eric byrne

Evening All, another overcast,dry but mild day,7degC,apparently there is a ridge of high pressure coming our way on Thursday,so some sunny settled weather through the weekend. The new washing machine was delivered on Sunday,a Whirlpool sixth sense,does all sorts of tricks,not that I have discovered how to use the machine properly yet,never mind the tricks. We had a visitor to the college today,the head honcho from the HMIe,it was a pre-visit briefing to all senior lecturers,on what he and his team are expecting from us,boy what a list,they must think we are all super beings,anyway,hope the early retirement packages are done and dusted by then,and I may miss the entire event. Still mulling my American trip over in my head,told Jennifer about me travelling solo for approx 6-8 weeks,dont really think she is over the moon about it,dont think she has the confidence in me to book a return train ticket to Glasgow,how I managed to get to 61 years old,is a mystery to her,youre not steet wise dad,dont take your laptop,watch your camera,etc,think she has confused America with Afganistan.Gosh three years ago,I let her travel right across America with her boyfriend,I had every confidence in her,and everything went without a hitch. Judy,the time you are taking to do them taxes,I hope the IRS gives you some monetary recompense. Annette,loved the Whine and cheese remark,hope the St Pauls visit turns out to be much more enjoyable than you anticipated,safe journey home. Bud,that was some fishing over the weekend,white bass and crappies,you lucky person you,yeah despite your rain.Hope the following weeks with the white bass comes up trumps,how about opening a fishmongers shop. Hi Judy MI,hope your mentoring meeting has a good audience and is well received,well done you,in the giving of your time despite some hecklers,boo hiss. Ooops thats Mastermind just starting,do you get that prog? Goodnight all.

Good Afternoon All, Nearing 2pm here,weather overcast but a mild 11 deg C. Just back from the shops,checked my EuroMillions Lottery ticket from last night-zilch-Looked this word up in the Oxford Dictionary its not there?wonder if its an old Scottish word,although it sounds Jewish to me,anybody know?. Hey I am obsessing I think,about my summer trip to the USof A this summer I am so excited,do me a favour,if I am beginning to "get on your wick" about this,please give me a bollocking.Anyway,the thoughts this morning looking at Amtraks map of the US,you know at primary school in the fifties,my teacher had two big coloured photographs in her classroom,I remember staring at them often,ignoring what was being said in the classroom,thinking one day when I have grown up I want to go there,one was Sorrento and the Bay of Naples,just beautiful,and I acheived that dream,also visiting Pompeii,which was just heaven,the other was a RCMP,sitting on a horse,holding a lance upright,with a pennent at the top of the flag of Canada,the backdrop was snow covered mountains and the City of Vancover,so could do Chicago,Winsconsin,Minnesota,North Dakota, Montana for the dinosaurs,hey the train passes through Glasgow there,need to don my kilt and get off the train for a wee wander,then see the guys and gals in Seattle,now how do I fit in Niagara Falls,Boston,Philly, Richmond,New Orleans,Grand Canyon,Yosemite,not forgetting the father of the house, Ned in Hawaii,beginning to think I am going to need a bigger boat,ie more than six weeks.Why did America have to be so big?Where is the Smithsonian Museum I want to visit that as well? Got to go now things to do,maybe get back to-night to hear how everyones doing.Byee.

Good Early Evening Everybody, Hooray its the weekend,time for fun and frolics,weather dry,not as warm as yesterday,but at 9deg C,thats pretty comfortable for me. Started writing the minutes of meetings when I got into work at 8.15am this morning,by 10am,I had managed to write up five that I had chaired,wait a minute,10am?the EV has yet to appear,most unusual, they get paid quite a bit for their visit so they earn it by starting prompt at nine and stay until 5pm.By 10.30am,I decided to phone his college,only to be given an apology for not being previously informed that Joe had suffered a heart attack over Christmas and has not returned to work.As one of my former students,I started to work out his age?cannot be more than mid-forties,slim built,exercise mad,non-smoker,least likely type for this to happen to,I was just stunned,I asked his colleague to pass on my best wishes,for a speedy and full recovery.Well does bring Carp Diem to mind dosnt it?I am determined to make the most of every day,and enjoy myself. My colleague was in Florida last year,says I will just love the States,he hired a car to get about,said the roads are much better than here,plenty of space and no potholes,which over the recent years have become a real menace,so many drivers having additional garage bills,for damage to wheels and tyres,the Council are taking longer to repair,probably due to current cuts in public spending.I have never driven on the other side of the road before,but my Buddy said he had no bother adapting,but agreed that Amtrak for getting around has its advantages also,so a bit of thinking to be done on my part. Ann,I really loved your dog shopping story,its really funny to imagine you taking the dog shopping and letting him select his own toy.Did you hear the one about the guy walking a dog in the park,well he is approached by a man,who says, what a lovely dog,does your dog bite? he enquires,no says the dog walker,so the puts reaches out his hand to pet the dog,who suddenly bites it,ouch says the man,I thought you said your dog dosnt bite?,Its not my dog. Hi Bud,also loved the dog and snake story,arent kids just awful?,I was just about to write sorry Buddy,but I only get six weeks holiday in the summer,all of July to mid-August,so I would miss HHH,I just forgot I may have been offered the early retirement package and can be in Wichita Falls at the end of August,mind you I will only attempt the short tourist cycle run,it is only a few hundred yards isnt it? Oh I am a linesman for the county and I drive the main roads,now where did I put my guitar?. Where is everyone?dinners ready got to go,maybe post again later,when everyone checks in,wonder if all the homeworks been completed,it better be or there will be trouble.

