Still find it strange that I can be walking the dogs in Dunblane one morning and sitting in a Cuban cocktail bar in Riga later the same day. When my folks were my age we went to the Dordogne and it was 2 days and 2 nights travel involving trains, ferries and buses. And evenContinue reading “Riga, Latvia”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
5 Oct 1996
5 October 1996. That’s the date our lives changed. Why? Coz that’s the day Elaine found out she was pregnant. We’d married in May 1992 but we were a bit skint, living in a tenement in Stirling; plus we wanted to travel, visiting Menorca, Tenerife, Kos and then the west coast of America in ’95.Continue reading “5 Oct 1996”
The Pabbay Project : 2010
We have a lovely house on the Isle of Harris called Pabbay Cottage. It’s now ten years since we bought the croft which was really a sheep fank. The original house was built in 1830. Our first task was to get it decrofted, this took about 6 months. Finally someone called Hitchcock from Essex signedContinue reading “The Pabbay Project : 2010”
Doune to Dunblane: Auld railway walk
My fon died in the Moray Park, Doune. Hates the cold, fuck this I’m closing down. You can take this two ways- ‘aw naw ma fons deid how will I cope?’ or ‘I’ll get some peace noo’. I chose peace. Nae point in stressing. Ma cars in the Doune garage and the dogs have beenContinue reading “Doune to Dunblane: Auld railway walk”
Dunblane High School :1979
I first attended Dunblane High School in August 1979 I think. It was a fairly new school, built in 1973 mebbes. My eldest brother used to go the McLaren High in Callander- catch the bus each morning (or accidently miss it, oh dear). Weird to think Dunblane with no high school eh. I would walkContinue reading “Dunblane High School :1979”
St Andrews: Doon Memory Lane
Visited St Andrew’s today and it was amazing. The place was hoaching wi tourists and the winter afternoon sunlight made it just beautiful. And it brought back many memories, because like many Scots, I’ve been coming to St Andrews on days trips since forever. We walked onto the Old Course (the Home of Golf) atContinue reading “St Andrews: Doon Memory Lane”
Ne'erday
Back in the 80’s as a teenager, Ne’erday meant several things. Firstly, it meant a hangover (I’ve never touched Bicardi since…in fact, what happened to Bicardi?). Secondly it meant find a bar in Dunblane : this involved gatecrashing either the golf club or hydro. Thirdly, it meant the Old Firm fixture. On 1 January 1987,Continue reading “Ne'erday”
"Ah'm aff it"
“Ah’m aff it” is perhaps Scotlands most seldom used phrase. In England or USA, they say “I’m on the wagon”, but in Scotland its “ah’m aff it”. It is a well intentioned, bold move against the bombardment that is the Scottish drink culture. For “ah’m aff it” means “I am abstaining from consuming alcoholic beveragesContinue reading “"Ah'm aff it"”
Laighills
You’re not Dunblane unless you’ve got a Laighills memory or story. The Laighills (or Lechills) is a large hilly park comprising 2 football pitches(top and bottom), playpark, skatepark and lots of paths through gorse bushes n bracken. It used to be a golf course, must have been a mental wee course! Also had a curlingContinue reading “Laighills”
