Oh man! Saturday was manic.
After the usual two hour slot at PEP it was off to hire a kilt with my younger son for the wedding which will take place on Monday 17th November. He is six feet three inches and is not keen on his national dress since he feels his legs are too thin. It took a bit of persuading, I can tell you. In the end he went for a plain black kilt and, in fact, looks good. I think he believes me. Then off to OT to buy trainers (black kilt, trainers and T-shirt: I am saying nothing: compared to the rest it is conventional) then to buy the 14 years old granddaughter a mobile for her birthday. That was a torture trial...
In the evening Brian Fallon celebrated his 60th birthday at the CCLASP charity ball at the Prestonfield House Hotel. Black tie and utterly splendid surroundings as well as great food, drink and company - the event went with a swing. Lots of people I know well there too so plenty gossip, chat and laughter: it was a great night, then away sharpish to collect granddaughter who was at her dad's engagement party (which I couldn't go to because of above) and who was getting bored (so she said) with the adult company. Half one before we got to bed and up again early to go to Church.
Granton Parish is the only local church with a memorial headstone and there was a good turn out for the short memorial service then the two minutes silence and laying of wreaths later inside. Norman Smith, the local minister gave a thoughtful and well researched homily on assuming responsibility and remembering our way of life is bought and won on those who have sacrificed their life in battle.
Then finally, before settling down to watch the Hearts, off to JohnLewis to look for an outfit for this wedding. Mike found it (mega surprise, usually he gets it completely wrong) so now the search is on for a hat...
Sunday, 11 November 2007
Friday, 9 November 2007
Governing is a lot harder than it looks
So there won't be an imposed limit of 18 children in primary 1-3...the SNP in full retreat. At a recent school council meeting the headteacher speculated that such a reduction in the early years would simply lead to a reduction in per capita budgets for schools meaning a reduction in the economy of scale which bigger schools enjoy. Personally, I don't agree that reducing class sizes beyond about 27 makes a blind bit of difference. What does make the difference is the quality of teaching, the appropriateness of the curriculum, exra support for those who need it and the teachers' expectations of the child - above all that, though, is the encouragement the child gets from its parents. I'm afraid there is no substitute for consistency in the message. And no matter how good a teacher/school is and no matter how much they inspire, it takes a pretty exceptional child to overcome parental indifference. Never mind, I shall enjoy watching the Nats dance on the point of a thousand needles as they try to wriggle off a thousand hooks..as they explain why they're not hiring 1000 s of extra teachers: heh, heh...governing is a lot harder than it looks.
I know I'm supposed to say 'Well done, Glasgow' ...maybe it's sour grapes ...but the way I see it, the Commonwealth Games means hundreds of millions of extra pounds being invested in Glasgow's regeneration above and beyond the extra millions already being ploughed in: Glasgow gave the game away when they led the charge to co-operate in freezing the council tax - freezing the council tax isn't hard for them - they haven't raised their local taxes for a couple of years because they get so much in extra funds for housing, for regeneration, to address health inequalities etc.
Meanwhile I represent a ward with some of the country's poorest, sickest people and in Granton we can't get a penny for new housing or new health facilities or new schools. It has taken me the best part of 5 years to get 1 primary school refurbished and a new family centre promised [still not a single brick laid despite originally intended to be completed by now] to replace a community centre that is crumbling despite all the good work going on in it.
Last week we were shown statistics demonstrating, for example, that the number of people being admitted to hospital from the EH5 1 data zone for self harming (attempting suicide) is 162% above the national average. Poor people in Granton are just as desperate as poor people in Glasgow.
I don't grudge Glasgow any investment they get: I just want my constituents to be treated the same. I, like them, am tired of waiting for the rest of the world to catch up with what we all know down here in EH5 1 - things are bad and not getting any better. The area needs the physical evidence of improvement - new houses, new schools, new environment to encourage people to believe a different way is possible. At the moment, none look very likely.
I know other areas have problems but my job is to push for my ward - I defy anybody to argue with Granton's need: then I defy anybody to ignore it.
