Funeral of an old friend

It was Margaret’s Dad’s funeral on Friday, which we watched online. There were only his three children in attendance which made it seem all the sadder, (they could have had up to twenty people there according to the current rules, but I think that they didn't want to endanger his elderly friends who might have caught Covid or the flu by attending), and the minister was a bit impersonal and even played the wrong music for one of the hymns (a modern tune rather than the traditional) which was a shame. He was such an intelligent man and a good person. 

The weather has continued to be variable this week so we have been going out for walks whenever it’s dry. This week I have turned my attention to reorganising the utility room, again the kind of thing that I won’t want to do once we can travel further. The cupboards are much more logical now and it gave me an immense feeling of satisfaction.

Jamie’s birthday was on Wednesday and he spent it white water rafting with Kerry. I have a feeling that Kerry is very important to him. He sent us some video clips and he looked so happy and relaxed. It's nearly a year since we have seen him, I wonder when we will be allowed to visit New Zealand again.

I have finished sorting out my jewellery and I have decided to start wearing it more regularly. I don’t wear much jewellery normally anyway, and for the past year hardly at all. But what is it for, if not to be worn, so today I chose a wee pair of earrings that James bought me in Shetland many years ago: a pair of silver Artic terns. And I put on a gold dolphin ring from a 1980s holiday to Zante and a freshwater pearl pendant that Cat gave me for my birthday a couple of years ago. Such happy memories. 

Hello again rain

Well it certainly isn’t springtime yet; we woke this morning to heavy rain and high winds! Not surprisingly James went out for a walk anyway, he seems to be experiencing no side effects from his Covid jag yesterday. I however had a headache and felt a bit yucky; maybe James’ vaccine has been coming out of his pores and affecting me. I’m joking of course - but it does seem unfair that James got the jag and I felt out of sorts!

I went out in the afternoon instead, when the weather had calmed down a bit, and walked around an almost deserted Cambuslang Park. I listened to the Frank Skinner podcast that Jennifer has recommended to me; it was very funny and I was laughing out loud from time to time. By the time I got home I felt much better.

There has been more bad news among my parents’ generation of friends. My Mum and Dad’s very good friend John Leslie died a couple of days ago, and late last night our neighbour Mrs Wilson, who is now very frail, was taken to hospital by ambulance. *

I’m very pleased with the haircut that Cat gave me on Sunday, it’s sitting really nicely and is finally all the same length. I successfully dyed it beforehand, the first time I have done this without Cat's help. 

This evening when we were getting ready for bed Ally came through to tell us to watch the Starship SN10 Static Fire Test on YouTube. If this has been successful it could clear the way for a test flight some time next week. We watched the spacecraft as it gouted out huge amounts of steam and then a burst of fire. I’m not sure if this means that it was successful or not but it was interesting to watch. 

* Update later - Good news, Mrs Wilson is home again! 

The promise of springtime

As James and I had a cup of tea sitting on a log in Fernbrae Meadows today, bathed in warm sunshine, I asked him if he thought that this might be the beginning of springtime. James thought about this and answered no, but that it might be the “promise of springtime.” This makes sense since we are still in February, but it’s very nice that there are definite signs of the approaching change of season. 

There are also changes afoot regarding lockdown. The number of deaths has fallen due to the lockdown, and the number of people who have been vaccinated has increased faster and faster. 

Today Boris announced that schools will reopen on 8th March and then there will be a four step lifting of restrictions e.g. households mixing, restaurants reopening, over the next several months. By 21st June most social restrictions will have been lifted. This is of course dependent on all going well with the vaccine programme and the number of cases and deaths continuing to fall. Nicola Sturgeon is going to announce Scotland’s plans tomorrow but I expect that they will be similar. 

Talking of vaccines, James got his first Covid jag today (Astra Zeneca) and will get his second one in 12 weeks. Since the jags are being allocated in descending order of age (key workers and very vulnerable groups were given theirs first), they are doing well to have reached the 59 year olds already. James got his jag in Fernhill Community Centre which is why we then went for a walk through Fernbrae Meadows and up to Cathkin Braes. It was a beautiful day, and my good mood was not dented by a huge fall into a patch of mud that necessitated a complete change of clothes and a bath on my return home! 

