Determined to Succeed

Good grief it's been nearly two months since I reported back. So much has happened that I've forgotten most of it. Yesterday, which I can remember some of, took me to the David Lloyd Tennis Centre near the Ashludie roundabout, where I spoke to a roomful of Enterprise Coordinators from Angus Cooncil. They were actually teachers charged with encouraging enterprise education and Determined to Succeed. As Vice-Chairman of ACA, yep I got that job while I was away in Berlin, I tried to kick off a business partnership between ourselves and local schools. I think it went quite well. Tomorrow, as part of this initiative, m ,,,,,,,,,,, (Charlie climbed on to the keyboard), Mike Kaye and I meet with staff at Forfar Academy to see how he can help with a project there. This is the first.


There are now no tables available for Kingennie Craft Fair on the 14 and 15 November which is pleasing. Still some available for Perth on the 22 November but hopefully they're going fast. Tomorrow a committee meeting will reflect on these two events and make final adjustments. (Charlie has gone to sleep on the keyboard. I can't click on th...)


Sue is our new Chair (Which is apt. No doubt she'll weave her charms as she does her cane), Tessa is the new secretary (but comes with no agenda), Sheenagh continues as Treasurer,( we're indebted ) and the committee is the same multifarious bunch of ACA Irregulars.

This evening I have been invited to the 'launch' of the Montrose RNLI Cookbook by the Montrose Lifeboat Guild. I did some photies for them. But what does a chap like me need a cookbook for when a tasty Beef Bourgogne was thrown together for the tea tonight. I kinda think it's a waste of good wine tho'.

btw. I can thoroughly recommend a few days in Berlin if you have the notion for a city break. A fair amount of stuff to see and do, lots of history, great transport system, fine beer and a good jazz scene.

.... and another thing.

....and another thing. I've happened upon 'Shared Access Radio' on digital radio this evening. The station broadcasts volunteer radio stations in the Tayside area. Now, having been involved with volunteer radio in the past and having been 'sacked' from one station, my opinion of their output is not high. In fact some of it should not be allowed to be broadcast. However I'm listening to a chap from Perthshire playing the best alternative country 'back to back' I've ever heard on a radio station. Maybe he'll say who he is soon ( Roddy Fullerton). 'R*A' should listen in and learn.


Charlie and Theo have had complaints laid at our door from three neighbours so far. They say they can't open their doors or they come in. Well, they're friendly pussies.

Hampden Park beckons tomorrow for hopefully a positive result. If I had a pound for every time I'd hoped for a positve result..........

How posh have I got recently?

So what's been happenin'? - Keeping up a Blog is a tough job. The big news this weekend is the projected arrival of Maura's chicks. You can see them arrive at
http://www.mycampage.com/adventuresineggland

'Eggsciting' but not compulsive viewing I would hazard. It would be better if the action was speeded up. Then we could see them bursting into the world with blood and spit flying. Now, some would pay to see that!

I had a busload of Londoners in the shop this week. They bought face cloths!

Was invited to photograph the wonderful Courtney Pine at Arbroath's Webster Theatre recently. Of course the music was at times challenging, but that's always the case with Mr Pine. The 'list' ranged from 'mellow' to rumbustious with a sprinkling of standards through both sets. The gloriously gifted saxman played soprano saxophone and bass clarinet all evening and was engaging in conversation as ever. It's the first jazz gig I've ever attended where the audience were encouraged to clap along with the groove, bounce up and down, and join in 'In a Mellowtone' with voice. Not for the purists I suspect, but I loved it.

