What blooms!

Willies lilies have come on well! Thanks for the words Walter, see you both on Tuesday!

Kirkcaldy Farmer's Market

In town the last Saturday of the month, with us running a World AIDS Days stall at the November market - great to see the famous and not so avoiding us that day!
As mentioned her is "Willies Lilly" actually a few of them bought at the end of the day for half price - I love a bargain! Although rarely can one get it here - quality at a price! It seems with the news today about retail prices that Farmer's Markets are not all that out of sync with their supermarket competitors!

So what's due for the next while?

Just checked my weekly astrological reading and guess what?

"You have a major energy shift coming you way this week, since on Sunday Saturn, the karmic planet, enters your own sign of Virgo and will stay in that placement for the next two-and-a-half years. With serious and steady Saturn in your sector of self, your outlook on the world will become much more thoughtful and deep. You might become responsible for family members, especially the elderly, and your instinctive urge to help others and volunteer your services should increase. Your delight in doing domestic chores and making home repairs will be very strong".

Trust of friends

A good day yesterday with the day closing with an unfortunate happening! The day started well with a visit to the local Farmer's Market to get the usual supplies but also a new stall, local lillies - a bit funeral - like but rather lovely - picture here soon when the blooms all come out! Busy at the project with Peter calling to look at the PC's that were not working. Then the bit that spoilt the day. He called to say why the PC was not working, the hard drive and microprocessor had been removed, leaving the cabinet empty apart from the leads! We loaned the PC to a pal - nearly and ex-pal - when his own PC was not working properly - yes you guessed - seems like our bits have been removed to get his PC working! This will be interesting but as Frank says it's another example of helping that is neither appreciated or respected. I'm not sure if I'm angry at our pal, his pals or myself - blaming it on the Virgo character!

Where have I been?

It just has been such a busy week! I suppose the first real "working" week since all my physiotherapy ended and I'm in charge of my own leg again! Actually enjoyed the week and looking forward to another! Main challenge is the pilot training course for NHS Fife "All Clear - Valuing Equity & Diversity" being delivered when I come back from Italy in mid September, but being piloted on Tuesday with colleagues from Drug & Alcohol Project Levenmouth (DAPL)! Hopefully this will help with feedback in case I need to change any of the new exercises before going "live" for the actual training!
So our holidays loom and the break for our best mates Walter & Marco come to an end. They have been away to the Canaries, Play del Ingles of course, on our say so, for their first visit! It sounds as if it has gone well as I have been getting regular updates from Walter on his new toy, a Blackberry! Looking forward to reading his blog!
So to work again

Diary this coming week:
Monday – Training preparation for pilot course “All Clear – Valuing Equity & Diversity”
Tuesday – Pilot training – a snap shot of the course – thanks to DAPL volunteers who have offered to be participants for this - 20:00hrs Karaoke Royal Scot - not sure if I will make this but have sorted said I'll call in and collect one of our committee member s who has a visual impairment and needs transport!
Wednesday – Criminal Justice meetings
Thursday – Glasgow launch of Scotland’s LGBT Domestic Abuse Project (representing Unison Fife LGBT group)
Friday – office bound - at the Fife Men Project
Saturday – Committee Meeting 13:00

Ah well here we go!

Walter & Marco's travels

Well boyz Gran Canaries here you cum and I suspect you will not be GC virgins for very long! Frank and I have visited there so many times over about 14 years and in 2000 attended the first Maspalomas Pride in the Yumbo Centre - a real gay community party - continued since and now very much a commercial enterprise, the reality of Pride events these day, but maintaining the community feel about it.
This is our favourite restaurant, and I'm rather fond of people watching for our balcony table, while eating and drinking through the wonderful menu selection! Woofie, Gerry, Ron - Hello

The story unfolds

Strange this fascination for gay men to drag up.

Training & Development

Well managed the "Dreamweaver" course and hope that we can start to help manage the Fife Men Project site. Doogie & Rod are the "webmasters" volunteers, but in busy lives need some support and here it is! Forgot to take memory sticks so we could copy our efforts while on the two day course so going to call into "Glenco" this morning. The tutor Fiona was very patient and gave information in small presentations which helped with our memory loss! Gordon worked on his own web - so that should be interesting and I started the GETRA site. Thankfully Lyn at the Carlton House learning centre has a copy of the programme so we are using a more up to date version that the one in the office.
I suspect the Fife Men Project site is a little more complex! However we have the basics and will take it from there!
Next training for me in going the training for trainer in Mental Health First Aid later in the year, then perhaps a further IT course!

