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Shortcuts : A son of Earlsferry in Oregon, USA – by Sydney Reekie Macro world – by Iain Owlbert’s Flickr stuff
4th February 2012 …10.00 Jings I didnae waken up till 09.50 …. that is late for me. Now that I am awake what do I see? There’s a threatening look to the sky; and we have light flakes of snow, now and then, though not enough to lie yet. Even the Wood Pigeons are sitting around, aw ‘humpy backit’, as if waiting for something to happen. It disnae look like I’ll be walking far this morning; so I shall catch up with my e-mails and stuff. 20.00 I had a good walk today after my mornin coffee Photographs : Top : frozen stand pipe at St Margaret’s Church… and Bottom – the new shingles on the spire of St Margaret’s Church.
2nd February 2012 …. 08.30 It’s a bright morning, with a touch of frost, and a light NE breeze; a bonnie, but cold, start to the day. I’m mair back to normal since getting rid of that cold/flu bug; it hung on for a long time, but, with Janice, it met it’s match. With more sunshine around we all feel better; even if we have to wrap up well; the Postie has his woolly hat on this morning! Away to get myself organised.17.30 The painting ‘mission’ to Piltdown was a success;  “Owlbert” is weak from his efforts. It was enjoyable actually being able to paint; well not so much ‘paint’, that’s easy enough; I have now regained the ability to climb steps, and manoeuvre about, without pain, for the first time in a long time. I now know that I am also capable of painting Ivy; whether I have the ‘will’, to so do, remains to be seen! At least the folks at Piltdown can now get the kitchen cupboards fitted!
Tomorrow is forecast to be cold and bright again so I might wander over to St Margaret’s and Buxted; staying in the shelter of the woods. My natural walking speed is ‘shepherd’s pace’; I ‘trundle’ along slow, but keep going for a long time, so never really get ‘het up’; and the ‘wind chill’ factor made it really cold today in Sussex. Photographs : Top – “Owlbert”…. working? Bottom – an old drove road near Piltdown.
1st February 2012 … 08.30 It is 25 years today since my brother ‘Harry’ (Hendry) Killin Mountain Rescue Team Co-ordinator died, in a helicopter accident, during a rescue attempt on Ben More…it seems like yesterday. Today my thoughts are especially with Gordon, Gail, Gary, Julie , Pauline and their families; and all other, family and friends, who remember 'Harry'. xx We have a bright, frosty morning ; no clouds, no wind… a good day for ‘doing’ stuff. I haven’t a ‘plan’ for today, but I’ll come up with one at morning coffee. I’d go for a walk on one of the nature reserves, but the ground will be awfie sticky when the frost melts, so I’ll give that a ‘miss’. It’s forecast to be frosty for the next few days; that should cool the ardour of the Wood pigeons, who have been acting a bit funny lately… sort of “love struck”! 19.00 Uckfield seemed awfie busy today, with folks buzzin aboot aw ower the place. This morning, in “Leeann’s”, I ended up talking to a van/lorry driver, who drove all over the UK, and played golf at various places including St Andrews and Carnoustie. Before he retired he was doing regular ‘runs’ to an assortment of places in Europe. Though Maggie and I did drive down to Sussex a couple of times, I don’t think I could drive down here now; it’s so busy….and everyone seems to be in a hurry! The ‘driver’ I was talking to is retired; the only driving he does now, is bring the ‘old’ folks down from Buxted, where he lives, for a morning coffee once a week. You can meet interesting people all Tomorrow I am ‘working’; as in painting! A friend/client of Michaels’ needs a painter; the ‘original’ painter has taken orf on holiday, and they need someone to paint the new kitchen ceiling so that the wall cupboards can be fitted; enter “Owlbert”, stage left, who has, in his time, painted a lot of ceilings, but not recently! I’m quite looking forward to it … it’ll be a change; and practice for painting Ivy in the Spring. 22.30 After a day of resting for tomorrow’s efforts; I am off to bed to read a bit more of my book. Well it’s not really ‘my’ book, it’s one of Michael’s books, and I am reading it. It has been a bonnie day, though cold; it’s cold tonight, and the forecast for tomorrow is cold and bright; I should get some good photographs at Piltdown… as well as paint a ceiling. Photographs : Top – Pevensey Bay beach… and bottom – a street sign on “Beachlands Estate” (1930’s) Pevensey Bay. The ‘new’ part of the ‘bay’ housing, was built in the 1930’s Art Deco style, all of which are now ‘listed’ buildings. 31st January 2012 …. 11.00 Watching ‘Whitechapel’ was a waste o’ time; we all fell asleep. This morning it’s grey and damp so a morning for resting, and working on the computer. “Owlbert” is feeling a brighter this morning, having been ‘under the weather’ for the past few days; he’s feelin’ frisky again. Not good! I’m away tae put some Burns Supper photographs onto Flickr; it’s not a morning for going out walking. Oh the ‘dawgs’ have had a bath so I’ll get a few photographs of them looking ‘fluffy’; the ‘fluffy’ look will last till the first walk. Remember I mentioned the Piltdown man hoax… well there is also the Uckfield horse shoe hoax. The horse shoe was ‘found’ in 1903 when working on an ancient, local bridge; the strange thing about the horse shoe was that it was made to be nailed onto the hoof at the front, and tied on at the back. No one has worked out any practical reason for doing that; and no other ‘shoe’, of the same design, has been found anywhere. You get the feeling that someone was having a laugh! We’re about to watch a DVD on the tele downstairs so I’d better get orf down …. ‘update’ later… or perhaps tomorrow morning! Photograph ; Fluffy dogs! 30th January 2012 … 09.30 “Goodmorning World”! The sky is overcast this morning with the clouds moving over from the east, so it’s also colder; it looks like we could get the odd shower, but it disnae have that “it’s gaun tae rain for the day look”. We are taking the dogs for a walk in Ashdown Forest in the afternoon; the forest is a huge, natural wild area, with Uckfield on the southern edge of it; which perhaps explains the huge numbers of Wood Pigeons around the town! I'll now have adaunder down town for morning coffee. Back to the Airman’s Grave, in Ashdown Forest; which is in fact a Memorial, not a grave as no one is actually buried there. In the early morning of July 31 st, 1941, a Wellington bomber, flying on one engine (of two) on the way home from a bombing mission to Cologne, arrived over Southeast England in foul weather, got caught up i Photographs : Top – the pair of Crossbills, female in the left photographs….. Bottom – Janice and Michael at the ‘Airman’s Grave’ Memorial. I’m away down to watch ‘Whitechapel’…. Slight “panic on”! 29th January 2012 …. 09.30 What a night that was! The ‘Club’ Burns Supper was the ‘best yet’, it had everything: Rabbie Burns, happy people, and dancin’. We didn’t get home till about 02.00 this morning, hence the lack of ‘updates’ last night; I didn’t feel that tired, but when I hit the bed I went oot like a light! Emily was brilliant at addressing the Haggis, as was For my sixtieth birthday Maggie organised a surprise Party at the Craw’s Nest, and, one of the best presents she gave me for that birthday, was one she probably never thought about way back then; she taught Emily to dance the Scottish Waltz. Em and I had two Scottish waltzes last night and I ‘lived’ again; yes it was a great evening, for everyone … not just “Owlbert”! Should go dancin’ mair often though; all ‘sair bits’ disappear when you get up onto the floor. Last night I really felt part of the ‘ party’ … for the first tim I’d better go and get ready; the ‘troops’ are taking me over to see Ian and Jennifer, who now live in Pevensey Bay, down on the coast near Eastbourne. Back in the evening. 22.00 It has been cold down here today; at least it was down at Pevensey, where there was a cool wind off the sea, as we found out when Jenny, Em, JB and I went for a walk to the beach. Everyone is away back to their ‘homes’ again, after the Burns Supper; ‘JB’ is enjoying University life; both the studying, and the social part of it; we took him to the station after our walk. Em and Rory dropped me off on their way back to ‘home’ Somerset, so all is quiet in Sussex. I am going to upload the Burns Supper photographs onto Flickr; after I get them sorted; there are two lots so it might take Photographs : all taken at the Burns Supper last night…. Top – ‘JB’ (Grandson) in total ‘action’ mode… this lasted the whole evening..... Middle – Emily (Granddaughter) dancing a(sedate) Scottish waltz with Owlbert… and bottom – Lesley, Janice and Ann! 28th January 2012 ….10.00 ‘Wall to wall’ blue, with a frosty feel to the air; a real Spring like morning. I think the ‘plan’ is to go down to the ‘club’, and set up for the Burns Supper tonight, then annoy the ‘ troops’ when they turn up. 15.00 Everything is set up for the Supper tonight; loads of work done…. Not too much by “Owlbert” who spent most of the morning keeping oot o’ everyone’s road. It all looks really good; I did take loads of photographs so I’ll go and sort one out! It’s cold down here, especially now that the ‘wall to wall’ blue has turned into sort of ‘wall to wall’ clouds!
