Saltire, Moscow and Tomb

I'm sitting here reading the online newspapers, though apart from a tragedy in Baltimore there is little actual news on offer, when I looked up for inspiration and found this!  Here above me was the Saltire!

Clearly this is a sign, of what I am unsure.  Possibly this indicates Scotland will defeat Northern Ireland in tonight's friendly match, possibly it indicates independence is round the corner, possibly it indicate two aircraft coming and going from Stansted almost hit one another!

I do not know.

Sadly, the air stream has moved the Saltire on elsewhere.  No doubt Sunak passing by in one of his £600,000 helicopters saw this and destroyed it in a piece of tetchiness for which he is well known.  

Englishmen have made use of such attitudes for a thousand years, but we are still here!

South China Morning Post

The tragedy in Baltimore has removed the Moscow outrage from the front page.  Questions regarding why that occurred are ongoing.  ISIS-K, the ISIS working in Russia, hates Christians, and believes all Russians, and indeed all Westerners are Christians.  Of course ISIS hates everybody who is not ISIS, Muslims, Hindu's, Indonesian, Taliban, Iran, Shia's etc, almost the whole world, so it is easy for them to find a target.  The Chechen war some years ago heightened their disgust at Moscow and this is not the first outrage that has occurred there.

Questions arise however, as to how four men got into the theatre with automatic weapons, dressed in fatigues and opened fire.  The FSB, the Russian security service is very efficient, the US, among others had warned of an attack, and yet this was allowed to happen.

Some imply Putin was involved himself allowing the attack to take place to turn attention away from both the death of the opposition leader in the gulag, and the losses in the Ukraine war.  Indeed one report speaks of men dressed in similar outfits, blue jerseys, blue jeans, with guns, hindering people attempting to escape.  These may be conspiracy theorists but many questions have not been answered. Add to this the housing block demolished by bombs some years ago which was blamed on Chechens if I remember correctly, conspiracy theorists again wondered if the Stalin impersonator was responsible, it is like him, and human beings are worth little to Putin.  

We await answers, though we may wait some time.

As it is Easter Time here is a quick look at the Holy Sepulchre, the place most likely to have been where Jesus was crucified and the tomb in which he may well have been laid.  Constantine's mother led the way in identifying the places, and he built this structure over it, but a historical perspective is somewhat ruined by that.  Worth a look however.

Andrew

Andrew, as we all know, was a Scotsman.  Born on the Fife coast to a Hebrew couple who had been enslaved by the Romans and traded across Europe.  Having landed on the Fife coast they settled down to work under brutal rule, but not from the Scots around them.  Andrew was born in the wee village and by the time he was 9 year old had developed the game of golf by hitting wee pebbles around the sandy bunkers on the beach.  However, in time a fellow Hebrew trading along the East coast of Scotland rescued them and returned the family to Galilee.  

That is why St Andrews is called St Andrews.  He is also the first disciple bringing Simon and the rest to listen to Jesus while at Johns baptism at the Jordan.   It is difficult to believe that some people are sceptical about this story.  They refuse to accept historical fact.  Shame on them.

Andrew, the first disciple, a Scotsman!

St Andrew

St Andrews Day: but where did he come from?

Andrew himself first appears with other Galilean folks at the Jordan where John the Baptist is baptising.  Large crowds were dwelling in the area, and Andrew, along with his brother Simon and many others later to appear in the gospels, were among them.  Clearly the sight of a prophet was enticing and clearly also they wished to hear and probably repent of many things.  Andrew himself had become a disciple of John and we are left wondering why a Hebrew fisherman would be so keen to repent and live a new life.  A fisherman's life is indeed hard, Andrew was a Hebrew with a Greek name.  This was not uncommon in Galilee as far as I know, far from Jerusalem, with traders and a wide variety of travellers passing through, the Galileans were more open to outsiders than their Jerusalem leaders, and still the Hebrews kept to the faith, in spite of many difficulties of the day.  So, why was Andrew here?  Clearly he felt some need to change his ways, a desire to be closer to his God, and possibly problems in his life of which we know nothing.  

Now the 'Lamb of God' had been baptised the disciples knew something was afoot.  When John indicated Jesus and cried ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’ Andrew and another of John's disciples decided to follow him.  They spent the day with Jesus and makes me wonder what was said.  Certainly Andrew was impressed by what he heard and immediately went to find his brother Simon.  "We have found the Messiah!" and he brought him to Jesus.  When Jesus saw Simon he said "You will be called 'Kephas,' Aramaic for 'rock.' (The Latin 'Petras' meaning 'rock' gives us the name 'Peter.')  This may have surprised Simon and Andrew.

Returning to Galilee the men returned to work.  I wonder what went through their minds?  Then Jesus turns up again, preaching by the shore.  Getting in to Simon's boat what he said inclines Simon to realise his sin, but Jesus raises him up.  Later, while they men were in their boats fixing the nets, a never ending job for fisherfolk world wide, Jesus called them to follow him.   Clearly their meeting with Jesus, his preaching, and the man himself enabled them to leave a decent employment to risk everything, including their lives, by wandering the land and leaving everything.  Some pull was very strong and Andrew felt this first.

Andrew was with the disciples from then on, though not one of the three who appear closest to Jesus. Yet Andrew is named as one of the twelve apostles, he is the one who offered the boy with a few fish and loaves when Jesus was asking how to feed the people.  And when the Greeks (diaspora Jews living outside of Israel) asked to see Jesus they asked Philip, who took them to Andrew, who then told Jesus.

