Darkest Before Dawn

Today is a nice day compared with the rain soaked week that we have had all over Scotland.

When I walk I much prefer to listen. To the radio than music from my iPod. I think this is partly because I can judge time passing easier, also I quite like the programmes on Radio Scotland on a Saturday & Sunday. Today I heard Glen Campbell doing a cover of Greeday’s “Good Riddence” & became aware of a Scottish band called “The Hussy’s” & yes the usual spelling is “Hussies”.

As the title suggests from my starting point it is a slow walk up hill to East Kilbride, so at least my walk back will be down hill.
At the moment I am in East Kilbride shopping centre having a coffee, I think I was here breifly when I was a teenager as I remember seeing the Ice Rink. Ice skating was never an activity that I was any good at, it requires too much coordination. Just before the skating session ended the DJ played Kriss Kross, they were the trousers on backwards guys weren’t they? Anyway I have not heard the track played for years.

Time to start moving again and head towards home.

1. Rain should be day-glo yellow.
2. More animals should have trunks.
3. The Universe wasn’t created by intelligent design. It was created by Norman a fifth year High School student during a failed chemistry experiment. Norman ended up cutting off his thumbs while trying to “Soop-up” a mini-fan.
4. Wouldn’t it be a lot greener just to go back to horse drawn buggies?
5. If we are so advanced these days who come we can’t put someone on the moon?

In future I must remember to come to Paisley on a day other than Sunday. The last time I was here I also walked, although that time I followed the Sustrans cycle route. Don’t get me wrong Paisley is nice early on a Sunday, however most of the shops, especially the coffee shops are shut.

The wandering about did permit me to do my good deed for the day when I spotted an elderly lady having trouble getting up the step into Gilmour Street Railway station. I offered help & she said “just give me a shove in the back, son” I did and she was able to raise her foot to get up the step.

The Paisley War Memorial is an interesting combination. At the centre of the plinth is a Robert The Bruce type figure mounted on a horse with four figures of World War I soldiers around the horse.

I am having my Americano coffee in Aulds coffee shop in the shopping centre. The piped music from the centre is mainly 70’s disco music that reminds me of Primary School Discos.

The walk home starts soon.

I have just walked from the Queen’s Park area of Glasgow to Newton Mearns which is 6 miles / 9.5km. Almost all up hill I might add

It has been a typical Scottish day in that it has been dull and drizzeling rain all the time.

This is the first time that I have been to Newton Mearns, it all seems very well kempt. The shopping centre where I am currently sitting and having a very nice & welcome coffee makes me think of the central planets in the series FireFly. I think the Feds tagged me as I came in the door

The Marks & Spensers “Simply Food” has some clothes racks so it real change it’s name to “Mainly Food”. The customers have a “Stepford Wifes” look about them even more than most M & S shops I have been in. It seem that each age group is only permited one hairstyle & one jacket design.

Anyway my coffee is almost finished & Costa will start charging me rent soon.

Later.

Moira sits in the close drinking Buckie,
drinking the day away.
Watching the cars pass by,
on the street where she used to play.

Moira sits on the corner drinking Buckie,
drinking the week away.
She doesn’t know how she got here,
she likes it that way.

Moira lies on the bench drinking Buckie,
drinking the pain away.
The price and the cost,
get steeper day by day.

Moira sits in the close drinking Buckie,
drinking her life away.

© 2008 Kevin James Rickis

Notes:

In Glasgow a tenement stair is known as a Close, example here.
Buckie refers to Buckfast Tonic Wine, information on wiki.