I was intrigued by the following entry
Monday May 6th 1974
JC (John Cleese) and I sat on the rocks on the Falls of Killin .....We collected a car and drove into Doune our home for the next two weeks.
This is the area where the Pythons filmed much of what was to become Monty Python and the Holy Grail. They also regularly visited Callander
Here is an entry from my own diary from my honeymoon in July 1976.
Sunday July 25th
Eventually at 1.30 pm we stopped for lunch at a small town called Doune. We went to the pub and had something to drink and eat before continuing the rest of our journey to Killin and found the Bridge of Lochray Hotel.
I have done a little research and the Killin Hotel and the Bridge of Lochray Hotel are different buildings but it's nice to know that Sir Michael and all the other Pythons paved the way for the newly married Stewards.
A few years ago and many years after the Python filming and our honeymoon we returned to this area to stay in the Trossachs between Callander and Aberfoyle and right next to Loch Katrine which apparently provides much of the water for Glasgow. We were more interested in taking a paddle steamer round the Loch.
Aberfoyle is a picturesque place but the thing that intrigued me most was the story of the Fairy Vicar. Perhaps I need to explain a bit more. Reverend Robert Kirk wrote a book entitled "The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies" in 1691. In this he told stories of people who had experienced contact with fairies. This included himself. He claimed that the local Doon Hill was the gateway to the world of fairies and would often go up there (presumably to talk to or with them). Kirk was minister at Aberfoyle Parish Church.
He died on Doon Hill or at least that's what many thought. Others claimed he had been spirited away by fairies and that his soul still resides on Doon Hill.
I reckon that is about as believable as the legend that the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland was constructed by Finn McCool as a stepping stone to Scotland.
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Actually agreed with Tony Blair today and that doesn't happen a lot. He was advocating that people who have had their two jabs should have a health passport allowing them more freedom to travel etc. Yes this isn't a black and white situation because there are many who cannot or won't have the vaccine on health grounds, but I would be more than happy to carry a vaccination passport if it meant I could travel abroad, not have to wear a mask etc.
On the Andrew Marr show, Mr Marr (who likes to be controversial but isn't very good at it as the controversial questions tend to be a tad stupid) suggested that having vaccination passports is introducing ID cards through the back door. This is nonsense. In no way is this a restriction on individuals. In fact it's quite the opposite. But Mr Marr just had to stick the oar in and ask what he obviously thought was a tough question but in fact was one that just made him look ridiculous.
I love the idea of our country providing vaccinations for the world. Can't help thinking that if we vaccinate the Globe we might get a few more votes in the Eurovision Song Contest!
Sir Bob Geldof was on the Marr show having a go about potential cuts to foreign aid. He's the only man I know that makes Boris Johnson look smart.
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Emi Buendia is a special footballer - He has lit up my team, Norwich City, and is the kind of player that comes to the club once in a blue moon (or once in a generation). He is one of those players that genuinely make a difference and last season (or rather the one that has just gone) he was voted Championship player of the year. So there was probably an inevitability that Norwich would have to sell him. That's what happens to us. We grow players and then sell them on for financial gain. I'm not saying that is necessarily wrong as we are back in the Premier Division. But the emphasis of the club should be on trying to stay there and no longer automatically selling their best players.
I could understand it if Buendia was being head hunted by Paris St Germain or Bayern Munich or Inter Milan or Real Madrid or Barcelona or even one of the top English teams like Manchester City, Manchester United or Liverpool. But it looks as if Buendia is going to Aston Villa.
This doesn't seem like a great step up for the player, although I'm sure money is playing a big part in this decision. Villa are the kind of club that we could emulate, the kind of club we should be aiming to be better than. They are not one of the top clubs in England so the question is why would the player want to go there when it's scarcely improving his situation and why would Norwich want to sell him to a club scarcely better than the one he is already with?
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When the rain came yesterday afternoon it was only very light but it was a surprise, being unexpected. Did manage to get out into the garden and do some weeding for a couple of hours - thus once again illustrating just what a rock n roll lifestyle I lead.