Cordially Invited!

I couldn't post yesterday, I wasn't here, I was attending a special ceremony. A secret ceremony? Not quite, but it drew visitors from all over the country, won't happen again for 100 years, and it won't be in the press. I take that back, it might be in the press, but I'm guessing that it won't be! Very mysterious eh? And yes, there were several members of the aristocracy in attendance, and it took place during the day... mainly!

Now that I've intrigued you sufficiently, I will disappoint you by making no futher mention of the aforementioned event, save to say that not just anyone could attend. You had to have certain special characteristics (and a ticket) in order to qualify for admission. That is all on the matter.

Tomorrow, we're off to Glenshee. The weather forecast is sunshine, although the forecast was rain for the last 2 days, and it's actually been lovely! The plan is to bag 3 Munros in one walk, as I've mentioned previously. The hardest part will be just getting there. Trying to travel across the North East of Scotland is like pretending to be Michael Schumacher for a day. Very narrow roads, twisting and turning, and constantly up hills and down valleys. Impossible to get up any great speed unfortunately. Anyway, the game is afoot and will be seen through to completion. I'm almost fully kitted out now as well, so all the gear will be brought into play for the occasion!

We're Going Down!

Well, May Day has come and gone, and nothing special happened here. In some places they tie loads of ribbons to a pole on the village green and dance around it like demented Morris dancers. Actually, perhaps they are Morris dancers, I'll have to check that one and get back to you. Locally, there's a holiday on Monday, which they're calling the May day holiday, even though it's four days too late. Nevermind, we'll take any time off regardless of whether or not it falls on a specific date loosely corresponding to pagan rituals celebrating Spring and symbolic re-birth.

Better than that, the weather forecast for Monday is looking good, in which case I'll be heading down to Glenshee in an attempt to quadruple my Munro tally in a single trip. I managed to get myself a pair of gaiters from Tesco for £7, thus perpetuating the myth that hill-walking can be done relatively cheaply. It also looks like my son might be going on a trip to climb Lochnagar in several weeks, and that adult helpers are required. I think I'm the ideal adult helper for that journey, yes indeed!

Into the Abyss!

Our present Labour goverment must think themselves untouchable, beyond reproach, for at the moment they're so flying in the face of public opinion that it's almost obscene. What's more they seem to shamelessly revel in the fact! It has been revealed that Chancellor Alistair Darling's plans to hike Road Taxes are way more far-reaching than first thought, they're going to hit the public hard. It has also to be considered that the recent fuel crisis has made both the government and the oil companies an absolute fortune.

My biggest concern, and a very valid one it is too, as all of this ties together, is that hauliers are going bust daily because of the fuel prices. This has a knock-on effect, firstly, surviving haulage firms will increase their charges, and secondly the cost of the goods being transported will increase to make up for the increased transport costs. This is already evident in the soaring food prices, which to be fair are also rising anyway, because of global shortages. Expect the cost of food and all other goods to keep going up for the unforseeable future.

To get back to my main point, the government is doing nothing to get us out of the economic crisis we're spinning headlong into, despite Gordon Brown's "The economy is my main concern right now". The economy was always his concern, and look what he's done to it. I for one am very discontent and I imagine the peasantry at large are discontent too. How much of a shambles do we have to put up with before changes are made at the top. Get those fools out of there now before they ruin us all!

Oil Be Seeing You!

I've been busy working on my car tonight, had to change the oil filter and oil as well obviously. I also had my doubts about the wheel alignment, which proved to be correct upon closer inspection. There seems to be a leak near the door in the drivers footwell too, although it's not immediately apparent where that's coming from. Of course, I'm far too busy to be mucking around with cars right now, but since I'm planning a little trip away this May-day weekend I thought I'd see to the essentials. Anyway, that's all for now!

Nothing But Hot Air!

That's me back in school for a 5 week stint, although I suspect I sounded like a comedian saying that! Perhaps the comparison isn't that inaccurate, much of the job nowadays is to entertain. It's not like when I were a lad! Anyway, the education sytem is once again about to be shaken up, and I'll be caught up in the changeover to whatever new course they bring into replace the Standard Grade and Intermediate courses. The government spokesperson for education was talkling it up last week, all the bright new ideas they have, then when asked what would be replacing the existing courses, she admitted to having no idea. It's all hot air! At the end of the day, they'll have to pay a bunch of experienced teachers to write the new courses, but in such a way that all the daft government ideas are addressed.

It's true that most existing courses need a real shake up anyway, to make them nmore appealing, but what's proposed isn't intended to make them more appealing, only to place more emphasis on achievement rather than attainment. The Curriculum for Excellence for intsance suggests that students might have talents which are not assessable within a school context, and therefore, that although they might not be successful in an educational sense, their out of school success should be recognised within the school system. In other word, let's breed more Richard Branson type figures.

This is probably a welcome time of the year for most teachers, with exams coming up. A chance to take stock and evaluate how the year has gone, and to start planning for next session. Next session I'll be teaching full-time, so I'd probably better pay attention!

The Prodigal Son Returns!

Not taking any chances with this fuel crisis, and not heading down to Glenshee as I had wanted to, we instead returned to my old childhood stomping ground, and the coastal path between the villages of Findochty and Portknockie. The above picture shows 2 large free-standing rock pillars, which are almost surrounded by water at high tide. We called them the Mammy and Daddy rocks, and I climbed up both of them many times as a kid.