Another week-end, our near clapped out Vectra was loaded up for an outdoor life and we headed over the Lecht towards Beauly and the 'Tartan Hearts Festival' at Belladrum. Weather could not have been better for a jamboree of great music and fun. Bands were a fine mix of genres and too many good ones to mention. However, my top five were the Treacherous Orchestra, Broken Records, De Votchka (maybe the red shoes helped), Ocean Colour Scene and the fabulous Glen Tillbrook and the Fluffers. Ta to Carolyn, Roddy, the boys, Fraser, Neil and the wonderful Michelle as 'Nancy'. I've posted some pics on www.myspace.com/gable_endphotography and also www.flickr.com/photos/basontheslates/

Letters are out for our up and coming Craft Fairs. It was a traumatic experience standing in Tesco photocopying 100's of sheets of invites. A queue formed and faces wrinkled 'How long are you going to be?' It was at lunchtime too. I'm not doing that again. Had to deliver some to Sue. She said to leave them in her horse box!!!! I've arrived! I know a woman who has a horse box! I was instructed to leave them in the 'groom's door'. How posh have I got recently?

Let me introduce to you........

ACA has been a-buzzin' recently with admin and organising craft fair stuff but I've had other things on my mind. Thanks to Bertiegirl and the Cats Protection League (which is one up from the Third Division) Theo and Charlie have come into my life. In truth, they have come more into Missahs S's life as she has taken the role of 'Cat Mother'. She is pummelled to death at the end of the day as she tries to watch 'Newsnight'. Charlie is a lovely boy puss who captures the camera lens with ease. Unlike 'Bird' , who he's named after, he's not a great improviser and is a bit of a 'wuss'. Theo on the other hand is a fine exponent of boldness, individuality and 'devil me care' which fits her 'Monk' tag.
We've let them out of the house and worry about the other side of the fence.

Maybe we all worry about the other side of the fence too much.

'The Greatest Show on Earth!'

According to my special informant, it's been warm and sunny at T in the Park today. That's probably why they got a bigger crowd than us at the 35th Vintage Wheelie Thingies Extravaganza Jamboree at Glamis Castle where the rain was intermittent but determined. There's nothing like challenging weather to bring out the little eccentricities in us. Travelling west to Glamis this early morning with wipers a-slappin', a 'soft-top' in front had the top down! Maybe she couldn't find the switch that retracted it, maybe it was stuck and she was driving it to the nearest car roof fixer, or maybe she was just nuts.

We were a little late in arriving this morning and were grateful to P&J (Peter and Joan whom they named the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre after) for finding the leakage that had occurred overnight and also finding a solution. The solution was all over our table, dripping seamlessly into puddles from the seams in the marquee roof. Good job my stuff was stored under the table. Peter kindly offered to move his lathe, which is not a phrase I have ever typed before, to allow my table to be moved under a non poriferous area of roof canvas. Many thanks to the Fordycii and of course the lovable wee Shitsu, Alfie.

Oh, but today was a better day saleswise. Not fabulous, but better than yesterday and afforded us two beef curries with fried rice, and two pints of lager when day was done. The downpours encouraged visitors into the tent where they circled dressed in eccentric wellies, cowboy hats, pac-a-macs, rainmates, and really bad haircuts which had nothing to do with the weather. As the day wore on, the scene in the tent reminded me more and more of the circus, 'Roar of the crowd, smell of the tractor grease'. Ah, but there were a few wonderful exceptions! It was spooky meeting the Mum of Chicken Mistress, a lovely lady, to see what the aforementioned Chicken Mistress will look like in a few years (ignore aforementioned - this is not a solicitor's blog). I had to shout at Ellen to take notice of my stall, she was wearing fetching sunglasses as she cruised past, and it was good to shoot the breeze in a different context. She is my GP's receptionist and I know her too well. A family from Iowa admired my stuff and we chatted about Stateside places which was fine apart from the fact I was eating a melting ice cream cone. I guess the daughter would have preferred playing with the wee Shitsu, Alfie, tho'. Alfie the Shitsu was once again dog of the show. Someone even asked to have their picture taken with him!!!!! My stall was more times than not ignored in favour of a stroke of Alfie. Next year I'm bringing a zebra with me. Mind you, Bobby Roberts, of circus fame, gets some very bad press about allowing Maureen, a fifty year old elephant, to be snapped with youngsters who pay for the privilage. I would ask for zebra 'donations'. A zebra would put Alfies light at a peep and would certainly bring a different load of shitzu into the tent.