27th January 2012 …. 09.00 We have a gorgeous, ‘wall to wall’ blue sky this morning, after a fairly hard overnight frost; Planet Earth looks bonnie. 15.30 Today I walked over to the neighbouring village of Piltdown, of “Piltdown Man” man fame. I followed a Wealden Pathway,(they seem to be everywhere) from Uckfield to Piltdown… and probably beyond. According to my pedometer the total distance walked was 12,492 metres, but that included a walk around town, before I ‘took orf’ for Piltdown. The path was dry, apart from three places, about 100 metres in total, where it was wet and muddy. I enjoyed today’s walk, I enjoy walking, but it’s no’ the same on your own; a walk shared, is a There’s a short ‘tunnel’ cut through a sandstone rock face at one point, and as I walked through and came to the end, I thought of my bereaved friends, all over the world: there is light at the end of the tunnels we travel through; and, oh, how good it is to step into the sunlight again! 23.00 Well, I have enjoyed today; had a nice walk over new ‘ground’, so I’ll do that again next week; but I’ll have food at the ‘pub’ in Piltdown, before making my way back to Uckfield. As I said earlier, walking on your own is enjoyable enough but with company it could be so much better. We went to the ‘Club’ earlier in the evening; I had three half pints… at home it would take more than a year for me to have that amount of beer; it was a good evening though and I had a good laugh so that alone is a bonus! Tomorrow is the Burns Supper and we are ‘setting up’ in the morning so I guess I’ll have to get up early; the ‘Troops’ are in Sussex tonight, ‘JB’ Photographs : Top and bottom both taken on my walk to Piltdown today. The bottom for all my bereaved friends the Planet over; just to show there is light at the end of the many tunnels we pass through! Middle - er Michael studying !!! Scone making, and eating over, Janice and I went up to Crowborough to do some shopping; the weather had continued “April showerish”, and didn’t clear up till around noon. Crowborough was more or less wild heath land, with a few subsistence farms, on the edge of the Ashdown Forest until the In the afternoon Janice and I went out for a long walk with the dogs; by this time we had a braw, warm and sunny, Spring like day. When we left, Michael was studying; when we got back an hour later he was still studying; the subject had changed however; from the OU Course material, to checking his eyelids for ‘holes’. 22.00 Today I found the second “Bow Bells” mile marker in Uckfield….. strangely enough 1 mile north of the first one! It was usual for distances from London to be measured from the ‘stone’ in Cannon Street in London, but on the London to Lewes Road, which pa Tomorrow I have not made ‘plans’ for, but I must write, and send some postcards; I bought cards, and stamps, almost a week ago so I have nae excuse. Right now I am orf to bed, tired after an active enough day; I suppose it wouldn’t do any harm to have an easy day tomorrow. I’ll say “Goodnight/ Goodmorning” from all of ‘Us’ here in Sussex….and “Take care”! Photographs : Top – The Crowborough Road… Middle – Janice with Bonnie and Toby on our walk this afternoon.. and Bottom – a “Bow Bells” mile marker in north Uckfield (Ringles Cross area). 25th January 2012 …..10.00 It’s grey but dry and looks like it might brighten up; I am away ‘doon the toon’ to ‘ave mornin’ coffee, and to purchase an ‘aggis and a neep; it’s “Burns Day” (253 rd anniversary). Janice and Michael are away to the dentist, so the dawgs are i/c…. and they want me to get a move on so I’d better so do! “Catch you later”! 