UP early to go into Glasgow with Margaret…she’s got a day supply teaching and I ave a haircut this afternoon and an eye hospital appointment at 5.45pm.
Margaret drops me in Milngavie and I get a train to Partick where I pop into Morrisons for a roll and sausage, coffee and some wifi. I manage to get some work done despite two fire alarm evacuations!
I take a wee wander about Partick reminiscing about my childhood then pass what was the bowling and tennis club – and is now just a bowling club. The tennis courts are now home to a block of flats! I’m looking at a ‘what’s on’ notice outside when a lady stops to speak…she’s involved in the club and we chat for a good while about the club and folks we know in common, sadly most of whom are now dead. I tell her I grew up across the road and basically ‘lived’ at the club from the age of six to 21 when I left Glasgow.
There’s a good events programme at the club and although not quite the kind of venue I would normally think of for a show, it would be a great nostalgia trip and I think the folks would like to hear some of my stories about the place. It was, importantly, the venue of my first ever public ‘performances’. The lady – Foye Weatherhead – agrees and suggests I email the bookings folks.
Next stop, Tinderbox on Byres Road for a coffee and some more work…including an email to the bookings contact at the bowling club.
I wander up to Botanic Gardens and sit for a while replying to emails then hit Ramen Dayo for lunch. Tonkotsu ramen. Magic.
Still an hour or so before my haircut appointment with Gary at West End Hair so I stop off at Jimmy Egypt’s guitar shop, then go round the corner to CC Music where I bump into my pal Stevie Lawrence. We chat until it’s time to go for my haircut.
Margaret calls to say she’s on her way back into the West End and we agree to meet at the Anniesland Morrisons where I’m heading for a coffee.
Next stop, the eye hospital where I get a clear check up and the consultant suggests I stop the steroid in my eyes and see what happens. We’ve tried various times of the years but it’s never worked out. Let’s see what happens this time…probably a good time to try as there are no foreign tours/tips in the foreseeable.
Back home Margaret goes to a community trust meeting and I start preparing the studio for tomorrow’s recording session with iain Donald (The Gator) and make teriyaki beef for dinner when Margaret gets back.