http://www.george-maclean.com/index.htmlHot News!enen2026-04-19T11:32:01+01:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:39:14 +01002026 Diary2026-04-19T11:32:01+01:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/9c1bb2b552796571f8637d036ce449e3-13.html#unique-entry-id-13http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/9c1bb2b552796571f8637d036ce449e3-13.html#unique-entry-id-13Off to Oran Mor for a bit of 1980s nostalgia - T'Pau playing in the crypt. A very big turnout of fans of a certain age and they did not let us down. Great singing and the voice better than ever.


Carol Dekker in full voice.

Finished at a civilised time and we caught the 22:26 back home from Queen Street. The centre of Glasgow still looks like a bomb site with the massive hole on the north side of George Square that will delay the opening of the square by six months.

Now to get ironed and packed for my trip to Italy on Wednesday. I am very much looking forward to that!]]>2026 Diary2026-04-10T11:24:46+01:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/0de38b211f01cd9e3bccd27e80b295d7-12.html#unique-entry-id-12http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/0de38b211f01cd9e3bccd27e80b295d7-12.html#unique-entry-id-12A drive up to Pitlochry for the Toberargan Curling Club Annual General Meeting where my job is to present the year's accounts and report on the finances of our club. There was a very big turn out this year of almost 20 people, confirming my suspicions that we are the largest club in the Atholl Province. Club Secretary had been very busy cooking for us all and we had a very enjoyable prize giving, raffle and feast!

I drove home to a great show on BBC Radio Scotland which made the miles pass quickly.

Once of the club prizes!]]>2026 Diary2026-03-27T23:42:55+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/1d129a01d069310596855766ae0c2288-11.html#unique-entry-id-11http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/1d129a01d069310596855766ae0c2288-11.html#unique-entry-id-11As another treat to myself I went to see Medea at the Tron Theatre and was not disappointed at all. It was a wonderful production and well acted with the Housekeeper as a one-woman chorus interacting with the audience. Jason was not booed in a pantomime way but I guess his striking good looks covered up just how wicked he was. The death of the children was done onstage as per the stage notes of ancient Greece and no dragon to take Medea to be with the gods, but just a dignified walk through the audience.


Glasgow was very quiet for a Friday night!]]>2026 Diary2026-03-25T10:42:11+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/42d871eecb5adb230ace26db00ac2d02-10.html#unique-entry-id-10http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/42d871eecb5adb230ace26db00ac2d02-10.html#unique-entry-id-10Decided to use the National Entitlement Card (Bus pass for over 60s) and have a day out traveling to Oban for a single pound. Anthony drove me to Gartcosh station and from my arrival in Queen Street it was only a short walk to Buchanan Street and the coach up to Oban, We had four seasons on that journey, through the most wonderful scenery and my hear leapt with every new mountain and glen on the way. They are still snow capped and once out of the sleet it was glorious sunshine.





Oban was quite busy, with a force 8 gale coming off the harbour. I watched the Lord of the Isles unloading cars and passengers. It seems to me that ferry arrivals are still not timed with train departures, even after 50 years of promises!

A quick shop for a new jacket ant then to lunch which was wonderful, with a view of LotI leaving the harbour for the Western Isles.


Since it was so cold I decided not to wait for the coach but took the train back down to Glasgow through slightly different scenery. It was lovely.]]>2026 Diary2026-03-17T12:32:36+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/a72dc9df5a354badc5682869fc5b768f-8.html#unique-entry-id-8http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/a72dc9df5a354badc5682869fc5b768f-8.html#unique-entry-id-8

Adam had decided at last to celebrate his birthday in Glasgow so I booked an area in FONN MOR under Oran Mor for the night. John and Mark came up from London and stayed with us, whilst the secret guests of Dave and Joanne came over from the USA as a surprise. We had a wonderful night with the Glasgow Posse in a great wee piano bar with much laughter and fun, with a big fuss being made of Robbie who now has a grey beard!

Sunday saw me taking Mark and John back to the airport and then a visit to Oran Mor with Dave and Joanne joining us later for a wee while. I have to say so much socialising took me until Wednesday to recover, but it was a great time with our great pal, who still has not brooked his bus pass!
]]>2026 Diary2026-03-06T12:32:16+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/d6ec09d02796352e42e66c79e915a0e6-7.html#unique-entry-id-7http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/d6ec09d02796352e42e66c79e915a0e6-7.html#unique-entry-id-7As a birthday treat to myself I booked a visit to the recent reopened Citizens Theatre in Glasgow to see a modern take on THE BACCHAE in the Studio. I caught the train in as I was going to have a drink and wanted to check out the route. The journey in was uneventful and I crossed over the under construction George Square to catch the bus, only to be age-checked by the driver as I was using my bus pass!

The bar of the theatre was filled to capacity with the movers and shakers of the theatrical luvvie world, just as it was 40 years ago. The show itself was a one man performance and was very good, despite having about a quarter of the monologue in Ancient Greek. Of course I complained to Manos later the next week!

What a great way to start the Birthday month and I have another tragedy at the end when I go to see my 17th performance of MEDEA…]]>2026 Diary2026-02-22T15:53:34+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/c1b0f1bc84bc4ae879e779ab4e51e3d7-6.html#unique-entry-id-6http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/c1b0f1bc84bc4ae879e779ab4e51e3d7-6.html#unique-entry-id-6Winter Olympics are over. Two weeks of shouting at the telly as amazing, dangerous and crazy skills are on display. What a show!

