Not Coldstream

Not the beach at Coldstream, but Portobello: 'Edinburgh's seaside'. 8.10am this morning. Nice.

Sandbag installation is preparation for Glasgow Fair holidaymakers.

Rain stops Play(ing)

In search of mendicantus bagpiperus this lunchtime. Clearly the rain keeps the roving pipers away. Will try again when rain stops - i.e. September.

Mendicantus Bagpiperus

Native caledonian, wild in origin but increasingly seen in urban and suburban settings.

Best seen: weekdays in city centres, weekends in hotel lobbies and banqueting suites. Thrives in tourist honeypots, laybyes, car parks, border posts, wedding receptions and corporate bashes.

Mates twice a season each January; 1st (Hogmanay) and 25th (Burns Night). Otherwise a loner. Tends to never leave the family nest, i.e. lives with mother.

Is approachable: mostly harmless.

Likes: cash.

Dislikes: stong winds and rain.

Is known to mate with sub-species: drummers, bass guitar players, singers. This is to be avoided.

Do say: How much for a photo?

Don't say: Hello, I'm from the Inland Revenue. (Also good advice when approaching farmers).

Mendicant musicians

Our great friend Huttonian (http://www.huttonian.blogspot.com/) makes frequent mention of Mendicant* Piper and his prodigous volume in the regions of Princes Street, Edinburgh. No photos yet, but we are working on it.

For those of you without the benefit of a classical education definitions are provided below.

Just to show that nowhere is immune from mendicant musicians we provide this sample from High Street, Inverness. Note passer-by studiously ignoring 'muso', obviouly a music lover/local. And is it/was it ever polo season in Inverness?

*Mendicant: a. begging (of friar) living solely on alms n. beggar: mendicant friar. From the Latin: mendicus: beggar. Oxford English Dictionary.

*Mendicant: pain in the a*se. From the Latin: getawaytaebuggeryustus. Scots Farmers Dictionary.

Google game

Ever needed to avoid working on a Monday morning but still need to look busy as perfected by cooncil workmen, polismen and comic singers the world over?

Our suggestion is to play the 'type Coldstream into Google' game.

Here are ten early results;

1. Booze
Just when you think Google has hit on a potential future sponsor, you realise ra-internet is a world wide thingy and not just a local thingy. http://www.coldstreambrewery.com.au/ Anyone spot the flaw in this potential new sponsor? Good tour though.

2. More booze
The Coldstream pub in Birmingham (England not Australia, but further away culturally) http://www.birminghamcamra.org.uk/Articles/Coldstream.htm

3. Dull history
A worthy-but-dull history of the town http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/gaztext_page.jsp?u_id=10090039&c_id=10107260 (mind it's probably the best history we're going to get).

4. Coldstream Ramblers
Like the French Foreign Legion, only harder http://www.lothian-borders-ramblers.org.uk/Coldstream.htm

5. Tourist stuff
Good piece here, placing us in the Jedburgh area, which is better than being in the Duns area http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/coldstream/coldstream/index.html

6. A good walk spoiled
A website with no shame. The Hirsel Golf Club 'the Augusta of the Borders', what!
http://www.hirselgc.co.uk/

7. Weather
For farmers: Pishing doon, freezing cald, f*ckn windy, ower hot, no hot enough, rain, no enough rain, no the right kind o' rain, it's all here...http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/dg/coldstream_forecast_weather.html

8. Avoiding mad muslims
Unless your Gran is the Queen this used to be the best way to be in the army, wear outlandish uniforms, but stay at home guarding Buckingham Palace and so avoid having to dodge the bullets fired at you by mad muslims. (Also known as 'working your ticket' or 'scarce as a Guardsman's **** east of Sueze'). However, in these times of equality for all and thanks to Tony Blair for fighting wars everywhere and anywhere this is no longer the case and our brave boys happily sweat it out in Iraq while polishing their trumpets. http://www.army.mod.uk/coldstreamguardsband/

9. Dressing up
Did you like dressing up and playing sodjers doon the woods? Maybe you would still like to! Maybe you like dressing up and playing with sodjers. These guys do both and seem quite happy about it. Who are we to argue: http://www.civilwardrobe.demon.co.uk/home.htm

10. Yet more booze
These Ozzies like their falling-doon water http://wineanorak.com/barossa/Yarra_Valley_part7_coldstreamhills.htm

So, that's ten sites, three of them about booze, one about history, one about golf, and one about dressing up, which sounds like an average Saturday night out in Coldstream.

Duns triomphe!

Many congratulations to Duns RBL pipe band for winning the Scottish G4 champs at Dumbarton.

Daredevil in sensible shoes

Is this how you felt on Saturday night?

A picture of Coldstream and one of nearby Heiton Mill. Pictures taken from 4,500ft from his paraglider by a Mr John Watson, the dare-devil in sensible footwear.

Heiton Mill, where the Scots army crossed the Till heading towards Flodden. James Bell to confirm/correct.

Both pictures from the excellent http://www.geograph.org.uk/ web site.

More images of our home area as we find them.

Sacre Bleu!

Can someone please explain?

Last night party

Kelso Square

Ooh La La!

The visit by the d'Origny-en-Thierache brass band was a great success. While the concert in Kelso square was the musical highlight there were many other great moments at various socials, dances and other gatherings.

Many congratulations to the organisers for putting on such a great week and all the bands involved for great fun.

The following posts contain some assorted memories courtesy of John Fulton; starting with the welcome party.