So far James has reported no side effects from his jag. 

A walk on a rainy day

I went for a walk with Margaret today. It was lovely to see her, although of course she is in Cambuslang just now for the sad reason of her Dad’s death. We had a really good talk as we walked up to Fernbrae Meadows and back. I haven’t seen Margaret for over a year due to Covid and I have missed her. It was drizzling when we set off, and the sky was grey and heavy looking, which was disappointing because the forecast had been fairly good. We didn’t let the weather hold us back and strolled around the park. We of course had a cup of tea, an intrinsic part of our friendship! I had brought a flask and we sat on some mossy branches under the shelter of some trees. 

It started raining more heavily as we walked back down the hill, and by the time I arrived home the rain was battering down, and it stayed that way for the rest of the afternoon. So James and I tackled his Mum and Dad’s photos again and added in the new information from his cousin Andrew and his Uncle William. Some mysteries may never be solved, including the identity of the very dignified lady who appears in several photos as well as in a mourning brooch, but we know that she is from the Larkhall side of the family so I think that she will be given a place in the family album even if we never find out who she is. *

* Update - Andrew Eadie has informed us that the dignified lady is Jeanie Eadie (nee Steel) who died in 1937 aged 71. She was both James’ and Andrew’s great-grandmother. 

(Mother of Marion Forrest (nee Eadie), grandmother of Jean Anderson (nee Forrest), great-grandmother of James, great-great-grandmother of Jamie, Ally and Davie.) 

A little warmer

The temperature rose to about 7 degrees C over the weekend and by Monday all of the snow was gone. I walked down past the golf course on Monday afternoon and it was completely green again - it was hard to believe that only two days previously there had been plenty of snow for Ally and Cat to ski and sledge on. 

The rise in temperature has been quite pleasant and I have been out walking every day so far this week. Today I met Jenn F at East Kilbride and we went for very pleasant walk and chat through Calderglen Park where there were lots of snowdrops. I could almost believe that the merest promise of spring is in the air. 

Valentine’s Day Fondue

On Sunday morning Suzy sent me a photo of Tom squaring up to another cat in her garden; she had heard them screeching and yowling outside her window! A few minutes later Tom arrived home without his collar - when I described this to Davie by phone later I told him that Tom had arrived naked (well, his collar is his only item of clothing!) and Davie said that I had made it sound as if the other cat had shaved him! Anyway we then got a phone call from Mrs Rattray to say that she had found Tom’s collar round the side of her house, so Alasdair ran up to meet her at the hedge to retrieve it. Soon Tom was reunited with his collar and went up to our bed to relax after his ordeal. 

James and I met up with Heather and Ewan for a walk in the afternoon. It was cold, icy in places, and a bit drizzly but it was lovely to get outside and to meet up with them. We obeyed the current regulations by walking “two by two” again. 

When we got home Ally and Cat had prepared a Valentine’s meal for the four of us - a fondue savoyarde and a hot stone grill! It was absolutely fantastic! The fondue tasted perfect and we cooked steak strips and chicken strips for Ally and James on the hot stone as well as peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms, and we had cubes of bread and wee new potatoes on the side. It was a delicious feast. 

One pair of skis for two - no problem

Yesterday Ally and Cat got up early and headed up to the top of the golf course to sledge and ski. We have seen a lot of people sledging on its fairly steep slopes over the last couple of months - whenever there has been snow - but Ally and Cat are the first skiers we have seen. We followed them up the hill about an hour later and took some photos and videos of them skiing. They didn’t let the fact that they only had one set of skis hold them back; Cat hopped onto the front of the skis and wielded the ski poles while Ally was anchored to the skis by his boots. Ally did a fair bit of skiing by himself too, while Cat sledged. Of course this meant that they had to climb up the slopes again and again, but they were full of the energy of youth. It was very cold up at the top. At the end of the morning I gave Ally a lift from the bottom of the golf club right up to the top near Nerston so that he could have a final long run, which he enjoyed. 