Good Evening Everyone, Weather today,almost spring like 12 degrees C,we have such a strange climate here with the intervening Gulf Stream,could well be minus 20 degrees next week,if the wind changes direction. I had the intention of writing my Dept and Section meeting minutes up to-night for the EV to-morrow,I tend to record the minutes of meetings as brief bullet points to re-write later and get Liz to type them up for me(shes in Australia at this moment-not Brisbane)Jennifer came down to my office today at stopping time to hurry me along-topically she is going out to the gym to-night.On driving home I had forgotten to lift my minutes wallet-grrr.Onlt one course of action left is distract the EV into other areas while I sneak off somewhere and get the work done,wont be typed up and my handwriting isnt brill,but its better than nothing,such reports are regarded as essential performance indicators-wait a minute Eric-you are forgetting where you are,do you really think this is of the slightest interest to the buddies here?sorry guys,think I am turning into one of the HMIe. The Tucson shooting has been getting a lot of coverage here in the UK,I heard President Obamas speech yesterday,this guy really impresses me,really upsetting that Christina Taylor Green was in the wrong place at the wrong time.I share, you might guess, Michael Moores feelings on gun control in America,think that after JFK,Martin Luther,John Lennon and Columbine, enough is enough,sorry guys I cannot help being Eric. On a lighter subject,I have to start making plans for a special trip of a lifetime this year,I have the where withall,to spend 6-8 weeks travelling around America,July August.I sent for Amtrak brouchures which I have now received,oh boy,this is complicated.I intend to travel alone,thinking of writing a kind of travel novel of my experiences,bringing along my laptop,think I need a "Dongle"thingy if I want to maintain my posting into here.Becky a few weeks ago suggested some places to visit which I appreciated very much.Please dont feel threatened that I will turn up at your door,looking for board and lodgings,my trip will be fully hotelled.New York first definately then to meet Libby in Chicago maybe even Lungevity and KatieB? gosh I really want to give everyone here a great big hug,yeah the guys too, realistically with America being the size it is its just not possible,but its the thought that counts.if anyone wants to suggest places to visit,please feel free.Boston is brill I hear,also want to visit the Smithsonean?museum, love to see huge dinosaur skeletons,think they are in Montana? Well done Bud,Grade A,thanks for Noodling,I just love learning new words,well done on the minimum weight increase,wish I could say the same,I have now taken to wearing a blindfold now when I stand on the bathroom scales. Got to dash just turned 9.00pm,George C.Patton is on the history channel in the battle of Bastoyne with the 3rd US army Corps,I love this battle,think its new film not seen before.Byeee.

Hi Judy KW, Sorry our posts passed each other. Dinna girn at me if ye huv goat yirsel in a wee bit o' a stooshie o'er Bubbly Jock,thars nae hyphen tae ma knowledge. Ah translation "Turkeys are reared on farms in Scotland for their meat". Your homework- Judy's office is a real Guddle (noun) Buds homework the verb to Guddle.

Hi All, Pressed the preview box and my long winded post just vanished ?. Weather?really cannot remember,dark going to work and dark coming home,very short walk to/from the car both ends of my journey,think it was cold and dry,the windows in my office are fifeteen feet from the floor,so I would need to erect a scaffold to see outside. Sorry didnt post last night,the bowling biddies phoned me,the season has restarted,we got beat 27-4 (we wuz robbed)think I shuld have stayed home and posted in instead. Up to my neck in it this week,I have brought home two modules of students work to mark up,I have an External Verifier from SQA coming on Friday to check up on the curriculum and assessments,got to avoid the dreaded "Pink Slip" a failure to comply report to the Principal,which puts a hold on all assessment results from being processed.I do have an Ace up my sleeve though,the EV is a former student of mine,who after graduating with a BSc, I got him his first teaching job. Ah Judy MI Whilst I am on the assessment subject,when I give out homework I expect to be returned "Toute Suite",now since you mentioned in your post that you will have shortly some spare time in your hands,you can start by writing out 500 times "I must be punctual in returning my homework".Now for the rest of you lot,take that as a warning.Thanks for your explaination of Dust Bunnies,they are called Oose here. Annette-A wee word in your ear-Touting for homework answers here is just not on,since all homework given out here is "Open Book" the internet is an acceptable research tool,however the work undertaken must be done by each students personally,I got my eye on you.By the way I can recommend Wikipeadia. Hi Bud thanks for the spinnerbaker website address I passed it on to Irene to give to Brian.Re chemo my Cisplatin/Vinorolbine cycles would run 10-12 hours,depending how quickly the bloods could be done. Hats Off!!( I am now addressing the captain of the ship) Hi KatieB,(loved your joke)Did I tell you the one about the two ladies passing a scarecrow,spotting he was pleasuring himself,one lady said to the other "He's only clutching at straws",ahem,I am happy to reply to your request for some infro on each of the LC topics you mentioned,I will reply as soon as. LilyJohn,"Rockathon for LUNGevity" yes,that does have a ring to it dosnt it?.What a super idea,I would love to cross the pond and help you to arrange it but May is just out the question.Now July/August is looking good.I have got my Passport,American Embassy for the Visa,now what else- ah vaccinations-Blackwater Fever,Tseste Fly,Malaria,Dengue Fever,any others required?.Insurance-American medical treatments,this could literally cost an arm and a leg,insuring Eric?hmm,does anyone know an insurance company with a broad mind and a sense of humour, that would insure me?please advise.Gosh its 10.10pm and only a wee bit of marking done,I'll have to go,sorry if I didnt get round to everyone,see you to-morrow,Goodnight.Not going to press the preview box,please ignore spelling/grammer errors,here goes-click.

