Uncategorized

Celebrating the astonishing Weeley Festival, which took place 52 years ago… The poster for 1971’s Weeley Festival, held at Mersea Island, by Clacton-on-Sea in Essex over the weekend 27-29 August, seems like a faked-up replica. I mean, The Faces, T Rex, Status Quo, Rory Gallagher and literally dozens of other top acts, all in one…

Plus this week’s brand new Beatcrofting radio show, with dog intervention Another promethazine voyage We arrived back in Shetland on Saturday, discombobulated and deranged as usual by the (12-hour) boat trip. Three days’ recovery is usually necessary at my advanced age. We had a cabin and the sea was relatively smooth, or at least we…

Which may be unavoidable, but is not medically recommended Lansoprazol! If you plan to drink alcohol Your stomach wall Deserves a little rest Clopidogrel! Should you feel you want to raise some hell Can make you feel a bit unwell Don’t put it to the test You have been saved From heading to an early…

Back in my childhood home of Troon, I at last venture back onto the golf course…plus Black Label in the former Walker household, and this week’s Beatcrofting show, playlist and stream. In 1962 we arrived in Troon from Pollokshaws, mum and dad seeking a place to bring up three children that wasn’t in the midst…

Including this week’s Bear-infested Beatcrofting. And goodbye to Robbie. The Tall Ships have come to Lerwick and gone, leaving many happy memories of friendships made, the astonishing range and depth of Shetland’s musical, crafting and artistic talent revealed, wonderful food and drink consumed… …and Covid contracted.  Maybe we’ll never hear about how the 37 ships’…

A busy Tall Ships week, a playlist tinged with sadness… and demands for more grins It’s been a very busy week, working with the team webcasting the Tall Ships Races’ four-day stay in Lerwick. Complicated by the lack of vehicular transport, due to a drastic  power steering failure on the truck and an infuriating hydraulics…

Cars, boats, coffee, golf, music and more boats This week: Car problems Caffeine starvation The horrid moneyed elitism of tournament golf Full blow-by-blow account of my tortured night aboard ship from Aberdeen to Lerwick (unedited version of the Shetland Times column) News of the Tall Ships Race coverage Playlist and Mixcloud link for the Beatcrofting…

Troon, Banksy, a song about banjos, A bargain lunch and the Beatcrofting show as usual It’s my last day in Troon on a visit constrained by travel and locum issues. Susan has had to go back home early to sort out medical cover for her GP practice, and we had limited time in That Scotland…

Eating your way through loss Bereavement removes appetite, and yet provokes condolences in the form of gifted food. Friends and neighbours murmur their sorrow, and bring soup, bannocks, stews. Nothing frivolous, sustaining fuel for the empty days and often nights. Oatcakes. Flapjacks. Everyone needs something sweet. Rhubarb and custard pie, as made by Sue Lawrence…

…and the latest Beatcrofting music show on Mixcloud In 1969, Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, a Swiss psychiatrist, published her book On Death and Dying, which introduced the concept of The Five Stages of Grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. There has since been a lot of debate over the accuracy and limitations of her diagnosis.…