Beeutiful.

I took this picture of a bumbler in the garden on Saturday. It's a little out of focus but I wasn't using a tripod or anything. I still like it though.

I might, if the sun ever comes out again, set up the shot and play the waiting game. Hopefully I'll get the bee with a faster shutter speed so you can properly see it's tongue still hanging out like you can just about make out in this one.

Harry Potter and the Prisoners of Hype

Yeah, so we thought we would nip in at midnight on Friday and maybe join the queue of around 50 folk waiting to get the new Harry Potter book at the launch.

Sharlene is a big fan of the books so we pre-booked and imagined we would stroll up at 11.45pm and wait for the doors at Waterstones in Princes Street to open at the witching hour.

As we drove in, past James Thin's book shop – opposite the Festival Theatre on South Bridge, we noticed a large queue of people. 'Ah, I think we might be in a bit of trouble here', I thought.

When driving past an even bigger line of Potter-iets, outside the Waterstones on the East End of Princes Street, the stark reality was beginning to sink in, we were in for a long night.

I shut my eyes as I drove the rest of Princes Street, past the main Waterstones at the West End, along Shandwick Place, and right, to park in Stafford Street opposite Charlie Millers. I opened my eyes and turned to Sharlene, sitting in the passengers seat. 'Was it bad?' I asked her. The blood had drained from her face, her eyes dark, sunken. I could see that her very soul had been bludgeoned.

We walked along past Habitat, lots of kids were all around, excitedly shouting 'Snape is innocent' and 'I'm going to kick Malfoy in his Philosopher's Stones if I see him!'.

Nervously, we reached Princes Street and nearly shat ourselves. The queue of people, young and old, geeks and freaks, snaked from Waterstones front door, past HMV, past GAP, past the two mobile phone shops next to each other, past the games shop that used to be Sports Connection, up the street that leads on to Charlotte's Square, in to Rose Street, 200 yards along Rose Street, did a 180 and came all the way back towards us.

It must have been about 2,000 people long. So, we joined the back of it, duh.

We started queuing at 11.50pm and the folk just kept on joining behind us. At midnight we heard distant cheers as the doors opened and the first punters rushed in to pick up their books. Cool, not long now.

Time flew by as we were entertained by magicians, got free coffee from some Doris dressed up like a witch but still managed to have about 15 Starbucks logos on her outfit, laughed as taxi after taxi after taxi after taxi of drunks drove past shouting 'Harry dies in the end!' and we even had a brilliant old fella who made things from balloons. Calvin got a cool Road Runner made for him.

I was a little hungry so I nipped over to McDonalds and picked up some provisions for the three of us. I even managed to bump in to Darren Jackson who had a burger in each hand and was totally steaming. He was all over the place.

Anyway, as I say, time flew by and it didn't feel like a moment more than three hours and forty-five minutes before we managed to reach the store. Yip, at 3.30am we finally got to the front of the queue and in to the shop to buy the book.

I hope Harry does die.

Moving on up.

On Friday the 27th of July i'm leaving Tayburn, where I've worked for the last three years, and joining Elmwood.

I'm a wee bit excited and a little nervous but, fingers crossed, everything should be cool. I met all the guys from Elmwood the other night and everyone seem pretty cool.

Big day in history.

The sun shone today!

The first time we've seen it all summer and we are only two weeks away from August.

The garden has enjoyed all this rain but the flowers have taken a bit of a pounding.

By, by blackbird.

We've had a blackbird nesting in our honeysuckle bush all 'summer' and last night one of her chicks came out in the open for the first time.

Seen the rain and decided to get back in the nest. Clever.

My legs are really hot.

I've started cycling in and out of work on my new bike. It's going pretty good.

7.8 miles in and then 7.8 miles home, up hill, both directions.

Takes me 30-35 minutes in the morning (I even managed to over take the No. 29 bus that I normally get) and 40-45 on the way back as it's tough getting up the hill from Cameron Toll to Gilmerton.

My legs aren't sore and I didn't even get a sore erse but, I have to say, my thigh muscles are always hot. Probably too much muscle there.

Twats!

Some dizzy Doris reversed her pissy wee car in to ours the other night, right outside my house.

I watched her do it, jumped out the house to speak to her but she f**king shot off. I chased after her but she was going down third street whilst i was on foot running down fourth street.

We think we know the person that was being dropped off by her, but, her boyfriend of course said 'no, my birds pal doesn't have a car like that.' Even though he admitted he was waiting on her being dropped off and he paced up and down looking out of his blinds whilst chatting on his mobile - probably telling to be dropped off at Mayfield and walk to the house.

Dicks.

Oh ya!

I had a kick about with the guys at work last night at The Meadows and went over on my ankle a wee bit. It's all puffed up this morning.

My career as a soccer star is now over.

The Simpsons

They're nearly here!

The 27th is the first night and the cinema at Fountainbridge have already got this brilliant display up.

Two wheels good, six wheels better.

We've only gone and all got bikes!

Sharlene has got a Dutch style, Calvin's got a smooth BMX
and I got a 'hybrid' to get me in and out of Edinburgh.

I took mine for a spin the other day and it was brilliant. 6.5 miles in no time and my arse wasn't sore the next day. Which is unusual for me.

Kevin Woolverine

Kevin Woolard came to work all done up like Wolverine this morning. Cool.

The Friendsons

Here's me, Ross, Steve, Cameron and Ry as Simpsons characters.


Make your own by clicking here.

Got the keys to our new car.

We got the keys to the Porsche this weekend too.

Smooth little 911. Golf clubs are a bit of a squeeze but I get by.

Shrek the Turd

We went to see Shrek the Third at the weekend.

Garbage.



Calvin liked it though.