Time/Timely

The good news is the clocks going back one hour and offering an extra sleep in the morning.  It goes without saying that I awoke at five, that was six and struggled to sleep properly until ten minutes before I had to rise.  Tsk! Struggling into the cold east wing I began looking for all the timepieces that required changing.  As always during the day others appear out of nowhere and I sometimes wonder why I have so many clocks is useful positions that I never notice except when the stop or require moving forwards or back one hour.  

Having succeeded in registering time in the house I looked to having my weekly bath, what with this being Sunday and all.  The boiler would not work!  It has been giving problems off and on and now it was just off!  The starter has decided not to start and the little red light says call for the man!  So I sent an email to the woman who calls the man who calls me and turns up probably sometime during the week.  Just as the weather turns winterish all the boilers fail, this year it's my turn.  Ah well, I suppose I can have a bath next week, no need to fuss is there. 

The thing about the Edinburgh derby is that you must realise the Heart of Midlothian always win it!  OK on occasion the wee team sometimes scrape a victory but since 1875, when we beat them one nil on Christmas Day, the Heart of Midlothian have always been the superiour side.  This is one of the blessings I have received, to be born into a Hearts of Midlothian family, how lucky is that! Hibernian fans, those few, those noble few who follow the wee team do not like this situation.  Indeed since we defeated them in the cup final, again, in 2012 one or two of the most likeable Hibs lads have only referred to me in grunts, and that via the web!  

Today the Hibs had some idea that they were in a position to defeat this mighty team, jokers that we are we played along with this allowing them to convince their feeble minded followers that a victory was on the cards.  Indeed they even managed to get the ball into our goal and with this one goal lead the happy bunch were celebrating a win long before the end.  90 minutes had been played, 4 more added by an excellent referee to cover injury time and other happenings at the end when cheering Hibbys had reality restored.  That great man Alim Ozturk strode forward into enemy territory, unleashed a shot from close on 40 yards and watched as it sailed into the air, dipped, and off the bottom of the crossbar rocketed into the Hibs net!  Oh what a shot, what a goal, what a laugh (in love obviously) as the Green and white clad lower orders stared in disbelief.  Once more they had failed to win, once more the BIG TEAM took a point, we should have had three) once more i expect to hear grunts over social media soon, when they come out of the pub/sulk/coma. 

Some feardies thought Hearts were going to lose?  Some, like me, are not old enough to experience the shock of being defeated by Hibernian.  Tsk!  The Edinburgh derby, one of the most one sided in the world.  Still, it's a giggle innit?   

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Tuesday Talk

Instead of working this morning I spent a very happy hour or so searching deep in the bowels of the Old Town Hall for a picture.  For some reason the high heid yins have decided to allow us mere volunteers choose a picture for display.  This may be to make us feel part of things, although we probably already do, but it did give opportunity to peruse the pictures, both painted and photographic that have been donated.  Some very interesting stuff there and I could have hung around longer.  I did choose a print dating back to the early 19th century showing a view of the Meeting House from over the fields.  The cows have long since departed, the Meeting House however remains and the field has been a rich man's dwelling, a school sports area and now forms the park opposite me. Two hundred years of change are seen in one picture, let alone the dissent that ran through Essex in days of yore that led to the erection of said Meeting House.  I chose well I thought, my companion chose one that looked like a night picture of a big city, dark with lots of bright lights on it, painted by a local artist probably, and probably drunk at the time I suggest.  Still it adds to the mixture and I look forward to when they are eventually displayed.  

Ally

I could not post any uninteresting items last night as I did something I never do, I watched Rangers playing Hibernian!  Normally I wish to enjoy watching Hibs lose, it's a nasty habit they have, but when they play one of the evil twins from Glasgow I always wish them to won, for the sake of Scottish football. However last night was going to be difficult.  A dark trip through to 'Castle Grayskull,' the home of the Orcs is never pleasant especially when Hibernian have failed to win a game all season.  The Blue loyalists however have dominated Scots football for so long, and to its detriment it must be said, are famed for their arrogance and pay their players wads more than Hibernian can ever afford to pay, so I was hoping Hibs might do a good job.  Of course with the Heart of Midlothian (5-0 victors at the weekend) top of the table anything that extends the gap between us and second place Rangers must be welcomed.  

As it was by half time Hibernian were three goals ahead!  By then I, sitting in my bed to be comfortable and watching via the laptop, was in a state of near hysteria!  My pot belly aches from the laughing at the arrogant ones who looked so proud and soon their loyal followers where booing and yelling things at them. One should never gloat when an enemy falls, but in truth it is a giggle here. Ally McCoist, who likes to be seen as the 'cheeky chappie' is not very good as a manager.  His fans wish him to go but the clubs arrogance is such that he was paid a million pounds a year when they were forced, for financial fiddling, down to the Fourth Division. In spite of further money troubles he was paid similar in the Third Division and only recently accepted a cut of around 50 per cent to help the club through the trouble. Greed lies at the heart of this club!  Even though they fail the chairman wants his bonus, around £3 million!  