I know I'm supposed to say 'Well done, Glasgow' ...maybe it's sour grapes ...but the way I see it, the Commonwealth Games means hundreds of millions of extra pounds being invested in Glasgow's regeneration above and beyond the extra millions already being ploughed in: Glasgow gave the game away when they led the charge to co-operate in freezing the council tax - freezing the council tax isn't hard for them - they haven't raised their local taxes for a couple of years because they get so much in extra funds for housing, for regeneration, to address health inequalities etc.
Meanwhile I represent a ward with some of the country's poorest, sickest people and in Granton we can't get a penny for new housing or new health facilities or new schools. It has taken me the best part of 5 years to get 1 primary school refurbished and a new family centre promised [still not a single brick laid despite originally intended to be completed by now] to replace a community centre that is crumbling despite all the good work going on in it.
Last week we were shown statistics demonstrating, for example, that the number of people being admitted to hospital from the EH5 1 data zone for self harming (attempting suicide) is 162% above the national average. Poor people in Granton are just as desperate as poor people in Glasgow.
I don't grudge Glasgow any investment they get: I just want my constituents to be treated the same. I, like them, am tired of waiting for the rest of the world to catch up with what we all know down here in EH5 1 - things are bad and not getting any better. The area needs the physical evidence of improvement - new houses, new schools, new environment to encourage people to believe a different way is possible. At the moment, none look very likely.
I know other areas have problems but my job is to push for my ward - I defy anybody to argue with Granton's need: then I defy anybody to ignore it.
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
Problems
It has been one helluva day: started at 7.45am at PEP with one problem piling on top of another; then on to the City Chambers to meet the new Head of Children & Families...more problems; back to PEP...more problems; on to my surgery...awful problems; Trinity PS school council...not so many problems; interrupted by a phone call so back to PEP...more bloody problems; then opened up the day's emails - all 42 of them, and yes, you guessed it...more problems. It is now 9.45pm (a 14 hours day) and I know there's no chance of stopping for at least another hour. So all the interesting things I was gonna report will have to wait till tomorrow because a few of these problems can't.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Bingo
Apart from the news and history programme I don't watch much telly. My one weakness is Spooks. Half the time I have no idea what's going on but I like the characters (especially Adam and Ros) and the apparent insider knowledge that goes into the writing. Tonight's episode conflicts with Celtic v Benefica and Mike has removed to the conservatory to watch the end of the game...he is not a happy man, being shifted out his warm, comfy chair so I can watch BBC1.
Just back from the business meeting of the Neighbourhood Partnership...Cllr Morris did a pretty good job of getting through the agenda but what we actually achieved, I'm not sure...in fairness, I think she is as frustrated as anybody at how slow progress is...eventually though it will all slot into place and hey bingo.
And today I met Alvin who knows a thing or two about flood defences - he wants the council to spend £740,000 in the next couple of years to bolster the walls at Cramond and Portobello. Granton & Leith he'll leave for WEL and FPA to take care of...should be interesting.
Just back from the business meeting of the Neighbourhood Partnership...Cllr Morris did a pretty good job of getting through the agenda but what we actually achieved, I'm not sure...in fairness, I think she is as frustrated as anybody at how slow progress is...eventually though it will all slot into place and hey bingo.
And today I met Alvin who knows a thing or two about flood defences - he wants the council to spend £740,000 in the next couple of years to bolster the walls at Cramond and Portobello. Granton & Leith he'll leave for WEL and FPA to take care of...should be interesting.
Monday, 5 November 2007
Campagning journalism? Aye right!
I had to laugh.
Last week's Scotsman...trumpeting its success as Richard Lochhead (who he?) calls for a report on the health of Scotland's fish, animal and maritime plant stocks...all down to the Scotsman's 'Save our Seas' campaign.
A triumph for campaigning journalism? Aye right!
Or maybe just a friendly SNP candidate/deputy editor with the right ministerial contacts who sits down and connives at a wheeze that let's the once peerless national newspaper kid its readers that it's still setting the national(ist) agenda and let's a pretendy trendy 'environmental secretary' improve his 'green' (or is it 'blue) credentials to draw the eye away from all the non-environmentally friendly stuff they're really up to like scrapping tolls on the Forth Bridge.
Journos should always remember you can only fool all of the people some of the time...or am I just an old cynic?
Last week's Scotsman...trumpeting its success as Richard Lochhead (who he?) calls for a report on the health of Scotland's fish, animal and maritime plant stocks...all down to the Scotsman's 'Save our Seas' campaign.
