The Dunblane bypass was opened in 1991. Hard to imagine Dunblane without it now but long ago all the traffic heading up and down the A9 would thunder through Dunblane. There were fatalities in Dunblane, perhaps that brought it to a head. There were protests too. I recently met a lady who had protested. “IContinue reading “Dunblane Bypass”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Gran
My gran was born in 1897. My mothers mother, her name was Anne Hall. I know this because my niece has done research into our family tree. I also know because at Dunblane Primary School in the 1970s my teacher asked us to bring in something Victorian. I went home, told my mum and sheContinue reading “Gran”
Hampden in the ’80s
Hampden is iconic. Though I never saw a match with crowds of over 100,000 I did witness some amazing Scotland matches in the 1980s, all whilst standing on the terracing in the Rangers end. No seats in those days, just folk packed in behind the goals. Stories tell of drunken folk pishing down the backContinue reading “Hampden in the ’80s”
Family Traditions
Our family is odd. We have strange code words only we can decipher, family traditions only we can understand. Maybe we’re not odd, maybe every family has the same (but different) quirks ? For example, mum used to chap our door and walk in, shouting “Yoohoo!”. A stranger may think this is odd but IContinue reading “Family Traditions”
Still “Aff It”
So its Day 55 and ah’m still aff it, actually enjoying being aff it. At first I had sugar cravings and would eat chocolate or ice cream. If there was football on tv,I would get a couple cans of diet Irn Bru in as a substitute. It was indeed my other national drink. Going outContinue reading “Still “Aff It””
Pabbay 2011
The lads resumed work at Pabbay Cottage in Spring 2011, erecting the timber frame round the outside walls. Tricky work as the stone walls were not on the plumb to say the least. The floor insulation was laid, underfloor heating pipes on top and then the screed was poured.The first floor joists went in, thenContinue reading “Pabbay 2011”
Suni Duni late’70s
I grew up in Dunblane in the 1970s: a very small person at Dunblane Primary School, I was second youngest in the class. We lived in Murdoch Terrace just across from the school field. Beyond that was hillside: no Wallace Road, no Anchorscross, no bypass ! Just coos I think. And maybe a bull …Continue reading “Suni Duni late’70s”
Alzheimer’s
Mum was a primary school teacher, a very good one I’m told. Even when she retired she never stopped teaching, telling the grandchildren stories, pointing things out to them on walks. She had an active mind, loved reading. Later mum had Alzheimer’s disease, like her own mother. She would wander up Dunblane High Street severalContinue reading “Alzheimer’s”
Riga, Latvia
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”
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”
