Speech for Dad

I was going to stand here today and read one of the many poems which are traditional on these occasions; you know the sort of thing, 'Do not stand at my grave and weep.......' but weeping is exactly what I would have done before I'd reached the end of the first verse.


Instead, I'd like to start by thanking you so much for coming here today. We really appreciate it and I know dad does too. Dad loved his golf! It was one of the main reasons my parents retired here to beautiful Ayr, away from the stresses and strains associated with city life in Birmingham. Dad never took anything here for granted. He would never tire of looking out of the living room window enjoying the emerging spring flowers or the squirrels and birds in the trees. Of course, he would rant at the television - he had strong views on many things - or he'd wave my umbrella at the seagulls getting a little too close for comfort, but he loved his life and saw the best in everything and everyone. It's a pity it's taken his passing for me to fully realise that.


If there is one lesson I have learned over the past few days, it's to stop being so negative! So, I'm telling you!
Appreciate everything and don't ruin the present worrying about the future or regretting the past. These are things you cannot change. There is nothing wrong with making plans, but please don't spend too much time looking forward (or back).


Above all, don't forget to tell people you love them. Life is a gift. Make the most of it. Let's try to be glad for my dad's wonderful life as he tees off on that great golf course in the sky.

The Violin Man's Legacy by Seumas Gallacher

Right from the start, you know Seumas Gallacher means business! This book is not for the faint hearted. The Violin Man's Legacy is a fast paced,  no nonsense thriller which has all the ingredients you could possibly want from an action story. No complicated plot here. The main character - ex SAS man Jack Calder - is instantly likeable and you get to know more about him and his formative years quickly, described with surprising gentleness given the tough introduction.

In a James Bond style plot,  the action doesn't let up for a moment. There are plenty of merciless executions, jetting around the globe on the trail of the villains - marvellous scenery descriptions particularly of Hong Kong - and of course there is time for a bit of passion too.

This was a very satisfying first book. I look forward to the next one!

Some of the Most Sexy Chicks in the World!

Dead Money by Ray Banks

Even if Mr. Banks decided to write a book about the joys of studying carpet fibres, I would relish it now. Why do I say that? Well, I must be honest. I really struggled with Dead Money to start with and was very slow reading the first 20%. As someone who rarely even bothers to buy a lottery ticket and who has a father who used to have a terrible one-armed bandit addiction, the subject was not appealing to me and the title said it all. How glad I am I persevered!

Alan Slater and his sort of friend and colleague Les Beale are window salesmen with a penchant for gambling. To be fair to Alan, he initially acts more as a bodyguard/minder to Beale, although Alan constantly gambles with both his marriage and his soul. When Beale gets involved in a fixed game that goes horribly wrong and loses everything, he turns to the only person he feels can help get him out of a dire situation.  Alan reluctantly goes to his aid with disastrous results.

It’s the sort of tale where you cringe, clutch your head and wail ‘Oh no!’ as things seem to go from bad to worse. The author keeps you glued right to the end with skilful portrayal of the events which overtake Alan and Les. Gamblers need luck more than skill. Who was the most successful gambler? Who was lucky? I’m not telling you! I daren’t say another thing.

The grisly humour did it for me and the author’s wonderful descriptions which had me feeling chilled to the bone as if I was out in the pouring rain, watching. A cracking read.

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers

Here are just a few pictures from Saturday 10th of December at Ayr Citadel. It was a cracking night. I really enjoyed it and so did my parents. There were 12 band members! These pictures barely convey the wonderful atmosphere but here we are.... The support act was Jill Jackson, a fine blues/folk/rock singer songwriter. A great start to a terrific evening.      

https://picasaweb.google.com/rozwood1970/RedHotChilliPipers?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKCPvtH9zcL3dw&feat=directlink

Choke On Your Lies - Anthony Neil Smith

I really enjoyed this book! It's unusual in that there is nothing endearing about any of the characters initially. I had the urge to slap poor Mick Thooft, as he appeared downtrodden and manipulated by everyone he came into contact with. That expression "Grow a pair!" so often used these days seemed perfect for him.

Mick turns to Octavia, the power crazy, omnipotent and physically enormous lawyer for help to save his house from the claws of his treacherous wife, Frances who has decided their relationship is over.
Octavia is fearsome! She uses her power, wealth and intelligence to outwit her adversaries and manipulate her employees and anyone close to her. This includes Mick who is perhaps her one real friend; it's a friendship that has survived the years even though he sometimes fears Octavia too. Does she have a softer side to her complex personality?

You need to read this fantastic book where the characters are as cleverly constructed as the storyline which takes you through filth and sleaze all brilliantly described with the most wonderful humour. There are parts which are downright hilarious! Also there is an amazingly touching speech from Jennings (Octavia's right hand man and another of her captives) which nearly had me in tears. This book takes the reader through so many emotions - frustration, annoyance, sadness and happiness. It's so well done.

Read it. It was a real surprise and a pleasure to read. Loved it!!!

A Mayonnaise Jar and Two Beers - A Lesson for Life

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the two beers.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They again agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous '"Yes".

The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions. If everything else was lost, and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else, the small stuff.
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend timewith your children, spend time with your parents, visit with grandparents. Take the time to get medical checkups, take your spouse out to dinner or play another 18 holes.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.
Set your priorities ..... the rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.

The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked. The beer just shows you that, no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend."