The 'other' "Queen Elizabeth" ....

5th July 2017 (Wednesday) ....   76 years ago the girl who was to become ‘the Boss’ was born;    you may not be ‘here’ physically, but I know that you are
Er .... a few years ago!
always around to keep me going, when sometimes it isn’t so easy to ‘keep going’... so ....“Happy Birthday Maggie!”    Jimmy and I will eat cake!


06.00    We have a lovely morning;  a wee bit overcast, but dry, and nice to be out in;   I know this because I was on the beach at 05.00 to get photographs of the cruise liner “Queen Elizabeth” coming into the Firth.    It’s a pity that “HMS Queen Elizabeth” is ‘messing about’ off Golspie (Moray Firth), or we could have had both Queen Elizabeth’s in the Firth of Forth at the same time;   and maybe even a photo opportunity to get both in the same ‘frame’.    However that’s not going to happen.... unless “HMS” comes into the Firth when the cruise liner is leaving.    I live in a dream world!
20.00       After my early start I have had a restful day;   I did, some gardening, watched the ‘Tour’, and, had another walk down to the beach.    It has been a lovely summer like day (it should be, it is summer time after all) but the easterly breeze took the edge off the temperature.   The beach was busy, and there were folks playing in the sea;  they were wearing wet suits so wouldn’t notice the cool breeze.   
The 'pretty' "Queen Elizabeth".
Three tugs, ‘Pacific Duchess’, Zeus of Finland, and Thor were towing an oil rig into the Firth, so I had to ‘force’ myself to sit on ‘Nana’s Seat’ until the Bass Rock was in the ‘frame’.    That took about an hour!    It’s hard being me;   I didn’t have a flask of coffee with me.

This week’s ‘East Fife Mail’ Special Report on ‘holiday/second homes’ in our wee villages, paints a ‘depressing picture’.   What has happened to our villages is happening all over the UK... whether we like it or not.    My biggest problem with ‘holiday/second homes is that I can’t afford one... in fact two would be better;   one in Sussex, and one in Aberdeenshire.    That really is the problem.... the money is unevenly divided;   everybody has more than ‘me’.    I actually like my second home owning pals, and miss them when they are not here... and I meet some new friends every year.    If I ever won the lottery I’d be happy to be a second/third home owner:  however,
Oilrig being towed into the Firth.
winning the lottery would be hard for me .... I never buy a ticket.    I do feel for young folk trying to get onto the ‘local’ housing ladder, because they’ve ‘nae chance’;  the answer would be more local ‘social housing’, as in Council houses for rent,....  never sold.     Once Council house are ‘sold’ they, in most cases will eventually end up as ‘holiday/second’ homes.    That’s the EFM article sorted.


Photographs : Top – Maggie and me, Middle – Queen Elizabeth cruise ship entering the Firth, and Bottom – Oil rig being dragged into the Firth.

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