This is another shocker of an article .   It is about Hairbands from China which are being fashioned from recycled condoms.   Unbelieveable  dont you think ...read this for yourself.

Thank you John

          Have you seen the latest car for dog owners, they have thought of everything !!

Grandma's Shoes

When I was very little, all Grandmas that I knew
Were wearing the same kind of ugly Grandma shoes.

You know the kind I mean, clunky heeled, black, lace-up kind,
They just looked so very awful that it weighed upon my mind.

For I knew when I grew old, I'd have to wear those shoes
I'd think of that, from time to time, it seemed like such bad news.

I never was a rebel, I wore saddle shoes to school
And next came ballerinas, then sandals, pretty cool.

And then came spikes with pointed toes, then platforms, very tall.
As each new fashion came along, I wore them one and all.

But always, in the distance, looming in my future there,
Was that awful pair of ugly shoes, the kind that Grandmas wear.

I eventually got married, and then became a mom,
Our kids grew up and left, and then their children came along.

I knew I was a grandma and the time was drawing near
When those chunky, black, old lace-up shoes were what I'd have to wear.

How would I do my gardening, or take my morning hike?
I couldn't even think about how I would ride my bike!

But fashions kept evolving and one day I realized
That the shape of things to come was changing, right before my eyes.

And now, when I go shopping, what I see fills me with glee
For, in my jeans and Reeboks, I'm as comfy as I can be.

And I look at all these little girls, and there, upon their feet
Are chunky, black, old Grandma shoes, and they really think that's neat. 

Aprons

 I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

    The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,  but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

    It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even  used for cleaning out dirty ears.

    From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks,  and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

    When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

    And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

    Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

    Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
                                                                                                                                            
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the
peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many
purposes.

 Send this to those who would know, and love the story about Grandma's aprons.

 REMEMBER -
Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.
 Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

 

When you don't feel your best, it's all too easy to think up reasons to skip your workout and reach for the ice cream. Don't do it! When those bad days hit, put down the pint of Rocky Road and treat yourself to this mood-boosting bath instead!

Simply take a handful of fresh pine needles, put them into the toe of an old pair of pantyhose (a great way to put those snagged pairs to use!), and tie a knot at the top. Hang the bag under the warm water as you fill the tub — this will release the natural oils in the needles. Add a few drops of vanilla essential oil to the water and start soaking! Between the invigorating evergreen scent and the uplifting aroma of vanilla, you'll have a smile on your face and the pep back in your step in no time!

The Old Man and the Dog

     by Catherine Moore


     "Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!" My father yelled at me.

     "Can't you do anything right?"
     Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the
     elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A
     lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for
     another battle.

     "I saw the car, Dad. Please don't yell at me when I'm driving." My
     voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.

     Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left
     Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my
     thoughts. Dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain.
     The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil.

     What could I do about him?

     Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon. He had enjoyed
     being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the
     forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions,
     and had placed often. The shelves in his house were filled with
     trophies that attested to his prowess.

     The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a
     heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him
     outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever
     anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn't do
     something he had done as a younger man.

     Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack.
     An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered
     CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing. At the hospital, Dad was
     rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived.

     But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He
     obstinately refused to follow doctor's orders. Suggestions and
     offers of help were turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The
     number of visitors thinned, then finally stopped altogether. Dad was
     left alone.

     My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small
     farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him
     adjust. Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation.
     It seemed nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did.
     I became frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger
     out on Dick. We began to bicker and argue. Alarmed, Dick sought out
     our pastor and explained the situation. The clergyman set up weekly
     counseling appointments for us. At the close of each session he
     prayed, asking God to soothe Dad's troubled mind. But the months
     wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it was up
     to me to do it.

     The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called
     each of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages. I
     explained my problem to each of the sympathetic voices that
     answered. In vain. Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices
     suddenly exclaimed, "I just read something that might help you! Let
     me go get the article." I listened as she read. The article
     described a remarkable study done at a nursing home. All of the
     patients were under treatment for chronic depression. Yet their
     attitudes had improved dramatically when they were given
     responsibility for a dog.

     I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. After I filled out a
     questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor
     of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens.
     Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired
     dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying to reach me. I
     studied each one but rejected one after the other for various
     reasons too big, too small, too much hair. As I neared the last pen
     a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to his feet, walked
     to the front of the run and sat down. It was a pointer, one of the
     dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of the breed.
     Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His
     hipbones jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that
     caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me
     unwaveringly.

     I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?" The officer
     looked, then shook his head in puzzlement.

     "He's a funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the
     gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be right down to
     claim him. That was two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time
     is up tomorrow." He gestured helplessly.

     As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror. "You mean you're
     going to kill him?"

     "Ma'am," he said gently, "that's our policy. We don't have room for
     every unclaimed dog."