The approach to the village of Portknockie.

Portknockie harbour.

On the return leg we saw the Air-sea rescue guys practising their winching at the top of the cliffs.

Here's one of them being lowered down, ideal weather condition, hardly a breath of wind. It's not going to be like that in a real situation is it?

Heading back the way, looking at the East of Findochty and the Sandy Craig beach.

The Sandy Craig beach closer up

The Pumps Are Dry!

Looks like it's going to be a nice day tomorrow, but I can't go anywhere. It's going to be the first day of the 3 day strike at Grangemouth refinery. I "have" to be able to travel every day next week, so need to conserve every millilitre of petrol that I can. I had fancied driving down to Glenshee and bagging 3 easy Munros there, but I daren't risk not being able to acquire more petrol.

A tidbit of additional info came to my attention today, from an unlikely souce, but never mind. It seems that the bosses at Grangemouth refinery were planning a shut-down for maintenance and repair work anyhow. So now they can carry it out without having to pay their massive workforce for standing idle. Handy huh? What's more, the workers there have a truly legitimate reason for going on strike, their boses have plundered their pension fund. That's happened so often in this country, that if you ask me, they should be handing out lengthy jail sentences to the executives behind it. They won't though, because the government have done it too.

I'm going out for a little drink toinight. First time in I don't know how long. I don't plan on getting too drunk though, I'll save that for the end of my Univeristy course, when we're all going to go out in Aberdeen and paint the town red, just like the Dandy Dons! If the state I was in after finishing my degree is anything to go by, then look out Aberdeen!

Drowning In Debt!

I'm back into school on Monday. Unfortunately, I have to travel to get there, and this non-existent petrol crisis could cause problems. Interestingly, the local filling stations have decided that this sudden demand for fuel necessitates a steep rise in cost. After all, if people want it that badly, then they will surely be prepared to pay a little extra. The way things are going I wonder how long Brown can hold on to power. The fuel crisis is just the tip of a dangerously huge iceberg, food prices are also soaring, utilities have been going through the roof, and they've just targeted Road Tax on the most popular makes of car. It all adds up to a looming depression, I can't see it going any other way.

If I were to be cynical, I would suggest to you that the present Labour government want the economy to crash. Why? Well, if you recall, Brown has already ratified the re-drafted Euro-constitution that Blair signed us up to without giving us our promised referendum, the promise of which returned Labour to office. One of the key elements of that document, is that the UK adopt the Euro. Of course, that would have been ridiculous while the pound was the superior currency, but the gap is truly narrowing now, and watch what happens when the Euro becomes the more valued currency. Brown will have us jingling Euro's in no time, and how could we protest? Why would we protest?

If I were a Labour MP, I'd be looking to move for a vote of no confidence in Brown. After all he was the Chancellor responsible for the UK economy before becoming PM, and some would say he's still pulling the strings. He recently stated that the economy was his biggest concern, so he's almost certainly making Alistair Darling dance like his little puppet Chancellor, that's for certain. One way or another, the global economy aside, Brown is entirely resposible for this pickle that we're all in right now. There's no obvious way out, and even though Blair led us into Iraq, opened the door to millions of immigrants and thus welcomed a new wave of terrorism to our shores, those things never made the man in the street furious. Pushing the working class back into Victorian levels of financial suffering, let's see what effect that has on Joe public?

Bitten By the Bug!

Proving that any sport no matter how exclusive, can be graced on a shoe-string budget, I picked myself up a nice looking rucksack from Lidl's yesterday. I've already acquired trekking poles from there several weeks ago, which have since been essential in reaching the tops of several hills. I also bagged a Craghoppers jacket and fleece from TK Maxx, at very reasonable prices. The only things that's actually cost me a bit, were my boots, which I bought from Millet's, and even then they were reduced. The fact is that I probably got all of the gear for about one tenth of what people normally pay.

I've been asked several times already, why we've suddenly taken up hill-walking, as though it's some sort of medieval contagion. There are several reasons, but the main one originated in my reasoning that if I'm going to be a teacher (which I am), then I should spend more time out-doors when I get the chance. Climbing hills seemed like a good incentive, it's challenging, there's a goal (the summit), and I would get to see parts of the country I haven't been before.

The fact is that once we started we did sort of get bitten by the bug fairly quickly. There is a sense of achievement, which I'm sure can be had in most sports, and yes, sports do tend to be expensive. Fortunately for me, I don't care too much about brand names, and elitism, so I can quite happily show my face on any hillside, minus the Berghaus clothing, and still claim it as my own. Anyone who thinks people shouldn't be there unless they have the best of gear, deserves to be rolled off of the hill. Not everyone has cash to burn, but everyone is entitled to participate, It's called inclusion, here endeth today's lesson!

While the Sun Shines!

Managed to squeeze in another jaunt up the Bin of Cullen today. Got to make the best of it before I'm back in school. That starts next week, and there won't be much in the way of spare time then! The first photo is the view towards Buckie.

The village of Findochty is hiding in here someplace!

This is the picturesque village of Cullen, with it's magnificent railway viaduct, probably the greatest architectural feat in the area. It's not a big place, but it has history!