Prom Night

Tonight (Thursday 28th June) is Prom Night for the Members of Bingley Grammar.

Earlier in the evening Dot and I went down to see Olivia getting ready for the great event, then later on we went down to the Mercure Hotel (Bankfield for those of you who didn't know it had changed its name!)


I took my camera along.......

Some Familiar CalMac Ferries

Whenever we travel to Scotland, invariably we cross to one or other of the Western Islands, be it Arran, Mull, Iona, or the Hebrides, and to reach these places it is inevitable that we will utilise the services of Calednian MacBrayne.

The company has a long and distinguished history. Formed in 1851 as a private shipping company, it became the main carrier for freight and passengers in the Hebrides. In 1973, it was merged with Caledonian Steam Packet Company as the state-owned Caledonian Macbrayne. After lying dormant for a number of years, the company was reactivated in 2006 to act as the holding company for ferry operators CalMac Ferries Ltd (operating as Caledonian MacBrayne) and Northlink Ferries Ltd. In 2011, newly created operator Argyll Ferries Ltd was added to the group.

During the time we have been visiting Scotland we have used a goodly number of CalMac Ferries:-


On Arran:
Ardrossan - Brodick
Lochranza - Claonaig


On Mull:-
Oban - Craignure
Fishnish - Lochaline
Tobermory - Kilchoan (This service no longer operates)


On Iona:
Fionnphort - Iona


Hebrides:
Uig - Tarbet
Leverburgh - Berneray
Lochmaddy - Uig


Originally CalMac operated a Roro (Roll on Roll off) Car Ferry called Isle of Arran which sailed between Ardrossan on the Scottish mainland and Brodick on the Isle of Arran, between 1984 and 1993.

The Isle of Arran Roro Car Ferry

Isle of Arran’s passenger spaces on boat deck level comprise a spacious cafe aft and two forward observation lounges, one of which is provided with a bar and shop. The ship was the first CalMac ferry to have an invalid lift linking the car deck and the passenger lounge. External seating is offered in sheltered galleries and a substantial open upper deck. This is complemented by an open seated area above the lounges, which provides uninterrupted views forward.

By 1993 the demand for more cars and passengers had greatly increased, so she was succeeded by a larger vessel, the Caledonian Isles.

The MV Caledonian Isles

MV Caledonian Isles is one of the largest ships owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited. It is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne. MV Caledonian Isles serves the Isle of Arran on the Ardrossan to Brodick route. As it is one of CalMac's busiest routes, Caledonian Isles has the largest passenger capacity in the fleet, and can carry up to 1000 passengers and 110 cars, with a crossing time of 55 minutes. She is used extensively by daytrippers to the Isle of Arran during the summer.

Modelled on the popular MV Isle of Mull of five years earlier, Caledonian Isles incorporates a fully enclosed car deck with watertight ramps at either end. When closed, the bow ramp seals the car deck and when open, forms the bridge between the ship and the linkspan. The car deck incorporates a set of mezzanine decks, one down each side of the central casing and each divided into three sections. These can be moved up and down to their deployed or stowed positions. When deployed, these allow additional cars to be loaded. If the mezzanine decks are fully deployed there is insufficient height to accommodate lorries etc. other than at the bow and stern. The central casing means that she can only carry one lane of commercial vehicles down each side of the car deck.






The passenger accommodation is similar to that onboard the Mull ship. Forward of the main entrance square is the cafeteria, with stairways leading up to the observation lounge and the outside deck. Aft of the entrance there are lounges down either side with toilet blocks, the shop and a bar lounge further towards the stern. The next deck up has the forward observation lounge at the bow and crew accommodation. An open deck extends right around the vessel on this level, including forward of the observation lounge and overlooking the bow. The upper deck has the bridge and outside seating from the huge red funnel towards the stern. Also on this level are the four enclosed lifeboats – 2 larger and 2 smaller boats mounted on davits.

The Loch Tarbert at Lochranza which runs between Lochranza on the Isle of Arran and Claonaig on the Mull of Kintyre.

The Loch  Buie which runs betwewen Baile Mor on Iona and Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull.

The Isle of Mull, which travels between Oban and Craignure.