20.00 My walk took me across to St Margaret’s Kirk, walking by the road, a distance of just under 6 kilometres, there and back, so there’s a good bit of exercise involved. The ladies had set up a ‘stall’ with different jams, chutneys etc. so I bought a jar o’ marmalade (£2); I’ll have toast for breakfast tomorrow morning. I had a look at one of the Nature reserve footpaths, but that is ‘no go’, for another couple o’ days at least; too slippery. Michael and I had a braw Burns Supper, (Janice was desperate to ‘ave some ‘aggis, but couldn’t with ‘avin’ that tooth out), “Cock a Leekie” Soup, ‘aggis, neeps an’ tatties, followed by an, ‘it’ll just slide doon’ puddin’; and it did! Slide doon! I think Michael is going to ‘run through’ Tam O’ Shanter in a wee while so I’d better no’ miss that! Photographs : Top- St Margaret’s kirk, and bottom – er “Owlbert” at a photo shoot for “JB’s” benefit… the whisky in the “Owlbert” glass was real; Fettercairn, which was apt because that is where he, Owlbert was born!. He only had one … he thinks he can sing after two! I’ll say “Goodnight/ Goodmorning” from all of us here in Sussex; “Owlbert” (bhcs) is fast asleep, dreamin’ “Owlbert” dreams, and I am orf tae join him….”Take care”. Before going to sleep tonight let’s listen to “Ae Fond Kiss” … a Robert Burns song, as only he could write them! xx 24th January 2012 …. 09.30 It’s a misty and damp start to the day, with light rain now and then; no walks today, in fact no reserve walk for a couple of days 19.00 I may have been tired after my walk yesterday but I am even more tired after my walk round Eastbourne today. Most of the walking was in the Arndale Centre; a place aboot the size o’ Elie wi’ a roof over it, so the rain didn’t bother us; but, Michael and I did go down to the seafront to get some photographs…. most from underneath the pier which gave us some shelter from the rain, which by this time was heavy! We drove, or Janice drove to different parts of Eastbourne, for different shops, all huge ones…. during said driving, Janice encountered a driver who was “fannyin’ around” at traffic lights etc. I am beginning to learn the local lingo; “fannyin’ around” means being dilatory, and not moving when the lights have changed to green! I think this ‘expression’ has only to be used at traffic light ‘situations’….
23rd January 2012 ….09.30 It’s a bonnie morning so I am heading off to Leeanns for morning coffee, then onward to Buxted Park Nature Reserve for a good old ‘plowter’. As far as the Wood Pigeons are concerned,‘Spring is in the air’…. they are doing ‘in love’ things; and so are the Blackbirds, Blue Tits and the rest of our f 22.00 It turned a bit colder in mid afternoon and I saw a few showers going along the South Downs…. The forecast for tomorrow is “chance of rain”, so I shall plan tomorrows activities accordingly. There’s a fair amount to do on the computer… empty it for a start; then some photographs to be worked on, so, Photographs : Top – Cyprus 1959…Middle – St Margaret’s Kirk Buxted…. And Bottom – St Margaret stained glass window, in St Margaret's Church, Buxted. Orf to bed, kind o’ tired after my walking today; only about 5 miles but up and doon hills so fairly taxing…. I need the exercise! I’ll say “Goodnight/ Goodmorning” from ‘Us’ down in Sussex …. and “take care”. 22nd January 2012….. 10.00 We have a braw mornin’ doon here in Sussex; bright and sunny…even the Wood pigeons are singin’. The WP’s are a ‘common’ garden bird in Uckfield; the town is surrounded by woods, and on the edge of the Ashdown Forest. Their ‘singin’ leaves a bit tae be desired perhaps, but, as far as attracting a mate etc. goes, it seems tae work, because there’s an awfie lot o’ them around! “Owlbert” is feeling a bit “brighter eyed and bushy tailed” this morning… a bad sign with so many trees around! Away down to have a ‘late’ breakfast! 