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
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!
 |
| Er .... a few years ago! |
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,
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.
 |
| Oilrig being towed into the Firth. |
Photographs
: Top – Maggie and me, Middle – Queen Elizabeth cruise ship entering the Firth,
and Bottom – Oil rig being dragged into the Firth.
