19 December Still thou art blest, compared wi’ me! The present only toucheth thee: But och! I backward cast my e’e, On prospects drear! An’ forward, tho’ I canna see, I guess an’ fear! Between threats of variant strains of Coronavirus, tightening of restrictions in the near future, and delays (chaos?) as a result of […]

18 December When politicians and headline writers start waxing lyrical about whether or not to curb the planned relaxation of Covid restrictions later this month, there is often talk of ‘cancelling Christmas’. You may be able to close pubs, restaurants and hotels, prevent people going abroad on holiday, stop all live concerts, plays and performances,

17 December When I was a student at Glasgow Uni, one particularly dreich November day one of the lecturers advised us to go to the Hunterian Gallery (free to students), find a picture with lots of yellow in it, and contemplate it for a while, allowing the colour to stimulate serotonin in the brain, and

16 December Walking back from the West Kirk yesterday lunchtime I wished I’d had my camera with me – it was a high High Tide and the water from the Leven had flooded the Quay. Yesterday was dry, sunny and still (or it was at lunchtime), but what will it be like with today’s wind

Dunbartonshire Guilds Together Carol Service will go online at 7pm this Wednesday 16th December.   It can be viewed on Dunbartonshire Guilds Together Facebook page. If you wish to send a friend request that would be great, but it is open for anyone to view the service.   Please share this as widely as possible,

15 December In the light of the decision to move London and some adjacent areas into the English Tier 3, and the statement yesterday by the UK Government’s Health Secretary that the rise in infection rates seemed to be linked to a variant form of the virus, there’s discussion again about whether it is wise

14 December Negotiations have been extended regarding a post January deal with the EU. The poor negotiators! I wonder if they ever feel they are losing the will to live, going over and over the same things in ever smaller detail? But so many negotiations are like that: whether it’s a trade treaty, a peace

12 December When we get up tomorrow we can say, ‘It’s Christmas next week!’ How are you planning to spend Christmas this year? With family or friends, or quietly on your own? There has been a great furore about it, with some implying that the world will come to an end if it isn’t exactly