We have travelled on these ferries a number of times.

Holidays and Long Standing Friends from Arran

Three or four blogs back I mentioned that we had got round to booking our annual holidays, and the observant amongst you will have noticed that we are going to the same places for about the tenth time! (I think it's the boring old f--t syndrome rearing it's ugly head again!)

We spend a week on the Isle of Arran in a studio flat on the shores of Lamlash, then cross over the borders region and spend a further week a couple of miles north of Bamburgh.

The couple we first stayed with when we visited Arran were one the the island GP's and his wife, and we have always kept in touch with them since we first stayed with them. A few years ago after Robin retired they moved into a lovely bungalow on the Shore Road in Lamlash, and as our studio flat is just past where they live we have always called to see them when we have been on Arran.

Last year they told us that they had decided to sell up and move to the mainland, and we really felt that it was the end of an era. They have moved into a retirement village at Auchlochan, not far from Lesmahagow near junction 10 of the M74.

I had seen that they had successfully sold their bungalow on Arran (having visited the estate agents web site) and knew where they had moved to, but it was a lovely surprise to get an email from them a couple of days ago, telling us all the news of their move, and how they have settled in at Auchlochan. I replied to their email, telling them of all the disasters that had befallen Dot etc. and got an e mail back from them saying that now they are on the mainland and don't have to worry about ferries running they can set off anytime anywhere. They even hinted that they may come down to Masham (I had told them about our annual trips to the King's Head) and call in to see us! We have an invite to visit them if we are in the area of Auchlochan.

So who knows, they may be visiting us before we depart for Arran's shores!

I Have A Confession To Make.....

I have a confession to make. They say that confession is good for the soul!

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I fear I am rapidly becoming a boring old f--t.


Let me explain. This week has seemed to have been full of unexpected and unplanned events. When I looked at my calendar at the start of the week, there were some planned events, but as the week progressed more and more unplanned events began to appear on the horizon. This quickly made me realise that I like to know what is happening before it takes place. "Surprises" are not my choice for events.

I like things to run in a smooth and orderly fashion.

Among the unplanned events over this week and next include four funerals (Alright, I hear you say, you can't plan for funerals!), a tumble dryer which decided to go on the blink and had to be replaced, the arrival of a decorator to quote for decoration of two bedrooms, resulting in the necessity to purchase quantities of paint before he can start, the necessity to purchase a new umbrella style clothes dryer - when we got the old one out of the garage it was looking past its sell by date, the necessity to repair a broken link on the bathroom sink plug, and a multitude of other silly little niggling things.

I wonder what delightful "surprises" await me next week?

Driving a Hard Bargain

Today has been one of those days where bits get attempted and bits get done!

Originally we had planned to take Tom out to W H Smith's in Harrogate, to purchase some books and toys for his birthday (which was a couple of weeks ago!)

Then yesterday the tumble dryer started making ominous rumblings. It sounded a bit like a brick was revolving in the drum!  It was not the best time to die on us, as Hannah had been up the week before with a request, could we tumble dry her washing as her tumble dryer had died on her.

For some time Dot had been wanting to purchase a new kettle because the present one was showing signs of rust in the bottom of it, and there was limescale on the neck of it.

Last week she had also seen a article in the Weekend Yorkshire Post Colour Section about a firm called Country Chic which was selling spindle backed kitchen chairs. The two we have in the kitchen are from way back, and she had decided that they needed replacing.

As we were heading for Harrogate she decided that it would also be a good opportunity to "kill at least three birds with one stone" and she would return the crutches she had been issued with a couple of weeks previously when she had been bitten by a farm dog!

First we had to call at the local Health Centre for the dressings changing on her leg, then we collected Tom and headed to Harrogate.

On the way to Harrogate we called in at the Blue Barn near Pool to purchase a large sack of Ruby's Weight Controlled Pedigree Chicken and Vegetable Dog Food. A 13 kg sack works out at considerably less than purchasing 13 x 1 kg boxes, and it lasts for a month.

Once in Harrogate we went down Knaresborough Road to return the crutches to the the casualty department of Harrogate District Hopspital.

