eric byrne

Good Evening Everyone, Its just about 8.30pm here sun is just begining to set on a beautiful day,sky is clear of all clouds,as from 6pm.Phoned Dot at lunchtime to see if the coast was clear for a visit to-day,she said she is setting out for Glasgow Green as the world pipe band championships are on to-day-how could I have forgotten,so we all went to-gether and what a great day it was.Now I know pipe band music may not be everyones cup of tea,and I know the quote,what is the definition of a gentleman? "One who can play the bagpipes but dosnt"but it really was something.You will be pleased to hear all you insomniacs out there Ive taken loads of pics to post in,I am going to ignore all those voices I can hear "Oh Eric please no more,you are boring us all to death" Chris left me with a foolproof programme for sending pics into LCSC only problem I printed it out at my work and left the hard copy there,fogetting to take the instructions home with me,never mind will try to send them in next week.Oh as it is billed as world champions,there were not kidding,isnt it amazing to see so many people in full Scottish National dress that were from America,Canada,Austrailia and New Zealand to name only a few,I got talking to a New Zealand piper,to ask him about the finer points of judging the difference between the quality of different bands (to my ears they all sound equally good)he said he could recognise easily the best from the rest and the judges always did a great job,I really had to laugh at his surprise that I didnt play the bagpipes myself,he was of the opinion most Scots did?.Loads of TV cameras were there,apparently the event is on the internet and being shown on UK TV sometime during the week. Enjoy the rest of your day everyone.See you.

Hi Ned, Just a short note to thank you for the link you provided,I watched and enjoyed all four programmes,dosnt Dr West look really young,think the gray on his beard is dyed,to give him the more mature look?.Hope you are well,did you get feedback on your latest tests?now get yourself down to that car showroom and change your wheels.God Bless.

Sorry folks,I have posted the Saturday Air in yesterdays air,forgot to change the header.Oh what an idiot I am.

Good Morning Everyone, Hooray weekend again,time for fun and play,weather bright dry and warm(mid sixties)maybe the sun will burst through the clouds later to-day? Oh just discovered E-bay a couple of days ago,what fun,I bid for a couple of books and I won,one book on WW11 my favourite subject,the other the complete book on accoustic guitars.Well the first book dropped through my letter box yesterday,couldnt wait to open it,excitedly tore of the wrapping only to discover a very moth eaten book circa 1942,an old library book that some had failed to return nearly sixty years ago.Well the book went straight from my hands and right into the bin,gosh I hope the next one to arrive is on accoustic guitars and not Nero's fiddle,come to think of it I have been fiddled and diddled. Having looked forward all week,for this break,I have nothing planned,oh for a magic wand,I could be sitting on Donnies porch,playing guitar with him,or with Bud and Bruce fishing or travelling around the States with Judy?.Bud thanks for the link thermocline,see you learn something new every day,I actually stayed for a while on site,reading all about Pompeii,my favourite archaeological site on the planet,which I have visited-wow-its some place,maybe get one day to Machu Pichu? Maybe visit Dot and Jim this afternoon,the UK soccer season re-starts to-day so I will probably be parking my butt in a chair later to watch the highlights around the UK. Well wharever kind of day you are having,make it a good one.See you later-bye.

Hi Steff, A really warm welcome to LCSC,boy, didnt take you long to come on board?well done you (took me over a year to get here,well I had to wait for the keg bus to pick me up,I will explain that later).Sorry to hear about your brother,you are right,there are so many wonderful people here,each with their own remarkable survivor stories to share,I am sure you will find plenty here to inspire and encourage you.I only arrived a few months ago myself,and in that short time I have made so many new and interesting friends,and still meeting more like yourself for example.I wish you well on your cancer journey,allow us to help carry your bags for you,it will ease your burden somewhat.Please keep us informed about your course of treatments(we all like to compare notes)Last but not least,I am really pleased to find you have naturally the right attitude towards your dx,thats the spirit,Nil Carborundum Illegitimae. translation available on request.

