Footy

by **MacDuff** » 24 Jun 2010, 04:40

Aye Snoops, my grandfaither grew his strassers on the bank that rises up from what is now a lawn bowling green at the junction of Cromwell road and Anderson Drive. The "green" was his allotment. He told the story of a local worthy asking: "Can I hae a pun' 'o yer berries gairdner?" Oh aye, fit kin' 'o berries are 'ye needin'? Response after some thought: "Oh rhubarb I suppose."

by **snoopy2** » 24 Jun 2010, 10:45

Ken that bit fine MacDuff - wis my stompin' grun afore a came here tae Steenie.
Bit tae get back tae the tennis - did ye watch thae twa loons fichtin it oot oer the last twa days? Man whit a game - still battlin it oot!

by **Colette** » 25 Jun 2010, 12:54

Having watched the first 2 England games in Symi with a growing sense of dread

I was on the plane on the way home on Wednesday when the Captain announced the score

Big cheers all round from the passengers.The problem now is this may be an omen, do I watch the match on Sunday or pretend I'm on a plane? The G and T will be easy enough to replicate but the awful food and the altitude may present a challenge.

by **D and E** » 25 Jun 2010, 20:15

It won't matter where you are Collette that lucky victory during the week was just puting off the inevitable - it will be the England Team that will be on the plane soon. ArGenTina led by the "Hand of God" look good

by **D and E** » 25 Jun 2010, 20:22

Snoopy and MacDuff - if we'er nae careful Allan will set up a doric forum !! Recommended reading for our fellow forum members when on Symi will be Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon - now there's a braw read.

by **Colette** » 26 Jun 2010, 23:38

Well, I'm still the eternal optimist, going to the out with the boys from the pub tomorrow to cheer our team on.

by **MacDuff** » 27 Jun 2010, 07:47

Odd bit of history D and E. Yes you are correct about Sunset Song and Lewis Grassic Gibbon. But did you ever think of the odd bit of history in that the Burns family left Kincardine and went south and then over a century later, the Gibbons arrived from Aberdeenshire. They previously farmed Midhill of Seggat at Auchterless. They left and my great grandfather "took" the farm. He must have been a tough old bird, because at the age of 76, he was stamped on by a Clydesdale, and the local Doctor thought it wise to amputate his foot - without an anasthetic - on the kitchen table at Midhill of Seggat, rather than trying to send him all the way to Aberdeen for surgery. He lived another four years! Also, if you check, you will find that Doric is the only British dialect recognized by the Oxford English dictionary. which says something like "dialect, north-east of Scotland".Now there is a problem tae pit on the English achette.

by **D and E** » 27 Jun 2010, 16:27

MacDuff - my gabber is truely flabbered !!! That is some piece of history - if you check online (apologies you may have already done so) you will see that there is now a festival celebrating LGG in August !!!

by **MacDuff** » 03 Jul 2010, 05:10

A man who caught the pathos of the first world war. When it was revealed several years ago that one of the Scottish regiments had actually rebelled during the 1st World War, my late wife commented that it restored her faith in humanity. Her own father having volunteered at age 16, spent 4 years in the trenches as a Seaforth Highlander - and survived. Scotland suffered the highest rate of attrition of any participating country.
I spent only six weeks at school in Scotland in 1939 before moving south to England. But at elementary school, all eight teachers and the headteacher were "Miss". Somebody ought to have written a book about that generation of women who lost their potential husbands in the trenches and spent their lives being single.
Maybe those of us who are privileged to live in the free world should reflect more upon our good fortune and less upon our politicians inadequacies - irrespective of party. At least we get to choose!

by **snoopy2** » 03 Jul 2010, 10:31

Macduff i would think Murial Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is one example of literature highlighting the situation of the single women post war and Vera Britten's Testament of Youth is a very strong book on this subject. I would think there must be more but these two come to mind straight off. I particularly recommend Testament of Youth if you have not read it - Vera Britten was Shriley Williams (she of the SDP) mum.

by **D and E** » 04 Jul 2010, 11:18

Now there lies a question MacDuff - are we really living in a free world or are we just fooled into thinking we are - how much freedom do we really have :?:

My [D's] grandfather was a Gordon in the First and my father was Bomber Command during the Second and as they got older and they saw society changing the way it has they both questioned the sacrifices they witnessed :cry:

Good shout on the literary front Snoopy2

by **MacDuff** » 10 Jul 2010, 00:47

Good examples Snoops! In my former life in the U.K., I got to know Shirley Williams very well. We shared many a platform. I can vouch for her genuine concern for her constituents, har honesty and her frankness. I recall one evening in Stevenage, when we had both been speaking. Shirley was accompanied by her then husband Bernard. As we were leaving together, she stopped to talk to a very plain -and perhaps a touch simple looking young man. Bernard in an aside to me, said: "I can never understand why she bothers with people like that." There spoke the academic "Fabian" socialist.

I also had the pleasure of serving on a Parliamentary committee with her. Shirley was Vice chair and Steven Hastings (Mid Bedfordshire and Conservative) was Chair. Political opponents yes, but always both courteous. There are some politicians who do serve the electorate rather than themselves.

by **snoopy2** » 10 Jul 2010, 08:44

Hail MacDuff - yes - it is the asides from politicians that often let them down - take Brown's 'off' mike comment on the run up to the last election. Shirley W obviously stout and true and i feel greatly sorry that she did not have longer with a chance of happiness second time round with her late husband. Another stout heart was Donald Dewer - lovely genuine man - like Smith - plucked too soon.

by **D and E** » 10 Jul 2010, 10:27

Indeed Snoopy - DD was a gentleman and spent many a day in our house in Kincorth, Aberdeen - he was my father's election agent when he was standing for the local council - this was of course before he became an MP. Taken away from us far too soon.

by **MacDuff** » 16 Jul 2010, 07:01

D and E, just one more odd coincidence. My paternal grandfather was killed serving in the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders in 1917. Along with my son and grandson, I visited his grave in France in 2005. A great uncle was also lost in that same 1st Battalion in 1916. Such people did not die fighting for peace, they died fighting for freedom, including our freedom in democratic societies to freely disagree with each other. Such disagreement was not permitted under Communism, National Socialism or Fascism.

by **snoopy2** » 16 Jul 2010, 09:12

Well well D and E - 'tis indeed a small world. Bet you and i have crossed paths. He was a great fellow DD and he kept a habit he had all his life. He was fond of a prawn curry but would carefully put the prawns round the edge of the dish and eat them last. Rather an endearing if somewhat eccentric foible. What a different path our Scottish Parliament would have taken had he not died.

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