JUNE SUMMARY: SCOTTISH DICTIONARIES NOW CATALOGUED

It's the last day of June.  When the weather is fine I am outside...see photos in second half below.  When it is wet I catalogue books.

[1] Iseabail's Books from her library.  I have now catalogued them all.  They are dictionaries: mainly related to the Scots language.  They are big, they are heavy and are sitting in my living room while we find a home for them. (I have the list available as a pdf file but I don't know how to put it here!)

[2] A thing of beauty is a new handle on a garden fork.  Mr Fraser Robb, Drymen, who sells agriculatural products did a magnificent job keeping my Clyde-built handle and giving it is new wooden handle one metre long.  

It's a 'ladies fork' and is irreplaceable.  (Thank you, but 'No' I do not want to buy an new one even if it is cheaper.)

[3] I have now grouted the front steps of the house.  It has taken me 2 years and 2 hours (after going on UTube) to do the job. The reason I was spurred into action was that a knight in shining armour called Iain Stewart and his mate arrived to clean the sides of the house and, while they were at it, they cleaned the front horizontal 'porch' plus the steps. Two fellows with the right kit (chemicals plus hot water and detergent) did a magnificant job. So I have decided: no more scrubbing with the deck brush!  (I got his name from Mairi and wish I had got moving on this sooner!)

[4] Happiness is a neatly stacked woodpile.  Job done.  Lomond Logs, Croftamie, delivered a 'bulk bag' (one metre cubed) of birch. Birch!...you never see it in this part of the world.  And it is all kiln dried.  

Two neighbourhold lads with a Can-Do attitude carried the split logs from the front driveway up to the back of the garage and I stacked it.  Done and dusted in less than an hour...and all ready for winter.  (What am I saying?!  I can just as often light a fire in July as January!)

 

EXISTENTIAL ANGST

The Peace Arch at Blaine Washington, i.e. the border between British Columbia and Washington state.

As a student of Canadian history I am watching the news every day as events unfold in USA.  Each day brings a new bizarre turn of events whether it be related to global trade, the money market or how people are feeling about movement in and out of the country.

As someone who lives in Europe I watch how people who either themselves as children or their parents moved, or were barred from moving, out of countries that were curtailing their life in one form or another.  If history does not repeat itself it certainly resonates in this part of the world!

What comes to mind is summed up in a poem from another age. It is by the German pastor Martin Niemoeller's famous mea culpa statement (in various forms over a period 1940-1970s) expressing the fact that he, as member of the human race, did not stand up and show solidarity sooner, when it might have made a difference.

The historical context happens to be European mid-20th century but it is about when good people do nothing:

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

However I reckon it could be any period; just fill in the blanks:

First they came for the xxxxxx
And I did not speak out
.....
Then they came for the immigrants...universities... scientists... lawyers...press

And I did not speak out.

 * * * * * * 

How to make sense of what we are watching day by day?

Alastair put me on to Heather Cox-Richardson who is an American academic. She talks about the situation in her country on various platforms on the internet.  She is a historian and sets events in historical context and is very good at looking at the bigger cultural picture e.g. factors driving events.

So what are some of my cultural observations from this side of the pond?

Consequences?  The damage has been done. You throw a rock in a pool and watch to see where the ripples go. It's very unsettling at all levels: individually, locally, nationally and internationally.  

    M-m-m-m .... maybe throw a lifebuoy?!

BIRTHDAY TIME AGAIN

Another year .... another birthday.... 81 years old and still firing on all cylinders!

Here are some photos taken on Sunday at our birthday tea in the garden.  The Spiderman cake is mine which is a nod to years' past.  (I use a cake mix - M&S or Waitrose or Cadburys's) and go heavy on the chocolate 'ganache' frosting.  (It 's basically melted bars of good chocolate and cream in equal parts. Absolutely guaranteed to be delicious!)

MILNGAVIE MUSIC CLUB SEASON 2025-2026 BROCHURE

The new brochure for next year is now back from the printers.  It's all good...such a lot to look forward to!

Now I must find another project to spend time on using Photoshop, Quarkxpress and on the odd occasion some ChatGPT experimental stuff!  (An example here is the out-of-focus green background on the top image.  That is AI generated...impressive!)

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