Good Evening Everyone, I dont believe it Thursday and Friday two beautiful days in a row,been really busy didnt post yesterday,wanted to wish Katie well for her Chicago conference ,I am sure she will do LCSC proud. Did the fire wardens course on Thurs,turned out good fun,the ad libs from the staff to the presenter were excellent,even he struggled to keep a straight face,we did go outside to demonstrate our ability to extinguish various types of fires by choosing the most suitable method,funny thing was ,health and safety has banned setting off fires outside due to the risk factors,so we had to pretend and spray the ground with the appropriate extinguisher. I have been selected to attend two days of training to be a telephone buddy from referrals from Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation,next Wednesday and the following Thursday,runs 10am until 3pm,just noticed after agreeing,I made a committment to Lanarkshire County Council to attend Monklands hospital for a meeting to discuss the new proposal options for Lung Oncology Clinics in Lanarkshire,that meeting starts at 3.00pm,problem is the venues are 20miles apart,really want to go to both?.To make matters worse,the second training day,the following Thursday,is the formal opening of the our new college,it is to be opened by Scotlands First Minister Alex Salmond,and I have invited several Heads of Businesses and Organisations to attend as guests of our School (I think 16 in all)anyway my head should have done this task,so maybe I could leave him as the welcoming committee.Come on guys what would you do in both circumstances?. Donnie while I am fighting in the rat race,I have to read your latest posting,oh how I envy your laid back attitude,birthday treats,listening to the water of the creek nearby,happy to be playing with the dog on the porch, oh I could pull out all my gray hairs,move over I want to sit down beside you and join in. Judy Kw,Hope you are feeling better,and up for the next tour of two months in the battle bus,got my times atlas at the ready to pinpoint all your destinations,(helps makes me feel I am travelling with you). Well happy sun tans this weekend to all of you out there,in your over 100 degrees temps,I am only jealous.

Hi Ronnie, I had a bit of fun to-day,with your Jackel photograrph,I put it on my works computer to show to my colleagues and asked them what type of animal it is,wolf,alsation even husky was mentioned,obviously someone short-sighted without their glasses on,most couldnt believe it that it would be tamed enough to become a pet.Hope you are having a good day.

Hi Bud, Just dropped in before setting off to work,thanks so much for giving me the AAARP link,think I may be ambitious enough to suscribe to a five year membership(works out cheaper)wonder if I will get a rebate if I dont manage 5 years?LOL.See you.

Good Evening Everyone, Weather Ditto,in fact its 8.30pm here and the dark rainclouds outside my window,make daylight levels look as though its a least an hour later.Seems everybody has a birthday this week,third day back at work completed,seems I have been back forever,and holidays are just a distant memory. I just dont believe it,my name is on the list to-morrow at work, for fire warden training,something I have already attended about a year ago,seemingly for health and safety reasons,we have to do the course again because its a new building we have moved into?must be expecting us to be tackling some new kind of fire,wouldnt mind if they could keep it down to about 30mins,oh no, we get to do the works,3hrs including putting out a small fire outside after having chosen the appropriate method of extinguishing the flames,I think if you choose wrongly they get to throw you into a blazing building?. Sorry Bud,I dont know what AAARP means,nor what happened to Dennis Quaid's twins? Judy loved your dawgs pics,please if Olive is a hunting dog lose the flowers and get her one of them dog collars with the spikes all round it,it will help her look more butch and frighten the ducks to death by just the sight of her. Judy KY,sorry to hear,you are not feeling at your best at the moment,you know thoughts just fly into my head every now and then,and I got a wee mental picture of you sitting in one of these indoor,keep fit rowing machines,going at it for all you are worth..I think this is about throwing away those laxative pills and getting your tummy muscles built up into a six pack,youll never have bother again.Hope Stan returns with a good catch of mutton snappers for the oven. Hiya Bruce good to see you around,enjoy your up and coming hols. Enjoy the rest of your day everyone.

Hi Ronnie, What lovely family photographs,arent they great for reminding us of the the happy days we shared.Thanks Ronnie for posting them.

Hi Judy, 3 years today from dx?,congratulations,wishing you of course, oodles and oodles of more years to post here.Sorry missed your birthday note,Happy Birthday,hope you can have a great celebration. Hi Van,my very best wishes for you,hope you sail through your remaining treatments.I will be two years from my dx this October, and like the others posting here,I feel we all are blessed,long may it continue.

