Glasgow's Mitchell Library

Another clear and fresh day tempted me away from my desk at lunch time yesterday, so I took a wander along to the Mitchell Library (one the the largest reference libraries in Europe) 

which is celebrating 100 years at its present location in North Street.

In the main hall there was a photographic exhibition of the library's history. 

 

As I was leaving I happened upon an amazing collection of puppets, http://www.theworldthroughwoodeneyes.co.uk/index.html which, together with hundreds of books from all over the world, in numerous languages, has been donated to the library by John Blundall.  

If you are interested in any aspect of puppetry, at any level, then this is the place for you!

A bird's eye view

Whilst waiting for my train the other day I spotted this group/flock/clutch(?) of Magpies.  With gardens on either side of the train tracks, an ideal lookout post to spot to your next target.  Magpies are not my most favourite birds in the world, though beautiful, they are too aggressive - but it was interesting to see so many in the one place at the same time.

Superstition seems to surround these birds, I'm not sure why.  I know people who, whenever they see a magpie, they must acknowledge the bird by saying "Good morning/Good afternoon Mr Magpie".  If not bad luck could befall them!!  Who says?  Is this something you do?   I've never understood why. 

Down by the riverside

I returned to work yesterday after a 2 week break.  I was ready to go back.  Much as I enjoy time off work - I am someone who needs structure and routine otherwise I can allow one hour to pass another and before you know it a day has gone.

After the howling gales earlier in the week it was with a spring in my step that I headed into town. A crisp clear morning and a very short working week ahead made the early rise easy to bear.   Morning passed quickly and lunch-time came.  As has become habit I was preparing to settle down to a sandwich at my desk but was drawn outside by the clarity of light - so  decided to go for a photo walk down by the Clydeside.  

The River Clyde levels didn't appear to be as high as they had been on the news bulletins reporting on the gales

St Andrews Cathedral

The old and the new

I have passed St Andrews Cathedral many times - this time I went inside

Reflections

Three hours later the city centre was in darkenss and was remarkably quiet for 5.00 o'clock in the evening - normally rush hour - but I guess many peole had extended their time off until Monday when things will be back to normal.

Few people on foot in John Street at the Italian Centre

Few cars on Cochrane Street

and Ingram Street

The Corinthian Building still dressed for Christmas

By Monday Easter eggs will be in the shops - or is it Valentine's Day cards first and the following week Easter eggs?

When 2012 came storming in!

This time last year the talking point was all about the weather.  Same time this year and the talking point is once again - all about the weather.  

Last year central Scotland had white out conditions with solid ice coated roads and pavements - and although it was horrendous getting around in such conditions - everything looked picture postcard pretty - so there were compensations.

This morning I was awakened from a deep sleep by the sound of what I thought was the chimney coming off our roof.  After I gave myself a shake - I remembered that we no longer have brick chimneys on our roof! The central belt of Scotland, and in particular our part of the central belt of Scotland, was being battered by high winds and rain - gusts of over 90 miles per hour!   What I had heard was the coping stones on our roof being blown off - gouging a hole in the roof as they made their way - to wherever!  Some have clearly landed in bits on the path in front of our house- others are lodged precariously on the roof beside broken tiles - even more sitting ominously at an angle above where they should be - and the rest I know not where!  We no longer have felt on the roof of our garden shed and our garden fence lies prone on the grass.
 
Whilst appreciating that the compensation for this year's weather conditions is that, as far as we know, no-one that we know, has been affected -  I am ever hopeful for further compensation from our insurance company.   As I have been sitting for 30 mins at a time trying to make contact with them by telephone I have been pressing some buttons and found this wee girl who, amidst the bedlam, made me laugh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5HDerf5Ahk&feature=related

Sweet!

Hope you are dry, safe and damage free wherever you are hold up! 

Back to manning the phone!

____________________
Having revisted the wee songstress on Youtube a number of times since, you might also like to have a peep at her  rendition of "Ye cannie shove yer Granny aff a bus"! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2LW5igWmMU&feature=related

Love it!!

"A guid new year to ane an' a', an' mony may ye see....."

It's 2012! Looking forward to the year ahead - who knows what it holds?!

Sing along with "Uncle Alister": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsU15dAvMck

A guid new year to ane an' a'
An' mony may ye see,
An' during a' the years to come,
O happy may ye be.
An' may ye ne'er hae cause to mourn,
To sigh or shed a tear;
To ane an' a' baith great an' sma'
A hearty guid New year.

