of his music and give good value for money at the end of the day I felt he was there to enjoy himself and give a few Blues standards not even necessarily his own material - just a few bones for the pack of dogs so to speak - enough to satisfy them - keep them quiet - I enjoyed most of what he played - I just felt it was understated and he could have was capable of doing more but that he at no time actually pushed himself . . . spent and extended period of time in the audience - doing nothing much other than checking out the local talent - another colleague from work was there and said they knew what I meant but that his concert last time was very similar - when he left stage no encore - my friend said that was how it was last time as well - he is over 70 he said . . . as I say I enjoyed but remain mildly disappointed.

Friday night went out with a whole bunch of people on Friday night - to West End of Glasgow - venue (The Salon) was a pleasant setting - an old cinema which has been converted - nice a spacious - not too impressed with service - food was good - Vietnamese chicken curry. But being shown to 3 different tables all of which were the wrong one's was a nuisance - had the whole group of us 12 people moving back and forth . . . went somewhere else and then ended up back at the Hilton . . . was an enjoyable evening - just caught a taxi home.

Went on Saturday evening to the Scottish Proms at the Royal Concert Hall which was great - the conductor is a lively character - at times looked as though he himself was loosing himself in the music . . a massive ensemble the Royal Scottish National Orchestra are somewhere in the region of about 70 musicians - they then had the National Chorus there who must have numbered about 100 - a pipe band joined in towards the end - the first half of the evening was devoted more to traditional classics with the second half becoming more of a truly Scootish event - some reels - Highland Academy; Flower of Scotland; Auld Lang Syne; etc., What was interesting was the full front section had had the seats removed so that people could perhaps let themselves go with flag waving and a wee jig etc., - a much older crowd present and they burst into spontaneous song with the more well known tunes - I found it quite moving really.

Just back from the pictures saw Narnia - Prince Caspian - to drawn out and basically a kids film . . . not all that good I'm afraid - I have my doubts about Will Smith in 'Hancock' a superhero with attitude - just all sounds a bit iffy . . . seems they don't make a lot of films for me these days - what am I going to do about it - Read! lol

London

Hiya

Well I am off to London to visit Sam & Hud - supposedly an engagement barbecue - but it can be misinterpreted as I overheard my Mum telling my sister that she was not invited - you need to be invited before you can go . . . . It is actually because Hud's Mum & step father are here and so they thought they'll have an official engagement party - so they can meet some of the friends who might be going to the wedding and basically that is why I am going down as well . . . remember the wedding is in Bali after all so will be good to meet them now in case we need to discuss arrangements etc., - won't just be two voices so to speak - should make things easier - always makes a difference I think once you've met someone.

Well today I rushed through to Edinburgh for a meeting and then I couldn't find anyone - only to discover they were in Livingstone - Oops! had to jump into the car and drive through - of course I had never been to that office before - but we found it and all worked out OK in the end.

Big news - I bought a bicycle - started of small - not too much money we'll see how it goes and if I stick with it we can always upgrade as we go along rather than start of expensive and then not use it . . . lots of ride to work / green schemes at the moment - encourage you to spend quite a bit of money - more than you would normally - its a lease scheme actually - so I'm glad I went this route.

chow for now . . . starting a brand new Blog next week - more about that later . . .

Love
A

Week ends

(photo's: T; Bowling yacht basin; me in Lewis; Milngavie phone booth)

Well still persevering with my photo blog . . . I must say I am still enjoying it if it gets to the stage where I cant be bothered then I'll have to re-evaluate - I don't think that it is going to be a problem as long as the sun is shining and we have our late sunsets . . . however winter is where I foresee problems - we'll just have to get inventive and more creative - anyone volunteering . . .lol!

Well after my Bishopbriggs sortie I was on my way home and my phone rang it was D and I had set up a meeting with him - which I was sure was next week Wednesday turns out he was waiting for me - so a quick u-turn and Merchant City - O'Neil here we came - a fruitful and interesting meeting - plus a few beers thrown in - I have in principle agreed to get involved and become a trustee of the charity - so I am interesting to see how it all develops - watch this space.

Paul & Co., invited me along for a curry on Friday at lunch time and I was glad to tag along - went to Mother India - I've been before a while back with a lovely lass EM from Aberdeen . . . now there was weekend - we done a Thai restaurant the evening before . . . but I digress . . . for lunch Mother India does small portions like a tapas bar - just a nice amount of food actually -well two of them anyway . . .was great - seems like we will do it more often - if there are some other suggestions - T was not impressed when she heard as it never happened whilst she was there and as soon as she has left we are going out for a big group lunch - not impressed she said . . . lol

Friday night was Ashton Lane -T's official cheers evening - K & A came along - we went to Ashoka for dinner (my lunchtime crew had told me it won't be as good as lunch) - I have to agree - but it wasn't bad at all . . T and I met for a drink prior to Ashoka - I was amazed I left my Mum's place at about 17h05 and I was in Ashton Lane for 17h20 the wonders of modern transport system - I caught a bus to Cessnock and a tube from there - and everything was just there when I needed it . . . we waited for K & A and then went into Ashoka - I thought they were fine - service attentive - maybe a little pushy but they are there to make a profit - so fair do's - we had starters and I had Lamb Breyani and I was quite happy with it - could have been spicier but it was very tasty . . . we then went across the road to Brel and sat there - it was a lovely evening - got to know A a little bit better - different setting context etc., - weather was nice as well - managed to sit outside the whole evening - almost had to share a table with two guys - who looking at our party were doing the maths - K & I were married (according to these 2 guys) and that left A & T - open season . . . lol - an interesting debate ensued wrt paintings and photographs as to which was art and which a shallow or hollow resemblance to art . . . lol - as they say in the classics beauty is in the eye of the beholder . . . K & A shared a taxi and T & I shared a taxi - guess who we bumped into whilst getting into our taxi - Graeme from Amy MacDonald & Pam his girlfriend - I said to them - good heavens can I not go out without bumping into them . . .lol

Saturday - shopping with Mum - what a scorcher it turned out to be - we went to a little Italian coffee bar for breakfast and knocked around a few shops

Spent the afternoon in Glasgow - milling around was going to go to movies but I was not really into Sex & the city and the weather was great - so nothing really caught my fancy . . . . so i just walked around a bit and sat down and people watched for a while and came home and relaxed. Tried in vain to get a new lead for my lawnmower - unsuccessful - it turns out that my type of lead is obsolete - this effectively means I need to buy a new lawn mower ???? I can repair the lead but there will always be strain on it and if the grass is wet which it often is it is not safe to work with it like this - so dilemma - garden services or a new lawn mower????

I was watching Blade II - found it too disturbing (I've seen it before . . .) just all blood and guts - and frankly the different strain of vampires are more like aliens than anything else . . . . channel hopped and there was another vampire movie on . . . .

I've just had a lazy Sunday and off to Dumfries tomorrow Edinburgh Tuesday and Thursday - so a fair bit of travelling this week . . .all for now . . .