     I looked at the pointer again. The calm brown eyes awaited my
     decision. "I'll take him," I said.

     I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. When I
     reached the house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize
     out of the car when Dad shuffled onto the front porch.

     "Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad!" I said excitedly.

     Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted a
     dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better
     specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it" Dad waved
     his arm scornfully and turned back toward the house.

     Anger rose inside me It squeezed together my throat muscles and
     pounded into my temples.

     "You'd better get used to him, Dad. He's staying!" Dad ignored me.
     "Did you hear me, Dad?" I screamed. At those words Dad whirled
     angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowed and
     blazing with hate.

     We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the
     pointer pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat
     down in front of him. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw.

     Dad's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw. Confusion
     replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then
     Dad was on his knees hugging the animal.

     It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named
     the pointer Cheyenne. Together he and Cheyenne explored the
     community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They
     spent reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty
     trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad
     sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at his feet.

     Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years.
     Dad's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then
     late one night I was startled to feel Cheyenne's cold nose burrowing
     through our bed covers. He had never before come into our bedroom at
     night. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into my father's room.
     Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit had left quietly
     sometime during the night.

     Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered
     Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad's bed. I wrapped his still form in
     the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a
     favorite fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he
     had given me in restoring Dad's peace of mind.

     The morning of Dad's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day
     looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to
     the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many
     friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church. The pastor
     began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had
     changed his life. And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. "Be
     not forgetful to entertain strangers."

     "I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.

     For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had
     not seen before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right
     article...

     Cheyenne's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter. . .his calm
     acceptance and complete devotion to my father. . .and the proximity
     of their deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had
     answered my prayers after all.
     Life is too short for drama & petty things, so laugh hard,
     love truly and forgive quickly.
     Live While You Are Alive.
     Tell the people you love that you love them, at every
     opportunity.
     Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second time.

I received this from a friend in the US.  It is worth a look at the pictures.

Paula

 

Hi,
This is very true! Our government has to be extra careful on these cheap imports from China , especially clothes and foot wear. The Chinese are using some cheap, but very strong chemicals in their manufacturing. Cheap can be expensive, when it causes problems, such as in the following pictures! At the same time, some of these chemicals, may be fatal.

A reminder to all of you who may have Scottish Ancestors.  This is Burn night tonight.

Many Burns suppers will be held all over Scotland.  I am enclosing links which will explain a little more about Rabbie Burns and Burns night.   If you celebrate, I hope you enjoy your Haggis, Neeps and Tatties washed down of course with a wee dram.

http://www.scotlandsmusic.com/robert-burns.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/burnsnight/


Enjoy
 
Paula

December 19, 2007

Capitol Records, and a host of other entities owned and/or controlled by label giant EMI Music, sued the company Multiply Inc. in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York. Plaintiffs allege copyright infringement arising from unauthorized use and exploitation of original sound and video recordings by encouraging and enabling users of Multiply to upload and share performances of well-known musical groups.

What gives? This sounds like EMI is suing YouTube type service. But, after casually visiting Multiply's website, which boasts "Multiply makes it easy to create, share and discuss your blog, photos, videos and music with more of the people you know, and less of the people you don't"; it looks like this is more of an online storage site, giving users their own "homepage" to share with the world. I believe that they are not alone as My Space and others are included.

Christmas in The Dust
======================

I had no Christmas spirit
when I breathed a weary sigh,
And looked across the table
where the bills were piled too high.

The laundry wasn't finished
and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point,
the Dolphins lost by six.

And so with only minutes
till my son got home from school
I gave up on the drudgery
and grabbed a wooden stool.

The burdens that I carried
were about all that I could take,
And so I flipped the TV on
to catch a little break.

I came upon a desert scene
in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind,
just clouds of swirling dust.

And where the reindeer should have stood
before a laden sleigh,
Eight Hummers ran a column
right behind an M1A.

A group of boys walked past the tank,
not one was past his teens.
Their eyes were hard as polished flint,
their faces drawn and lean.

They walked the street in armor
with their rifles shouldered tight,
Their dearest wish for Christmas,
just to have a silent night.

Other soldiers gathered,
hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams
of going home again.

There wasn't much at all
to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey,
just a pack of MREs.

They didn't have a garland
or a stocking I could see,
They didn't need an ornament
they lacked a Christmas Tree.

They didn't have a present
even though it was tradition,
the only boxes I could see
were labeled "ammunition."

I felt a little tug
and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared,
and why it was I cried.

I swept him up into my arms
and held him oh so near
and kissed him on the forehead
as I whispered in his ear.

There's nothing wrong my little son,
for safe we sleep tonight,
Our heroes stand on foreign land
to give us all the right,

To worry on the things in life
that mean nothing at all,
Instead of wondering if we
will be the next to fall.

He looked at me as children do
and said it's always right,
to thank the ones who help us
and perhaps that we should write.