Hi Everyone, Well thats another Monday bit the dust,totally miserable to-day weather wise,rained the whole day,washed all the snow away,thank goodness I was at work and missed it all. Hi Judy,thanks for the lone ranger observation,never thought about it,youre right.You have probably heard the old joke about the lone ranger and tonto riding out in the plains when they run into hundreds of hostile indians,the lone ranger looks at tonto and says "looks like we've run into some serious trouble here tonto" tonto replies " what do you mean "WE" paleface".In the same vain,two guys walking across the African Plain,spot a large lion charging towards them at high speed,one says to the other,well thank goodness I am wearing my Nike Trainers,the other guy says,well what difference will that make,we will never outrun a lion,first guy,I dont have to,I only have to outrun you. Hi Bud,thanks for the explaination,got the mould bit OK-is a jig a "Lure?".Dont know if you read my Sunday Post(Oh remind me later I have a funny story to tell you about the Sunday Post)anyway,Irenes neighbour brought a DVD to her house on Saturday night,he is "just you over the back"heard that one before? two peas in a pod?-well Brian fishes every weekend and he was very interested in hearing about you,would you believe he knew everything about crappies,I told him about your fishing gear website,could you give me the "address" to pass on to Brian?. Hi Judy,sorry but bird in the hand and cutting the mustard are in common use here also.What about one of my favourite sayings "We're aw Jock Tamsons Bairns".OK here is your homework for to-morrow, explainations please for Bubbly Jock,Dreich and Drookit,there, that should keep you out of mischief for a wee while. Hi Bruce,yeah I can make out what you are saying,what do you mean I speak a bit funny now heres me thinking I speak perfect English without the trace of an accent? How about some more Scottish ones that make me laugh. A Train or Bus conductor,trying to get a troublesome passenger ejected from the vehicle "Come oan,get aff"get it ?. What about Bill Shankly the former manager of Liverpool Football Club(a Glaswegian) quote "Theres some people who think soccer is a matter of life and death,but its much more serious than that". or on soccer players he said "He sets himself such low standards,which he fails to live up to". Lastly "He is a legend in his own mind". Goodnight everyone,see you to-morrow.

Hi Judy MI, Thank you,you really knock me out sometimes,your tattie bogles were just lovely.

Good Evening Everyone, Its good to be back,phew! this weekend has been a whirlwind,following a quick post in on Sat morning,Irene phoned,do I want to come sledging with the family?well perfect day for it,plently of snow and bright sunshine,who could resist,blooming cold though,so would you believe I put the thermal underwear on,had a great day,imagine a man of sixty one sharing a sledge with Max aged four?will I ever grow up?,certainly hope not. Irenes neighbour came round with a dvd of a live concert of a new kid on the block (23 year old)a Glaswegian in the mould of Billy Connelly,I had never heard of him,and sorry to say at this moment in time I have forgotten his name,but the dvd shows him playing to a packed SECC,which holds quite a few thousand,isnt amazing how quickly you fall behind in youth culture.Well I drove home and brought back my new Billy Connelly dvd over with a wee carry out of a box of Peroni (Italian Lager) we ordered an Indian carry out,prior to the shows and had a great evenings entertainment. Re-the passing of Gerry Rafferty,really liked the guy,not quite perfect in not being a full Glaswegian,but from Paisley just outside,did you know he was one of the Humblebums,with Billy Connelly,one of my favourite songs of his (apart from Baker Street),was "Stuck in the Middle with You" when he was with Steelers Wheel,if I remember correctly? Gosh you talk about strange words and phrases from me? what about Buds "Pouring some Jigs"Stephanies "Frans sea salt caramels"now theres a real contradiction in words? all right hands up who mentioned "Dust Bunnies"? give me a break here,least I only introduce new ones,one at a time,like tattie-bogle for instance,which I am sure everyone here already knows. Hi Libby,what are you trying to do? make us all feel guilty? "oh,I went to the gym three times last week"keep that up and you will give Bud a run for his money,isnt it amazing how after a short course of exercise the aches and pains start to ease?and how good my memory is?. Judy MI,I will look up your provided link to hubby's grillguys,sounds like fun and informative,you know I bought all the barbie gear two years ago,and have only used it once,must do better this summer.Best wishes to the guy off to Kenya,I support guys in India and Malawi,wish there were more of them.Am I too late to come to the dinner party?thought if you had 80 there one more wouldnt break the camels back. Bruce,sorry Mossy/Mausy are not familiar to me,although we sometimes call the highland midgie,mossies.I just loved the LIamas pics,they are so cute,can I take one home with me?.