Hi Ned, Wishing you all the best with your results,you know I have this overwhelming feeling,you will be spending some time shortly in the car showrooms. God Bless.

Hi Stephanie, Just wanted to wish you a very special Happy Birthday tomorrow,have a really good time on Saturday celebrations Ill drop by if I can make it.Dont really understand your morgage story,my morgage finishes this October,years ago I was talked into taking out one of these endownment type mogages by my building society,basically you only pay back the interest on the loan,while the remainder of your cash in invested,the returns after 25 years to paid off the capital and banked the surplus ,so it went in theory well I will have a shortfall of approx £10,000 in October,so just carry on paying now as a repayment type morgage,why do I always listen to "money experts"?

Good Evening Everyone, Just finished writing this ,clicked submit goodness knows what happened next,there it was gone for good. Doing a Judy I think we call it?.Anyway here we go again,you know its hard trying to remember the rubbish I dream up.Ah Judy,well a wee drop of rain is a bit disapointing? well try Scotland,my toes are webbed and I am starting to grow feathers,did you not know fish bite more when its raining? As Billy Connelly once said there is nothing wrong with weather its just us wearing the wrong clothes.I have on many occassions continued to play golf when its coming down cats and dogs whilst everyone else has run for cover only me and my buddy Cesare left on the couse,well if youve paid £50 for a game youve got to get your monies worth,havent you?I did shout to those who took cover "Wimps" fortunately for me they were so far away they couldnt hear me,as they were all much bigger than me. Judy MI,i was in Costco recently and I seen on display a these Alaskan King Crab thingies,gosh what long legs they have got,never tried them though too scared of making a fool of myself trying to break their shells and showering my table guests with crab meat,but you have raised my curiousity though enough to try the crab,maybe issuing my guests with raincoats or umbrellas would be advisable?. Thanks Bud and Bruce for your thoughts on retirement,I think I was so much into my work I forgot to cultivate outside interests,and I knew when I was off work for six months the college didnt grind to a standstill,life went on,so I am going to give a bit less to my work and more on developing some new outside interests. I Ned,just reading your thoughts on replacing your car,remember my black shoes?well I just bought another pair,and you know about Scots spending money,so I going to stay around to get good wearing out of them,my advice as yours to me, go and get a new car,well it dosnt have to be new though does it? Enjoy the rest of your day everyone.

Hi Everybody, Still at the summit of balgrayhill,had to buy a small tent,you were taking so long to get here,you might have told me you were still at Panama,caught up in a log jamb,I dont have any flares left now.I am suffering a bit of altitude sickness,as I am approx 300ft above the River Clyde.Look if you are steering through the gulf of Mexico,mind and take some jerry cans with you,could be handy for the keg buses next service,oh by the way,I wouldnt count on Judy being at home in key west,think shes just boarding her battle bus to skedaddle out of town for a couple of months,again,(shes still in bother with the IRS and some creditors,it would be much simpler if she just came to some financial arrangement with them,than all this taking to the hills stuff). Judy MI,ahem,only four haggis sandwiches?,can I change that,you were taking so long I have eaten them all and I am onto my third bottle of Irn Bru.You are right I was thinking too much about getting the alcohol quantities right,i didnt give much thought about the food,nothing that cannot be fixed,theres a Costco at the bottom of the hill,so I will replendish the food stocks prior to your arrival.Now talking about fish,oh we have so many favourites here,Scottish Smoked salmon,Haddock,Kippers,and Arbroth Smokies,my mouth is watering with just writing this down,better hold back on the fish until you arrive,dont want to board the bus,with you thinking I was a wee bit whiffy.Anything else foodwise you require let me know. Gosh Becky,youve certainly been round the block a few times,never knew anyone who had been to the Azores before,nor Panama either when I think about it?why I am thinking of that Noriega chappie?Becky you havent been bringing any of that white powder stuff on board the bus have you? if you have better throw it overboard,Scottish police have plenty of dogs with big noses you know,you dont want to be put into that cell again,wearing that funny coat you had on in your last cell visit. Well its starting to get a bit dark now,think I should call it a day,you obviously wont be arriving to-night,you being at Panama an all.Must remember to get new batteries,for my lamp in my tent,its getting difficult to read by its light,well good-night all,maybe catch you in the morning.