Andrew appears only once more in the new testament, after Jesus had ascended he is with the brothers and sisters gathered in the room, hiding from the Jews, while praising God.

Very little information but we do see a man seeking a better religious life, finding the answer to his life in Jesus, and then offering himself by leaving everything and following him.  Clearly he had found a life such as he had not known before.

But what then?

In truth no official record has been found.  This is no surprise, Jesus is the centre of action in scripture, the works of the others are hidden from us.  There is some possibility that Andrew did visit the Black Sea area, even venturing into Ukraine and Russia.  The earliest manuscript appears to date to the 2nd century and there are rumours of him in Cyprus and elsewhere.  It is said he dies in Greece, and his relics have travelled about a bit as so many relics have done.  Whether these are indeed Andrews bones we cannot tell.  One story involves a monk landing on the Fife coast, luckily for him at St Andrews, and presenting the bones to the local king.  Another tale indicates the relics in Hexam, where Acca, the then Bishop, removed them when under pressure from his enemies.  He settled in Fife, though some claim Galloway on the west coast.

Does it matter?

It does to Oengus II who took to the field against Athelstan in AD 832 and called on God for protection as he was heavily outnumbered.  He promised, it is said, to make Andrew patron saint if he won, and the next day, with a saltire shape in the sky above, he won his battle and Andrew was appointed Scotland's patron saint.  It is also said by some that Andrew was already popular in Scotland, but does this matter?

Of course not.  Patron saints are dead people who some believe can hear prayer and give answers, or at the very least get Jesus to do something.  Scripture makes clear praying to dead people does not work.  You come to God the Father through Jesus the Son only.  Pray to him and answers may, or may not, appear.  Having a patron saint makes no difference to our lives, not one whit.  Why should it when we can talk direct to God himself through Jesus?  

Scots do not takes these tales very serious.  Bible readers can trace Andrew clearly, a man who believed and knew his God, but a day off for St Andrews Day would only be to worship Scotland, and to pull the nation together, few would expect a prayer answer from the great man.  I say great, yet we know so little about him?  Just reading the verses reveals the heart of the man, seeking God and finding him there at the Jordan standing in front of him, then spending his life following and proclaiming Jesus as Lord.   

Christmas St Andrews

It was dreich when I forced my unwilling bulk out off bed this morning.  Too tired to think I yet cogitated over the bag lying on the floor with items that had to be posted this morning.  So, after much strife, I forced myself down the road to the Post Office with the young woman who smiles at me.

For most the the past few years I have endured the walk down there rather than face the hard bitten and unhelpful staff recruited from the Lubyanka when it closed in 1989 in the town centre Post Office.  

I learned recently the present town centre has closed and people are advised the nearest is down Panfield Lane.  This is untrue but in case they file into the one I use I will keep quiet about this.

When I first arrived the PO was in what was called the 'Quadrant,' a fancy name for the Co-op.  This was then staffed by Soviet types, personality and heart removed, and led to long queues and occasional opportunities to find bile on my tongue.  Later it moved to another part of the building and only the lass with the 1960's hairstyle remained, new unhelpful staff being recruited.  However, by now I was going down the road to the smile, or just had no money to send anything anywhere and kept clear of the place.

Now 'Quadrant' was not a shop I used much, female dominated department store type of place, and it held a wonderful array of staff who could never be found.  For instance, I looked upstairs in the furniture department for a new stereo some time ago, the chap was loitering at the front as I wandered about looking at things.  One caught my eye, I turned to speak and golly, he had gone!  This was typical of 'Quadrant!'

Then in one of the few occasions I ventured in, Christmas possibly, I noticed the PO had gone, I knew not where.  Later I found it in the town centre, in a small newsagent type shop with a large array of counters and unhelpful staff in the rear.  The queue wended it's miserable way past the cheap toys and papers while the unsmiling brutes demanded to know what was in each package in a manner befitting an Israeli Border Guard.  I had a run in with them also.  Now this too has closed, no reason given.  No profit, no staff through Covid, someone fiddling the books?  I do not know.  So, it is off to the smiling lass who speaks only enough English to get through the day, as do the family who run the rest of the corner shop, never closing being Hindu, and able to compete with the Tesco Express almost next door.  An excellent shop.  I passed over my three items, gasped when she told me the price and she laughed, however I cleverly bought Christmas stamps which it turns out I do not require.

So, almost all the posting is done, one box, still to be found, a card or two and then online ordering for other items and I am done.

Tee Hee, how far on are you?

 

Considering this is St Andrews Day I felt the weather was very Scotch.  Though warmer than yesterday, I doubted Andrew, while fishing with his brother Simon on the Lake of Galilee would endure such a west wind as was reminding me of my days heading up Ferry Road from Leith.  He may have endured squalls, rain, and snow every thirty years or so but in between he had high temperatures and plenty of time to lie in the sun and forget work.  That did not occur in Leith!

It is difficult to believe those men of Fife accepted the words of single monk in a coracle who landed with nothing but a bag containing Andrews bones (he said) and they named a town after him.  One up on others I suppose but did they not do an internet check?  I suspect now Nigel Farage would appear and send him back from whence he came, wherever that was.  Where Saint Andrew actually died is of course unknown, though legends abound.  For myself I doubt whether it was on or near the Fife coast.

 

Andrew the Saint

                                                                www.LumoProject.com.

Who was this Andrew?