Hi Judy, 2+2=5 ?,Diverticulitus Versus Cancer-How perfectly understandable to me why you are having such thoughts.Last week I was in the shower,and I brought up some phelgm as I watched it disappear down the plug-hole,I noticed it was bright red in colour-panic-its back-hospital,doctor,which?-my hearts racing,brain into overdrive-oh dearie me-wait a minute,havent I been dipping into the fridge earlier,nibbling at the remnants of last nights Tandoori Mixed Grill ? oh what an idiot,oh boy the total and utter relief,soon changed to laughter,I couldnt possibly share this with you Judy I felt such a fool.I think what I am trying to say,please dont worry,lets put that on the back burner,wait until next weeks tests are over,I am sure feedback will be just fine.

Evening Everyone, Gosh its taken me ages to settle down to post in to-night,weather, well bit boringly cold cloudy but dry as yesterday in fact,predicting snow at the weekend. Well, got a preview of the Eric at Airdrie film to-day,seems its not ready for public display yet-maybe it wont pass the censors.I will refrain from commenting until I have spoken to my lawers,hopefully I can pass it on to the forum soon-who said theres no rush? Hi JudyKW glad you had a good night out at the Red Barn,I actually Googled this story,really interesting it was too,isnt Google a wonderful tool?.Love to see the Jersey Boys musical too,maybe if I can make it this year, we could all meet in Chicago and see if its still running,well mid-winter blues,I need to stretch my imagination to look forward to something special for the coming summer. Hi Bud,bit like you ,nothing much to report at work to-day,we had a EIS union meeting today for most of the staff (150),sorry we are too posh to be called a union,an association,to vote on accepting or rejecting managements pay offer of 0.5%,well inflation at over 3% (fuel over 8%)its really no surprise it was unanimously rejected by the members,some suspicion by the members, management is setting aside monies to pay for early retirement deals. Hi Annette,you really are such fun,the weightwatching remark is just brill. Hi Ann,your thoughts on personal growth and lifestyle changes really got me thinking,the only personal growth I can think of was my waistline over Christmas,now taking to only putting one foot at a time on my bathroom scales,the weight loss is amazing,lifestyle changes?you havent bought a farm beside Bruce have you?. Hi JudyMI,nice story about the 96 year old,as a younger man,I tended to look on elderly people with some pity,now its seems as I have got older its now changed to one of envy.There was a story in our news last week about an explosion in the number of citizens in the UK reaching 100,bettcha the Queen is getting a sore wrist sending out all the Birthday Cards to each and everyone of them,I hope to get mine,mind you probably be from similar aged Charles,or the young son?(forgot his name,oh boy this could get me in the Tower)Goodnight everyone.

Good Evening All, Gosh I've got my work cut out to-night getting up to speed with you all,did you see all them posts,why Its busier here than Sauchiehall St on a Saturday,am I the only one here working,holding the fort alone?. Well Sally's not back from the twi-light zone yet,sorry about the pun,my little way of coping.Searching the fridge,for dinner, I am hungry not really a cook but needs must,found two sirlion steaks I bought last week,packaging reads grill each side for 6mins etc,use by 2nd January,smell fresh,so I take the chance,grill pan lined with tin foil,since I am on a health streak,I poured some extra virgin olive oil on top of the steak,thought, that would be a nice touch,not your best idea Eric,second time I opened the oven,this great big cloud of smoke comes pouring out of the oven,gasp,open doors,windows,abandon kitchen,smoke clears,you know that steak was perfectly cooked and delicious,thought of doing the second one,but that would have been pure greed(might try later to-night).Of course I may have a different story to tell to-morrow,if my tummy is upset, LOL. JudyKW,you wont believe this but yesterday I was listening to radio 4 and an author was being interviewed about her new book about famous murders over the years in the UK,well the one they chose to focus on was the Murder in the Red Barn,a young woman moves in with this guy,and she keeps asking him to marry her,he keeps turning her down until one day he said OK,meet me at the Red Barn and we will go into town and make the marriage arrangements,well she is never seen alive again,her body was later found buried inside the Red Barn-Spooky,eh?so enjoy your night out at the Red Barn-Wooooh. Hi Libby,Thanks,I actually did enjoy my first day back,sharing all the holiday stories with my colleagues,work?,oh forget the work.Needing to sort out some things?,well hang on to your hat,if my early retirement deal is on,its US of A here I come,Of course I will not only sort out your probs, but also your,health insurance system,social security,unemployement benefits not forgetting decent pensions for all,yup,got a lotta work to do in fixing all that needs doing,ahem,does anyone have Mr Obamas home phone number?-I like to brief him before I arrive. Hi JudyMI,These Vets know how to charge dont they,we had Pet Plan insurance for Sam which helped augment these bills.Regarding your dry cough,I read somewhere,this happens to some people in winter whose central heating is on full tilt,the air gets too dry,its helped by putting a glass of water in each room?maybe worth a try?.Hope your new oncologist turns out brill. Hi Annette,My daughter thinks Wicked is the best musical she has seen,I havent seen it,my favourite happens to be Les Miserables,seen it twice,once in Edinburgh and once in London,ditto for the Phantom,went to see the musical Spamalot in London also,done by the Monty Python team,I laughed until my sides were sore,if it gets Stateside,go and see it.Jennifer got me tickets to see Mama Mia in Edinburgh in March,heard its really good. Hi Bud,I dont believe it Texas down to 0 degrees C next week,I have spare winter woolies,shall I Air Mail them to you? My apologies if I missed anyone,no offence intended.Think my typewriter ribbon must be needing changed after this post.Goodnight everyone,bye.

