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Four days this week have been spent cutting grass. This picture was taken 24 hours after I mowed this truly horrible, industrial strength, sheep-feeding hill grass. It’s not a lawn, it’s a field…

The weather at Belladrum was a classically Highland mixture of sunshine and downpour; fortunately the dry spells co-incided with most of the performances. The Malt and Barley Revue at the excellent and extremely well-run Co-op Verb Garden Tent, went down well and attracted a fair crowd of round about 100. Considering the competition included The…

In time to see Justin Currie.

…as far as Aberdeen beach, anyway. A beautiful day here in Castle Greyskull, and a fine crossing from Shetland. Unfortunately, ever since the legendary bus station cafe (which used to open at 6.00am) shut, there’s nowhere to go in the city at de-boating time. Except the beach, where I planned to make a cup of…

After a very short and hectic stay at home (cut the ludicrously fast-sprouting grass, but it already needs done again) it’s off on the boat tonight, heading for the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival. I’m performing the Malt and Barley Revue at 9.15pm on Saturday in the Co-op Verb Garden Tent, if you happen to be…

Heading home to Shetland on tonight’s boat for less than a week, before having to go south again for the Belladrum festival. It’s a dreich old day in Castle Greyskull, but yesterday and the day before were nice…and on a hot day, Aberdeen’s beachfront really comes into its own. Down to the King’s Links for…

The Church of Scotland must be spinning in its grave…flogging off a kirk as a bar is one thing, surely, but as a casino called ‘Soul’?

Neil (nephew on Susan’s side) and Liz, were married in the fantastic St Peter’s Priory Church in Dunstable, scene of Thomas Cranmer’s cowboy court back in the day to railroad through Henry VIII’s first divorce. The divorce papers for Catherine of Aragon were apparently nailed to the door, just like Luther’s Wittenberg pronouncements. This is…

I am banned by the friends with whom we were holidaying from saying exactly WHERE we were in Spain but it was VERY NICE! And on the Costa Brava. Hot, though. Ryanair, however, were horrible to us. Something has got to be done about the excess baggage nonsense: “You can pay £15 per excess kilo…

Six hours down the motorway, plus an hour’s break, and we were at Susan’s sister’s house in Dunstable. I hired a gigantic Vauxhall Vectra SRI estate, which was big enough for all the wedding paraphernalia (Susan’s nephew Neil is marrying Liz on Saturday)but felt, and I never thought I’d say this, slow and flimsy compared…