And so we pushed aside the bills
and sat to draft a note,
to thank the many far from home,
and this is what we wrote:

God Bless You all and keep you safe,
and speed your way back home.
Remember that we love you so,
and that you're not alone.

The gift you give you share with all,
a present every day,
You give the gift of liberty
and that we can't repay.

~Author Unknown~

God Bless our Troops!!!

 

Today I received a lovely Christmas Story called The Gas Station.  You will find it at the link below.  It is worth a read.

http://tinyurl.com/3besg5

Paula

Below is a copy of a Scottish newsletter which I receive each week.  There is a lot of reading but if you scroll through you may find something of interest to you.
This is now available online and I shall post the link for this under "links".

Hope you enjoy it.

Paula

*************************
CURRENT AFFAIRS
*************************
New Government Health Strategy
The government's Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has launched a new strategy for Scotland's primary health care system over the next few years. It calls for more patient participation and improved healthcare access, including more flexible hours for doctors' surgeries, plans to set down patient rights in a charter and targets to cut the number of people who need emergency hospital care. Many patients would appreciate being able to see a General Practitioner before or after work or at the weekend. In recent years, such facilities have disappeared as doctors in general practice have reduced availability to office hours. Doctors are unconvinced that it will lead to better health care - ignoring that it would afford their "customers" (the patients) greater convenience. Pilot "walk-in"
appointment services will be tested in a number of locations including shopping centres and railway stations to provide treatment for minor injuries, simple diagnostic tests and some adult immunisations.

Retail Sales Remain Slow in November
Consumers continued to act cautiously in November, according to figures released this week by the Scottish Retail Consortium. Like-for-like sales growth in retail outlets was only marginally better than in October - which had produced the weakest growth since March 2006. However, total sales (which take into account new outlets) were up by 5.3% compared to a year ago, but that remains below the average for 2007 so far (7.1%). Clothing and footwear suffered a particularly tough month as mild weather continued and housing market fears hit homewares and DIY, despite widespread discounting. Analysts suggest that consumers appear to be "spooked" by the gloom in the financial markets.

Unemployment Continues to Fall
Historically, unemployment levels in Scotland were always higher than in the rest of the UK. But these days the opposite is the case. Government statistics published this week show that in November, the Scottish unemployment rate stood at 4.6%, below the UK average of rate of 5.3%. The number of people in Scotland claiming the Jobseeker's Allowance fell by 700 in November to 71,700 - some 14,300 lower compared to the figures from November last year. On the UK Government's preferred measure, the International Labour Office method, the total unemployed for the three months to October was 123,000, down by 6,000 over the quarter and 14,000 over the year. The number of people in employment, at 2.549 million, was 2,000 up over the quarter to October and up 63,000 on the figure this time last year.

Overwhelming Support for Trump Golf Plans Aberdeenshire Council has given overwhelming support to the plans by US entrepreneur Donald Trump for a billion pound golf resort on the north-east coast. The council's infrastructure committee had earlier rejected the plan on the casting vote of the chairman. That prompted a "no confidence" motion by the full council and the committee chairman was duly sacked by 26 votes to 10 (but with 29 councillors abstaining). As well as backing the development plans, it was also decided that future planning applications of regional or national significance will go to the full council for a final decision. It was surprising to outside observers that this was not already the case, with the decision on such a massive project being left to a lower-level committee. In the end, their vote counted for nothing, however, as the planning application was "called in" by the Scottish Government and the final decision will now be made in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Airport Now Scotland's Busiest Until now, Glasgow Airport handled more passengers each year than any other air terminal in Scotland. But the Edinburgh hub has been growing at a faster rate than Glasgow, which suffers from its location to the west of the city, making access from the rest of Scotland more difficult, and competition from Prestwick airport in Ayrshire. Overall, Edinburgh's traffic is growing at nearly 5% a year, but Glasgow's is shrinking by 0.7%.
The latest figures for the twelve months to the end of November show that for the first time Edinburgh carried more passengers than its rival in the west. Glasgow is still Scotland's biggest international gateway despite a decline in recent years in charter holiday flights. A major part of that market has moved to low-cost budget carriers such as easyJet, Flyglobespan and Ryanair.

Scots Love New York
The weak dollar and availability of more flights between Scotland and North America has meant that a record number of Scots have been flying to New York from Edinburgh and Glasgow. New York is now the number one long-haul destination from Scotland, with a total of 50,000 passengers going there in October and November, according to the airport operator BAA. The exchange rate of over $2 to the pound means that shoppers can combine a holiday with some bargain shopping. Price comparisons published in newspapers show that it is possible to buy some digital cameras £130 cheaper than in Scotland while iPhones were £76 cheaper and iPods cost £54 less. Passenger numbers could rise even further next year when Delta airlines launches daily Edinburgh-Newark flights next May, after scrapping its Edinburgh-Atlanta route in October.