I want to start an "Ally must stay" campaign as it is clear he and the rogues who run the club are doing it no good whatsoever, and that is a good thing in my mind for Scottish football!   

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Dreich Bank Holiday

Bank Holiday usually indicates dull clouds and wet streets, this bank holiday has therefore not disappointed as it is gray, wet and dreich.  Not that I care as the virus has left me looking for sleep most of the time.  Sunday was a bright day but I watched it from my bed, except when I left to watch the football.  The brute of a virus hangs around today also and tomorrow the kids will fill the museum. I'll get them some time off school the week after if I cough enough.  I ventured as far as the bins this afternoon suddenly realising how many adverts are found on the shop wall next door.  It reminded me of those Victorian photos when such advertising abounded everywhere, clearly uncontrolled at the time. It makes me wonder if the council notice, or care to notice, whether this breaks some by-law.  I hope they do not notice as he is a good man struggling to make his business work.  Without the ads it is possible the town could not operate properly.  

The good book says we should not rejoice when our enemy falls, that is not the heart of God in action, however I allowed myself a moment or two of giggling. You see Hibernian, who I may have mentioned before, played their 'play-off' game against Hamilton Accies on Sunday and were in an unbeatable position. It was impossible for them to lose their two goal advantage against a team from the lower division.  Yet they did!  Worse, they went on to lose a penalty shoot out and all this after laughing out loud at our relegation, caused as we all admit by mismanagement leading to administration. Hibernian's talented players have by sheer willpower crawled from Fifth place in the league to the lower relegation! Oh how we laughed!  Now I am not one to taunt the Hibbys when they are down - but I managed it! It fair cheered me up and wore me out! They are not speaking to me today, it's a giggle innit?  

So here is the victor of the moment, posed appropriately in front of English flags, enjoying his breakfast I presume.  He will sleep well tonight content with the fear running through Westminster.  The Conservative Party have watched their voters run to Farage and Labour watched their voters stay at home.  Half a million people in this region voted for UKIP, and ten thousand in Edinburgh voted that way and that is a surprise to me!  This area is dominated by wealthy Conservative types but there is also a large working class Tory vote and they have gone for UKIP in a big way.  Whatever happens in the next few weeks I know not but Scotland must go for independence, England will be dominated by the right of centre for the next few years.  Some of those are so far to the right they think Thatcher was a Communist!  If you have never prayed - start now!  

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Stiff Upper Lip?

At the beginning of the Edinburgh Derby this lunchtime there was a moment of remembrance for two who had passed away this week.  The crowd stood and applauded for one minute in an act of remembrance and then the game got under way.  This is not an unusual event, sadly such moments occur throughout the season, occasionally involving the entire league, often at a local level involving only one club.  This is of course perfectly acceptable behaviour and is to be itself applauded.
However I mused on the emotion involved in society these days.  Until recently such moments passed in complete silence as this was considered appropriate at someones passing.  The increase of televised football coverage allowed us the sight of Italians at such moments applauding for one minute and many considered this appropriate to introduce.  There are other reasons, some clubs fans are unwilling to allow such respect to pass without abuse of the dead or their supporters, on at least one occasion my own club has some fans who indulged in such ignorant abuse.  For this reason applause is sometimes suggested instead of silence.  However the individual who has died on occasion finds such respect from the fans they automatically respond in whatever is the better style.
This also reflects on the increase of emotion allowed, or all to often encouraged, today.  Where once we were told to 'don't show you are hurt,' or 'make the best of it,' 'get up and sort it,' today raucous whining appears to be the order of the day.  Self control is less important and respect offered for the dead often is not extended to the living!  People at heart remain the same as when we left the Garden of Eden, however you imagine that.  Culture however changes all the time.  I suspect the mess that was 18th century Britain (and I refer only to the UK here) with the five year old alcoholics, industrial revolution and the resultant problems and social breakdown all helped to develop an attitude of a more organised society in the 19th century.  The influence of preachers cannot be ignored as the men changed during the 1700s by the preaching of Wesley, Whitfield and the rest often produced families who worked their way up in society over the next fifty years bringing change wherever they went.  Add of course Queen Victoria once she had found Albert as consort there arose a fashion for respectability allied to Christian influence which reached everywhere.  The 'Public Schools,' never of course open to the 'public,' developed the 'Masculine Christianity,' line whereby you took the knocks and carried on.  Being able to take knocks without complaining sounds good but often it was abused by others who enjoyed inflicting knocks and grumbling if you did not like it,'Take the knocks and be a man,' they would say, while leathering you!  
This stiff upper lip society reached it's zenith during the Great War, and survived!  So many writings from the time show that knocks were expected and folks just 'got on and dealt with it.' This is certainly an attitude gone from us today.  'Daily Mail' readers blame the benefit society, while really just disliking any of their tax helping the poor, or indeed anyone else.  Religious blame religious faith wavering, political minds blame systems, clever people debate endlessly, oh how endlessly, on TV and radio to no end whatsoever.  Indeed wealth has made society lazy, the ability to always have what we want makes us greedy, deprivation is almost intolerable to us today while the house remains filled with expensive 'must have' things that are rarely used.   While emotion has always been part of football it is not what it was in my view.  Football was emotional in the 60's but better, today the intensity is greater, the game less enjoyable.  Money plays its part but football or TV or money or politics or any other thing takes a different place in our emotions today from what it did before.  Two world wars and a depression followed by a time of new hope, housing, NHS, and full employment are replaced by wealth undreampt off by our grandfathers, well mine at least, items filling the house our forefathers thought only the rich could dream about, holidays abroad (well Bournemouth) cars, planes and the internet all affect our outlook and lessen the 'still upper lip' as it appears not to matter today.  What matters is satisfying the self, nothing else.  'Me first' has always been part of society, today 'me' and my emotions appear to dominate.