He was part of a decent fishing business up there in the north.  He and his brother Simon, working alongside Zebedee and his young sons James and John, were doing well on the Galilee lake.  John would take the fish as far as Jerusalem to sell, numbering the high and mighty Sadducee Chief Priests among his customers.  Andrew and his brother, indeed the whole family, were working Jews, living out their lives faithful to their God as well as possible.  However, Galilee was also a conduit for outsiders passing through and open to many non Hebrew influences.  Andrew's name reveals one such influence, it is Greek, not Hebrew.

However, the arrival of a Prophet at the Jordan was newsworthy enough for Andrew and the rest to head south to hear what this man had to say.  No prophet had appeared for amny years, this was a world shaking event and the people all wanted to see what it was all about.  Crowds gathered from all regions while day after day this man, called John, dressed in his quaint outfit, one of camels hair and held together with a leather belt, preached his word warning of 'One' who was to come and demanding repentance from the people.

This John demanded the crowds returned to Gods rule, he offered a Baptism in water for those who repented of their sins and returned to their God.  He also indicated answers to the many questions regarding how to do this all in line with the scriptures held in the synagogues everywhere.  

John demanded soldiers did not abuse their position, and held little back in his contempt of the Jewish authorities with regards to what he considered their hypocrisy.  His position was therefore a dangerous one, as authorities do not like being exposed.   They were also always on the lookout for religious troublemakers, and there were plenty in 1st century Judea and Galilee, Andrew, by becoming one of Johns disciples risked all by his adherence.

John referring to himself as a forerunner of "One who is to come" was likely to create many different images of this 'one.' Many differing ideas were in the heads of Johns disciples, did he mean a warrior perhaps, or a new King?  

 

 Free Bible Images

                

 

It is clear Andrew was looking for something and he found an answer with John the Baptist.  Many of the soon to be Jesus disciples were also in attendance and it is unlikely Simon his brother became a disciple of John, I suspect he would mention this in later years.  He was however still in the vicinity.  When one man from Nazareth came to John, underwent Baptism, and then disappeared into the crowd, it is likely Andrew never noticed him from among the others going through the water. John however, had declared him to be the 'One' yet Jesus remained almost unnoticed in the crowd.  

It was when Andrew and another of John's disciples heard John say "Look, the Lamb of God," that they went up to Jesus.  What do you say to a man a Prophet has proclaimed as 'The One?'  The two were dumbfounded as Jesus turned and asked "What do you want?"  A bit stunned they merely asked "Where are you staying?"  I think this a brilliant question when you meet someone considered more important than a prophet of God!    

Clearly impressed after an evening with Jesus we see Andrews reaction, he seeks out his brother Simon claiming "We have found the Messiah!"  Some statement as many were to be found at that time in the land.  No hesitation here, solid assurance that this man, here at the Jordan, was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ!  Simon must have been a wee bit astonished himself when he meets this unknown man, he will at least the Galilean accent.  Jesus soon informsehim that he would change his name from Simon to 'Kephas,' the Aramaic for 'Rock.' (Written in Greek the New Testament uses the Latin term 'Petras' for 'Rock' as this would be better known to the readers. Hence 'Peter.').

The action speeds up here, Jesus returns to Galilee but first picks up Phillip, also from Bethsaida, Andrew and Simons home,  with the words "Follow me."   

A simple but life changing request.

Phillip is impressed and seeks out Nathanael who appears unimpressed by a saviour from Nazareth, indicating its lowly position.  Only when Jesus reveals his knowledge of Nathanael's inner spiritual life  does he then fall in.  

All these men were seeking something from John the Prophet.  I suspect all were baptised by him but this is never stated, all were Hebrews from the north, all faithful to their God as much as possible, all, like the rest of the society in which they lived, looking for the Messiah.  Now Jesus had his first four men and yet they did not understand him or really know who he was.

 

 

The timeline is not clear but it appears back home they return to their work, they may well have been away for sometime.  As I read it Jesus speaks to a crowd while standing in Simon's fishing boat, the crowd being too deep and close for him to be heard.  He teaches from the boat and afterwards tells Simon to go out and fish, even though Simon is doubtful.  He goes but he has been out all night and caught nothing, yet he goes at Jesus request.  An enormous number of fish are caught and when they return to shore Simon, with Andrew in attendance, falls at Jesus feet, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.  Andrew and the rest had met with Jesus, talked with him and now had a glimpse of the supernatural reality of this world.  Simon Peter understood this and had only one choice and that was to admit his natural sinful nature, the others will have been undergoing a similar experience.

It looks like Jesus let them go back to work to consider what had occurred then comes to the shore and calls them, along with James and John to 'Follow.'   Andrew the fisherman joins with the three and follows Jesus not knowing what lies ahead, leaving behind a good business and facing possible death.

The reality of life had hit Andrew and his fellow fishermen.  No matter how good the business a new reality forced them to face up to life. 

 

There now follows three tough years of discipling.  

Following Jesus was no picnic, for a start there were 12 Jesus had called 'apostles' and among the crowds were many equally close to Jesus, let alone the women who provided for him as he spread his message.   Andrew, though Simons brother, was not given the privileged acess to Jesus that his brother shared with James and John, I wonder if was jealous?  He did see the 5000 fed, Jesus walk on water, provision at wedding and the raising of the dead along with all sorts of healing.  The hardest job was the attempt to control the crowds, just imagine a Middle Eastern crowd!  along with the others Andrew was sent out to proclaim the message, heal the sick, cast out demons and call the nation to repent.  He had seen the power, but like the others he all too often did not comprehend what Jesus was talking about.