Back to normal here in the new house. Lots of little jobs now become availabel as boxes in the garage need opening and investigating…

New podiatrist found in Coatbridge and she has done a great job with my hooves. We had such a laugh!]]>2026 Diary2026-02-03T12:48:16+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/49d2b986486cba4de2188c823488d767-9.html#unique-entry-id-9http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/49d2b986486cba4de2188c823488d767-9.html#unique-entry-id-9

The yellow Juke was in for a service so I had a day out in Kelvingrove Art Gallery.


It was lovely to be back there and listening to the Organ Recital after seeing the dinosaurs and stuffed animals, and before taking a stroll through the artworks and sculptures.

.
]]>2026 Diary2026-01-29T12:45:47+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/412661929fe49ecb9fb45b3c6c71350e-5.html#unique-entry-id-5http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/412661929fe49ecb9fb45b3c6c71350e-5.html#unique-entry-id-5I have been all over the place with my sleep this week as I had to drive Anthony to GLA for the first morning flight to London so that meant up and out at 5am. Such a change and more convenient than the drive from Killiecrankie that is for sure!

Next week lots of practical things going on such as the MoT for the car and the short closing of the local take-away for four days. February has a lot going on as well which will include the election of the next Grand Prior of the UK and I have been nominated to stand again. The last time I did that job was in 2018! Also have Annual Accounts to prepare for the Curling club and for the Curling Province, but both are not difficult. Of more import is the grooming in a new beauty parlour for Alfie who is quite long haired at the moment!

I am going to head to Palermo in Sicily in April which I am looking forward to, but that means my trip to see the Urfa Man is pushed back further. I am glad I did not go in January as they have been at +1C all month. I forgot how high above sea level eastern Turkey is!]]>2026 Diary2026-01-12T07:12:50+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/a6ead40f202b04d8b9e9a06b45a65b1e-4.html#unique-entry-id-4http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/a6ead40f202b04d8b9e9a06b45a65b1e-4.html#unique-entry-id-4Sunday saw Cousins Duncan and Trisha drive down from Campsie Glen with Luna their Boxer dog. The initial plan was to show them the new house but of course I had the new opportunity of cooking for them for the first time. Up in Killiecrankie our visits had been cake-based and brief, so this was a departure! Since I am getting better at meal planning, I made the soup the day before, and marinated the chicken overnight to kicl start the day of cooking on Sunday. I was up early to go to get some cauliflowers and mill for tea and set the table. What a lovely visit we had with the usual abundance to topics under discussion and much laughter. Luna was not her usual kissing self so I had to make do with the odd cuddle!

What a lovely visit it was!]]>2026 Diary2026-01-08T13:13:42+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/f37ec82e9b2f711e7f52a07c3200a7ad-3.html#unique-entry-id-3http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/f37ec82e9b2f711e7f52a07c3200a7ad-3.html#unique-entry-id-3We have not crossed the front door much this year so far, and today we have decided that on Anthony's Not Working Thursday (the first of many I hope) we will go hunting for a new microwave and to stock up for the weekend as Duncan and Tricia are coming over with Kissy Luna the Boxer on Sunday afternoon. I am looking forward to seeing them again as the last time was a quick visit during the Nomadic Times when we were resident in the Kirkhouse Inn, quite near where they live in Campsie Glen. As usual I expect the conversations will resolve around our common ancestors and high school gossip, much laughter and gallons of tea. I am so glad to have picked up the threads of friendship with them both in recent years! It minimises the time slip since we were all at school in the 1970s and very early 1980s - times when music was fantastic!

One of the lovely things that has happened recently, in my retirement from senior position in OSMTH, was the ability to be useful to the Grand Priory here, and this has meant I had the opportunity to interview a new potential member, resident in London. I hope she completes her discovery postulancy and asks lots of questions as I was vert impressed with her enthusiasm.

Anthony is off to GP Ireland in March, GP Italy in May and I still have not booked my week in South East Turkey yet but I have at least noticed how cold it is there at the moment, so I am glad I have not made a winter departure!

+++UPDATE+++ We bought a new microwave]]>2026 Diary2026-01-05T16:31:36+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/7af6a5dce633cd64577601ee66d7aa79-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/7af6a5dce633cd64577601ee66d7aa79-2.html#unique-entry-id-2In a timely fashion I have taken the decorations down and packed the tree away for another year. It never ceases to amaze how bear the house looks after the removal of only a few decorations for midwinter. Tomorrow is Old Christmas, and the former neighours up in Highland Perthshire will be marking the day as usual, whilst down here we will keep warm as it is lovely during the day but bitterly cold at nighttime and I can confirm that as I drove to get good milk at the Co-Op in Muirhead last night once the sun had gone down! The low shining sun is a real pain at this time of year as I have found almost all the roads are on an east-west axis so shines right in the back of the retina!]]>2026 Diary2026-01-04T14:08:12+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/229a9ebe230e3683f95b7c0b1731c684-1.html#unique-entry-id-1http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/229a9ebe230e3683f95b7c0b1731c684-1.html#unique-entry-id-1This is a very strange image for us as for the first time in 10 years we are not in the amber bad weather warning area. Indeed looking very closely w note that the yellow area is north of the Campsie Fells which are off in the distance from us and covering up to Stirling and beyond. However here in the balmy calm of the Clyde Valley the sun is shining and although it is cold, the extremes are missing us!
]]>2026 Diary2026-01-01T00:01:15+00:00http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/8bb95ecefd198a71c525a699fd62aaf2-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.george-maclean.com/blog-6/files/8bb95ecefd198a71c525a699fd62aaf2-0.html#unique-entry-id-0For the first time in a decade I was not out at the dancing - officially old now I guess. I turned down invitations to house parties as I decided to welcome 2026 in the new house, even though it is just Alfie and I here as Anthony is in Poole with the lovely cousins. He is back late on Ne'erday so I will drive down to the airport to meet him and bring him home, no doubt full of stories and adventures.]]>