Maybe of course I just ramble.  However the result of the football was yet another victory for the Heart of Midlothian, thus giving me the giggles in a manner I am unused to.  I spent much of the game sniggering at the Hibbys and giggling like a lassie every time the camera focused on one with his head in his hands.  I did all this in love of course, but I had to laugh, and have been cackling ever since.   

 

Wot?

I passed the happy smile club there yesterday morning as I wandered round for my veg.  By veg I mean a trip to the market for fruit and veg, not a visit to the MP or local politician.  The sun was attempting to shine and I had just got off my bike after the first dawdle around for a while and was attempting to stop my knees from freezing up.  Today made it twice I have been out on the bike, already I am fitter, according to the aches from the muscles that I had forgotten about, and they threaten rain!  However I am in the museum for two days so I care not a jot.

BBC

As expected the last Edinburgh 'Derby' match resulted in another win for the Heart of Midlothian.  The Hibernian contingent, knuckles dragging on the ground as they arrived, were for reasons unclear convinced they would succeed where they have failed so often before.  They failed again!  To make matters worse for them the expectation was a victory would result in the Heart of Midlothian being relegated to the lower division.  Money fiddling has meant the team playing the entire season with the Under 20's forming the bulk of the team.  However the wee team from Leith have gone home unhappy as we once again defeated them.  Relegation may come but after today it is a thought that Hibs might find themselves joining us.  Tee Hee!
Read Mike Smiths thoughts, Edinburgh Reporter. 

I have been so slothful and lazy overworked that I have not been reading folks blogs.  When I have I have not commented, thinking I will do so later and later never arrives.  My mind is falling apart, nothing is going right and I am sure I have read posts then discover I have not.  I must get more sleep.....

Happy Sunday

Racing along against the wind at four miles an hour I passed through this village long before the world was awake.  The roads round here all possess the normal road signs but English towns and villages always have a signpost informing you of the village name and indicating what the place is all about. There is not a lot of anything but agriculture in this area and the sign indicates a tractor to reflect this.  In fact a dirty great combine machine was being led along the roads as I passed indicating harvest is here for someone.  The land in this area probably saw hunter gatherers and stone age farmers and has been farmed continually for around five thousand years.  The small church reflects the population has never been huge, the church itself replacing a Saxon one most likely built on a pagan spot, and the huge tithe barn (one of two) shown in the top left was erected during the 13th century by the Knights Templar.  A ten percent tithe had to be given to the church and was collected in such barns, the money raised supporting the Crusades. The church of those times being full of politically powerful men, and the occasional Christian.  A similar, slightly smaller barn sits in Coggeshall a few miles down the road near where a Priory once stood.  Some strange rules concerning ancient church law still exists in English Law and occasionally people complain that a tax must be paid towards upkeep of church buildings they do not use.  The wheat and barley that once filled the barns are still grown in abundance but rarely are animals seen near here, at least not since the Foot and Mouth outbreak of a few years ago.  I did however attempt to photograph a Hare that came close, but he left too quickly for me, and the crows hovering around and the Swifts on the wire were too far away for my wee camera.  Such fauna and flora seen today would have been, mostly, common in the days of the Templars (or Hospitallers who replaced them).  However the servants would not have had the time to observe them I suspect.  One morning I will sit and wait for the wildlife, unless I get lifted of course.   

There is a Victoria Cross in the middle of the sign and I am sure there is a man in the graveyard who obtained one during the 19th century.  So far I have failed to discover anything about him!  I canny even remember his name!

Cressing Temple  Cressing Temple Site

Not all signs are as well made as the town one but these road signs must go back many years.  I suspect these were erected in the twenties or thirties when car driving became more widespread, certainly among the middle classes. Morris, Austin and others produced cars aplenty and these were happily acquired by those able to move out of the centre of big cities into the three bedroomed detached or semi-detached homes that burgeoned during that time. The signs were removed during the war to confuse any enemy that invaded but probably confused the indigenous population more. The commuters between the wars would travel to work by train into the city centre and at weekends roam the country in the 'Baby Austin,' at least that was the idea.  Mind you there were more people killed on the roads in those days than there are now, which tells you something!