Andrew was in Jerusalem at the end, partook of the 'last supper' and was in Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested.  Like the rest he ran and hid while his Messiah died on a cross.  Only young John and the women stood near.  

Andrew was with the 12, now 11, when news of Jesus resurrection came through.  What did he make of it all?  Whatever he thought he was heartened when Jesus appeared amongst them, though they as loyal believers naturally thought he was a ghost!   Andrew also received the Holy Spirit and the commission to 'go and make disciples.' He was there on the day of Pentecost when full of the Holy Spirit the disciples spoke to Jerusalem and the world of Jesus rising from the dead and announced the one way of salvation as open to all.

 

St Paul's Outside the Wall

  

As often happens in scripture what matters is Jesus, God is important and honour must go to him.  Therefore few details of the end of the apostles can be discovered, indeed many would honour them and pray to them rather than Jesus more willingly if they could indeed discover their burial place.  

Andrew, some claim, went to Sythia and Thrace proclaiming Jesus and his death and resurrection.  Others believe he went to Ukraine.  All this is possible but little evidence can be found.  Churches in some places often determine who founded them according to how many visitors this would bring to the church or monastery.  

It is claimed by some that Andrew died on a cross at Patras in the northern Peloponnese.  The story goes he felt unfit to be crucified on a cross similar to Jesus and chose a 'saltire' cross instead.  It was not unusual for Roman soldiers to play with those condemned to death and often used various crosses and means of death.  Sympathy was often lacking.  If he died in AD 60 as some claim he would have been a mere 50 years old at most.   

 So, how come Andrew became patron saint of Scotland?

Wiki tells us this.

Several legends state that the relics of Andrew were brought by divine guidance from Constantinople to the place where the modern Scottish town of St Andrews stands today (Gaelic, Cill Rìmhinn). The oldest surviving manuscripts are two: one is among the manuscripts collected by Jean-Baptiste Colbert and willed to Louis XIV of France, now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris; the other is the Harleian Mss in the British Library, London. 

They state that the relics of Andrew were brought by one Regulus to the Pictish king Óengus mac Fergusa (729–761). The only historical Regulus (Riagail or Rule) whose name is preserved in the tower of St Rule was an Irish monk expelled from Ireland with Saint Columba; his dates, however, are c. 573 – 600. 

There are good reasons for supposing that the relics were originally in the collection of Acca, bishop of Hexham, who took them into Pictish country when he was driven from Hexham (c. 732), and founded a see, not, according to tradition, in Galloway, but on the site of St Andrews. 

 

or...

 

According legendary accounts given in 16th-century historiography, Óengus II in AD 832 led an army of Picts and Scots into battle against the Angles, led by Æthelstan, near modern-day Athelstaneford, East Lothian. The legend states that he was heavily outnumbered and hence whilst engaged in prayer on the eve of battle, Óengus vowed that if granted victory he would appoint Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. 

On the morning of battle white clouds forming an X shape in the sky were said to have appeared. Óengus and his combined force, emboldened by this apparent divine intervention, took to the field and despite being inferior in numbers were victorious. Having interpreted the cloud phenomenon as representing the crux decussata upon which Saint Andrew was crucified, Óengus honoured his pre-battle pledge and duly appointed Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. 

The white saltire set against a celestial blue background is said to have been adopted as the design of the flag of Scotland on the basis of this legend. However, there is evidence that Andrew was venerated in Scotland before this.
 

Personally I prefer the story of the monk in a wee boat who landed, co-incidentally at St Andrews, with a bag of bones he claimed were Andrew's bones and the local Pict King welcomed him and thus Andrew became a Scots saint.  Hmmm...  

(All persons who become Christians become 'saints.'  There is no special role as a 'saint,' all believers are 'sanctified,' that is 'set apart,' for Gods use, therefore 'saints.'  Andrew, like all other 'Saints' who are prayed to are in fact dead and as such unable, and I suspect, unwilling to answer prayers.  We pray to God through Jesus the Messiah only.  That way brings us to God.)