Then we called in to Comet to have a look at tumble dryers. After weighing up the pros and cons we decided to purchase the same make and model that we already had, and Dot went off looking at kettles.

A very pleasant salesman tried to sell me a three year insurance policy, but I had already told him that the cost of such a policy more than paid for a new tumble dryer over a three year period, and I had not taken out an insurance policy on the original tumble dryer. As this machine had run constantly for about 6 years I really felt I had gained by not purchasing any insurance on the machine!

He then suggested we may like two spiky tennis balls to insert into the dryer to economise on the use of the electricity. They were supposed to keep you clothes from tangling and so speed up the drying process.

When I was told they were only £11.99 I suggested that if he was prepared to throw them in for the price of the tumble dryer I might be interested. Failing that I said I would put a pair of tennis balls in and save myself £11.99! I had already refused the next day delivery for only £20.00, or day after that delivery for £10.00 or a timed delivery on day three for £5.00. I told him I expected it delivered for nothing, and that is exactly what will happen!

Meanwhile Dot had decided on a new kettle and was told the price in the blue cross sale was only £29.99. She said she could get a similar kettle from M & S for about £20.00.

To get the sale of the kettle the salesman reduced it to £20.00!

[Note to all salesmen - Don't mess with the Bentley's - They drive a hard bargain!!!]

Next stop was W H Smith's where Dot was busy buying books on offer at three for the price of two, and Tom was bargaining for the goodies he had bought. The end result was that both of them got the goods at less than they had originally been offerred!

We then called at Country Chic to look at the kitchen chairs on offer, but decided that we would try other shops before we committed to the price they were asking!

The Wicker Man

As those of you who regularly read my blog will know, I am something of a film connoisseur. Over the years I have watched hundreds of films, and collected quite a few of them both on both Video and DVD.

One of the films which caught my attention very soon after it was released was a film called "The Wicker Man." The film was made in 1973 and was intended as a top line feature, but due not in the least to a reshuffle of the upper echelon at British Lion films, it ended up ignominiously as a B rated movie, and a very poorly distributed one at that!  Peter Snell, the studio's managing director was the greatest supporter of the film, but he was replaced by Michael Deeley who was preparing for British Lion to be absorbed by EMI. 

Deeley decided the finished product was execrable, and after some drastic cutting (in the cutting room) it was paired with "Don't Look Now" and sent out to the provinces as one half of a double bill.  Most people would have been happy at this point to write the film off, but Robin Hardy, the director was reluctant to let the film end it's life so badly. He had spent a great deal of time researching the legends and pagan lore, and eventually had the opportunity to put his learning to good use. A pair of New Orleans based cineastes had decided to try to restore the film to the version which Hardy had made. (The original running time had been 102 minutes, but after it being released as half of a double bill it had been reduced to a running time of 87 minutes.) The New Orleans pair secured a high profile release on the West Coast of America for their restored version, and Hardy was well into the process of releasing a novel based on Anthony Schaffer's script. The novel filled out the 102 minutes story which featured in the film.

In 1979 it won the Saturn Award for best horror film.

 

The film tells the story of a very straight laced policeman, Sergeant Neil Howie, who is based in the Scottish Highlands, and receives a strange letter telling him that a young girl has been missing from Summerisle for some months.

The place belongs to Lord Summerisle and is famous because of the plantation of apples and other fruits and their harvest. Sgt. Howie realises that the locals are pagans, practising old rituals, and Rowan (the missing girl) is probably alive and being prepared to be sacrificed.

Without giving too much away Sgt. Howie finds he is up to his ears in religious sexuality and pagan murder.

The end of the story is a shocking and tragic surprise.

Starring as Sgt. Howie is Edward Woodward, with Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle.

It is peculiar how totally unrelated events and places become connected over the years. Let me give you some examples in relation to the filming locations of The Wicker Man.

In 1999 I took a party of church members to Dumfries and Galloway. In particular we were tracing the life of Saint Ninian. Among the places we visited was St Ninian's Cave at Physgill in Luce Bay. I later discovered that the beach and cave scenes in the Wicker Man were filmed in this same spot.