14.30 There are a lot of TV cookery programmes down here 22.00 I have had a quiet day, apart from being inundated with requests for the ‘coffee bun’ recipe. There is no truth in the rumour, circulating the Home Counties, that it’s just a Rock Cake recipe gone wrong! Tomorrow I am going out to Buxted Park for a long explore, assuming the weather is OK; and I shall visit St Margaret’s Kirk, which is situated within the Park, for another ‘browse’ around; it’s a beautiful kirk and one of the few I have been reading in Scotland on Sunday about the Cambo snowdrops, and how they are doing a week of ‘floodlit’ snowdrop walks. It should be an interesting experience….with a nice atmosphere…. well worth a visit I should imagine. Photographs : Top – er,… the Chef? And bottom – Toby, the guard dawg, having a ‘ practice wear’ of his leg warmers. Once more its “Goodnight/ Goodmorning” from all of ‘us’ down here…. “take care”… and we look forward to ‘seeing’ you all in the morning!x 21st January 2012… 10.30 the sun is breaking through a non- threatening looking grey sky; looks like being a warm, sunny spells kind of day. I’m not sure what we will be doing today; the ‘troops’ aren’t working so can get on with other things! Janice has nearly‘hit’ my cold for ‘six’, and I am feeling mair ‘normal me’…. mind you ‘normal me’ is a bit …. wellll ‘iffy’…. but we are all ready for ‘action! Oh aye… I didnae waken up till 09.27…bit of a ‘l In the evening we went down to ‘the Club’ to meet some of Janice and Michael’s friends for a social chat; it is good sitting in a friendly atmosphere, listening tae the friendly banter; it, (the 'club') caters for all ages, and ‘all ages’ turn up. This Saturday there’s a modern sounding (loud) live band in the dance hall; next Saturday it will be the Burn’s Supper! Photographs : Top – Janice……with the De La Warr pavilion beyond… and bottom the English Channel from Bexhill! Once more it's, “Goodnight/ Goodmorning” from a tired “Owlbert”, and a tired ‘me’… down in Sunny Sussex…. “Take care”, and we look forward to ‘seeing’ you again in the morning. 20th January 2012 …. 09.00 I’m up and movin’…. not rapidly, but movin’, in "sunny Sussex... except it's no' sunny. It’s a, dry grey morning, but warm…. a nice morning for wandering around; once I properly waken up. I still feel as if I’m sitting in the train. I’ll go to “Leeanns” for coffee, then my brain might catch up with my body; my body is in Sussex, the brain somewhere between here and Edinburgh! 10.00 The dogs have been ‘steered’ up, and breakfast ‘had’; the ‘brain’ cell has caught up wi’ the body, and the merger, though not impressive, is ‘me’. I think I am “ready to roll”! I’m trying to orientate myself…always have to do this when I first arrive in Sussex. “Uckfield High Street points to London, which is ‘that way’, so the wind (F3) is from the west”! Uckfield High street was part of the ‘old’, Brighton to London coach road. Away to get organised, then down to “Leeanns”…. Leeann is Janice’s daughter, for morning coffee… catch you later. 15.00 I had my morning coffee at Leeann’s; it’s braw sitting there listening to the murmur of soft ‘Sussex’ voices, and it made me think of the times when Maggie and I sat there doing just that… listening to the Sussex, or southeast ‘twang’. I am getting ‘used’ to being on my own but its ‘hard work’ at times, and lets face it … I’m not on my own in being alone; there’s a lot of ‘us’ about, beavering away at being “oorsels”! Leeann herself, is as happy, and pretty as ever! On leaving the Civic Centre I wandered my way down to the Bridge at the bottom of the High Street, dropping into the Sussex Stationers, to get some post cards, and the train station to get a timetable, which I forgot to get because I ended up talking to the train guard. I was to find out later that Janice (who is organised) had picked one up anyway! From the station I walked along through the Hempstead Nature Reserve, took a wrong turning, wandered through a field, climbed over a metal, barbed wire topped gate to ‘freedom’, got covered in mud, and generally had a good time. It was at the other side of the gate I found out why it was strong… and barbed wire topped! I am 22.30 I’ve had a fairly busy, and enjoyable day, though I am tired, and well ready for bed. Janice, Michael, and I went down to ‘The Club’ to see Bob(one of Michael’s mates) about the Burns Supper arrangements… and I had two half pints of Harvey’s Finest ale; as part of Janice’s Master Plan to get rid of my cold…the Harvey’s Finest i.e. I don’t know if it’s workin’, but I quite like the medicine. I’m off to bed, and I suspect I might oversleep tomorrow morning. We have no ‘plans’ made for tomorrow… it depends on the weather really, but I will have a wander around somewhere. I’ll say “Goodnight/ Goodmorning” from “Us” doon here in Uckfield …. “Take care”! Photographs : Top- the ‘top’ end of Uckfield High street… and Bottom – the reason why the gate was strong! 