Famous: 1914 - 1918

This has been an interesting second hand book.
On Remembrance Sunday I read my portion of the service which included items from individuals life experiences during the war.  Richard van Emden was the man who had gathered, or actually his wife,gathered the material which we used.  So when I saw this book I had t have it as I was always interested in the war experiences of these famous men and these were for the most part real war lives.
Harold MacMillan, later to be Prime Minister spent considerable time lying wounded in the field, between two lines and with conflict chasing past him.  More than once he was wounded and for the rest of his life had trouble walking and little use of his right arm.  He still made it politically and we could do well to have him back today, he would be appalled at his party under Boris.
Ralph Vaughan Williams joined the RAMC, possibly because of his age, as a private and served on the western front and in Salonika where he achieved a commission at the age of 45!  Always 'unkempt' he failed further promotion because of his lack of consideration for such niceties as tidiness but he remained a popular and efficient officer.  His music reflected his war, while climbing the slope with the ambulance wagons towards the line he noted the countryside and the colour of the sky from which he began to develop his 'Pastoral Symphony.'  It was a war scarred vista that brought out the music, not a sweet countryside view as many think.  The war was not something he ever forgot.
J.R.R. Tolkien like the rest never got over the war, though he wrote little about it he manifested the war in his writing, most clearly in 'Lord of the Rings' where many see reflections of the war exposed.
John Christie, more famous as the murderer from '10 Rillington Place' did indeed see time on the western front during 1918 but his service records are somewhat dubious.  His claim to have been gassed and wounded are not exactly well documented though extremely likely as is the fact of his many small crimes which followed him during his life.  Christie was a mixed up individual, his life complicated and while war service may have encouraged a maladjusted life style it probably made little difference but did offer him an excuse on occasion and allow him some leeway while in a courtroom.  He was hanged eventually, unmissed by anyone it appears, in 1953.
Not all 'our boys' are 'heroes.'
Tom Denning was one of five brothers who enlisted, one dying in action another failing through TB while in the Royal Navy.  Tom Denning, like all good barristers very good at maths, and he joined the Royal Engineers in 1918 as he thought his maths would be of benefit, indeed they were.  Careful maths study enabled him to dig a tunnel from two directions and find much pleasure in them meeting exactly as planned, not easy in wartime.  Denning's war was fought during the 'last hundred days' as the allies pushed the enemy out of France and Flanders.  This required the erection of bridges and pontoons over canals and flooded rivers, always under fire and as he passed the sight of dead and dying men all around, from both sides.  
After the war he resumed his legal profession becoming the second highest judge in the land and famous for his exclamations throughout his time.  His most famous work was the Report into the 'Profumo scandal' of the early 60's.  Denning died in 1999 not long after his one hundredth birthday. 
C.S.Lweis, A.A.Milne and many others are mentioned in the book.
A piece on their war time experience, some background info and in my view too little critical examination, even allowing for the few pages available.  Their failings are glossed over, which in such a book may be understandable but it does appear to avoid controversy somewhat.
I enjoyed the book however.  Each chapter was readable and shirt enough to stimulate more study and saved time reading about the less interesting people.  Clearly all found the war affected them for the rest of their lives, some more than others.  If you listen to their music, read their books and read about them somewhere you can better understand how these men viewed the world.  
Well worth a read.

Happy St Andrews Day

  

Nov 30th

 

Being St Andrew's Day I expected to be woken for a breakfast of 'Neeps & Tatties' with whisky following.  Instead I found myself at work covering the two wimmin who ought to be there on Friday.  One has a husband and his wealth has enabled them to obtain a property of some sort in Portugal where they oft flee to when the mood is upon them, and that mood arises often it appears to me.  Off she went taken the other with her leaving me to suffer the burden of a Friday morning at work.

At least two women came in to browse, one came in to buy, a local collection who care for those not quite with it came in for an hour and the postman and one delivery arrived.  I found the pace telling!

At least with the new system now I can get on the computer and was given the task of searching for Victorian Christmas Crackers.  These as you know were begun when a chap who's name I forget noticed a French sweet wrapped in paper called a 'Bon-Bon.'  From this he decided wrapping things that way was a good idea and later he after watching the spark from the fire he added the 'bang' that enlivens many a Christmas party.  He added jokes later and it appears we are still using the same ones today!

This meant little time for St Andrew, however as he is also a saint in Romania, Russia and elsewhere it matters not as he will have lots to do over there tonight.  It is claimed he reached Scotland when a monk landed in St Andrews, conveniently, announcing he had Andrews bones in his bag.  This made them all wealthy religious and the town prospers today, mostly from students filling the pubs and foreign types using the golf course which Andrew never used I expect.

At least I had 'Neeps & Tatties tonight although the mince was not the same as a Haggis would have been.

Tomorrow rain will drench us again after today's bright blue sky and the cheery weatherman has informed us that is also the first day of the meteorological winter, so we can all rejoice about that!  I will sort the cards out, that is add stamps to them as they are all ready for posting, fix one or two small parcels for posting on Monday and inform the world my Xmas has been dealt with.  

That usually puts a smile on peoples faces.  

November 30th

Each St Andrews Day the sky clears and high above travellers heading from Europe to far of lands such as Canada, USA or Luton Airport helpfully form a Scots Saltire Flag in the sky above us all.   It is a gift from above we ought all to be grateful for.
There is a growing movement that suggests that this day ought to become a national holiday in Scotland, I am sure all will be glad about this bar the Banks which work to London time of course.  They can work to London time if they wish but as the Bank of England keeps indicating the Scots Banks are not being run properly I can see their point of view.   A far cry from the days the Banks in Scotland were trusted and even then the one time chairman of the Bank of Scotland, long before the corruption of recent days, was famed for saying "Don't listen to the sound of another drum, just take the cash!"
The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has been contacting foreign powers with the intention of having Scotland remain in the EU rather than run into poverty with England and has recently been rewarded with support from the Republic of Ireland.  I am sure some of her supporters back in her hometown of Irvine, Ayrshire, would be less happy about this than most of us.  Supportive words have been offered from other states but there again Nicola you must never trust a politician!
My eatables tonight will represent the Scots diet of today - Moussaka, a Greek dish obtained through the helpfulness of Tesco who reduced its price because of the sell by date.  Scots of course have always been happy to contact Europe, some have even lived there and refer always to the friendly nature of the natives whenever they mention that they "Are NOT English!"  Historically Scots have traded with northern European states since this land was occupied and there is no reason for this to change.  We have much in common with them, and here I do not refer to a liking for too much beer, but so many things in Scandinavia and Scotland ring true.  Holland and Northern Belgium also as well as Germany have much in common with Scotland and long may this remain true.  I know these places well as I flew over them once, in the dark, and once with cloud cover!  At least I have eaten their cheese and drank their beer, and Belgian beers strength must be noted before consuming by the way!
The English on the other hand are divided re Europe.  In the south they consider the Continent to be isolated if there is fog in the channel, in the northern parts they can often be similar to Scots in their approach.  It is the 'Little Englander' in the south who led to the Brexit decision, his papers spurring those up north to support him by lying in his teeth daily about immigrants.  Interesting to find any poll that asks Brexit voters whether they enjoy a Curry takeaway or not?
Scotland must have strong ties with Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Scandinavia and we must not let English navel gazing take that from us. 

