Farewell then, to 2018 and a wee dip in the waters of 2019.
The antidote to Happy New Year is that the Auld Reekie Ranter is back – just
when you thought it was safe…
A few things have happened to the Ranter since I last bored
you with my thoughts, the salient points being I now have five little horrors
grandchildren, baby Daniel being added to the brood last October. Oh, and have
I mentioned I have written another book – The Team For Me?
Here are a few personal highlights from 2018:
January – the darkest and most depressing month of the year. And on the very first day I had to go to Edinburgh's Western General Hospital. Not, as some have suggested, to remove my wallet but to relieve severe stomach pains. The most serious aspect of this was that I missed the New Year's Day race meeting at Musselburgh...But the month brightened with the news I won two tickets for the Hearts Burns
Supper. I never usually win anything…
February – Daughter Laura tells me she’s expecting another
child in October. That’s more expense for the Ranter…
Back at Tynecastle for the 1998 Scottish Cup Final re-run
lunch – courtesy of daughter Laura giving me two tickets for my birthday. A
good afternoon, the highlight of which was meeting Hearts legend Jose Quitongo.
He cut short our conversation with the words ‘Jesus, ah’m needin’ a p*sh!’ – as
they say in Angola (Jose’s country of birth) I suspect Gary Locke has been too
much of an influence on wee Jose…
March – The so-called Beast From the East – gale force winds
and heavy snow – brings Scotland to a standstill. Edinburgh without public
transport for two days. Hearts legend Jim Jefferies agrees to write the
foreword for my new book. Well chuffed! (me, not JJ)
April – Grandson Jack plays in his first cup final - the
Persevere East of Scotland U13 Cup. I head to the home of Bonnyrigg Rose to see
the young man strut his stuff. Not only is he on the winning team, he scores a
brilliant goal. I depart Bonnyrigg a proud old man!
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| Young Jack the Lad - a football star of the future? |
May – New premises for my hypnotherapy business – Sighthill
in the west side of Edinburgh. Early morning and early evening appointments now available. If you have any unwanted habits and want help visit Mind Generating Success for more info. And this month saw the usual plethora of family birthdays –
Jack, Ava and Laura.
June – Football's World Cup begins in Russia. Without Scotland – as
usual. A lovely wee trip to Perth races for Marion and I. Remarkably, I picked
two winners - Marion picked nowt. But then, she's extremely lucky in love...
July – Ah, the domestic football season is back! Life is
bearable again. But Hearts brought on a player in a Betfred Cup tie against Cove Rangers who wasn't eligible to play and are deducted two points. Somewhat fortunate I suggest...
August – The usual frenzy of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
and a plethora of shows to see. But Marion and I had a delightful week’s break
in the north of Scotland at Strathpeffer. Visited the Black Isle, Nairn,
Inverness, Beauly, Culloden Battlefield and Loch Ness where Marion was asked to
keep moving as crowds were beginning to form…
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| You try to take a photo of the Black Isle but then someone gets in the way... |
The final day of the month saw the publication of my latest
book The Team For Me – 50 Years of Following Hearts. Six years have passed
since my last book but I’m quite excited. Available here and in all good bookshops.
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| Buy this book and make an old man very happy |
September – The middle of the month saw one of those days
that remain etched in the memory. A hypnotherapy client also happens to be a
director of Edinburgh City Football Club and she invited me to the boardroom
before a game against Annan Athletic. I gave Jim Jefferies - now City's Sporting Director - a copy of my book.
To meet the great man was an absolute honour. On the same day I received an
email from BBC Radio Scotland inviting me on to their Off the Ball show with
esteemed broadcasters Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan. I appeared at the end of
September – alongside fellow guest Robbie Neilson, another Hearts legend. A day
to remember!
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| Tam Cowan, Robbie Neilson, some old fella and Stuart Cosgrove |
Also this month, I fulfilled a life-time ambition by seeing
the truly sublime Joan Armatrading in concert at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. I had
waited more than 40 years for this – and she didn’t disappoint! Her new album is sublime.
October – Grandson Daniel Michael George Dillon duly arrives
on 7th October. Mother and baby well – and back home just 9 hours
after giving birth. I suspect the maternity hospital had seen enough of daughter number one... Three days later I watch Jack play for the East of Scotland
League U14s Select Team against – Hearts! Jack does very well but his team lose
heavily. But I couldn’t be any prouder.
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| The latest addition to the family - can you tell what team he'll support? |
A wee trip to Aberdeen at the end of the month for a
hypnotherapy conference – and a swift half with my old chum Graeme. This was
quickly followed by Jack’s first crushing disappointment as a Hearts supporter
– the 3-0 defeat from Celtic in the Betfred Cup semi-final at BT Murrayfield.
It won’t be his last...
November – Marion and I attended the annual Hearts Memorial
Service at the Haymarket. It’s been 100 years since the First World War ended.
Lest we forget.
A fine evening at the Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh for
the Nutmeg Magazine event. Listened to that fine author Daniel Gray, former
footballer Pat Nevin and the esteemed journalist Allan Pattullo amongst others.
December – An end to another momentous year. A wee trip to
Glasgow to see the incomparable Madness in concert. And my book makes it to The
Scotsman’s list of Top Sports Books of the Year – a proud moment for the
Ranter.
The year ends with Hearts defeating Hibernian in darkest Leith
– the first time we’ve won there since April 2014.
A tough year beckons in 2019 – but I’ve heard this before. But may I and my ever-increasing brood wish you all a very Happy New Year.
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| Fast turning into The Broons… |
Shows attended: (seen at the Edinburgh Playhouse unless otherwise
stated)
Hairspray
Blood Brothers
Crazy for You
Fat Friends
Wicked
Billy Reid’s Magic Show (Storytelling Centre – Edinburgh)
Titanic the Musical
Summer Holiday
Filth (Hilton Hotel, North Bridge, Edinburgh)
A War of Two Halves (Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh)
Colin Cloud (Pleasance – Edinburgh)
Craig Hill (EICC)
Frankie Boyle
Rag N’Bone Man (Princes Street Gardens)
Paul Merton (Pleasance – Edinburgh)
Cirque De Soleil (SECC – Glasgow)
Joan Armatrading (Usher Hall – Edinburgh)
Let it Be
Caro Emerald
Saturday Night Fever
Motown the Musical
Kinky Boots
Madness (SSE Hydro – Glasgow)
Films:
Bohemian Rhapsody (very good)
Exhibitions:
Myths and Legends, Chinese Lanterns at Edinburgh Zoo (recommended)
Book of the Year
Black Boots & Football Pinks by the incomparable Daniel Gray.
And have I mentioned The Team For Me?!
3 comments:
An interesting year, apart from visiting the hospital to have your wallet removed...
Welcome back my friend.....and just a short post to whet our whistle eh Mike!!
Big thumbs up to Jack and his team for winning the cup final AND scoring a goal....WOW talk about a proud moment in time for you and the family.
Pleased to hear your hypnotherapy business is continuing to thrive and of course congratulations of your book being published.
All and all except for January it sounded like a pretty good year.
I also saw Bohemian Rhapsody and thought it was fabulous.
Keep shining in 2019 my friend.
Peggy xxxxx
Welcome back my blogging buddies! 2018 was certainly better than 2017. I hope you both have a great 2019.
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