Evening all, just gone 10.30pm en route to bed,up at 6.00am to-morrow for work,just dropped by to read the mail,oh I cannot resist another wee post. Judy KW,Thanks for the Klatsch word,never heard of this before,had to Google it,you are right it fits so well with us,hope your tummy upset has now gone. Hi Bruce,you really have sorted out a really neat new life style,running a farm,consultancy work,managing a company?,what do you do with your spare time? LOL. Hi Lilyjohn,you certainly havent had it easy,going through your life have you?must have been tough at times as a teenager,caring for your Mum,bringing up the kids nursing Jonnie through his illnesses,and yet you still are caring for others?you certainly have made me feel a bit more appreciative,of the life I have led,well done you,safe journey home. Hi Annette,Remember your tables at primary school,16 ounches to one pound,14 pounds to one stone,8 stones to one hundredweight,20 cwts to one ton,oh the memories reciting these tables day in day out,not forgetting acres,pecks, quarts,chains, furlongs,yes the metric system a put paid to most of these measures.Always found Americans recording their weights in pounds strange,whenever I hear this I have to do a mental calculation in my head by dividing this by 14 to get some understanding how heavy that was,much prefer my 15 stones,it sounds so much lighter than 210lbs,oh my goodness thats a lot. I share your passion for reading I always have a book on the go,started Keith Richards autobiography,really good so far,nearly all my reading is non-fiction,although I have tried to read every Robert Ludlum book I can get my hands on,cannot be many left to read now? Judy MI,imagine starting to work at 14?,I had a paper round at that age,does that count?Well like Lilyjohn,you havent really retired either just substituted your career,into doing things you wanted to do,helping others,if you both were UK citizens,I would nominate you both for an MBE in the Queens annual honours list,its for ordinary citizens who given prolonged service to the nation,kinda beyond the call of duty.I think this is her best award,rather than the higher level awards to the captains of industry,and politicians.Mustnt forget wheelie bins,the best thing invented since sliced bread,we have three,brown for garden waste,gray for houshold waste and blue for recycling,the trash lorries (as you would call them)are especially designed to lift them and tip their contents,hygenic easy to use,they two little wheels at their base for ease of movement,in use all over the UK.Hows that for talking rubbish again? Goodnight everyone,bye.

Good Afternoon All, Cloudy but dry to-day,5 degrees C,so its a bit warmer than yesterday. Woke up at six am this morning,had a coffee a read at yesterdays newspaper,went back to bed,fell asleep until 9.30am,drat, the wheelie bin men have come and gone earlier than usual,I hadnt put mine out, which was full to bursting,they only come once a fortnight,so I put all the plastic bags into the boot (trunk?) and took them to the tip myself,should have put the bin out last night. Well last day of my holiday break,these two weeks just whizzed by,took the decorations down,packed away into the garage for another year.Looking round the living room now it looks so bare and boring.Back to work to-morrow,this coming term looks to be a very eventful one for me,HHIe visit in March,national competition host in May,why Iam I still getting butterflies at the thought of all the preparation?If the rumours are true,that I am to be offered a deal to go early,I may well miss the lot?,dont think its very likely they will let me go until these events have passed?. Retirement? I know Buds all for it,and Bruce changed his life to run the farm,my return to work after my treatments were completed was to rehabilitate my mind into stop obsessing about my new situation.Focussing on my work left no time to contemplate my navel and worry about cancer.Well I have come out the other side and no longer in a grip of anxiety at all now,thanks in part to all of you.Life without work? going to have to get my head round this prospect,gosh I have worked all my life,how does one find fullfillment in each passing day,my mind is always racing and boredom for me could be a real challenge.Wonder if any of you who have come through this major change in your lives,who possibly had the same feelings I am having, would share with me how they coped,any tips or pointers to be aware of. Its almost 3.00pm now,coffee and biccy time,well no more Whyte and Mackays,all alcohol is off my list for 2011(well unless for special occassion-wedding etc)I am targetting to reduce my 15 stone frame at least back to my pre dx weight of 13 stones,with Bud to inspire me back to fitness,I have got to find something in the exercise line I can stick to,loved cycling as a young man,but really I am not rural enough where I live,traffic volumes are really heavy in all my local roads.Love swimming just like Stephanie,wee snag,its great when I am in the pool,its all changing and showering that gets to me,particularly in winter,although its indoors I am always cold uncomfortable coming out the pool until I am re-dressed,think I will leave this option until the spring?Gym,well theres a possiblity,there is the local council gym about 2 miles from my home,I did join over two years ago and still have a current membership card,think I managed max 10 visits since joining,Buds right isnt he?,minds willing but the body is weak,well just maybe this can be done if I take early retirement? Enjoy the rest of your day everyone,bye.

