Musings from the Merse
Friday, August 31, 2007
It is not often (in my experience anyhow) that one sees a fellow golfer on his knees. Mind you it is St Andrews, The Royal and Ancient (PBUI) and so the direction of this Mecca is dead on. Is he praying that the golfer in front will miss the putt?(all of 40 yards so he may well do so without Divine Intervention) More likely he is thinking :get a bloody move on-my G and T is getting warm in the Club House-Putt or get off the Pott -or
mutterings to that effect. Huttonian is grateful to the youngest daughter's attendant for this souvenir image of an amazing golfing experience:
Usual Caveats Apply: any resemblance to a person living or nearly dead etc...
mutterings to that effect. Huttonian is grateful to the youngest daughter's attendant for this souvenir image of an amazing golfing experience:
Usual Caveats Apply: any resemblance to a person living or nearly dead etc...
Labels: St Andrews
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
If you wanted one image to sum up a St Andrews Beach holiday, in mid August-this is probably it. Actually this is Kingsbarn beach just 8 miles from the Old Grey Toon. THe rain started in earnest at 1130 am and even the lady in question with great reluctance decided to pack it in. 'Mind my words' she said 'It will be bone dry in St Andrews'. She was quite right
Labels: Beach, Caravanners, St Andrews
Monday, August 13, 2007
Descent to Dementia
Three Lodges/chalets-three families. The daughters and offspring next door to each other; the crumbly chalet 300 yards away.Evening meal for all in one chalet, otherwise each chalet is self sufficient. Expedition to neighbouring Craigtoun Country Park. Senior granny stays behind on planet saving work. Senior grandfather decides to go with the youngsters to sample delights of CCP-especially mi nature railway. First helps S.Granny with shopping from Family Chalet (Four) to Crumbly Chalet (15)Goes to CCP. Finds he has left camera behind. Goes back to Family Chalet (Three) to get jacket for junior daughter. Key sticks in lock and takes hin 10 minutes to get in. Finds jacket-locks door. Phone rings. Junior daughter wants senior granddaughter's rain jacket as rain is starting at CCP. Reopens door; easier this time-only 8 minutes.Finds jacket. Relocks door. Turns off phone Gets into Family Chalet (four) Camera not there.
Walks to Crumbly Chalet (15):camera still missing. Storms back to car outside Family Chalet(Three) Finds camera on driver's seat (Must have been sitting on it) Sets off for CCP. This involves turning car to avoid going wrong way around complicated one way system. Reversing hits notice indicating no entry into one way system; forced to drive across grass to enter right bit of one way system. Sweep past reception en route to gate. Stopped by employee who asks about damage to car (CC TV?) Inspect damage: not apparent. Employee says notice is twisted (good!) and advises that if I drive car across grass after rain it will sink without trace. I advise Employee about deficiencies of one way system. No meeting of minds. Drive to CCP. Hand over jackets No sign of rain.
Take out camera for some fun shots of CCP.
Batteries flat. Telephone wife to seek sympathy. Find I have
her mobile.
Three Lodges/chalets-three families. The daughters and offspring next door to each other; the crumbly chalet 300 yards away.Evening meal for all in one chalet, otherwise each chalet is self sufficient. Expedition to neighbouring Craigtoun Country Park. Senior granny stays behind on planet saving work. Senior grandfather decides to go with the youngsters to sample delights of CCP-especially mi nature railway. First helps S.Granny with shopping from Family Chalet (Four) to Crumbly Chalet (15)Goes to CCP. Finds he has left camera behind. Goes back to Family Chalet (Three) to get jacket for junior daughter. Key sticks in lock and takes hin 10 minutes to get in. Finds jacket-locks door. Phone rings. Junior daughter wants senior granddaughter's rain jacket as rain is starting at CCP. Reopens door; easier this time-only 8 minutes.Finds jacket. Relocks door. Turns off phone Gets into Family Chalet (four) Camera not there.
Walks to Crumbly Chalet (15):camera still missing. Storms back to car outside Family Chalet(Three) Finds camera on driver's seat (Must have been sitting on it) Sets off for CCP. This involves turning car to avoid going wrong way around complicated one way system. Reversing hits notice indicating no entry into one way system; forced to drive across grass to enter right bit of one way system. Sweep past reception en route to gate. Stopped by employee who asks about damage to car (CC TV?) Inspect damage: not apparent. Employee says notice is twisted (good!) and advises that if I drive car across grass after rain it will sink without trace. I advise Employee about deficiencies of one way system. No meeting of minds. Drive to CCP. Hand over jackets No sign of rain.
Take out camera for some fun shots of CCP.
Batteries flat. Telephone wife to seek sympathy. Find I have
her mobile.