A pot boiler!  Or at least a boiler going to pot!  Today it runs smoothly, switching on at the right times, heating the radiators and even the water if I wished to make use of it.  Today it runs well but when I required it early yesterday morning it was a different story!
I came through into the east wing and found all the little red lights shining brightly as they ought.  So confident in their heat I turned on the tap at the bath and proceeded about my business.  Later I plunged my hand into said bathwater to check it was not too hot and instead it was freezing cold!  The brute had switched off!  I fiddled with the thermostat and waited, and waited and waited!  The little red lights would not light.  No matter what I did this brute would not switch on.  One red light appeared for a while, joined by another but seconds later they were gone. 
My entreaties, not particularly considerate ones as I was in a hurry to get ready to leave, did not work.  Speaking forcefully to it in a full and frank manner made no difference so I added a kettle  or two of hot water to the tepid bath which remained tepid as I made use of it.  I was pleased I can tell you, I was so pleased....
Shivering I took my skinny seven stone body through to the kitchen and made an unhealthy breakfast, I ought to have made porridge but I was afraid the microwave might blow up.  So naturally as I sat there, hair combed, shaved, almost dressed and checking the time before the off the blessed boiler sprang into life!  All the little red lights came on one after another! One, two, three, four, five...six, all of them smugly pumping hot water around a soon to be empty dwelling.  
Since then the boiler has worked perfectly and obeyed each and every command.  When I next attempt to bathe my physique, on Sunday next as usual, I suspect funny boy will play up again.

   

A Special Day

Today as you all realise is a special day, St Andrews Day!  Now I will not wax lyrical about Scots superiority as I don't wish for you to feel inferior, even though as non Scots you are, so Iwill pass this day in a simple manner.  
The ticket above celebrates the first ever football international which was played in Glasgow in 1872. This date is so long ago even our friend Mike Smith was not in attendance!  The score between the Scots heroes and the imperialist upper class twits was 0-0.  This shows how good their goalkeeper had been during the game.  Such internationals between the only two nations playing in such organised football matches became an annual event, one year in England the next in the land of the free.  This continued until during the 1970's the glory of the encounter wore off and Scotland began to look at the wider football world and saw meetings with then 'Auld enemy' of little meaning.  Of course some wish to bring back this game but with the wider scope of football today Scots would be better playing European sides and developing young players, especially in what were once called 'B' internationals.  
In spite of much weeping and gnashing of teeth I only managed to attend  two of these games, both at Hampden Park, Glasgow.  The first finished in a 1-1 draw and I was placed high in what we term the 'Rangers End' under cover from the rain and surrounded by drunken wee Glasgow neds.  The result meant we failed to qualify for the European Championships that year and we were somewhat surprised by the wee neds bursting into drunken tears at the end.  The result meant a lot to drunken Rangers fans in those days.  
We left, I say 'we' but I have no memory of whom I attended the game alongside, we left and made our way down the dangerous slippery slopes and turned to our right heading for the bus.  The one little difficulty here was the stream of thousands from the other end who were making their way to the left.  We crossed though this far from merry throng and followed the right crowd in the right direction.  As we got halfway down we passed one of the common sights in Glasgow at the time, one somewhat imbued individual standing facing the masses heading in the direction directly opposite to he himself.  naturally you and I would move to the correct crowd and follow their movement this joker stayed where he was and by swinging his arms and misusing industrial language requested the thousands to move and let him past.  He may still be there, trampled into the tarmac!    
The next time I managed to get a ten shilling ticket was two years later in 1972, the price had not gone up much in one hundred years you notice so I suspect the early one shilling fee was intended to put off the rougher element.  1972 gave us the second only 0-0 draw in one hundred years of football.  I was there - in 1972 that is.  It was not a great game, the loudest cheer came when the Ayrshire Drum Majorettes (aged between 8 and 80) appeared at half time, short skirts and swinging long sticks, marched in time to the music to the far end of the ground, faced the crowd and went down on one knee.  I believe seven at least had heart attacks at that moment.  There was little else to consider.  Of course I was with three others, one, with an English accent that came from being brought up down south, one with an Edinburgh accent wishing England would score and two of us trying to make sure these two did not get too close to Rob Roy MacGregor wearing the 'See You Jimmy' cap and confused drunken expression just in case he lashed out.  The other joy of Hampden in those days was ensuring you stood between the crush barriers.  These tended to collapse with age and with 137,500 tickets handed in (only 135,000 had been printed by the organisers) and you stood where you would survive if one or other went.  
We avoided the crush afterwards by heading into town, amongst the crush.  This meant waiting next to a police horse slavering at both ends with one of Glasgow's finest psychpathic polis sitting upon it.  The joys of football crowds!  Today all has changed.  The slippery slopes have been replaced, seating is compulsory for safety reasons and only 50,000 or so attend.  Some wish to bring back standing at football matches because of a rose tinted view of the past, I say no, not for any crowd over 5000, it is just to dangerous.
So we celebrate St Andrew in the usual Scots way, we mention it and just get on with life.  Not like the drunken Irish who celebrate St Patrick ( a Welshman) who they care little about nor the English who's imperialism wishes to bring back a celebration of St George, a man born in Armenia!  I wonder if they would let him in as a migrant?
Happy St Andrews Day anyway.

