TartanTed – Page 12 – A Scotsman (Ex) living in South Texas

Stamps #01

July 4, 2020 Tartanted Comments 0 Comment

China:

When I worked for a bank in Edinburgh I had customers who, in the course of their work, corresponded with academics all over the world. When they discovered that I had an interest in philately they were kind enough to provide me with the envelopes from their worldwide correspondence. The result is that I have quite a large supply of stamps to share with you on this blog. Watch this space.

I recently saw a video on how to use the app ”Photomyne” to scan and save photographs digitally.
Although I have many photographs with which to experiment I chose to start by scanning some envelopes and individual stamps as Patty had been clearing out a box of “stuff” and came across my collection of stamps / envelopes hailing from the 1970’s onwards.
I thought I’d start with these:

Cycle Training 2020 #27

July 4, 2020 Tartanted Comments 0 Comment

Week beginning June 28th, 2020

Federal Friday Festivity

July 3, 2020 Tartanted

Playlist: Something Stupid (see sunscreen below) – The Mavericks

Tomorrow is Independence Day but, as that is a Saturday, the official Federal holiday is today, Friday July 3rd. The last few days have been uncomfortable for me with my blood pressure causing concern and the frustrating inability to get out on my bike. The combination of Sahara dust and high heat index denying me the ability to cycle my BP down to an acceptable level.

All that changed today as the morning temperature was in the 80°F range and the dust haze seemed to have subsided so I was able to cycle a few miles and restore my BP to normal levels. Of course now my knees hurt and my arms are red because I forgot to use sunscreen but you can’t have everything!

Tuesday Twosome

June 30, 2020 Tartanted

Playlist: Against the Wind – Bob Seger

Most of my cycling seems to involve being “Against the Wind” so that’s not a bad track to be listening to on a ride. I did no mileage on Monday and Tuesday evening was not much better with a paltry 5 miles being clocked up towards the 50 for the week. “Must do better”, as the headmaster remarked about my Latin test scores some 50 years ago!

A few times around the subdivision is always good for an easy 5 miles.

Since Tuesday held nothing of interest to post about cycling I offer this, from 2005, a flower whose name I do not know but which resided in Dawyck Botanic Garden in the Scottish Borders. Worth a visit if you’re ever in the neighborhood.

Sunday memories

June 28, 2020 Tartanted

Playlist: (Movie) Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Remember the GCN video (“Friday Off” June 19th) which persuaded me that it is not necessary to train every day – today was that day.
No cycling, no yard work, and not even a stroll to the mailbox. Activity today consisted of logging into the morning church service followed by laundry and towel folding whilst watching the Will Ferrell movie listed above, and then sifting through my collection of digital photographs in search of blogging inspiration.

I’m not a big fan of Will Ferrell but this movie was brought to my attention by my friend David , who lives in Scotland, as it features a few scenes shot in Edinburgh. Even better – it also features some scenes filmed in Glasgow that are passed off as being in Edinburgh. Long live the East / West rivalry of Scotland’s two largest cities. The movie was indeed quite enjoyable.

Andrew & Emily Blackhall Park, Edinburgh

Cycle Training 2020 #26

June 27, 2020 Tartanted

Week beginning June 21st, 2020

Surprising Saturday

June 27, 2020 Tartanted

Corpus by car; Rockport by ride

Family road trip!
Well, as much as you can do in this “new age”, we had an essential purpose in going to the big City and only Patty actually got out of the vehicle!
The weather was fine although I suspect that the Sahara dust was hanging in the mist over the bay. There was no rain showing on the radar but it looked like rain over the water.
Back in Rockport and back on the bike – 15 miles this evening to round off my week with a total of 55 miles.

Friday

June 26, 2020 Tartanted

Playlist: Roamin’ in The Gloamin’

Historic cycling memorabilia.
The amazing moving target that is the town of St. Andrews.
I know that the starting point of this annual ride from Edinburgh to St. Andrews has changed year on year for various reasons but 5 miles! Really?

Home late from the office, and with wet weather and thunderstorms threatened, there was no chance of cycling this evening so I decided to publish the evidence that my insanity, with regard to cycling, has been continuous rather than sporadic throughout my life. I know I entered the Edinburgh to St. Andrews bicycle ride more than twice but two completion certificates is the sum total of my tangible proof.

Thursday turn up …

June 25, 2020 Tartanted

Playlist: These Are the Days of Our Lives – Queen

In Corpus Christi at the office again today and Patty drove through in the evening to remind me that we have a life outside of work.
I guess we got to see some Sahara dust in the atmosphere.

We arrived back in Rockport kind of late and Emily asked if I could check the mailbox as she was expecting a parcel. The mailbox is a quarter mile from the house so I cycled there, clocking three miles towards my weekly goal, and picked up the package for her. That rounded off my weeks mileage to 40 so I only need another 10 miles for this week.

Wednesday Wonder

June 24, 2020 Tartanted

Playlist: Calm before the Storm – Eliza Gilkyson

Apparently I am able to set off at 6 PM this evening in what the radar shows as a break in adverse conditions. Indeed it looks like we will not get any thunderstorms here tonight.
Good news for me as I set off in pretty ideal conditions, overcast, light South wind at 6 mph and a very pleasant 81F.
So ideal that I got carried away and did 22 miles.