On our return home I got a phone call with the sad news of the death of our friend Margaret’s Dad, Norman. He died of Covid. It has been expected for the last few days, but the news was so sad when it came. He was a lovely man who lived a long and good life. 

Icy in Pollok Park

The week has continued very cold so the snow has remained on the ground. James and I went for a walk along the Clyde Walkway yesterday to Cuningar Loop, where we sat on a bench in the sunshine to have our cups of tea and a Fry’s Chocolate Cream (orange flavour, yum). We saw goosanders on the river, and a little robin hopping about near the path. Then we walked home via Rutherglen and Burnside. 

Today James went out for a long walk earlier than me, and I set off later and walked back along the Clyde Walkway again since I had very much enjoyed it the day before. This time I listened to an audiobook while I walked. I phoned James from Cuningar Loop and suggested that he collect me by car and we could go to Pollok Park. James doesn’t need to be asked twice to go on another walk, so he soon turned up and we drove over and parked outside the Burrell Collection. This is still being renovated, which seems to be taking a ridiculous amount of time. It shut for repairs in 2016 and was supposed to reopen in 2020 but this was delayed due to Covid until Spring 2021. But there’s no way that it will be ready any time soon; it’s still covered in scaffolding and there are big piles of building materials around it. We set off on a big circular walk around the park, but quickly realised that the paths were extremely icy. There were clear bits but they were interspersed with huge sheets of ice, which we had to circumnavigate by walking into the grass and shrubs at the edges. Even so we had some scary slips on the ice. When we approached Pollok House we saw a busker who was playing the guitar and singing; she had a nice voice but must have been rather chilly because by now it was late afternoon and the sun was low. 

Back home I made kedgeree for dinner and then had a long and very enjoyable Zoom call with Helen, Libby, Wendy and Maggie. 

Four Parks Walk

We had a lovely, snowy walk this morning in bright sunshine with beautiful blue skies. We walked a circuitous route through four of our local parks; Cambuslang, Holmhills, Overton and Quarryfield. I got a takeaway coffee at Greggs in Burnside, which revived me; they have a little Perspex window through which they sell the food and drinks; I also purchased some jam doughnuts. I took some more photos today because it was so sunny. We met a few people that we knew who were also outside enjoying the sunshine, either walking or clearing the snow from their driveways. 

When we got home we had lunch with Ally and Cat as is usual on a weekday, then they went back to work while we got on with our own tasks and errands. In the evening we watched some more “Ripper Street” - this series has been a slow burner for me but I’m enjoying it more now that I’m beginning to get to know the characters better. It’s set in Victorian London and reminds me a bit of an old favourite of mine and my Mum’s from the 1990s - Bramwell. 

Lots of Snow

It was a winter wonderland today, alternating between heavy snow and sunshine. James and I went for a walk around Cambuslang Park and Holmhills Park and it all looked very pretty. I took a few photos. Davie phoned and told me that it is also snowing in Dundee, he loves snow and is delighted. 

I wonder what the cats must think of the snow. Tom goes outside whatever the weather; he ignores rain and snow and often arrives back through the cat flap with his fur absolutely soaking. Flora on the other hand doesn’t really seem to like going out in the snow, and this morning she sat at our bedroom window batting at the snowflakes with her paw as they went past the glass. We have been spending so much time with the cats during lockdown and I think I will miss that when restrictions lift. Wherever we are in the house they turn up and keep an eye on us, apart from during their big daytime sleeps upstairs. They like to sneak in to the lounge and Ally’s room to watch Cat and Ally working too. Yesterday Tom was playing a game with James, who was getting stuff from the car. When James went out through the front door, Tom scooted out of the cat flap, round the side of the house and in through the front door. He did it twice before we realised that it was a game! 