The cats expression tells you he is not sure about this photography business. He is not one to venture near people, this one keeps his own counsel, but insists on spending all day wandering about the area around his home, usually disdainfully keeping clear of all comers.  As I got home I found him soaking up the sun and he is none to pleased about this.  His owner, if you own cats that is, takes her two small dogs to the park early in the morning and this brute hates to be left behind.  He will trail slowly up the road behind them, occasionally crossing the road to the park itself.  This gives the poor woman the collywobbles naturally enough, and the only time the cat has let me touch it was when I attempted to stop her following them over the road.  The cat just wants to be with the dogs but one day that road might make an end of her/him/it.  

Having risen early to cycle around to enable the bulk to develop physique, health and energy I was fast asleep within an hour of returning.  However I woke in time to watch the youthful, inexperienced, enthusiastic, talented and good looking Heart of Midlothian defeat the experienced, dull, inept, ugly, aged Hibernian side.  For some reason this victory was unexpected by the media, who wanted to talk about the sinister Glasgow sides instead and yet each and every intelligent viewer of the game knew this would be a victory for the Hearts.  The Heart of Midlothian have so many victories over the 'wee team' that by winning all the next games it will take them thirty or more years to catch up, and that's not going to happen is it?  It's been a good day today.

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Char

I need a char, I really do.  Once again in site of my heavy workload I had to spend much of the day cleaning this place, and I only cleaned it a few weeks ago.  The rubbish bins were full, the sink greasy and I cannot mention the windows which were cleaned only last September!  Hmmm that reminds me about the fridge.... Let's not go there, I'm sure that green stuff was there when I bought it.  Also when I went out today I had no shirt to put upon my scrawny fifteen something stone body, the ironing needs done and I know no ironic woman.  The noise from the hoover (which isn't a hoover as I bought it from Tesco but you know what I mean) does my head in and the smell of bleach is not good for me I'm sure.  On top of this the bike needs cleaned again, all that dusty old railway stuff, and the hours just fly by when I'm watching telly working on projects.  I can tell you I was fair worn out by lunchtime and have been quite puggled ever since.  

On top of this I had to chat up that nice lady at the Sainsbury checkout at seven thirty after I had put the bike away, shopping early (not for Christmas) is the way to avoid crowds.  Then I had to carry the large bag home all by my weak self, and the shop is at least 200 yards away.  (Which brings to mind a robber in a small town.  He robbed a shop he used regularly, then hopped off home at high speed, home lay 100 yards from the shop.  The police found him quite quickly. That was one of last years fun stories.) So much to do and so little time to do it.  I do not know how I survive.  Actually all this dust I raised makes it hard to see the screen....

It would be unfair of me to mention Hibernian's unfortunate seven nil defeat at the hands of Swedish side Malmo last night, (9-0 on aggregate over two games) so I will say nothing about that.  I like to be kind!  Hibs in truth were doing OK for the first 20 minutes, and the fans for once (the prices were lowered) came out to support them.  However once the Swedes took the lead their nerves disappeared and when relaxed they cut Hibs to pieces. A funny game football, had Hibs scored first it may well have been Malmo who collapsed and today we might be shocked by a Hibernian success.  Sadly that did not happen and the knives are out.  Football is like that.  Is Pat up to the job as manager?  Could it be the players are just rubbish?  St Johnstone, with a smaller budget beat Norway's Rosenburg who have a much larger amount of cash to spend, so Scottish football is not all bad.

Ah well, the real work starts soon, and we will see if the Hibs players have what it takes in the real world, I canny wait, I'm laughing already!

  

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Day Off

The local world took a day off today for the May Bank Holiday.  If shops opened they opened for short hours only, buses ran a Sunday service, which round here means they don't run at all, and the weather took a day off and sent the sun all day.  That is a change I must say.  Of course the folks returning to work tomorrow will find the rain arriving as they leave the house, excuse me while I snigger a wee bit.    

Much of yesterday was spent sniggering at Hibernian's second cup final defeat in a row, you will recall how the Heart of Midlothian cuffed the 5-1 last time out.  This time it was a much better performance, a mere 3-0 defeat after an abysmal performance.  One interesting fact was a banner made by the Celtic fans watching their team walk all over Hibs.  These lads come from a small island on the west coast of Ireland and produced an Irish Tricolour with "Achill Island CSC"  written on this.  However this caused consternation with some who watching on TV thought it read "Islam CFC."  Naturally the extreme anti-Muslim lot got onto Twitter and Facebook and began crying out against these nasty Irish Celtic folks.  Consider also the IRA troubles of the past forty years and Celtic fans blatant contempt for 'British' soldiers, it was easy for the less intellectual to jump to such conclusions.  As you can see from the picture they were wrong, but you can understand the mistake.

    Scotsman 

The sun has shone through the cold wind, however that did not stop the English male wearing tight T-Shirts, shorts and sunglasses and carry an useless plastic bottle of water.  What a difference the blue sky makes, how bright the world appears, how eagerly do we race to sit in the sun.  Ah well, back to normal tomorrow....

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Season Finished

The season finished today.  There are one or two games to go for others of course, a handful tomorrow, a cup final defeat for Hibs, and the like, but our season has finished.  This means there will be no football for a couple of months.  None, zilch, nowt!  Of course we can pick up foreign Johnny's stuff but that's not the same.  Now what shall I do?  Who can I shout at if there is no football?  How can I be cheered or depressed if the game does not take place?  As there are no major competitions taking place this summer (I use the term 'summer' loosely you will understand) this means I have no reason to stay indoors on a Saturday.  No football to watch in the afternoon, not one game, and I sometimes watch three! 