Nuclear Power Station to Continue
The Hunterston B nuclear power station in North Ayrshire began generating electricity in 1976. It is currently running at around 60% of capacity, however, because of boiler problems. It was due to be shut down soon but the Scottish Government has agreed that it should continue to at least 2013 and possibly to 2016. The power station employs 670 staff and is a major contributor to the local economy. The current Scottish Government is against building any further nuclear power stations in Scotland, but is not opposed to extending existing nuclear power stations until the end of their natural life.

Offshore Turbine Project On Track
This week the UK government announced a major drive to increase the number of wind turbines located offshore around our coastline, aiming to have up to 7,000 of them installed by 2020. Progress with wind farms onshore has been painfully slow, in part because of strenuous objections to the impact that they make on the landscape. Resistance to turbines placed some distance offshore has been considerably less. The Robin Rigg project in the Solway Firth, being constructed between Scotland and England, is currently one of the biggest offshore wind farms in the UK. It was given planning approval in 2003, the first such scheme in the country. But the water depth and distance from the shore (six miles) made it a challenging project.
Progress on the 180 megawatts scheme, with its 60 turbines, has been halted for the last three months due to a construction barge being out of commission. But this week the developers E.ON announced that work will restart before Christmas. Despite the delay, the company is still confident of completing the project by its target date of spring 2009, since other parts of the work have been proceeding well.

First Minister's Christmas Card
Normally, there is not much media comment about the Christmas card being sent out by the Scottish First Minister. But with a new Scottish Nationalist government in power, the newspapers gave full coverage to Alex Salmond's choice of design. It has a traditional Christmas feel about it, with a full moon shining brightly over a snow covered Linlithgow Palace (birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots) and the adjacent St Michael's Church, all reflected in the loch in front of the palace. The card was designed by Scottish artist Jolomo - John Lowrie Morrison. The message inside reads:
"Happy Christmas and a Guid New Year" from Alex and Moira Salmond and contains a verse from the Scottish song "The Four Marys"  the story of Mary Queen of Scots' handmaidens and set inside Linlithgow Palace. The First Minister grew up in Linlithgow and the original painting for the card will be auctioned later and the proceeds donated to charity.

Cut Price Subway Extension
We have become used to soaring, sky-high costs for major infrastructure and building projects, so there was some surprise this week when Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), which includes the Subway in Glasgow within its remit, suggested that the extension of the existing circular route to the east end of the city could cost "only" between £60 million and £120 million. Of course, in order to speed up implementation, so that it is ready (with luck) for the Commonwealth Games in the city in 2014, the plan is no longer to create another circle, but just a spur  connecting the main Argyle Line heading east from the city centre to the Parkhead area. That is where the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games will be held and where the National Indoor Arena and Velodrome will be located. It will also connect the area with the Scottish Exhibition and Concert Centre (SECC) to the west of the city centre - the SECC is hosting several of the events in 2014.

Poor State of Scotland's Roads
Most drivers in Scotland didn't need an Audit Scotland survey to tell them that, away from main trunk highways, Scotland's roads are riddled with potholes and craters. If you are a regular traveller on a route, you know where the worst suspension jarring spots are located. But driving at night or in poor visibility, the first indication is when the wheels crash over them. Local authorities responsible for the roads pay out large sums of money every year to motorists who successfully sue them for broken suspensions. The report by the government financial watch dog concludes that almost half of Scotland's roads are below standard. The worst blackspots are in East Renfrewshire and South Ayrshire with 60% of roads in need of serious repair. Aberdeen came out top in the survey, with only a third of roads there needing repair. Lack of investment over many years is the root cause of the problem.

UK's Biggest Egg Farm
Despite strenuous objections by a local action group, Scottish Borders Council's planning committee has approved the creation of the UK's largest poultry farm at Blythbank near West Linton. Glenrath Farms Ltd wants to build nine large, free range poultry houses, each housing 25,000 hens, producing eggs for supermarkets across the UK. Last year, the company was given the all clear by Scottish ministers to build one of the giant sheds, despite concerns by locals that this was just the "thin edge of the wedge".
The scheme will now be referred to the Scottish Government for a final decision, due to environmental concerns.

Paradise Lost?
The Calyx project to create a national gardening showpiece on the edge of Perth was launched in 1997. Since then, it has produced many grand plans for a £36 million project, built on a 60-acre site beside the existing 6 acre national heather collection at Cherrybank Garden. The aim is to create 30 themed gardens, 20 competition gardens and a sky walk through the treetops. And with Scotland's unreliable weather in mind and to create a year-round attraction, much of it will be covered by huge transparent domes. The Eden project in Cornwall showed how popular such a facility could be and the Calyx centre aims to be twice as large. This week there was a major set-back for the project when the Big Lottery Fund "Living Landmarks" programme turned down the application from Calyx. All other funding was conditional on getting National Lottery funding so unless another source can be found, the project will not now go ahead. The gardening proposal gets its name from the botanical term "calyx" which is the term for the petals that surround a developing bud.