Hi Stephanie, I didnt know about the budweiser adverts using Clydedales.I thought the roos were cute little animals,particularly the female one,did you notice the little baby roo in her pouch,I could have easily taken her home with me,but its where to keep her,Sally I think wont take to this roo either?

Good Evening Everyone, Its 10.30pm sorry I am late,I do have another note of excuse from my mother.Weather to-day ditto I think,our new staff room has windows all right but they start about ten feet from the floor,we would need to erect a scaffold to see the weather.Beautiful sunny day yesterday,Sally and I found the carpet for the bedroom pretty quickly,so it was back home to relax top up my meagre suntan,and read my WW11 POW book,talk about lucky,briefly,the Scot gets rounded up by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore,does a death march,works on the burma railway,shipped to Japan,sunk by a torpedo fired from an American submarine,arrives in Nagasaki ,just in time for the dropping of the A-Bomb.However survives the lot and is now 91 years old and teaching computing to OAPs,think he believes in God.Oh he also gets to meet the American submarine crew that sank him,after the war,it is a great read,just the last chapter to read to-night .(Hate it when you come to the end of a good book) Thanks Judy first day back ok,clear up emails and ansaphone,meeting staff to discuss move problems,stuff misplaced / cant find frustrations,suppose to be expected,got 2 weeks to get our act to-gether before the students arrive.Gosh lucky you another two months on the road again,I cannot keep up with you. Hi Bud and Bruce,just reading about your plans for retirement,I was preparing for retirement on my 60th birthday 2009,this included hard landscaping my back garden,I designed it as low maintenance,with raised Yorkstone planters,new monoblock drive and porch,all done in a continental style,that I could relax,read, barbies with friends and Bang,LC dx 2008.The reason I am telling you this,I was off work from Oct-Mar through the miserable winter months with not enough to keep me occupied,I hadnt yet found LUNGevity yet,that was a further year down the line.I had too much time on my hands,and found I was moving from anxiety to getting depressed,going back to work really was my savior.I could now retire,I get a good tax free lump sum and half-pay pension,I would miss out a lot of pressure of my job,particularly with a major HMIe visit this year and the organisation of The National Competition this year.My concern is the return of anxiety I experienced previous,I know I cannot work forever,and will have to face retirement certainly max four years?Any thoughts on my concerns?

Hi Trawna, Thank you so much for your kind comments,I am really surprised and pleased that you knew the large horses were Clydesdales,I actually remember these horses being used to transport goods around Glasgow as a small boy,usually with open wagons carrying sacks of coal or oak whisky barrels,now sadly all gone,who said we have made progress? Just read of your late husbands story,I am really sorry for your loss,you are right, we need to beat this disease into the history books.

Hi Libby, Thanks ,that was really nice of you.Have a great day yourself.

Hi Randy, Good to see yah,ABC = Airdrie Baptist Church,no I havent been dooked,I have been going for years,like the singing and the people,still looking for answers,hope the penny will drop eventually.

Good Morning Everyone, At last,woke up to a lovely sunny blue sky morning,although weather forecast was for another band of rainclouds heading our way from the Atlantic,hoping they got it wrong. Sister Irene phoned on friday eve,to come and pick her up earlier and to just come straight into the reception,which I did,the bride was really beautiful,still wearing her white dress,in my day,the bride changed out of her dress earlier in the evening to feel a bit more relaxed,appearently now these dresses are so expensive,theyve got to get their monies worth?all the guys in the wedding group were in full highland dress looking really smart,I got married myself wearing the kilt,which surprisingly,you may think was quite unusual at that time for guys,things have changed,you dont see a wedding in Scotland now where the kilt is not worn.The stange thing was when I entered the room ,stangers were coming up to me and saying Hey,you are the guy in the video,Eric isnt it?My sister works for a huge Civil Engineering Company called Jacobs and she had posted my college video onto the companies internal mail,I felt like a film star,well I joined into the party spirit,leaving earlier was forgotten about and I had a great time. It just dosnt stop,got invited to a housewarming last night,Irenes sister-in -law Susan (of Sumo bikers and hikers)has moved into a beautiful new house,loads of neighbours,relatives,bikers and hikers,including Claire the Boss,I had a great time,including playing hide and seek with Max.Seems Susan has chosen a great neighbourhood to move to,all the neighbours are lively and friendly.Well bang went the diet again,loads of great food,well we dont want to see it going to waste,when it can go to my waist instead. Bruce,I wish you well on your retirement plans,youve certainly got a great house to move into,wishing you many years to enjoy yourself. Oops,times racing again,neighbour Betty just phoned to give her a lift to ABC,gotta get showered and dressed.Oh back to work to-morrow- ouch. Have a great day everyone.