November 30th

The wind from the north has spent the past couple of days howling through the gaps in my window frames.  Cold air fills the house, freezing the tea I was drinking no less than a minute ago.   Typing wearing Mitts can be difficult, so it's a good thing most of you read quite slowly.  As I sit here wrapped in a thick blanket I experience to the full what it means to be a Scot.  The weather is always like this up there!  Quite why the greatest nation in the world did not make its way down to the Mediterranean coast all those years ago is a question I fail to comprehend.   We would make much better neighbors for the Catalans than the ones they already exist alongside.  They would be much more tolerable than this lot here!

The point of all this comes clear when you realise that today is St Andrews Day!  Today the Scots remember their Patron Saint, St Andrew!  However ask the majority of this once Calvinist land what knowledge they have of him and few would know much.  The reformation of course removed the fallacy that a dead man could be prayed to or expected to look after one group of people rather than another so saints of any sort get ignored.   Quite right too!  However this could be a day for remembering what Scotland is about, Scots great contribution to the world, and Scots influence for good to one and all.  However let's not talk about me.  Scotland as you know has produced more genius's per head of population than any other nation.  The greatest Americans have all got Scots blood in them, Scotland led the way in exploration, benevolence, medicine, law, learning, and football.  What more could you wish for?  The Arbroath Declaration is the main inspiration for 'freedom' in this world.   A refusal to be cowed by an aggressive bully at that time has been the mainspring of human freedom ever since.  But you know all this and I merely humbly reiterate such for the benefit of the younger generation.

Andrew himself, as you know was brother of Simon, and is considered as the first disciple and the one who brought Simon, later renamed Kephas, Peter to you, to Jesus.  While this Peter became well known and ended up dying somewhere in Rome around 64 AD Andrew himself disappeared from history.  Around the four hundreds people began to collect bits of dead apostles, a finger here, a toe there, and stories of their healing powers began to circulate.  The place where they were stored brought pilgrims seeking healing and Spiritual strength which meant cash could be made by Abbeys and the growing number of monasteries around the world. 

Some say Andrews bones lay in Constantinople, a region Origon and others claim he evangelised.   Others make similar claims and these may contain an element of truth.  How then was he not only on the Volga but crucified at Patras in the Peloponnese?  Ah well, we will never know.   The story goes his bones remained there until moved to Constantinople by one of the bigwigs of the time.  They would interfere wouldn't they?  Later bits of him were returned to Patras, but I doubt it is worth a visit myself.  For some reason his bones ended up in Hexam, as you might expect.  Acca, the bishop, was chased from there at one time and moved himself to Fife,  he landed in his wee boat at St Andrews, a miracle that he landed at a town with that name!  Proof indeed that this was Andrew!  A later Pictish King decided to make Andrew the patron after winning a battle. However as the Picts died out (except in Fife where many still exist) maybe he got that wrong. 

Who really knows? In days of yore when few could read, and the bible was only in the possession of a few, often only one or two copies in the land, superstition easily arose and religion was second to church political gain. No change there then!  Lacking a biblical understanding people came to put their hope in 'saints' of many sorts, some even Christian, and in time all nations had their own personal 'saints' who would plead before God on their behalf. The new Testament makes clear that only Christ Jesus, the great high priest, pleads before the throne, and that using his own blood shed on the cross. By no other name can men be saved. A 'saint' by the way, is simply someone who receives Christ Jesus death on behalf of his rotten nature, believes Gods mercy, receives the Holy Spirit and finds a new life. Each Christian is in fact a 'saint.' No need for anyone 'special,' bar Jesus himself. 

Quite how folks endure the freezing cold weather beats me.  There should be a law against it.  Oh look, I've found a source of heat.  I wonder who this candle belongs to?

.

St Andrews Day

          



.

St Andrews Day

Today is St Andrews Day, a saint ignored by the Scottish people for five hundred years since the reformation. He is of course of no importance today, even if the bones that monk carried with him when he landed on the Fife coast actually belonged to Andrew himself, but the nationalistic emotion is expressed through this day. Any nation treated with contempt by a bullying neighbour will magnify patriotic feeling, and the Scots pride has long been treated with contempt by English arrogance. So on a day like this, even with several inches of horrible unwanted snow making life difficult it is important for Scots everywhere to gather together, hail their nation and then go out and insult an Englishman for the good of mankind!

While Scots rightly complain of English oppression we are in a wonderful position in comparison to some in this world. In forgotten Darfur Sudanese aircraft still bomb and harass refugees, in the Democratic Congo women are still raped and men murdered by any of several rebel forces or indeed the national army itself. Many find their home to be no more than a collection of scrap metal walls or plastic sheeting, possibly lucky ones will have tents supplied by aid agencies after a natural disaster, many others will have less. While I complain about the cold I can still find heat at the touch of an expensive button, in North Korea, where it may get as low as minus 50% many do not have this luxury.

The 'Daily Telegraph' features a video of a woman so hungry and feeble she eats grass, and another fighting back when a bribe is demanded by a police officer. The mad mullahs in charge of this nation do appear to have gone too far in recent days, a change to the monetary system has left many bereft and rebellion is arising throughout the nation. While the state retains control the people once again face deprivation and starvation, and this in turn may encourage the military leaders, the ones with real power, to create a war situation in an attempt to save themselves. While the people starve and the powerful fret we can carry on regardless towards another 'Merry Christmas,' and all that brings. Hopefully the girl in this video is still alive by Christmas.....

