I am going to try this one last time! I have been experiencing problems with the programme for the newsletter getting fatal errors and losing all ability to go back and edit it. It is frustrating as it takes 3 – 4 hours to compose and compile the letter each week and then when you get near the end, no matter how many times I have saved it up to that point, it suddenly goes blank and I have to start all over again.
My wonderful techie is away on holiday so what I am going to try to do is send this out without any pictures in case it is a problem with too much space although I have tried to reduce the size of the pictures etc. Anyway for what it is worth here goes.
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Just returned from the Betwixt & between, we left early as I still have a cold and have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. It was well attended and there were lots of visitors. It was an interesting programme and Katherine was doing a good job as MC. The Hall was very nicely decorated and the food, yes we stayed for that and long enough to buy some raffle tickets!!, was plentiful. Mary’s music was infectious and made you want to dance so it was a great dance. Thanks to the many volunteers.
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You can access the Coming Events from the website and most of the other things that I normally include in the newsletter as well – go to archives to read prior newsletters.
Jean Wagstaff has not told me to stop advertising the items she has for sale so I assume they are still available. Steve from the Celtic Treasure Chest is looking for a buyer for the Dunbar store so contact him if you are interested.
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The week leading up to Christmas is always so hectic with everyone rushing around trying get the last few presents, buying groceries and making goodies for the meal. attending parties, cleaning the house and generally getting exhausted. This year I opted out and spent the week resting peacefully, content that everything that needed to be done would get done and what didn’t get done didn’t really need to be done.
My wonderful wife took over and did all the chores, got everything ready for the 18 we were expecting for dinner, with help from my son set up and decorated a huge table to accommodate everyone (not quite what I had suggested but better of course). We had “borrowed” 2 tables from our church as well as some chairs but after they had shuffled the furniture around they found they needed two more tables plus a few more chairs. Thankfully they were able to contact someone who could open up the church and help them load up. It really looked wonderfully festive and everyone was together.
Due to sickness etc. only 15 turned up but they all brought more food so we literally had enough to feed us all for a week!! I got back in the mix on the 24th in time to go to the carol service then I did a few light chores on the 25th but Margaret had it all under control. What a wife – asking her to be my soul mate was the best thing I have ever done. We had a very enjoyable meal and time together and with everyone’s help were pretty well all cleared up, tables collapsed, dishes done – well except for the good china, silver and crystal which we hand washed ourselves – so you would hardly know there had been a party!!
I now have a dreadful cough that sounds a lot worse than it is but I better keep away from everyone for a while. I would suggest when you are reading this you put a mask on!
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As I have said I have been struggling to reduce the size of my pictures as I fear I have been taking up more room than allowed under WordPress and have been getting fatal errors. If I use “Paint” I can reduce each picture but only one at a time and in fact the smaller ones actually are made larger so I have to watch!! I will have to bend the ear of my amazing Techie, Paul, and see what he suggests. I reduced the one picture from 499KB to 173KB but 1 at a time is a slow process when right now I have about 2,500 pictures in my file.
If you have a request for a picture of a particular area of Scotland e-mail your request to me and I will see what I can find or maybe you have a picture you can send me?
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NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!
The year is flying past and it will be 2016 before I know it. That means Burns Suppers!! Tickets are already available for some of these events including the one run by the Vancouver Branch on January 16 – gillibeattie@gmail.com or 604-224-6751 or online at www.rscdsvancouver.org – or the one run by the Tam O’Shanter Dancers on January 23 – janicelowe@shaw.ca or 604-536-7660. Get your tickets early and don’t be disappointed.
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Interested in Robert Burns? Please check out this free online course offered by the University of Glasgow starting January 25. Information and registration to be found in this link:
Centre for Scottish Studies Simon Fraser University
The next Ceilidh Dance is not until Friday, January 8th, 2016. I am hoping Louise (and friends) will be there to help me again. Lots of time for you all to get yourselves and your friends organized to come along for another fun filled evening. Come and dance of all your Festive goodies.
Some fun and interesting sites:
It’s the Christmas story told by children from St Paul’s Church in New Zealand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWq60oyrHVQ
The Great Flydini . This was done only once on the Johnny Carson Show in 1992. Fortunately, he taped it, because it was never performed again. <https://www.milkandcookies.com/link/45516/detail/>
For grandchildren their Grandpas and Dads:
Wow this is amazing! Fascinating new footage of this remarkable miniature. Remember the two brothers in Germany who had a wonderful model railway that was something to see? This is an update for their German Wonderland. As a short review, it was started by two brothers as a place to show their hobby and then it began to grow by leaps & bounds. Soon they were joined by other ‘Model Railroad Clubs’ and other craftsmen. Some were electricians, model makers, carpenters, and computer programmers. Their wives would stop by to see what they were doing and usually bring them a lunch.
One thing led to another. Three of the ladies had worked at a bakery, several visitors would ask if they had a snack bar. The idea was planted; some of the carpenters came and built a nice restaurant area for the bakery and a kitchen, too. If the fresh coffee smell didn’t get you, then the bakery definitely would.
Over 400,000 man hours were spent making this dream come true. This was about 5 years ago. One of the breweries came and furnished all of the tables and chairs, serving counter and, etc. Their latest finished area is the airport. Planes look like they are flying and landing.
GERMAN WONDERLAND IN HAMBURG link below – AMAZING!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ACkmg3Y64_s?rel=0
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I hope everything can be sorted for the next newsletter but if it is late don’t worry, the editor is working on it!!
Take it easy, enjoy yourselves, see you next year and do not forget the next Ceilidh Dance is one week this Friday – January 8, 2016
Duncan