All in all, the 35th Glamis Castille Motor Rally vintage Thingymebob Circus was a wonderful couple of days of crafter camaraderie, chuminess, comradeship and sociability and I thank the ACA Irregulers and their hangers-on for the 'Greatest Show on Earth' experience. Looking forward to next year, different circus, same clowns!

Alfie! We love YOU!!!!!! (ye wee shitsu)

'What's it all about Alfie?'

Metaphorically, this morning was a very long Tom Waits song. The afternoon's tempo was upped slightly levelling to a slow dirge. Not only Alfie had a hang dawg expression.
The 'footfall' in the ACA tent was, as always, in the hundreds, possibly even thousands. The good people who attend the 'Scottish Transport Extravaganza' certainly traipse the ACA Craft Tent with good intention and many of the Irregulars did very well ( Bertiegirl is going out to buy a cashbox on Monday) and that is good. If trade at my stall had been appalling I would have been pleased. It was worse than that. 'What's it all about Alfie?'

A gentleman strode into the marquee with confidence, aplomb, and came straight to my table. ' Ah!' he said scanning my wares, 'You sell framed photographs?'
I replied, 'Yes I do?' with a not too pleading look.
'I'm looking for paintings.' he said.
I directed him to The Meffan.

As we reflected on the road home to fish suppers, an empty house, and the prospect of constructing a 'Closing Down Sale' banner and selling the car, life is not all about profit. No, no, no, it's about spending time with friends, even those who pass by ignoring you, at least you saw them. It's the spirit lifting attitude of the ACA Irregulars who laugh in the face of not breaking even while Bertiegirl searches for a calculator. It's a learning experience. As the Hopi say, 'Teaching should come from within instead of without'.

So here's the TOP Ten list of things to be thankful for today at Glamis;
1) Hamburger at lunch time with cheese.
2) Meeting Alison, Rebecca, Pat, Alana, Sarah, Jenny, Mary, Stacie and Anna.
3) Watching Leona and Pauline pass by.
4) The uplifting spirit of the ACA Irregulars (particulary Sheena Georgina).
5) Bertiegirl sharing her chips.
6)
7) The upset, exotic and extravagant Tessa Mendez forgave me for a misplaced comment.
8) The sun shone at T in the Park.
9) I wasn't at T in the Park.
10) Alfie

But as Tom says, 'You gotta hold on.'

I attach a rather poor photo of a very attractive nine week (?) old Shitsu, Alfie. What's it all about?

'Hello Glamis!'

At the exit gate of the '34th Scottish Transport Extravaganza' at Glamis Castle, a Kirrie man was heard to remark,' No sae many fowk here this year.'
'We clashed wi 'T in the Park' replied the Steward.

On the eve of the '35th Scottish Transport Extravaganza' at Glamis Castle I see 'T in the Park' has already begun with the 'Yeah, Yeah, Yehs', Franz Ferdinand, Idlewild, and headlining......'The Kings of Leon'!!! Ooooooooh. In response, the Angus Craft Association Craft Tent at Glamis Castle offers woodturning, jewellery, felt stuff, greetin' cards, ......and eh.

The rock chicken maiden secretary of ACA sold her T in the Park tickets cuz of a weddin'. How middle aged is that!!

But I'm ahead of myself. The Farfar Craft Fair was a slow starter, came on to a good game, then Peter'd oot. No matter tho', I met some fine people. Madeleine and her Mum from long ago, a handful of Australian women who were at a loose end while their husbands played cricket in a local field, the exotic Arlene (one of my top five nurses whose website I promise to visit), Helen, and it was good to see Janet. I think it's worth another go but of course that will be a committee decision.

So here we are, the night before 'The 35th Scottish Transport Extravaganza' at Glamis Castle, the stage is set, and we're about to take it. 'Hello Glamis!'