Hi Judy KW, You really are such a blessing to me,to take the time to set me straight,facet something that the water comes out of,silly girl its actually called a tap,,but you really destroyed me with an explaination of a description of your tax system"Required to withhold and deposit every month with a quarterly report re-affirming it" come on ,did you really expect me to follow that gobble-de-gook statement?you cannot even begin to understand how I appreciate you being you.Thanks for your Sally remarks,you are so right.

Hi, just noticed the completely unconscious pun I made in spelling everybody as everybuddy,think that should be made a new entry to the Oxford Dictionary?

Hi Everybuddy, Well I am back,seems ages since I chatted with you,had some real fun last two days,oh weather first ahem,its 3 degrees and starting to snow,wouldnt it be funny,if by Wednesday I got snowed in again just at the start of new term Tee-hee.Now where was I ,oh Sally second,before I start,I raided her handbag this morning,removed money, bank books and bank cards etc,even to the rediculous,by hiding all her outdoors shoes,combed the house for alcohol not a drop anywhere,well thats certainly got her beat,I smugly told myself,you see I had planned to-day to be out all day,and returned to-night,house in darkness,glass on kitchen worktop,half full with gin and tonic and Sally soundly asleep in her bed.See, you think your a smart enough to beat them,boy shes miles ahead of me yet. Anyway,phoned Jennifer yesterday,about ordering a takeaway meal she wouldnt hear of it, so we compromised we went to Tescos and bought a fresh steak pie,so Jennifer,Chris and I had a great day to-gether,I brought my laptop with me for Chris to send, post dx of myself,selected from the hard drive,although I had hundreds in there we struggled to find nine of myself?well Chris sent them off,got almost an immeadiate reply from Ian,saying he sent them directly to his editor,but he thought they may not be used because he thinks my film is already completed?boy I thought that task would take weeks?,aw they wont get to see me in my kilt or in my academic gown with my students at the Glasgow Uni Graduation Day,serves me right for being a bit lazy in complying with Ians request. Got up early this morning to read the mail and post in,Ahhhh,my computer screen tells me my laptop has been invaded with viruses,trojans and other nasty things,its all in large red letters,telling me there is no way out,other than playing $20 to have them removed,please complete your bank card details to make the payment,oh my gosh,help,dont know what to do,phone Chris,its OK Eric says he dont worry I can fix this,dont fill in any payment information,Jennifer and I are out to-day,so I will fix it to-morrow.To-morrow?does he not realise how serious this is? I havent even read the mail yet,and cannot get onto the internet.Phoned Sis Dot,is Derek in? yeah she replies,says I, I will be with you in 30mins.Derek is also a computer Graduate,real smart kid,explains to me its all a scam,he gave it a name which I have now forgotten,but its not actually corrupted your files,it just wants you to think it has,and I said,they are doing this to get just $20 off me? no says Derek they are after your bank details,blooming heck thinks I.Well couldnt explain what Derek did but he inserted a usb pen into my laptop which scanned everything,identified the rouge file and he then deleted it from my menu,so if it happens to you,I will pass you onto Derek.Alls well that ends well,so I am back to annoy you once more,hooray. Now what have you all been getting up to? Lets start with JudyKW,you wee soul,tummy troubles,you will probably have about three trips to the bathroom in the duration of reading my post LOL,OK I know its not funny,and really hope you recover soon as.I have always been intrigued at your self-assessed tax system,its so strange to me,here the employer deducts yout tax and national insurance under a scheme known as PAYE,that is pay as you earn.How does your scheme work?do you work out what you owe and then send the IRS a cheque of payment for the year?or can you pay in instalments,how do they know you are offering the right ammount,boy it sounds so complicated,think leaving me to do that for myself,would result in me going to jail. Bud,by the way, hate to correct you but you made a typo,tyre is with a y not a i LOL,looking at the pic of your new bike,showing a rather complicated chain system,it did make me wonder,how on earth would you repair a rear flat tyre,its always the same they always happen at the most frustrating times,in the dark,cold and blooming raining,well maybe you got off with only one of the three,well done in still making work on time,bettcha the first thing you went for was a sink to wash your hands,you call them faucets,sorry if the spelling is wrong. Hi Annette,seems there are more fires at this time of the year,restaurant fires-theres a restaurant in Airdrie,an Indian one and excellent food and environment,but huge in size,too big for a small town like Airdrie,dont think it was ever profitable,well it burnt down one day,but was reinstated a year later it burned down again,local belief it was an insurance scam,and its now a nursery. Gosh everyone seems to be into ice-fishing,buying auger bits to drill through the ice,you take your sports seriously dont you?,hundreds of dollars for a drilling rig thingy,my tip,just go to the fishmongers,and abandon fishing until the weather is hot enough to sit on the bank to get a sun tan.Loved that film,forget its name,with Walter Matteau and Jack Lemmon fighting each other over the affections of Ann-Margaret?lots of fishing through ice hole to boot.See you to-morrow, bye