Golf on the Sabbath at Stornoway?
There has been controversy recently about a proposal by the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry company to introduce a ferry service from the Western Isles to the mainland on a Sunday. The company claims that it is responding to pressure from many who live on the islands. But there is also resistance from those who do not want to see what they regard as the traditional way of life of the area being lost. Now there is another challenge to the strict observance of the Sabbath from that other Scottish "religion" - golf. Stornoway Golf Club have been trying for some years to get the terms of their lease amended to allow them to play on a Sunday, after 117 years of observance of the ban. It appears that only four out of the 130 members voted to maintain the present arrangements, when the subject was debated two years ago. Now the club has taken legal advice and think they have a good case to challenge the clause. The lease allows for arbitration in the case of disputes and is supposed to take account of any changes in circumstances and attitudes, and ensure that the terms of the lease do not impede the enjoyment of the club.

Weather in Scotland This Week
There was a chilly start to the week, with maximum daytime temperatures in the range 4/6C (39/43F) from Sunday to Tuesday this week. It was slightly milder on Wednesday and Thursday with Lossiemouth and the Western Isles recording highs of 10C (50F) and the central lowlands reaching 8/9C (46/48F). The thermometer then turned back down again, with maximum temperatures on Friday and Saturday only reaching 4/5C (39/41F) in Aberdeen and the lowlands, though the Western Isles did manage a high of 8/9C (46/48F). The sun did shine on Monday and Friday but otherwise there was a lot of cloud, though very little rain.

This Week's Colour Supplement
This week's large format photographs taken in Scotland to show the current season and its flora and fauna include the Bank of Scotland head office illuminated at night; blood red coloured bracts of Poinsettia; 19th century "Kibble Palace" in Kelvingrove Botanic Gardens; Silverburn Shopping Mall in the Pollok district of Glasgow; delicate-looking flowers of Viburnum.
See http://www.rampantscotland.com/colour/supplement071215.htm


*******************************************************************************
HISTORICAL AFFAIRS  - Topical Items Relating to Scotland's Past
*******************************************************************************
Appeal for Black Watch Memorial Funds
A campaign was launched this week to restore and repair the Black Watch Memorial at The Mound in Edinburgh. The monument depicts a Highland soldier with rifle and bayonet and displays the names of members of the regiment who fell during the Boer War. It was commissioned by the Black Watch on a site donated by Bank of Scotland in 1906. In addition to dealing with decades of weathering, the plan is to replace missing features such as the soldier's bayonet. The cost of the renovation work is a modest £15,000 and Bank of Scotland is contributing £5,000 to give the project a flying start.


Fort George Under Attack
Fort George, ten miles west of Inverness, was completed in 1769 as a defence against further attacks by the Jacobites, following the uprising led by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745/46. It never was used for that purpose, but in recent years it has come under increasing attack - from the sea. Situated on a promontory jutting into the Moray Firth, the beach round the fortification is being eroded, allowing waves to crash into its walls.
A plan has been formulated to try to halt the declining beach level. It involves strategically positioning several thousand stones from a local quarry, each weighing up to a tonne in weight, along the sands. Historic Scotland describe the measures as "rock armour" designed to take the energy out of the waves and reduce the impact when they reach the walls of the fort. The walls are having to be repaired - using lime mortar as in the original construction.

Next Week in Scottish History
December 16 1653 - Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.
December 17 1956 - Petrol rationing was imposed following the Suez crisis and the closure of the canal.
December 18 1661 - Many Scottish historical records were lost when the ship Elizabeth of Burntisland sank off the English coast. The records had been taken to London by Oliver Cromwell and were being returned to Edinburgh.
December 18 1780 - Society of Antiquaries founded.
December 19 1904 - The "Scotsman" newspaper moves to new offices at North Bridge in Edinburgh, remaining there until 1999.
December 20 1560 - First General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
December 21 1846 - Robert Liston, who was born in Linlithgow in 1794, performed the first operation in a British hospital using anaesthetic (ether).
December 21 1988 - Pan Am 747 blew up and crashed at Lockerbie, Dumfries, killing 243 passengers, 16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents.
December 22 1715 - James Stuart, the Old Pretender, arrived at Peterhead.
He stayed for only a few weeks.
December 22 1965 - Maximum speed limit of 70mph was imposed on all roads unless a lower limit was in place.
December 22 2000 - Pop mega-star Madonna married movie-producer Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle, putting Dornoch into the media spotlight.