Good Afternoon Everyone, Weather ditto,where the devil is that great shiny thing in the sky gone?on vacation to the USof A methinks,could you send it back please,youve had it long enough. Sally's at work to-day I pick her up in an hour,just dropped my sister Irene and her husband Pat off at a posh wedding,silly me asks them, when getting out my car,how are you getting home? I am picking them up in Motherwell to-night at midnight,well past my normal jammies time,dont mind really. Gosh its quiet to-day,everyone on vacation?Judy have a great Sunday with the kids,they keep you young dont they? Hi Mike,good to see you here,its my daughter that has a MA in English,but my understanding for what its worth its tomato singular and tomatoes plural.Good to hear of your gardening prowess,I have never tried growing fruits or veggies,grass,flowers and weeds is my limit. Hi Lilyjohn,Thanks for your passing remark "Try to keep cool",I am currently rummaging through my bottom drawer looking out my wooly jumpers,so go ahead just rub it in.OK what is worse heat stroke or frostbite? See you later guys and gals.

Hi Murial. Here am I standing at the highest point in Glasgow,the Flagpole at the top of Balgrayhill,with my telescope,trained on the Atlantic Ocean.I have to report seeing the odd yacht passing by,a few cargo ships and one ocean liner,sad to say you are nowhere in sight,did you remember to turn north at the Azores?Think I wait here until nightfall,and then send up a few flares,I got them in a cheap lot from a Titanic memourobilia sale. So I dont hold you back,when you arrive,I have brought everything with me that I will need for the trip,please advise if you think I have forgotten anything?. 1. One change of sox and underwear. 2. Two boxes of nails for the Hawaiian girls (fingers crossed I get lucky) 3. One Yamaha accoustic guitar,for a sing song with Donny on the bus. 4. 3 cases of White and Mackays and one of Drambuie. 5. 5 crates of Irn Bru,for subsequent sore heads. 6. 4 packs of Haggis sandwiches. 7. 1 set of bagpipes,just in case someone can play and join with Donny and I. 8. 2 pairs of Hawaiian shorts,you know the colourful ones that comes down to your knees. 9. My Kilt and sundries,just in case we get invited to the royal household,tell me when we meet the King and Queen,do we rub noses or am I confusing this tradition with the eskimos? 10. One Caber (15 feet long)I suppose it could be lashed to the roof rack,as well as for recreational purposes,it would be handy should the keg bus sink, crossing the Atlantic cos I would give us something to cling on to until we are picked up by a passing ship. Well I think that just about completes my list,I will be setting off my flares approx a 11pm to-night,keep an eye out for them,theyll be a bright reddy colour

Hi Everyone, I really should explain Photo No 5 as you scroll,the two "Women " pushing the pram,up until the sixities,most Glaswegians didnt own a washing machine (or even had a bath in their houses)so the Council provided each district with public baths and washhouses,because of the steamy environment within the washouses,full of woman doing their weekly washing they were nicknamed "The Steamie" it was a great occassion for women getting to-gether to have a "Blether".It became the subject of a very popular play in Scotland,which I have seen several times and still makes me laugh.As a boy I used to go once a week on a Saturday morning (whether I needed one or not LOL)to get a hot bath for 2 shillings and a sixpence (Known as half a crown) I think that was about 20 cents in your money.

OH,the wee girl with the purple? jacket with the Dj with the microphone,was about to perform in the kids karioke,she is from Austin Texas,what a lovely accent she had,could have listened to her all day.