The Digs
I’m laying up in Edinburgh, getting adjusted to the time change from US Pacific Time Zone to GMT, before the party starts. So far, so good. 9:42 am GMT at this point. Shave, shower and so forth accomplished and I’m ready to head out and be the miserable SOB you all know that I am.
Last night the Edinburgh Military Tattoo was held under a CLOUDLESS SKY. Thus the command presence is revealed. As an editorial note, the Tattoo would have gone off even in the rain, and because it rains every day when I’m not here, I guess that it’s par for the course. When I lived in this part of the world it rained on me constantly, but I was younger then. Now, I have the weather cooperating (for the moment). 
The flat where I’m acclimating is toward the Firth from the Caledonian Hotel (west) end of Princess St, off Queen’s Ferry (for you old Scotland hands). I can’t see the castle from the flat, but I can if I walk out the door, down the street and turn a corner. You’ll note that there were clouds over the castle when I took the photo. ‘nobody’s perfect’…
Edinburgh Castle
The Tattoo (stock footage – too dark to take a photo with my cell phone)

So I’m sitting here, drinking my Irn Bru, and checking in with all of you. (I think that I’m becoming a poet)

And speaking of poetry and art philosophy, I did stop into a local pub and say that drinks were on the house thanks to Jules Smith (prominent art philosopher). That and a hundred quid (pub was almost empty) did the trick! It works. Whenever you’re in the UK, give it a go yourself.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

19 COMMENTS

  1. I could get addicted to Irn Bru, but unfortunately it is not available in these parts. I can send off for it, but it is a tad too expensive to do that on a regular basis… especially if I am addicted to it. Enjoy your trip, one I plan on taking one day.

  2. Hahahaha! You've been having too much of that Irn-Bru, smart arse! I wondered why the weather was so hot down here (much more south) and the clouds were scurrying away like frightened sheep. I'll allow you to stay if this continues. Scotland is very beautiful and I confess to liking Edinburgh a lot ( please don't tell the Scots I said that) But I can bet my next hundred quid that you'll see rain if you stay North of the wall!

  9. I'm not saying that the rain fears me – and I do carry my 'braillie' with me when I go out – but when I emerged from the Royal Regiment of Scotland officer's mess the clouds did seem to part and required that I put on sunglasses.

  10. Have you been touched by Robert Burns? As poetic as that sounds, and it's really quite beautiful, I think a short burst of ferocity might be just what you need. 😉

  11. If you think you are a first rate miserable SOB, try choking down some of Aunt Sally's pigs in a blanket – for breakfast. Just got back from her place, had my stomach pumped, I'm feeling much better now.

  13. Aunt Sally would be a first class chef in Scotland and that's no joke. When you chip a tooth on the hot dog (the pig) in the blanket of mushy dough, you know that you've arrived, and have earned your manhood.

    Dental care in the UK (nationalized medicine) is sometimes said to be less than perfect. I attribute it to Aunt Sally's clones.

  15. General comments on haggis – because when it's piped in to your table and you're there wearing mess dress with old squadies and new friends, you are required to eat it before they will serve your roast beef and Yorkshire pudding…

    (a) It tastes only slightly better if you've been drinking single malt in the drawing room prior and your mouth is going numb.

    (b) Fredd's Aunt Sallie must be making the haggis. There's no other explanation.

    (c) Her Majesty's Officers will try and convince you that eating haggis makes your pecker hard enough to cut glass, but they lie. (I hate to use the word "flaccid")

    (d) Get through it with a smile on your face without tossing both the haggis and the single malt and get on to the roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes and the trifle for desert.

    you may save or re-print this simple guide.

    bon appetite!

  16. Saw a strapping young fellow crossing the street yesterday in a plaid kilt, here in cow town. Made me laughed to think of you there and him here.
    Enjoy the journey, if not the haggis!

Comments are closed.