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ENTERTAINMENT
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Major Refurbishment for Royal Museum
When the Royal Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh first opened its doors in 1886, it was the country's first national museum. In the intervening years only minor renovations to the displays have been carried out, however, with some now 75 years old. That situation was highlighted in 1998 when the new National Museum of Scotland opened next door. That was an exciting, modern building that demonstrated just how "tired" the original Victorian building had become. Plans for a major refurbishment have been in the pipeline for a number of years, while the necessary finance was raised. Now the £46.4 million renovation work will begin next May, when the Royal Museum will close for three years. That will allow the recreation of 16 of the 25 galleries, create two new entrances and a new floor of exhibition space at street level. It will double the amount of exhibits on display and the present giant entrance hall will be renamed the Grand Gallery. That area currently has large pools full of fish which are a firm favourite with visitors. These will, however, be removed to allow the hall to be used for major displays.

Seasonal Scots
The Scots Language Centre web site at http://www.scotslanguage.com/ is featuring lots of nice Christmas and New Year features for those of us who enjoy reading broad Scots. The home page points to a number of pages with a seasonal flavour in Scots, including poems from Itchy-coo and Sheena Blackhall. See http://tinyurl.com/24xzz3  and http://tinyurl.com/2apygn

Black Watch Play Back in UK
After a highly successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August and highly acclaimed performances in Los Angeles and New York, the National Theatre of Scotland production "Black Watch" is to tour to a number of venues back in Scotland and England in the spring/summer 2008, including Glenrothes (Fife), Glasgow, Warwick and London, England. Black Watch is based on interviews with former soldiers who served in Iraq.  Viewed through the eyes of those on the ground, Black Watch reveals what it means to be part of the legendary Scottish regiment, what it means to be part of the war on terror and what it means to make the journey home again.  The production makes powerful and inventive use of movement, music and song to create a visceral, complex and urgent piece of theatre. The play is also to be performed early next year at the Sydney Festival, Australia (from 10-26 January), Perth International Festival, Australia (from 7-17 February), New Zealand International Arts Festival, Wellington (22 February to 9 March) and the Luminato Festival in Toronto, Canada (6-14 June). For all the details, see http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/

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SCOTS ABROAD
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Scottish Culture Around the World
The main focus of the Scottish Snippets is news items, usually about Scotland. But the "Scots Abroad" section, invites folk to write in about Scottish-related events in their part of the world. It allows publicity for them and an appreciation by others of just how much Scottish culture is perpetuated in every corner of the globe.

Winnipeg Robert Burns Club
The Winnipeg Robert Burns Club will hold its 101st (yes 101st) Annual Burns Supper on January 25th, 2008, at the historic Marlborough Hotel. The club's successful Centennial celebration earlier this year began with Deputy Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons Bill Blaikie toasting the Immortal Memory in January. A memorable summer saw the Robert Burns World Federation hold its Annual Conference in Winnipeg, a once in a lifetime event. The club will begin its second century by welcoming former World Federation President, Major (ret'd) John Paterson as special guest. Guests can expect all the regular lineup - the Address to the Haggis, the Toast to Canada, the Toast to the Lassies, and their response, and the rest of the "sangs and clatters." This is being provided by the Braemar Dancers and Singers under the direction of Margaret Zadworney. Also, Zoom Airlines are providing return airfare for two to the United Kingdom to be won during the evening. See also http://www.winnipegrobertburns.org

Orlando Highland Games
Highland Games usually take place in the summer months, but in Florida it would be too hot to stage them at that time of the year. So the Scottish Highland Games in Orlando, Florida take place on January 19-20, 2008. They are at Central Winds Park in Winter Springs, which is a suburb of Orlando.
Even in January, temperatures can be above 80F! For more information, see http://www.flascot.com
 
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"MAGAZINE SECTION"
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The "Magazine" section includes songs/poems of Scotland, Scottish humour and brief descriptions of Scottish Culture items added recently to the Web
-  with a link to the Web page where you can find the full feature, if you find the subject of interest to you. 


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BEST OF THE RECENT ADDITIONS
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From time to time, new sites being added to the Rampant Scotland Directory links sections catch my eye:

Celtic Countries Magazine
This is a monthly webmagazine on the rich heritage and current news of the Celtic nations. It focuses on old traditions as well as the latest news and lifestyles of Ireland, Scotland, Mann, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, and Galicia. There's information about culture, business, and politics, with a special interest on cross-cultural similarities and cross-national, inter-celtic cooperation. See http://celticcountries.com/

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SCOTTISH INVENTIONS
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With a relatively small population, Scots have been responsible for many inventions over the centuries - something that we take great pride in telling anyone who will listen! There are many well-known Scottish inventors and inventions (like Alexander Graham Bell who was the first to patent the telephone and Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin) but some are less well known:

Industrial Textile Bleaching - Charles Tennant (1768-1838) Born in Alloway in Ayrshire, Charles Tennant's family had farmed there for generations - and had been friends of the local poet Robert Burns. Charles was the 9th of 16 children, and became a weaver in the village of Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire. He saw that the weaving industry was being constrained by the method used to bleach cloth which involved crude chemicals and long exposure to sunlight for many months. He started his own bleaching fields in Ayrshire and looked at the methods used for bleaching.
There had already been progress (times had been reduced from 18 months to
four) but in 1799 Tennant (in partnership with Charles Macintosh who is best known for his technique of macintosh waterproofing clothing) patented a new method to create a dry bleaching powder that could be used indoors.
He built a factory at St Rollox in Glasgow and demand for his bleaching powder soared. By the 1830s and 1840s it was the largest chemical plant in the world, with over 1,000 workers. Later, he was to become a social reformer, helping to create one of the most productive periods of social progress and reform in Scotland's history. His works needed large quantities of coal and as he was a good friend George Stephenson, the great railway engineer, Tennant was one of the prime movers in railway expansion.
He was mainly responsible for getting a railway into Glasgow. The chemical business founded by Tennant eventually merged with others in 1926 to form the chemical giant Imperial Chemical Industries.

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SONGS and POEMS of SCOTLAND
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Farewell to Whisky
While there is a tradition of hard drinking in Scotland, numerous efforts have been made over the years to reduce the negative social impact of alcohol on families and temperance movements attempted to turn people away from the evils of drink. Songs such as these, showing their "successes"
were popular at the time.

          Farewell to Whisky
    I'll gang to the alehoose and look for my Jimmy.
       The day is far spent and the night's comin' on.
    You're sittin' there drinkin' and leave me lamentin',
       So rise up, my Jimmy and come awa' hame.

    Nae mind o' the bairnies that are at hame greetin',
       Nae meal in the barrow to fill their wee wames.
    You're sittin' there drinkin' and leave me lamentin',
       So rise up my Jimmy and come awa' hame.

    Wha's that at the door that is speakin' so kindly,
       It's the voice of my wifie, called Jeannie by name.
    You're sittin' there drinkin' and leave me lamentin',
       So rise up my Jimmy and come awa' hame.

    Fareweel to the whisky that mak's me so brisky.
       Fareweel to the alehoose I'll visit nae mair.
    Sin Jeannie is waitin', her pair hairt is breakin'.
       So fare thee well, alehoose, and I'll awa' hame.

    Meaning of unusual words:
    gang = go
    bairnies = children
    greetin' = crying
    wames = stomachs
    Sin = since
For the index of all the poems and songs included in previous Newsletters
see:
http://www.RampantScotland.com/poetry/blpoems_index.htm
http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_index.htm

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SCOTTISH HUMOUR
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Heavens Above
Fiona was an expert harpist who frequently was asked to play for weddings, receptions, parties and other such events. She was also a blonde and had an angelic, cherubic face. She was on her way to an engagement in a hotel in Edinburgh and stepped into the lift (elevator) with her large golden harp.
Just before the doors closed, an elderly gentleman stepped on. As the lift rose, he looked thoughtfully, first at Fiona and then her harp and asked, "How far up does this lift go?"

Lachlan's Laws - # 53
That great Highland philosopher, Lachlan McLachlan, propounded a number of irrefutable laws of life, the universe and everything, usually after a "bevvy" in the Auchenshuggle Arms on a Saturday night. Here is another
example: "A woman marries a man expecting him to change - and he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting her not to change - and she does."
For the first 50 laws, see
http://www.rampantscotland.com/humour/blhumlachlan.htm

How Long Will I Live?
Mrs McFlannel was most upset when she phoned her doctor early one morning.
She asked the doctor in a trembling voice: "Is it true that the medication you prescribed for me yesterday has to be taken for the rest of my life?"
The doctor confirmed this was the case. After a moment of silence Mrs McFlannel continued, "I wonder then, just how serious my condition is. This prescription is marked 'No Refills'."

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SPORT
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Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results
Celtic  4  Falkirk  0
Rangers  0  Lyons  3  (European Champions League, Group E)

Clydesdale Bank Premierleague Results - 15 December 2007 Hibernian  1  Falkirk  1 Kilmarnock  3  Gretna  3 Motherwell  3  Aberdeen  0 Rangers  2  Heart of Midlothian  1 St Mirren  0  Dundee United3 Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Celtic will be played on Sunday.

Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Results - 15 December 2007 Clyde  2  Livingston  1 Hamilton  1  St Johnstone  0 Greenock Morton  0  Dundee  2 Partick Thistle  1  Dunfermline  1 Stirling Albion  1  Queen of the South  3

Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 15 December 2007 Ayr United  0  Raith Rovers  3 Brechin City  4  Airdrie United  2 Cowdenbeath  1  Alloa  4 Queens Park  1  Peterhead  1 Ross County  2  Berwick Rangers  1

Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division Results - 15 December 2007 Albion Rovers  5  Arbroath  2 East Fife  2  Dumbarton  0 East Stirling  3  Elgin  1 Montrose  0  Forfar  1 Stranraer  2  Stenhousemuir  3

Scottish Hydro Electric Rugby Division One Results - 15 December 2007 Ayr  6  Glasgow Hutchesons  6 Boroughmuir  49  Heriots  22 Currie  47  Hawick  3 Edinburgh Academicals  30  Dundee  6 Glasgow Hawks  27  Stirling County  27 Melrose  12  Watsonians  20

League Tables
Celtic are still at the top of the Scottish Premier League, but with only a two point advantage and Rangers have a game in hand. Motherwell are currently third, just two points behind Rangers - but they have played two more games than the Ibrox side. Gretna did manage to narrow the gap at the foot of the SPL on Saturday, but they are still 9 points behind St Mirren.
In the First Division, Hamilton and Dundee both won on Saturday and remain with the same number of points at the top. Stirling Albion bring up the rear, 4 points adrift from Dunfermline.
The Second Division is also tight at the top, with Ross County and Raith Rovers with the same points total. Berwick Rangers trail Brechin at the other end of the table.
East Fife went further ahead at the top of the Third Division on Saturday and have a 12 point lead over Stranraer. Forfar are just one point behind Dumbarton at the foot of the division.
Boroughmuir have a massive 21 point cushion over Currie at the top of the Scottish Hydro Electric Rugby Division One. Dundee are trailing at the other end of the table, 6 points away from Glasgow Hutchesons.

Rangers Crash Out of European Champions League Rangers needed just one point to clinch a place in the knock-out stage of the European Champions League, but in the final match at Ibrox against Lyons, the French side needed to defeat Rangers to snatch that prize. The visitors went ahead in after just 16 minutes. Rangers produced few chances to even the score and in the second half Lyons scored twice to produce a convincing win and progress to the next stage of the Champions League.
Rangers have the consolation of finishing third in their group and so will drop down to the Uefa Cup instead.

Scotland's World Cup Qualifying Fixtures It may be a while before the matches are played, but the dates for the football World Cup 2010 qualifying matches were agreed this week. Scotland kick off with an away match against Macedonia on 6 September 2008, followed by a trip to Iceland four days later. The first home game is against Norway on 11 October followed by Holland away on 28 March 2009. Iceland come to Hampden on 1 April and the Norway away tie is on 19 August. The final games are at home on 5 and 9 September 2009 against Macedonia and Holland.

Rugby International Against Argentina
The Scottish Rugby Union has confirmed that there will probably be an international match against Argentina next summer. The Pumas are coming to Europe to play two matches, one in the Spanish city of Barcelona and the other could be at Murrayfield in Edinburgh, although the South American side has not yet confirmed their choice of venues. Argentina finished third in the recent rugby World Cup and the International Rugby Board has been seeking ways of offering them more Test rugby.

New Stadium for Aberdeen?
A project team from Aberdeen Football Club and the City Council this week outlined the business case for the club moving from its ground at Pittodrie to a new 22,000-seat stadium near Loirston Loch at Cove, three miles south of the city. The plan would be for a community stadium costing around £53 million, which would be a base for the club as well as a local resource to increase participation in sport and encourage a healthy lifestyle across all sectors of the community. If Aberdeen City Council approves the scheme (and the supporters don't object too strongly about the loss of their traditional home in the city), the stadium could be built by 2012.

Scotland's Oldest Ski Centre Bankrupt
Originally known as the White Corries, the ski centre in Glencoe was bought by two businessmen in 2004. But poor winter snow and a lack of year-round attractions have led to losses and the company was forced to appoint a provisional liquidator this week. Soon after, however, it looks as though it will continue to operate after a management buyout. Glencoe was Scotland's first commercial ski centre when it opened in 1956 with an overhead ski lift. The resort covers 494 acres now has seven lifts and 19 runs. But it has struggled to maintain operations without summer attractions like the funicular railway at CairnGorm Mountain or the gondola at Nevis Range



 

oh deer. With Christmas just around the corner, a Wellington photographer's skyward discovery has all the makings of a jolly prank.

But Alan Blacklock's shot of a cloud formation that looks remarkably like a reindeer is the real deal and not some festive lark.

The happy snapper, a photographer for Niwa, captured the shot while sitting in the backyard of his suburban Paparangi home late on Sunday afternoon.

"I was just in the right place at the right time. It was a fluke, just one of those things," he said.

MetService meteorologist Ross Marsden confirmed the discovery was genuine.

He said the shapes and forms of the cloud were the result of the light winds from variable directions which were at the cirrus cloud level (about 10,000 metres) when the photo was taken.

"Some time earlier or later, or from a different viewing location, this cloud would have had a different appearance," he said.

Eye on the sky: Have you photographed any odd-shaped clouds? Email diary at diary@press.co.nz