19th January 2012 .... 08.00 “Owlbert” is ready to ‘roll’. It is a clear and cool morning, there are clouds to the south; but, it’s also warmer down there! Better go and have my breakfast. Next ‘update’ from ‘Sunny Sussex’..... no it won’t be sunny, ‘cos the sun will have probably have set by the time we reach Uckfield. “Catch you later”. Michael met me at Kings X, from there we made our way to St When we got to Uckfield, the ‘guard dawgs’, set aboot making sure I was who I was….. eventually being accepted, after much I have ‘reported’ home to Jems, who is i/c of keeping me informed of all the ‘excitements’ that make Elie and Earlsferry the special places they are… i.e the lack of said’ excitements’. I’d better go and see what’s happening on FB and Flickr, before going down to ‘annoy’ the troops. Photographs : Top – Food, glorious Food!... Middle – Toby.. one half of the ‘guard dawg’ team… Michael flying, what I thought was a battery operated helicopter… it was, but it also has a camera fitted, so “Owlbert” can be seen from a different perspective now! I’m away down to see what’s happening; I’ll say “Goodnight/ Goodmorning” and “take care” from all us in Uckfield, Sussex! I think I shall sleep in tomorrow morning! 18th January 2012 ....08.30 Oh ... it’s a bit ‘dreich’ this morning, damp and grey. I should brighten up soon according to the man on the wireless; but then he was probably speaking about Glasgow, and
I’m ready for the ‘road’, just my travel bag to finish in the morning. So... I’ll say “Goodnight/Goodmorning” from ‘Us’ in Ivy... ‘see’ you in the morning... and “take care!” Photographs : Top – the beach at Elie and Earlsferry ... and Bottom - West House reflected in the wet sand... I know I put this up a goodlie number of times over a year but I just love that picture.... I love this place... I just love 'love'! It's a braw word.
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break;
before old shingles deteriorate:
is becoming more ‘adventurous’….I was going to say “in his old age”… but ‘we’ are not old;
over the place.
course of which, I 
n the wrong Radio Direction signal and eventually flew nose first into the forest, killing all six of the crew aboard.
Michael’s Tam o’ Shanter, Bob’s address tae the ‘Lassies’, Dave’s toast tae Rabbie Burns, and last but definitely not least Sue’s reply for the ‘Lassies’.
a while;
pleasure multiplied!
included, so it will be all ‘action’ the morn.
baking.
railway arrived in Victorian times;
sses through Uckfield, the distance was taken from the door of St Mary – le – Bow Church in London, with each cast iron ‘mile marker’, having a Bell and a Bow, as well as the distance on it.
d a couple of headaches … both of them are going out, soon,
think it may have done that.
, as the soil is clay and really sticky;
that’s when Janice uses it!
nursing etc.
ot a right ‘blast from the past’;
even if it does rain I won’t be stuck for something to do.
in the south east, just as we have back home in Fife.
named after St Margaret of Scotland;
ie in’!
promenade… but nae sand on the beach….unless you count pebbles as big grains o’ sand!
now about to take ‘50’.
Kings X that we started blethering and found that we were both interested in genealogy and local history.
Pancras to catch our connection for Haywards Heath.
noise, sniffing and then, finally, slobbering! 
the west, so it will take a wee while to reach us , here, in the east;
nd 
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