Olympics and Festivals

Olympics over, Edinburgh Festival about to end and summer rolls along to a wet conclusion. Time for me to head off to Peru methinks. And to write a post on here! Hope you've all not been missing me too much.

I've enjoyed watching the Olympic games. Opening ceremony was beautifully done, and very funny. Good to see old Queenie has a sense of humour too. I thought asking her to do a parachute jump was a bit much at her age, but she seems to have survived it quite well, though I'm suspicious that may not have been her in the helicopter at all. We should be told, but the truth will out one day.

James Bond was excellent, (Scottish too) but best of all was Mr Bean, making a mess of Chariots of Fire. How those musicians kept a straight face through it all is a mystery to me. The whole ceremony was a credit to one and all, including those of us watching, as we did pay for all the fun. Where else in the world would they pay such a splendid tribute to their Health Service? The few places that have one, that is.Well done Danny Boyle, and you're almost Scottish too, though Manchester is just as good.

Highlight for me was second Saturday when Mo won the 10,000 race. I was going to the theatre that night to see Samuel Beckett's novel "Watt" as adapted for stage and acted by Irish actor Barry McGovern, in a production described as flawless, inspired, immaculate and suberb, by Joyce McMillan in the Scotsman. I absolutely agree with her judgement. Brilliant piece of theatre, maybe best Beckett I have seen and I've seen a few over the years. Guardian also gave it a 5 star review, calling it "astonishing: rhymthic, chiming, luscious.... "

Immediately before going to the theatre I joined a few hundred others in Festival Square to watch the 10,000 race on the giant outdoor screen there. It was just like being at the games for real. We all cheered Mo on, which seemed the right thing to do,but quite surreal, and I'm sure he must have heard us down in London. We all celebrated madly when he won, so easily. Much better watching with a crowd than sitting at home in front of the tele.

After having seen Watt, and on a bit of a high I went back to Festival Square and joined the crowd to watch Ussain and his Jamaican pals win the relay. It seemed like a stroll in the park for the boys, but we cheered them on anyway just in case. UK having made a mess of things as per usual. And USA trailling,  which was nice for them. Great night had by all, though I reckon mine was best. Theatre and Olympics at their best in the space of a few hours, and the sun shone for a change. Cannae beat it, as Stuart would say. Tam's pal I mean, for those of you who listen to Radio Scotland.

Other festival highlights were Mark Thomas in his one man show about his father, very moving, funny and sad; Bill Paterson in a play at the Traverse called "And no more shall we part" which had me in tears at the end, though not quite so many tears as the woman sitting beside me, to whom I had to offer comfort and assistance. She was deeply affected as was everyone else in the theatre one way or another.

I also enjoyed Stewart Lee, comedian, one of the best in UK, and so much better than the likes of Frankie Boyle. Saw Stewart with my big brother who also enjoyed it. Very funny man, Stewart I mean, though big bro is too. So look out for him when he's back on tele, but meantime there are a few longish clips on You Tube for your delight.

I also went to couple of things at the Book Festival. Liz Lochhead with my good friend Anne was a joy, and I spoke to Liz afterwards and she promised to read my blog. So just in case: I thoroughly enjoyed your show Liz and love your poetry, and have done over many years. Thanks for signing all my books of yours and the new one which will go with me to Peru next week. It's about time they knew about you over there. Though your sweet melodious Glasgow accent is a big part of your attraction, and your charm and wit of course. But your poems won't do them any harm to get to know. I might need to explain a fair bit though.

And finally I went to see Robert Macfarlane at the book festival with my good friend John Llewelyn, who introduced me to Macfarlane's books, for which a big thank you John. Hard to decribe Macfarlane, but his latest book is called "The Old Ways, A Journey on Foot". It's nature and travel writing combined with a bit of philosophy, random musings, history and biography. At his reading he spoke a lot about his time up on Isle of Lewis,where he met Ian Stephen, whom I went to school with, and with whom he went for a sail down the Minch. Remind me to tell you the story about the Blue Men of the Minch sometime. We tried to get to speak to him and get his signature at the end but there were too many waiting so we had to leave it, but maybe next time.

Thanks John, and thanks for all the chats in our cafe, and all the writers you've told me about. Especially Macfarlane and Edward Thomas, whose poems I've now got on my Kindle you'll be pleased to hear.