In 2002 we took an extended holiday by travelling up to the Isle if Skye, crossing to the outer Hebrides, then back on to the mainland, before travelling all along the West Coast of Scotland to the far North at Durness. When we returned to the mainland, one of the places we stayed at overnight was a little village called Duirinsh, which is very close to the village of Plockton. I later discovered that Plockton was another of the filming locations for the Wicker Man, doubling for Summerisle itself in the film.

On another occasion, after spending some time on the Isle of Arran, we travelled southwards down the coast and visited Culzean Castle.

 

 

In November 1945 General Dwight D Eisenhower was invited by the 5th Marquess and the Kennedy family to accept the tenancy of a specially created guest flat on the top floor of the Castle for his lifetime, as a gesture of Scottish thanks for America's support during World War II.

 

 

General Eisenhower and members of his family stayed here on several occasions and he also lent it to friends.

Culzean Castle was used as the Lord Summerisle's Mansion in the film The Wicker Man.

You may by now, be wondering, why the sudden burst of blogging about the film "The Wicker Man"?

Well, yesterday I was in Saltaire, waiting for Dot & Mollie and I called into the Help the Aged Charity Shop, and on the shelf in there I found the novel "The Wicker Man" which was written by Robin Hardy (the director of the film) and Anthony Schaffer (the writer of the screenplay of the film.) I am about half way through reading the novel, which greatly expands the character of Sgt. Neil Howie and gives a lot more background to the events portrayed in the film.

If you want to find out the full saga of the in fighting in British Lion and EMI and how the original film became drastically cut, then read "Inside the Wicker Man" by Allan Brown.

As you can probably tell I did a fair bit of research on this fascinating film. The surprise ending can be somewhat unsettling, but it really is well worth  watching it.

Remember, if you decide to purchase a copy of the film try and get hold of the uncut 102 minute version, which is available. Beware! - there are 87 minute and 95 minute versions of the film around!

There was also a 2006 remake, but this is not a patch on the original!

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations

Unless you happen to be a Tibetan Monk living half way up Mount Everest you would be hard pressed to have missed the fact that for the last four days the country has been gripped in a patriotic fervour. Whether you are pro monarchist or pro republican, it can have hardly escaped your notice that there were some celebrations taking place.



Whatever your feelings about the monarchy, it is not very often that one gets the chance to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee. Sixty years on the throne is no mean achievement, (in all our previous history only one other monarch - Queen Victoria - has managed to achieve sixty years) and the past four days have shown the width and depth of feeling for the monarchy.





On Sat 3rd June the Queen and members of the Royal Family attended the Epsom Derby. Parachutists floated down holding a Union Jack, Katherine Jenkins – sang the National Anthem (in a very fetching dress!) and Camelot, the favourite, was the eventual winner.


Sun 4th June saw a most spectacular event - The Diamond Jubilee Flotilla sailing down the River Thames, with the Royal party in a magnificent “barge” specially built for the occasion - Spirit of Chartwell


On Mon 5th the Jubilee Concert took place outside Buckingham Palace on a stage built around the Victoria Memorial. Robbie Williams, Will-i-am, Sir Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Madness, Gary Barlow, Kylie Minogue and Stevie Wonder were just some of the attractions at this event, which spanned music over the sixty years of the Queen’s reign.


Tues 6th was the occasion of the Jubilee Thanksgiving Service held in St Paul’s Cathedral, with some magnificent and regal music being sung and performed.

We attended a street party on Monday by kind invitation of Rachel & Garry

 Rachel (centre front in sunglasses)

Dot (about four rows back near the left, in sunglasses.) A photo like this appeared on the front of the local Bradford Telegraph and Argus newspaper on Monday.

There was plenty of evidence as to what the party was in celebration of.....

Cakes and buns entered in the Jubilee Baking Contest

We had our own Queen Hannah!

and even the dogs managed to muscle in on the act, suitably attired!

The Bentley Girls in party mood - Hannah, Rachel, Sarah and Dot and Olivia (Sarah's Daughter) on the extreme right.

It was our turn to throw a Jubilee Party on Tuesday, and we invited the immediate neighbours and family round. Here are some of the goodies which arrived........

of course along with the neighbours we had to have some suitable decorations too!