Good Afternoon Everyone, 3 degrees C,today, feels colder,just in from ABC and the shops,buying a nice sweet for dinner to-day,with Jennifer and Chris coming,bought this lovely large glazed fruit flan.Sally didnt want to come to church to-day,wanted rather to stay at home and prepare the steak pie dinner.The doctor prescribed librium for her to take for a week,before starting another course of pills ?,took her first librium this morning,I warned her no alcohol from now on,she promised she wouldnt. Surprise,Surprise,coming home,she is unconscious in the armchair,all the pots on the cooker rings ready to go,potatoes,boiling peas,brussel sprouts,best Scotch beef in the fridge,pre-cooked ready for the ashit, puff pastry then into the oven,parsnips in the basin washed and peeled in water and no Sally,its so frustrating and disapointing,the number of times she has let me down. Just off the phone to Jennifer,its no problem,she half expected this to happen anyway,so ample portions of tiger prawns,salad,seafood sauce,fruit flan etc to Jennifers house.Main course is a problem for me,she dosnt keep any kind of meat in her house,only veggie stuff,oh dearie me,well just have to pinch my nose and swallow,maybe I could stop and get a Chinese,Indian or Italian,come to think of it I will phone her back and suggest it to her,they will have plenty veggie dishes she can enjoy,and my bank balance is still OK.Good thinking Batman. I will get back to you to-night and let you know how everything went,also taking my laptop,I cannot waste a moment with Chris's computer skills,I have still to e-mail post dx pics of myself to the Roy Castle cameraman,for inclusion in my film.Catch you later all,enjoy your day.

Hi Judy, Its just gone 1.35 am,I went to bed early,bored with TV,but couldnt sleep,so been at the laptop,for a couple of hours playing chess and minesweeper,I wont be buying another Dyson though,he moved all his factories abroad,think the far east,because of lower labour costs,loads of factory workers thrown on the dole,you probably know I am a bit left of centre in the political arena,so if I lived in America I would be a Democrat,mind you even their progress is a bit on the slow side for my liking,well you gotta start playing fair somewhere with the ordinary people.Please forgive my rumblings,would you believe I have had couple of Jack Daniels to-night,Jennifer left me a bottle over Christmas,not really Whyte and Mackays quality, mind you but it has its merits.Do you think I can be breathilised and charged by the police,for being enebriated in charge of a laptop?.Think I have lost my ability to spell Korrectly.Please forgive,it is the festive season,see you to-morrow,lots of love.Byee.

Hi Judy, Sorry about the Dyson remark,twas only in jest,although Dyson was the first manufacturer here to use the bagless technology,so I bought one,then another later,really all the manufacturers here have taken up Dysons lead,and are now producing equivilent quality machines,price differences,well comparing models like for like probably only marginal ,so owning a Dyson wont cut much ice with the neighbours,in the showing off stakes.Really surprised they are regarded differently in the States?. Did I mention I have a Bently and a Rolls Royce in my garage,I only use them alternatively on Sundays going to church,otherwise I just drive my Ford Fiesta to work week days,cannot stand show offs myself.

Thanks Ronnie for your good wishes,may you find new happiness and good health in 2011.

Thanks for that Lily,just what we enjoy most,a NED event notice, please pass on my congratulations to Ruby and wishing her many more such announcements.

Happy New Year Everyone, Well its not exactly the crack of dawn here its 11.20am,weather outside 6 degrees C,cloudy bright,the street is dead,no signs of life,well parties here do go on until daybreak.Well I hope you all had a enjoyable Hogmanay,well I have to say,that was my quietest as far as I can remember,UK TV main channels give Scotland the pleasure of hosting the Nations party(s)usually one screened in Edinburgh the other in Glasgow,massive street party in both cities,so we get snippets of both sites,mainly though TV focuses on a studio set ceiligh,full of traditional Scottish tunes and songs,oh the nostalgia of times past,memories of passed relatives and friends brought back to mind,usually foremost, times when we shared with them at the same occassion. Years ago,Aunt Francis's large house was used for the Hogmanay/New Year party,(I bought that house years later)so many people would turn up,they would remove the doors throughout the house to provide easier access to everyone,no dont be silly that didnt include the toilet or bathroom doors (sorry not sure what Americans call these rooms-rest rooms?)Anyway in the large lounge there was a piano,always someone could play well and an accordian player always popular instruments at a party,everyone was expected to do a party piece,poem or song.Traditional dancing to boot,Gay Gordons eg,(that was before they came out the closet)Loved the Dashing White Sergeant,no I am not Gay,its a dance,particularly funny when tried after a few wee drinkies. Well normally,to-day we would have Betty and George to dinner,home made soup made to include a ham hough as it was cooking to add to the flavour,when cooked, the meat would be picked off the bone and into the soup,that is if Eric didnt intervene first,and have a sneaky nibble or two.Main course always Steak Pie,Potatoes,Peas and Brussel Sprouts,to finish usually light pudding Pavlova,or lemon meringue pie. Jennifer cannot be with us to-day,but we are going to have our traditional dinner with her and Chris to-morrow.jennifer is a bit of a pest by being a total veggie,so veggie main dish to prepare,even the sauce/gravy has got to be veggie type,she is bringing that herself since we couldnt find it in Morrisons yesterday.Anyway another lazy day for me to-day,nothing planned at all,enjoy it when you can,I always think.Well whatever your plans are for to-day,have a great one.Bye.

Happy Hogmanay Everybody, Following the Docs this morning,Sally and I did a big shop at Morrisons,why cannot everyone else get better organised and shop earlier,instead of leaving everything until the last minute,now I know how sardines feel inside the tin. Just chilled out this afternoon,watching TV,drinking and snacking,thinking about throwing the bathroom scales into the dustbin,everytime I see them I get this guilty feeling into my head.I promise to diet and get fit this coming year,just like Bud,I remember sitting having lunch in the refectory with a colleague,looking out the window,another of my colleagues run past with all the sporty gear on,my friend observing the scene said "There are times when I feel like following suit,but I just go for a lie-down until the feeling passes" Oh Judy,what an imagination you possess,you are just tutu much for me. Bruce,what a let down,I would have thought at least you would know about Hogmanay,with all the Scots that live in Canada,in fact,I think you have more Scots there than there is in Scotland?Must check that one out.Right that does it,I am determined that my posts in 2011 are going to be sprinkled at random with Scottish words and sayings that are in common use here,to bring you all up to date,you better learn them,because I will be setting random tests also.One for you Bruce to get the ball rolling,You didnt fall off your horse-oh no- You fell off your Cuddy. Lily,thanks for all the supporting and encouraging posts you send in,I enjoy reading each and everyone of them,hoping you will be around for all of 2011. Hi Judy,OK you were not alone,I didnt realise how big my task was in providing you all with a more rounded education on the Scottish language and culture,but its a task I am willing to take up,to help you see the light.Hogmanay,well,you just had to dig a little deeper,seems its a derivitive of ancient french word,aguillanneuf which then became houguinane-meaning a gift at New Year,Hogmanay is in Scottish documents from 1600AD,my we've been partying for ages,hope we never stop.What a nice reflection on taking your friend to the support group,you are so right,its your experience that people draw hope from,to know that we can survive this dreadful disease,more power to your elbow. Libby,Thanks for your supporting comments yesterday,much appreciated,they really helped me.Now about you,feeling down at times?I think this is only natural,when you really think about it,we had these feelings before our dx didnt we?,so whats changed,nothing we can do anything about,but happy days are more fun,so I decided ages ago that these are the only ones I am going to keep company with.Well,the next time a little dark rain cloud drifts over your head,dont sit under it for even a day,just drop me a line and I will come over and suck it up with my hoover(actually its now a dyson-sorry hoover). Sorry not to have replied to everyone,but tempest fugit,not going out Firstfooting to-night,Irenes not well got the flu and a sinus infection,Docs given her some anti-biotics,shes going to bed early,I cannot be bothered with the hassle of driving into Glasgow to Stewarts party.I will join the neighbours on our cul-de-sec green for the fireworks after the Bells,maybe finish up with some in my house or theirs to toast in the New Year. Well friends what more can I say-Thank You-since I have been here,I have so enjoyed your company and stopped thinking about me having HAD lung cancer,now my only thoughts are what wandering dribble will I post in to-day? At Midnight to-night I will lift my wee glass of the amber nectar to you all and say "A Guid New Year tae yin an' aw' and Mony may ye see" Goodnight Everybody.

Good Morning Everyone, Hooray its Hogmanay,cannot believe that Judy MI hasnt heard of the word before?Scots throughout the world hold this day particularly special,those Scots living abroad making every effort to get back to Scotland to have a reunion with relatives and friends and enjoy a real good party,those who cannot,will be on the phone just after the bells to wish everyone a Guid New Year.Well weather wise,for hogmanay,unseasonably warm, 5 degrees C (40F). Its 8.15am,Sally as recommended by her employer has made an appointment with the doctor at 9am,so I am a bit pushed for time,but I really wanted to get my post in first to avoid to-day being called Fridays Air,its much more special than that.When I was a young boy my mother would send me on an errand to the shops today,she'd tell me to watch out for the man with as many noses as days left in the year,I had this image of a guy going about with a face with multi-noses in it,never did find him though?. Sorry have to go,times run out,I will get back soon as.