Wishing you a' the best and a' the rest....!

Bella B! x

Happy Hogmanay!

Long time, no blog! Greetings to anyone who may be reading this post - which I suspect will be very few - if any (that is apart from my number one fan 'J' who is constantly on at me to update my blog! And perhaps Alison from Helensburgh - hello!) 

Hope you had a great Christmas!   Perhaps you are now making preparations for the coming New Year celebrations - or maybe not.  

So what will you be doing this Hogmanay?  How will you celebrate and welcome in the New Year?  Partying in the streets - or at home with friends and family?  Will you "see in the bells" and retreat quietly to bed or will you already be fast asleep before the bells and oblivious to the whole thing?  Does this time of year make you happy or morose?

Back in the day we had our own New Year rituals.   Before the bells the young - who were old enough to be allowed to "bring in the bells" - would be kept occupied by writing their New Year resolutions.   It was traditional that the house was cleaned from top to bottom - including windows.  All trace of household rubbish had to be removed from the house.  All debts to be repaid.  Family would arrive and around 10.00 pm all who had gathered would be served with a hearty meal - which traditionally included butcher's best steak pie.  Afterwards, the tables had to be cleared and every dish washed and out of sight.   Windows were opened wide - one to let out the old year and one to let in the new. The New Year calendar would face the wall waiting to be turned over as soon as the New Year arrived.  Whisky and other drinks, freshly baked sultana cake and shortbread at the ready - and we were set!    Counting down the minutes - all would be ushered into the living room and be given their preferred tipple.  Five minutes before midnight we'd gather in a circle  - wth the BBC Hogmanay Show going on in the background.   Then the countdown would begin. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six ..........!  On the stroke of midnight the church bells would ring - in the distance you could even hear the horns of the ships docked on the River Clyde (sadly long gone).   We would charge our glasses, toast the New Year, perhaps shed a tear or two as we rememebered and took time with our own thoughts - and then we'd await the "first foot".   (The "first foot" could be a family member or neighbour but for good luck the preference was that they'd be tall, dark and handome - a tall order on occasions it has to be said!  (and heaven forfend that the first foot be female or have red hair!  They would surely bring bad luck - apparently!!)  The first foot would normally carry a bottle in one hand and in the other a lump of coal - to symbolise warmth for the home in the coming year and/or sultana cake or shortbread as a symbol that the house would not go hungry. And then the partying would begin!

Ah! Those were the days......!

Whatever you decide to do I hope it makes you happy. 

All the best for a happy and healthy 2012!
 
Cheers!

Bella B! xx

When a small part of Glasgow became a small part of Philidelphia for part of Brad Pitt's "World War Z" movie

Apologies for delay in posting World War Z film location pics but unfortunately I have been laid low with a(n?) horrendous episode of Sciatica - some of the worst pain I have EVER experienced in my life - and so plans for anything much have gone a bit awry (including my 2-day craft event that I have been working very hard for in Merchant Square today - I am very, very disappointed!!.)   I won't go into too many details but suffice it to say that I have been ingesting so many injections/tablets - prescribed by both emergency and local doctors - that I feel like I could have been cast as one of the zombies for this World War Z movie!!   I believe Brad Pitt and his entourage have now packed up and left town so no pics of the final stages of filming in Glasgow but you might like to see some of those that I took whilst events were ongoing and before my bout of illness.

  

Here goes: 

The transporters begin to arrive carrying  the yellow cabs and other vehicles seldom seen on our streets.   This is Cochrane Street and normally a very quiet part of town.  What views the owners of the apartments behind must have had during filming!

When our traffic lights were changed 





and our streets renamed or renumbered.  Here, Miller Street became 16th Street

South Federick Street (Old Post Office bldg) became 15th Street

Then Cochrane Street became J F K Boulevard, whilst George Street became Broad Street

 The old Ernst and Young building became the US Court House

Many people wishing to have their photographs taken with the SWAT van

Amongst others, the ex Leader of our Liberal Democratic Party (Charles Kennedy) taking a healthy interest in all the goings on. He too agrees that this was a great thing to be happening in Glasgow.

What a beast of a vehicle!  Until next time!  More drugs then bed for me......!  

Doesn't George Square look great?!