A triumph for campaigning journalism? Aye right!
Or maybe just a friendly SNP candidate/deputy editor with the right ministerial contacts who sits down and connives at a wheeze that let's the once peerless national newspaper kid its readers that it's still setting the national(ist) agenda and let's a pretendy trendy 'environmental secretary' improve his 'green' (or is it 'blue) credentials to draw the eye away from all the non-environmentally friendly stuff they're really up to like scrapping tolls on the Forth Bridge.
Journos should always remember you can only fool all of the people some of the time...or am I just an old cynic?
Fireworks
Think this blog could become a countdown to an unexpected wedding if I'm not careful. I will spare you the minutiae but my children appear to make a speciality out of hasty weddings. In November 2002 my daughter who had been living with her 'partner' told us she was expecting their first child and now they wanted to get married...on 25 January 2003. She gave me three months to organise it - THE WORKS - venue for 130 guests, frock, bridesmaids, cake...you name it, she wanted it -'before the bump showed' - at the time it was frantic...how I pity my son's future mother-in law...there's no bump, no hurry...just a wedding in 3 weeks time...sweet things. I hope some day, some one will do that to them.
Fireworks tonight - Granton sounds like the sound track for Shock & Awe and my wee dog is terrified...quivering in the corner, unable to eat for fear. The vet recommended diazapam...which seems a bit extreme. Personally I love fireworks and wouldn't ban them but I can understand where the animal lovers are coming from.
And finally, good news today...I am officially discharged from the hospital...as cured of cancer as anyone can be...yes, more tests in a couple of years but free of the persistent anxiety drag that goes with the territory...so I think I'll away and set off that rocket and get ready to dance at a wedding I once thought I might never live to see.
Fireworks tonight - Granton sounds like the sound track for Shock & Awe and my wee dog is terrified...quivering in the corner, unable to eat for fear. The vet recommended diazapam...which seems a bit extreme. Personally I love fireworks and wouldn't ban them but I can understand where the animal lovers are coming from.
And finally, good news today...I am officially discharged from the hospital...as cured of cancer as anyone can be...yes, more tests in a couple of years but free of the persistent anxiety drag that goes with the territory...so I think I'll away and set off that rocket and get ready to dance at a wedding I once thought I might never live to see.
weekends and weddings
It's been a busy weekend: started off on Friday afternoon with a lunch time meeting with a colleague from New York then much later in the evening catching up with my sister and her family (who live in London) and who treated us to dinner at the new Loch Fyne restaurant at Newhaven...and very nice it was too and not nearly as pricey as I thought it might be.
Saturday was PEP in the morning then off to visit a new garden centre we discovered at Hopetoun just outside South Queensferry...spectacular walks are adorned with all the plants on sale, ornaments and various other bits and pieces...a lovely tearoom (again inexpensive and good quality) and well worth a visit.
Sunday was spent lifting tons of leaves from the garden and general tidying up and then while Mike was at Easter Road I cooked and cooked and cooked for all the people we had in the evening. My eldest son has announced he is getting married in a couple of weeks (very unexpectedly) and we are delighted for him and his espoused (nice word that one, though I like affianced too - anything is better than 'partner'!) but inevitably it means a gathering of the clans - on our side, Maginnis & Scammell, who between them can muster over 40 people (hence the very large Xmas prezzie list) - bang goes counting the pennies too - just gonna have to run up a mountain of debt - aaagh!
Saturday was PEP in the morning then off to visit a new garden centre we discovered at Hopetoun just outside South Queensferry...spectacular walks are adorned with all the plants on sale, ornaments and various other bits and pieces...a lovely tearoom (again inexpensive and good quality) and well worth a visit.
Sunday was spent lifting tons of leaves from the garden and general tidying up and then while Mike was at Easter Road I cooked and cooked and cooked for all the people we had in the evening. My eldest son has announced he is getting married in a couple of weeks (very unexpectedly) and we are delighted for him and his espoused (nice word that one, though I like affianced too - anything is better than 'partner'!) but inevitably it means a gathering of the clans - on our side, Maginnis & Scammell, who between them can muster over 40 people (hence the very large Xmas prezzie list) - bang goes counting the pennies too - just gonna have to run up a mountain of debt - aaagh!
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