Putting Their Foot In It

    In the past when politicians put their foot in it, either deliberately,or naively, the reporting media would turn a blind-eye if they favoured the individual.

    The video recording would have been erased at the appropriate point, the journalists would have rubbed the words from the page of their notebook's, the offensive words of the person would have never reached the eyes and ears of the public.

    However, now in the times of live broadcasting, mobile downloads, social media tools and instant messaging applications there is no place to run and no place to hide for the powers at be.

    Especially in the US and the UK where at present there are candidates jockeying for the position of the top job, right now.

   But, pausing for a moment before we Tweet, or post is something we all should do, if we care about others, because pigeon post is long gone.

    Writing a book is a little different though, authors do have the time to consider their words, grammar and punctuation. It's a necessity because sooner, or later when we are published, our words will be their for all to see just the same.

Time for editing I think!
 

   

 

Murray Mania!

The Allan Water

    Our country needs some good news and as a nation we're pinning our hopes on Andy Murray winning Wimbledon for us.

Dunblane Cathedral (Murray was married here)

    He's through to the semi-finals on July 8th and while I can't post any pictures of Murray himself, I do have some pictures of his home town of Dunblane to share with you.

Dunblane High Street

When Reality Resembles a Fictional Plot

   

    Many of us have settled down in front of the TV to watch the latest box-set.  A popular one here is of the BBC's drama, House of Cards, one which the viewer can immerse themselves in a political world, of intrigue and corruption.

    Until Brexit just over a week ago, I could never have believed that the political arena in the UK could resemble in the slightly, the exaggerated world portrayed in the series.

    But now, we have journalists asking politicians if they see themselves as characters within the drama and politicians using the mini-series in their warning statements to their peers.

    No author, or script-writer knows the ending to the scenes that are being played-out in public at present. Let's hope against hope that sooner rather than later, all the players will get their act together and make sure this whole messy scenario closes with if not a happy ending, a satisfactory one.

A Sanguineous Destiny

    The whistles blew, the piper played a Scottish lament and the crowd stood in silence as they awaited 7.30am, zero hour. Today, July 1 2016, throughout the UK and France, we commemorate the Battle of the Somme.

    The battle that lasted one hundred and forty-one days, came at a price; one million men becoming casualties of this horrific trench war. In excess of twenty-five thousand being killed on the first day.

   
    Young men from the age of fifteen-years upwards marched into a sanguineous destiny. The live's of whole families changed, as they heard the news that they would never see their fathers, brothers and uncles again. The young soldiers hopes and aspirations disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Approximately twenty-two thousand men lie in unmarked graves in France and for many years their sacrifice and that of the others was forgotten. However, one hundred-years on, we now recognise what every man did for us and today we can all say thanks.

In my Heart of Hearts

    I lost a good friend at the weekend a good man who will be missed. But, his memory will never die.

The last time I said goodbye to you

In my heart of hearts I knew

We would never meet again
At last, you no longer endure any pain
Your suffering has come to an end
God bless, my good friend

War of Words

King Robert the Bruce

    King Robert the Bruce, led his men into battle in the First War of Independence against King Edward's, English army at Bannockburn, Scotland on the 23 June 1314.

    Who would have thought that seven and two years on, another war of independence would be fought within the UK.

    The war that has taken place over the last few months has been at times a nasty war of words. With the government  led by Prime Minister, David Cameron split down the middle as to whether the UK should remain, or exit the European Union.

     Thankfully, we didn't take to the battlefield, democracy allowed the people of the country to decide the outcome by allowing a referendum and the Brexit vote, as it was named took place yesterday,

Site of the Battle of Bannockburn

    The population and government woke up this morning to the shock news that our country voted to leave the union and the news that David Cameron has resigned. No blows exchanged, but lots of battered egos for sure.

    I have no idea if this is good news, or bad for the UK. However, there are uncertain times for us all to face.

Chink in the Armour

 

Sir John de Graeme's tomb

    Sir William Wallace is a name which is known throughout the world and someone I have written about previously.

    But, great warriors such as Wallace are only as good as the men and women who are willing to follow their command, therefore it is important that they also protect their own well-being by having a valuable assistant and confidant.

The Wallace Monument, Abbey Craig

    Wallace was no different and in a church-yard very close by to my home lies the body of, Sir John de Graeme, his right-hand man.

Stirling Bridge

    Graeme fought alongside Wallace in Scotland's battles of independence, most famously the Battle of Stirling Bridge, where the Scots defeated King Edward's army in 1297.

    However, one year on, July 22 1298, Sir John met his demise at the Battle of Falkirk. It is said that due to ill-fitting armour a sword penetrated through a small chink and not only did Wallace lose the battle he lost his close colleague.

    Sir William Wallace, saddened by his friend and fellow warrior's death took Graeme's body into his arms and carried it to its final resting place, the church-yard where it still lies entombed today.

    The following words carved on the stone seemed especially poignant as the bells were ringing out when I took the photograph and also reminded me that there are still constant battles being fought for our freedom.

'Her lyse Sir John the Graeme, baithwight and wise.

Ane of the chief who rescewit Scotland thryse.

Ane better knight no to the world was lent,

Nor was gude Graeme of truth and hardiment.'