Horrors!  I may even have to go outside and talk to people!  Julie at the museum will hear and drag me in to spend an afternoon stacking shelves again.  My time will not be my own and with no football I will have nothing to converse about.  I may have to listen to women's chat.  

Oh dear.....  

However before it all closes down we have the Scottish Cup Final next week.  You will recall that at this time last season the Heart of Midlothian defeated (easily) the Hibernian by 5 (FIVE) goals to 1 (One) and that it ought to have been 10-1.  Having won the cup once again we let it slide past this year but the wee team have decided to give it another go!  Incredible considering the sadness (giggle) last year and the small but relevant fact that they have not won the Scottish Cup since 1902.  How many years ago is that?  There they are pictured about to start the celebrations by driving along Princes Street in Scotland's capital and heading down to their little ground on the old rubbish tip.  (Hibernian's ground was once the area rubbish was dumped, but in Aberdeen the football ground was built on the area the er, dung from the police horses was dumped.  Watching the team these days people tend to draw comparisons.)  I note that they have planned ahead and given notice of where the open top bus will be travelling when they win the cup this time (stop giggling at the back).  What has not been stated is whether the horses will be the same ones or not.  Tee hee, some of these folks actually think they might win.  You got to laugh aint ya?

One small point.  In every town and city in the UK a cup winning team does this open top bus celebration through the streets.  This however does not happen in Glasgow.  The bus there, for either Rangers or Celtic, would be assaulted by hordes from the other side.  That will not happen in Edinburgh or Leith.  Fat chance of it being required next Monday, that's for sure!      

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Busy Weekend

It's been a tough weekend.  Not only did I have to interrupt my day yesterday to watch half a football match from China, listen to the Heart of Midlothian defeat St Mirren on the wireless (I don't mean they were playing on a wireless there, I meant I used a wireless to listen to the game)  and then, exhausted as I became I then had to watch Dundee United play St Johnstone.  This was tiring I must say, but I endured bravely.  Today, in between many other duties, I found that the requirement to indulge Ross County at home to Celtic was thrust before me, this too I bravely endured.  I then took a break out in the sunshine just to obtain that picture for you.  I almost obtained on of the girls but resisted  partly because I don't like taking 'candid' shots of strangers, I see that as an intrusion, and partly because my teeth are already loose enough.  I must get out more as the opportunities for something new to photograph are limited here.  Returning back home I discovered that Kilmarnock versus Hibernian (yaboo sucks!) was on telly.  So I sat back to watch and discovered this to be an enjoyable game which is unusual with Hibs.  However the game was abandoned after a spectator suffered a heart attack which halted play, required the assistance of both club doctors and the on stand by ambulance and led to the game being halted.  A short while ago during the game v Inverness a man died in similar circumstances at this ground, and one players father also died this way after a major game.  No wonder they wished to call it off!

On a different note, here is something quite er, different.....

Stolen blatantly from Rab at the Ben Lomand Free Press

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Some Days......

Some days nothing goes right.  The whole week has been like this.  The bug has dampened my planet sized brain (and can I just remind you Pluto is no longer regarded as a planet), writing, studying, thinking, reading have all been strenuous this week.  However today I arose after six to sun shining across the park, I must stop sleeping on this bench, and soon wandered around to the market for the veg.  Two cheerless market men sold me the goods once again, and a third avoided smiling as he overcharged me for the next plastic bag of urgent supplies.  These men originate in London and carry the 'London effect' with them wherever they go.  There is something about the city that takes away humanity from the individual, and London specialises in this.  I suspect it was the same in Rome, with its million inhabitants, and five thousand years ago in Ur of the Chaldees I suspect smiling in the heat of the day while pushing through the 65,000 inhabitants of the mud brick city was difficult then also.  Funnily enough many villages find difficulty in smiling or being friendly also.  Inbreeding and fear of people who do not possess six fingers on each hand I suspect there.  North of Watford people tend to be more open, the small triangular corner based on Watford, spreading out along the south coast of Essex to Southend, and south through Surrey to the coast, contains the most off-hand and pig ignorant people in these islands.  I am glad to be just outside that area, here folks are almost normal, usually.

The day could have been a happy one however, but this ended in despair.  By half time in the Scottish Cup Semi-Final lowly Falkirk were three goals to nil up against Hibernian.  Did I splutter and giggle while meditating on things to say to my Hibby friends?  YES!  However then the sad days returned.  Not only did the 'wee team' recover and score three miserable goals to make the result 3-3 by full time, but in extra time the Leith scruffs went on to score a stormer of a winner thereby robbing Falkirk of a cup final and ensuring Hibernian once again attend Hampden park in May for another anti-climax!  To cap it all I sauntered out for a break between games and it rained half way round.  Now I expect my tea to be rubbish, Wigan to lose to Millwall in the English cup semi final, and the internet connection to disappear once again as it did yesterday for no good reason.  'TalkTalk' sort yourselves out!  Bah!