                                 The Daily Telegraph North Korean Report  

.

St Andrews Day

One day in the distant past it is said that a chap arrived in a small craft off the coast of Fife. he was greeted by the locals and educated them regarding Christianity. It is possible they were already influenced by this as he then persuaded them he had the bones of St Andrew (Peters brother) in a bag! At this place the town of St Andrews, now more famous for its golf course than anything else, including the University and the strange need of the students to wear that red cloak.

Whatever, Andrew became Scotland's patron saint until the reformation thankfully removed the idea of praying to dead people from the church. Since that time few in the UK have bothered about saints, although the Irish made a big thing of it, although mostly for the party I guess. Some now suggest St Andrews day in Scotland, and St Georges in England and St David's in Wales, ought to become a holiday. I doubt it ever will, who wants a holiday in November?


Still no reply from blogcatalog. I suspect that folk often have virus of some sort hanging around and have not realised this. It may well get a connection when they log on. Also there are always wee geeks sitting in their back bedrooms attempting to break into large organisations websites and leave 'Trojans' just for fun. Criminals also throw them out. Still, this annoys me as I now avoid logging in. Even if the bug is not really dangerous I still don't like it.

However I have been grateful that so many others have noticed this and have replied to the comments.

Sportingo

I came across this site recently and there are one or two very well written articles in here. Real fans writing intelligently about the game they love. Unlike the miserable, badly spelt stuff that is found in most newspapers these days. This is a particularly good one that is worth a read and possibly a comment from the intelligent reader. (No I didn't write it, it makes sense!)

St Andrews Day

Scotland's Calvinist background has meant St Andrews Day had no meaning whatsoever. Today however, while St Andrew himself is of no importance to the majority of the populace, the day has once more found a place. Scotland, and independent nation dragged into a Union in 1707 by English aggression, has never submitted to an English yoke. This does not mean a union is not possible, and indeed beneficial, however it does show how the arrogance of England has never been accepted by the Scots. The union could work but only if England and the English joined in. Something they have never done! To them 'Britain' equals 'England.' An unacceptable idea to a free people. Indeed there was a serious intent to call Scotland 'North Britain' at one time, and when that failed, as it would, their arrogance's in the South merely chose to refer to Britain as 'England,' an attitude common around the First World War.

Scots independence from England had been in the middle of the nineteenth century when Conservative politicians (no less) felt Ireland received more money than Scotland. (Tory policy is always money dominated!) The growth of independence saw an attempt at a 'Home Rule' bill which was hindered by the outbreak of the Great War. It must be added that in spite of this, and at a time Scotland was in full employment and economic growth, Scotland responded wholeheartedly in support of the war. Unlike England, half of the men of military age enrolled, most suffered as the Scots divisions fought in every major battle during the conflict! In the twenties an independent movement continued, and again the depression and Second World War brought this to an end. However after much institutional English racism, not allowed against blacks in the BBC and elsewhere, but acceptable against Scots, Scotland once again has a degree of self rule. Nationalism grows when people are mistreated, or worse, treated with contempt, as the Scots have been by their English neighbours. This is a pity, as for the most part, Scots would work well with a people they have so much in common with, but it has never been an English habit to regard anyone but them selves as important. One example of media racism was noted, not against Scots, but the other Celtic nation Wales, today. The report on the BBC regarding England's loss to New Zealand at rugby concentrated on England. The report on the Welsh defeat of Australia spoke not of 'Wales' but of a 'Northern Hemisphere' victory! The commentator would not accept a Welsh win over an English defeat. Unconscious maybe, but reflect the racism that lies at the heart of England.

What about St Andrew himself? Well as we know Andrew was Peter's brother, and Peter, and he were appointed apostles by Jesus himself by the lake of Galilee all those years ago. That Andrew continued with Jesus during his earthly walk is clear, but what then? No-one knows! While it is true there are a myriad tales of his exploits, writings and deaths, (he apparently died in several different manners) nobody actually has any real idea of his story. There are tales of his bones being kept in Constantinople, and by various means working their way to Britain. From Hexam, where there stood a major Abbey, a monk brought them to Scotland and told the inhabitants there, Picts as it happens, the bones in the bag were St Andrew himself! They must have been amazed as a town of that name now stands on the Fife coast. A sign in the sky of two long streaks of white on the deep blue background (possible airline passing over) at that time became the Scottish 'Saltire' flag. The flag of St Andrew!

Who really knows? In days of yore when few could read, and the bible was a closed book to many, superstition abounded and religion was second to political gain. No change there then! Lacking a biblical understanding people came to put their hope in 'saints' of many sorts, some even Christian, and in time all nations had their own personal 'saints' who would plead before God on their behalf. The new Testament makes clear that only Christ Jesus, the great high priest, pleads before the throne, and that using his own blood shed on the cross. By no other name can men be saved. A 'saint' by the way, is simply someone who receives Christ Jesus death on behalf of his rotten nature, believes Gods mercy and Holy Spirit and finds a new life. Each Christian is in fact a 'saint.' No need for anyone 'special,' bar Jesus himself.

Have a happy, though frozen, wet, dreich, St Andrews Day. That's how Scots have become used to celebrating it. Only Scotland could find it acceptable to have a saints day in the middle of winter! Why not July I ask? Because it would rain then also. that's why!