Labels: Craigtoun, dementia, St Andrews
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Caravans to the left of us, caravans to the right of us-we lodge inmates are a very endangered minority and judging from the bright red Ferrari at the lodge next to ours from a different stratum of car owner. I don't know how many caravans that there are here but three hundred is a reasonable guess.
But-not spotted a tattoo or a faux gold chain nor even bulging buttocks. These are not the Morrison lot. Slim,well dressed and into eye contact and a friendly 'surprisingly nice isn't it.'
Surprising is right. It hissed down all night but cleared for the beach this morning.
Good start
Oh yes we went to Sir Morrisons to stock up on the booze, fags, Coke and chips as good caravaners should. Even swaggered down the aisles barging into other trolleys and swearing sotte voce.People looked very surprised-not how the knights of the road behave in these parts. So left tail between legs forgetting in our haste the fags, the Coke and the chips.But not the
booze. Not that disconcerted, really.
Labels: Caravanners, Sir Morrison's, St Andrews
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Blogless in Gaza
No on line facilities at Craigtoun Meadows Holiday Park-so be patient for a week or so. Forecast poor. Children fractious. But plenty of lively company-54 touring caravans. N=? stationary wheel less. One launderette for the happy campers. One tennis court to squabble over. Could be fun.
And you can bet your last Scottish Pound note that all 54 touring caravans will be just ahead of us on the A91.
No on line facilities at Craigtoun Meadows Holiday Park-so be patient for a week or so. Forecast poor. Children fractious. But plenty of lively company-54 touring caravans. N=? stationary wheel less. One launderette for the happy campers. One tennis court to squabble over. Could be fun.
And you can bet your last Scottish Pound note that all 54 touring caravans will be just ahead of us on the A91.
Labels: Caravanners, Craigtoun, St Andrews
Friday, August 10, 2007
Amongst the Caravans
Believe it or not Huttonian is joining the caravan set-almost-for the annual family holiday-this year in St Andrews. First choice of accommodation having fallen through we are taking three 'lodges' in what is basically a caravan park two and a half miles from the centre of the Old Grey Toon. Hopefully the on site shop will have stick on your self tattoos so as we can pass muster amongst the creme of Scottish Knights of the Road.
The website( http://www.craigtounmeadows.co.uk/ ) is most impressive with moving panoramic images of all parts of the park including the interiors of the static caravans and the lodges. Great news is that Sir Morrisons is just down the road within large trolley range. No doubt I will meet again the Lady of the Road I accosted in Sir M's only yesterday as she barged past me in a mad rush for the checkout with one trolley crammed full with the Super-Giant-Caravan Family Size Crisps-144 packets in one lovely plastic setting (called by the cognescenti :The Gross) and with a spare trolley equally filled with individual-two bites size-crisp packets for that Little extra during the Ads. She beat me to the checkout quite comfortably but found it was hand baskets only and turned away with an unladylike curse to crush more toes, crack more ribs in her search for the right departure gate. I later noticed her leaving, St Andrews bound, in a huge mobile home which had taken up 8 places in the parking area_four 'Mothers and Children' and four 'Disabled'slots. Sadly as we will be lodging rather than caravanning we will not be licensed to behave in a similar fashion.
I suspect that blogging may be difficult-but be patient-the saved up blog will make James Mitchenors famous epic Caravans seem positively, er,
Pedestrian
Believe it or not Huttonian is joining the caravan set-almost-for the annual family holiday-this year in St Andrews. First choice of accommodation having fallen through we are taking three 'lodges' in what is basically a caravan park two and a half miles from the centre of the Old Grey Toon. Hopefully the on site shop will have stick on your self tattoos so as we can pass muster amongst the creme of Scottish Knights of the Road.
The website( http://www.craigtounmeadows.co.uk/ ) is most impressive with moving panoramic images of all parts of the park including the interiors of the static caravans and the lodges. Great news is that Sir Morrisons is just down the road within large trolley range. No doubt I will meet again the Lady of the Road I accosted in Sir M's only yesterday as she barged past me in a mad rush for the checkout with one trolley crammed full with the Super-Giant-Caravan Family Size Crisps-144 packets in one lovely plastic setting (called by the cognescenti :The Gross) and with a spare trolley equally filled with individual-two bites size-crisp packets for that Little extra during the Ads. She beat me to the checkout quite comfortably but found it was hand baskets only and turned away with an unladylike curse to crush more toes, crack more ribs in her search for the right departure gate. I later noticed her leaving, St Andrews bound, in a huge mobile home which had taken up 8 places in the parking area_four 'Mothers and Children' and four 'Disabled'slots. Sadly as we will be lodging rather than caravanning we will not be licensed to behave in a similar fashion.
I suspect that blogging may be difficult-but be patient-the saved up blog will make James Mitchenors famous epic Caravans seem positively, er,
Pedestrian
Labels: Caravanners, Sir Morrison's, St Andrews