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He He He!

The day was taken up with football.  The Edinburgh derby saw Hibernian struggle once again against a Heart of Midlothian side, a side so full of young players it was almost the Under 20's!  The Hearts played the better of what football was on offer yet failed to get the ball past the lucky Hibs goalie.  Lee Griffiths, as clear a product of Leith that you will ever come across, did manage to put the ball past Jamie MacDonald in the Hearts goal.  It gives me tears as I tell you the Russian linesman at the side did not notice the ball had crossed the line, by a yard!  Not for nothing do Scottish officials find themselves sponsored by 'Specsavers!'  I am myself not in favour of 'goalline technology' as the game has managed fine, bar the English cheating in '66, without it until now.  Better placed courageous officials are all that is required.  Still, looking at the reactions of the Hibernian faithful I must say, it's a giggle, innit? 

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Banter

Edinburgh contains two professional football clubs, the Heart of Midlothian who I may have mentioned before and Hibernian, the wee team down in Leith, Edinburgh's port.  Now it is of course inevitable that the followers of these two clubs would become entangled in swapping insults, both kindly offered and sometimes quite barbed.  But the question is how far can we go?  During any game between the clubs the bad behaviour of the Hibernian fans often caused the constabulary to become involved with controlling their bad attitudes.(Hearts fans always behave like gentlemen as you know) In such circumstances it is imperative that club officials behave with propriety.  However when the clubs are not meeting together surely some 'banter' is allowable?

The Heart of Midlothian, struggling financially because of Rangers draining resources from Scots football and their own high wage rates for mediocre players, let alone the payments to ex-managers, has run into trouble with the Queens taxmen!  These London controlled gentlemen, much reduced in number since the Cameron government appeared, have been forced to hassle football clubs for unpaid taxes, in Rangers case about a £100 million worth.  Of course little is done regarding Vodafone who owe £6 Billion or Amazon, Starbucks and all who avoid tax in similar fashion to Tory cabinet ministers.  I wonder why?  The situation however has caused anxiety amongst some fans regarding the Heart of Midlothian which in turn leads to much banter and no little vile expressions from Hibs fans.

However the other day the PA announcer at Hibernian's half empty plastic seated football ground played, amongst other records, the great Beatles song 'Taxman.'  This naturally caused mirth among the fans as they knew this was banter aimed at the bigger and better rivals.  The club however did not agree!  The PA announcer sacked after someone somewhere lodged a complaint about the 'offence.'  Is this for real? 

Now come now, what is an announcer for?  What is wrong with such a track when the enemy is not in a position to even hear the music?  It appears someone has been offended, and we live in an age of offence, and indeed compensation it must be said.  Quite how anyone could be offended, quite how any club would sack someone for this is beyond me!  Possibly there was more behind the scenes but as far as I know this record was the only cause of sacking.  

A Hibs statement implies this individual, a contractor as opposed to staff member, had not obeyed orders in the music that was played.  He admits to breaking the agreed playlist and the statement implies his removal was nothing to do with the 'Taxman.'  Hmmmm a typical Hibernian statement.

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Hearts Greatest Games

Buy this book from Amazon

I was awoken, just before lunchtime,  by the postman kicking the door in an effort to indicate his presence.  I enquired, as he shoved a packet in my face, why he had not put it through the letterbox, it was big enough to take it.  "I couldn't reach," he grunted, "And I knew you would be asleep, so there," The letterbox stands at eye level and he is six feet four!  So my second sleep of the day was disturbed, and I was anxious it was disturbed for a good reason.  It was!  In my hand I held another tome from the prolific, yet strangely humble, author of good books, Mr Mike Smith!  This time the work concerned the Heart of Midlothian, featuring fifty (only) of their greatest games!   A smart cover, a solid hardback that fits nicely into the hand, full of historical fact, written in a concise yet highly readable manner, excellent photographs, I canny wait!

From the foreword by Hearts great John Robertson, through over a hundred years of top games Mike Smith takes us into the heart of what it means to be a supporter of the Heart of Midlothian. Those who support clubs where money is no object fail to comprehend the reality of football supporting.  The real fan rejoices with each victory but hurts with each loss. The Heart of Midlothian fan hurts often!  Being reared on the mighty Hearts side of the fifties that swept all before it I attended my first game to see the remnants of that glorious side thrash Airdrieonians by six goals to one, I thought it would always be like this!  I watched us struggle to win the next game, versus Raith Rovers, and was given an understanding of reality a week or so later when relegation bound Queen of the South defeated us by one goal to nil. Reality said life is not perfect, and the heart of the Heart of Midlothian fan contains much cynicism!  It still does......

However the bright spots in such a life are indeed brighter for the fan of the Heart of Midlothian than for those 'prawn sandwich eaters' that follow cash rich giant clubs with no heart.  Indeed the book mentions how the Hearts victory over Kilmarnock in the 1962 League Cup Final (a game my father would not let me attend because of 'the crowds' Bah Humbug!) was the last major trophy to reach Tynecastle Park until that marvelous day in 1998 when Stephan Adam slotted home the winner and ended forty years of pain by bringing the Scottish Cup back home. (Excuse me while I wipe away tears, I'm so happy!!!) 