Superbowl and Chatelherault

Ally and Cat stayed up very late yesterday evening (Sunday) to watch the Superbowl. Sandy had ordered a Superbowl box for them which included bunting, a mini American football, pizzas, snacks and drinks. Ally dressed all in red to support the Kansas City Chiefs including a red KCC hat, and he really looked the part! Cat made an American cookie cake which looked like a giant cookie! James and I headed to bed just as their evening started. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31 - 9, but I don’t think Ally and Cat minded too much. 

Today James and I woke up bright and early to find that the sky was blue so we headed to Chatelherault Country Park for a walk. It was cold but sunny and we walked up to the Green Bridge and back down the other side of the river. A cyclist warned us that there was flooding just before the bridge, and so there was, but we managed to avoid it by climbing over a fence into a field for a short distance, then returning to the path. We continued on down through Burncluith where there were some lovely old houses then over the bridge back into the park. It was a good 13 km walk. 

Gin Tasting

One of James’ birthday presents from me was an online gin tasting, with Eden Mill, who are based in St Andrews. Ally isn’t keen on gin, and I don’t drink, so Cat joined James in the tasting session. The box of gin samples had been posted out to us last week, and I received an email advising me on what mixers and garnishes to purchase. These included rose lemonade as well as tonic water, ginger ale, and also hot chocolate! The garnishes were blackberries, slices of orange, basil and mint leaves. 

James and Cat logged in and soon got started on their gins, which were all different flavours, as the tutor chatted about the tastes and what to look for. They seemed to enjoy themselves. There were 12 different samples of gin in the box but they only tasted the first seven - twelve would have been too much at one sitting! The tutor emailed tasting notes for the remaining five. 

When they were finished we all watched the last two episodes of “The Great” which was very good and ended on a huge cliffhanger. 

Rain rain go away

It’s fair to say that we are having a spell of rainy weather. This certainly does not enhance lockdown. James has the laudable attitude that he wants to go for a walk so he is willing to do so in all weathers. I don’t mind a small amount of rain but if it’s pelting down I will not go out. I do miss being able to go for a swim or even to the gym. This afternoon it wasn’t raining too hard so I went out for a drizzly but pleasant walk with Suzy and Archie, who was using his scooter. 

We have been doing some batch cooking, yesterday we made a large amount of chilli con carne, except that it wasn’t actually “con carne,” it was “con quorn.” We didn’t tell Ally, hoping that he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, but he sussed it out after his first mouthful and was extremely disappointed. He did go back for seconds though, so it can’t have been too bad! 

Starship SN9

Yesterday James and I had an adventure. We walked up to Fernbrae Meadows Park again, but this time we followed a path which took us all the way up to Cathkin Braes. I have been for lots of walks up there in the past but I have never walked all the way there from home before. It was great, we walked to the wind turbine and we had fantastic views over Glasgow. We took a few wrong turns along the many mountain bike trails before finding a path back down to the other end of Fernbrae Meadows. By the time we arrived back home via Burnside, we had walked a very respectable 13 km. 

This evening we all watched today’s SpaceX Starship SN9 Flight Test as it launched and rocketed up to its apogee of 10 km. Then it turned off its engines and started plummeting towards the earth, until its engines were supposed to relight in order to attempt to land it tail first back on its base. But only one of them came back on and it crashed and exploded (like it’s predecessor, film of which we watched about ten days ago.) So it’s still a work in progress. 

Captain Sir Tom Moore

Captain Sir Tom Moore died today in hospital with his family by his side. He raised £39 million for the NHS last year near the beginning of the pandemic, by walking 100 laps of his garden. He really captured the imagination of the nation, as he walked cheerfully up and down, wearing his 2nd World War medals on his regimental blazer. He turned 100 last April and in the summer he received a knighthood from the Queen. What a remarkable last year of his life he has had. He caught pneumonia a couple of weeks ago and then Covid-19, and was taken to hospital two days ago. The union flag at Downing Street is at half mast. He has had tributes from many people, led by the Prime Minister and the Queen. What an amazing man.