What more holidays?

Well yes, we did go to Berlin to celebrate Frank's 60th birthday and must say we did it in great style with the help of Marco, Walter and Norma, visiting over the Christopher Street celebration time and going to the Gay Night At the Zoo for his actual event! Fantastic big band sounds, company and of course as wee drink or 6! Actually I was still on the pain killers and had only a couple - of drinks!
Here we are at Potsdam on the Sunday after getting doused at the Christopher St Parade!More of that later - especially about of 5 hours on the back of a truck! I said t-r-u-ck!

Italy here we come

After some surfing the net without success for a holiday package, it's a do it ourselves, with lovely Marco's help! Master plan would be to fly to Milan from Edinburgh on 4th Sept and then use rail passes - yes Frank does qualify for over 60's as well as his local bus pass, travel in Lombardy & Tuscany, returning to Milan for the flight back on 16th the day before I'm 34 years old (again)!Got the flight booked - good old Easyjet - I know another hole and lousy summer weather but I'll fret about that after the holiday! Last time we used Easyjet I had my nice looking clinical walking stick and we received priority access to the plane - although couldn't sit beside the escape route as I was not "able-bodied"! Wonder if I should get the stick back just for the travel perks - see how easy it is to fall into the "disablist" mode?
So back to the master plan - Milan - Verona - Padua - Venice (probably a day visit will do as I suspect we will need that Lottery win to stay longer) - Bologna - Florence and then return to Milan. Not sure if our pals Walter & Marco will be around in Milan when we are there - would be great if they are able to be there!
So expect all the news of the annual escape especially if I am tempted to follow Peter's example!
WONDERFUL NEWS TODAY (15/08/07)
Walter and Marco will be in Milan, we suspect because we are landing there for our Grand (Wh)tour! Marco has put together a travel plan which would make Judith Chalmers envious! Start from Edinburgh to Milan and spend a night and day in that window shopping city! Travel to Verona - such a romantic place and pity Willy Shakespeare never did visit here or even Italy, writing from others views of the city! Staying in Verona for 4 days but going to visit Desenzano Sul Garda and Sirmione. Wandering feet again and off to the train station to speed off to Mantova (I think this is Sergio's hometown- last heard he was living/working in Cambridge), then back to Verona. Padua next stop and using here as a base for the Venice treat - but Padua is brilliant for 3 days! After all that culture off to Florence, and my last visit many years ago this was my favourite place to just watch the world go by and turn the corners to bump into lovely pieces of artwork! Then we return to Milan to catch the Navigli & Senigallia Street Fair! Wow what an experience! The back home to Kirkcaldy!

SUNDAY 2nd Sept -

So we are nearly off on the tour - how fortunate we are and lucky to have such wonderful friends. Yes a bit more up from where I was last week but still rather hurting from being taken fore-granted, what ever the excuses!
We are going to Edinburgh Airport on Tuesday, and returning on 16th via the local bus service! The flight times are good and Frank has his bus pass anyway! Just a couple of years to go before I get mine! Going to spend the day preparing for the escape! Had intended to get the grass cut but with the obliging Autumnal weather here that cannot be done - it's drizzle and cold! Just checked the weather for Italy - sunny and warm for our stay! Bon voyage!

What have you done with the rest of your life...

Where to begin? I suppose I have to confess that my place of birth, which I had nothing to do with, was Sunderland, Tyne & Wear down in England. Subsequently somewhere that I could not wait to get out of as soon as I could! Wow this is difficult! My family consisting of mother, father (no news there) mother's mother - she left my grandfather who was a "boozer" to stay for a fortnight which lasted 45 years! Indeed my earliest regretful memory, was when he called and I has been given one of those building block toys with a wooden hammer to knock in the nails, and I was made to hit my grandfather Stephen on the head with the hammer! I must have been about 4 years old. Yes there was something wrong with the upbringing! Mostly I was looked after by my Nan, who I suspect was given the charge in return for staying in the family home - also resident was my mothers sister Margaret, more of you will read in coming additions! My father, Alec was a butcher and met my mother when they worked together at "Jefferies"! Dad eventually had his own businesses in Southwick, a mining village & Grindon an then emerging suburban estate, but with my mothers ambition driving him on, rather than his natural instincts for advancement! As long as Dad had his ciggies - originally a heavy "Woodbine" smoker, attributed to his army service and a guy who liked a drink but with the family history had to do this in very controlled moderation! In later years I was able to modify this and often enjoyed seeing him gulp a pint or six down at great speed. My mother's theory of timing did not match my father's capacity for speed drinking!