From the first cup final win over Dumbarton, to the double victories over Hibernian, by three goals to one in 1896, and by five goals to one in 2012 (and we all know it ought to have been double that score) through night games versus Lokomotiv Leipzig and Bayern Munich, via the destruction of Celtic by Rene Mollar and comrades that damp November in '69 (a game I well remember) this book speaks the language of the Heart of Midlothian, Edinburgh's Premier Football Team!  Few teams have the record of 'Scotia's Darlings,' few have such an intellectual following, few can begin to compare with the Heart of Midlothian.

Mr Smith offers a glimpse into the Scottish psyche with this book, touching on Edinburgh's history and culture (try saying that about Leith!),  on the desire of the fans for success, and their wary appreciation of how close disaster can be.  None understand that like the cynics at Tynecastle!  Fifty games here mentioned show however that this football team is indeed the 'Talk of the toon, ' and I claim that this book will stir the heart like no other.  And that is 'No idle talk!'

One of the best heart of Midlothian books I have read!

     

Stop press! News has reached us that a Hibernian book along similar lines has been cancelled.  They could not find fifty games worth mentioning.

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Bomber Dies?

Daily Telegraph

So, Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi is dead.  The man accused of the Lockerbie bombing passes away but the uneasy sense of injustice does not.  In spite of the decision of Scots Judges in the trial few believe this man committed this outrage.  Clearly, as we have stated before, a political stitch up has taken place to satisfy a sense of justice, and the result was that justice was not done!  Two points remain.  Evidence keeps 'leaking out' that Megrahi could not have been the bomber but few seek to investigate this.  What have the authorities to hide?  The other point is Captain Will Rogers action of downing Iran Air IR655, killing 290, including 66 children.  Ronald Reagan not only walked away from this event he awarded a campaign medal to Rogers.  How do the crew of his ship feel now I wonder?  Many Americans appear too keen to accept this man's guilt, yet many relatives have no belief in his being the bomber.  Too many questions still remain unanswered, I suspect it will be 50 years before answers appear.

The Heart Of Midlothian paraded the Scottish Cup before their millions of fans today.  Travelling through Scotland's historic capital the joyous throng cheered the magnificent men in maroon!  Oh how I wish I had been there with them (although they appear not to have missed me) and cried my eyes out with happiness.  Oh joy!  It is difficult to believe but there was a time I wondered if I would ever see Hearts win a trophy.  In 1962 I first stepped through the hallowed turnstile at Tynecastle Stadium and watched them defeat the Airdrionians by 6 goals to 1 and thought it would always be like this!  The sun shone, the sky was blue and the world seemed good.  That year we won the League Cup and it appeared to my mind that joy would always be mine!  The victories would keep coming and I would be there to see it!  However reality came into things.  After the fifties, when the Heart of Midlothian swept all aside, the sixties saw a change, a change for the worst.  After missing out on the League Championship in 1964/5 we entered upon a 'youth policy.'  This meant 'cheap!  (a lawyer was chairman!)  Then followed years of despair, as you will guess I was there, at almost every game!  Standing at Paisley, with the sleet hammering into our faces, we sang 'We shall overcome,' and lost three nil to a St Mirren side that got relegated.   I saw a great deal of Scotland at this time, and usually returned depressed! It wasn't meant to be like this!  It was 1998 before Stephan Adam (oh joy!) waltzed round the Rangers defence and smacked the winning goal home.  How we rejoiced!   Almost forty years we had waited for this, a phrase much repeated as we watched the open top bus slowly make its way through the crowds.  The pain had gone!  In 2006 we did it again!  And now we have won the Scottish Cup for the third time so few years!  (tears flow at this point) Who would have thought this would happen.  I give thanks to God he allowed me to support the Hearts, a proper football team, not one with scurrilous attitudes or reasons to be embarrassed. How grateful I am!

However we must take a moment to consider the Hibernian players and fans who suffered such a defeat yesterday.  After all the last time we met in the final, in 1896, we won that one also!  The wee team must despair at our constant success, and habit of trouncing them every time we play them, a habit that stems from the first encounter on Christmas Day 1875, we won that one nil.  Let us consider their pain, anguish, torment and despair thoughtfully.

  

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Oh Happy Saturday!

Heart of Midlothian 5 Hibernian 1.

Read all about it, the tears of joy are making it hard to type.

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Hmmmm.....

Around lunchtime I found the laptop to be very slow.  Not for the first time I must say.  This varmint does its best to annoy and irritate me.  That being so I just switched of and went out, grumbling, which is unusual for me.  However while the beast works at proper speed I note I have to sign in to things, and little oddities have arisen.  Hmmmm  have I been hacked?  They cannot steal money, there is only debts!  Or was it just one of those moments such machines develop I wonder?  Running the anti virus stuff made things no clearer.  Ho hum.....

On Saturday the biggest game EVER in the history of the Scottish Cup takes place at Hampden Park Glasgow, and I will not be there!  However all being well I can pick up the pictures on the web, and once again the Heart of Midlothian will defeat the wee team Hibernian to take the cup back home where it belongs.  Sadly (snigger) Hibs have not won the cup since 1902, the year Roosevelt (the first one)  became the first US president to drive around in a car (that's an automobile for our US friends).  It was also the year before man actually flew, before my father was born (1908), before two major wars and countless small ones.  The funny thing is these Hibs folks think tomorrow they will actually win this cup, and this from a side that has just avoided relegation! Ha Ha Ha!!!  

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Hope Springs Eternal.....

Hope sprang this afternoon after I hobbled home from my walk around the various town banks.  Being the Sabbath the banks are closed and I merely looked in the windows and allowed myself to dream for a moment.  Having done so I made my way home to my cocoa when I espied the fuzz parked outside the park!  Hooray I thought, a raid!  Visions of armour clad polis waving large truncheons practicing for Olympic duty crossed my mind.  As I approached I was disappointed to note only one vehicle parked there.  I was more disappointed when five custodians of the law sauntered from the park, no adolescent brutes gathered, no blood on their truncheons and no sign of removal of the half grown miscreants!  It appears a mere general enquiry was under way, no arrests, no reason to whine to the council, no chance of closing the park to the screeching brats, no happy thoughts after all.

Still, one day.....

I had wandered out after a morning filled with rain hammering onto the dirty window panes, an afternoon watching Celtic taking Rangers apart while avoiding shouting 'Third Division, you're having a laff' at them.  I followed this giggle by sniggering my way through Hibernian's feeble attempt to defeat a poor St Mirren side.  Oh the satisfaction of knowing that by the grace of God I was born into the Heart of Midlothian family, such joy!  Sometimes I sympathise with those lesser people not of such a privelaged life.  The rain ceasing offered an opportunity to see the outside world once again.  Sadly it had closed and I merely spent my time as  windowlicker outside the various banks.  One day I will actually be allowed inside one.  

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The Early (ish) Bird....

Spotted this pigeon earlier today as the sun was attempting to push through the dank Spring cloud cover.  It shoved its way past the cumulus now and then to the delight of those walking the dogs. Actually this chap was walking the dog, the other two broke away full of high spirits from a chap who daily passes by with seven dogs.  Usually the tails are wagging and the smiles are evident as the beasts thoroughly enjoy their trail, noses twitching, through the park.  He was somewhat loud in his rebuke as these two unwillingly returned, tails between their legs, after him yelling at them to "Stay," "Come here," and "Come back here," each time louder and more gruff than before.  I have never seen them do that before, possibly just high spirits and a female dog in sight.   

Recent days have been a bovver.  The PC smoking has ruined my life.  This laptop is slow, so veeeeerrrrrry slow, and it keeps doing things it ought not do!  Using this daft 'Touch Pad' causes trouble. The curser takes on a mind of its own, it races up and down unbidden, the pages change of their own accord, pictures disappear and the browser separates into differing browsers by itself!  I slammed it shut the other night as it was taking hours to change and I was most indignant with it.  I yelled at the world, got no reply, but yelled anyway.  The yelling began all over again when I went downstairs yesterday morning and discovered ANOTHER puncture in the rear tyre.  It had appeared OK when I got home yet here it was flat as my singing voice. It's a disgrace the way I am treated by technology!  And 'tyre' is spelled 'tyre,' not 'tire.'  Will someone tell this dumb American spellchecker! Don't they have schools in the US?

Sporting Life

Life did improve during lunch time however.  The Heart of Midlothian, Edinburgh's finest and Scotia's Darling's, once more walked, at half pace, all over the wee team from Leith, Hibernian.  This time we merely scored two goals to their nil, but we don't need to do much to prove our superiority over them again do we?  I wish them well in their fight against relegation to the lower division.  Maybe Rangers liquidation will secure their place for another season?   The marvelous Craig Beattie (pictured) scored the first goal from 'Man of the Match' Ian Black's wonderful pass.  Suso Santana rubbed salt into Hibernian's wound (snigger) with an even better goal in the last minute.  What fun!


A few hours later and more good news as the other half of the evil empire called the Old Firm (That's Rangers and Celtic to you) were defeated by Kilmarnock in the League Cup Final by one goal to nil.  A deserved victory for a team supposed to crumble in such an atmosphere.  Sadly the joy felt by Killie was ruined when the father of Laim kelly, a Kilmarnock player, suffered a heart attack at the end of the game. This follows on from the incident at the Tottenham Hotspurs v Bolton Wanderers game yesterday when a Bolton player, Fabrice Muamba, suffered a Heart attack on the pitch during the game.  The shock of his collapse causing  the match to be abandoned.  Both men appear to be in a critical condition. 
 Football knows its place at such times.

The afternoon saw the clearing of the skies later in the day, an end to the rain that had washed the pigeon off the lamppost, and left behind the first decent sunset for some time.  How nice to watch the sun descend slowly and brightly, causing alarms to go off all over the antipodes shortly afterwards, and leave us one of those wonderful skies.  Good morning Australia!

I hope this week brings good things, and no cardiac arrests, to one and all.

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