Hello my darling!...

Hello my darling! I'm not darling, I'm Drew!

We were Claypotting today... more indoor madness with scrapers, screwdrivers and steamers. Poppy starts strutting around saying in a wee deep voice "I'm Drew!"... that's the ace joiner we have - Poppy's really bee inspired by him. She strolls on through to mummy hanging out a window oiling some window frames declaring this - asking "what needs fixing?"

I like the...

I like the music Daddy!

Today, we're in Union Terrace Gardens, watching the freezing bands play their tunes in celebration of UTG... and a wee "up yours" to all the UTG haters, who want to see it killed and buried under concrete, all for the sniff of a measly £50 million from sir "my way or the highway" Wood. (not that £50 million will be much, seeing as the entire project is realistically "over" £300+ million... we'll be paying that for years. Anyway, Dave Officer took some lovely photos, so here's one of them, Visit his blog entry for more : http://davidofficerphotography.co.uk/?p=340

Your ring finger is...

Your ring finger is the mother of your baby finger!

Poppy was explaining the relationships your fingers have with each other. awww, bless poppet.

Poppy's spot on her eyebrow...

Poppy's spot on her eyebrow is a snow flea's bite!

A little known fact that 1% of snowflakes contain snow fleas - which if they land on your brow, will bite, like a mozzie and leave a little pimple. Be warned.

your head is like a...

your head is like a shopping bag, with a hair handle

Poppy's observations always give us a chuckle... ah, to see the world as a kid, eh.

Oh! and the thumb...

Oh! and the thumb grabs the shoe and the tail!

After a very invigorating and positive day at work, I treat myself to a skate... and I've got tail grabs down out of the 5ft quarter pipe. A tricky sod to grab, I think I'm getting them down - finally!... something more than "just" a melanchollie!
This post was sponsored by skate babble.

The details get lost...

The details get lost when the wall of generalisation is slapped on top

Not a UTG thought!... come back!...
Just watching the tv programme when MP's are put in housing estates... and on the way home say "There are some nice people in there, it's not as bad as the taxi driver made out"... like, err... you don't say. I think this is why people need to pay attention to the details - and don't just accept anyone's word - especially when it comes to defining a group with a few piffling unthoughtful words. The only problem? the time - and ability to take all of that in!

F is for ...

F is for ... Freak!

Dear oh dear, Poppy has decided to start telling us all the first letters of all the words she hears... well, ones she finds interesting... sadly, this works at any point in time, especially tea time at granny's too... he he - by the way, it was Granny that said "freak"...

The Opposite of flying on an Eagle...

The Opposite of flying on an Eagle is flying on a butterfly

Poppy comes out with some zen again today... makes you think about what an opposite is, eh. after all "hot and cold" are the same thing, eh - just temperatures... why is "apple" and "dragonfly" not an opposite?

Crikey! what a big...

Crikey! what a big snow knob in Union Terrace Gardens!

indeedeedoodie. Vowing to use UTG every time I'm in Aberdeen (because apparently, if you are rich you can dictate "if you don't use it - you lose it") - Strolling through after a massive fresh downpour of snow - some clever, creative satyrs had decided to roll 5 or 6 snow .... rolls into a large willy in the centre of UTG (nearly on STV guys...nice!) - anyway... most worrying - no junkies - but only one ball. oh, and nice use of bush as "pubes". ho ho. I was smiling all the way to the art gallery.

A beautiful sound...

A beautiful sound, is 300 people asking "HOW" at once

The "big debate" happened last night. the first proper public forum where the City Square project (Sir Ian Wood's vision of how a culturally driven city regeneration (destroying our only city central green space) will entice people to Aberdeen after the oil has gone) and Peacock Visual Arts (whom had planning permission to build a world class, iconic, award winning contemporary arts centre in Union Terrace Gardens) was held.
needless to say - standing room only - (approx 300 according to the bbc). At one point, the entire room (minus the ACSEF members sitting in the audience) all started saying "HOW?" "HOW?!" at the same time - when Sir Ian kept rattling off "it will attract people to the city", "it will be a catalyst for economic growth"...

My question was - why does business have to look after culture - and not trust the local cultural providers to look after it themselves? "because the economics involved" (Even though ACSEF fully back, appraised and approved the potential £5million income the arts centre will bring. So, this leads to the question - what MORE will be in the CSP (if it's not "just" culture driven) - that would raise more than £5 million a year? So many unanswered questions... I think I have to get my finger out and write some and see if I can get them answered. sorry for the rant.

I've got a sausage stuck in my...

I've got a sausage stuck in my suprasternal notch!

I've just gulped down 3 beef sausage sandwiches - fresh seeded loaf, butter, brown sauce...omnom in deed...shame my gullet can't keep up!...ooooch, you know that sore "it's not going down, even when I scoof some juice"... I just had that.

The language of Love...

The language of Love is not written in the CitySquare booklet

The story got to Annie Lennox that those silly billy, lax and apparently unthoughtful people at the City Square Project - whom created a lovely brochure to "sell" the idea of the City Square project (you know, the concrete box they want to put in Union Terrace Gardens - killing the only greenspace in the centre of Aberdeen).

Anyway - Annie was not best pleased that they decided to put a photo of her in the booklet - so she got her PR people to put a stop to the circulation of the "propaganda" (I think that's safe to say, thanks to this story?). Mind you, the CSP team glibly came back "that's all right, we were phasing it out anyway"... aye, it's done it's job - showing nice images (that are not true) to people about the "possibilities" the magic square will be - everything to everyone (Except the local creative practitioners that are supposed be sustained by this car park come arts centre).

for another interesting take on the story - check out the Scotsman - seems that even people in Edinburgh want the best for Aberdeen - they should know what a vibrant and culturally astute City is!

There's a few bob...

There's a few bob scrap in that pile o shite!

Gabs and I have stepped up our efforts to get on top of "the claypots conundrum" - we've owned a house / steading for a year now (started buying it 2 years ago(!?)) but it's always been an albatross around our necks - we'd lost a lot of enthusiasm over the year... a LOT to do to the place...never mind A LOT OF MONEY....so, we're looking at ways of raising money - and someone suggested selling all the scrap metal lying around the place... we got a 2 tonne skip in January - and managed to pile up 2.2 tonnes of metal making us £176 quid! (wooo hoo!)...so - we now look at any tiny lump of rusty rubbish and think...."there's a few bob scrap in that shite!" - if your car is missing a bonnet, or your door knocker goes missing... just make sure Gabi's not sneaking around with a balaclava in your neighborhood.

Look! A...

Look! A humungous apple!

Poppy got her quote in the Scotland on Sunday today! - After meeting a journalist (Peter Ross) in Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens... finally, some press which is looking to ask questions from both sides of the argument - and fairly representing both sides... pay attention Aberdeen Journals.

My Poopoo...

My Poopoo came out with a smile on its face!

Poppy's inimitable positivity in full force today. Excellent, if someone can see a smile on a shite's "face" - we're going to feel very Olympic today!

I had to fight with 40 junkies...

I had to fight with 40 junkies just to get in here today!

Gabi and Poppy and I had to head into Aberdeen today, and we parked the car in the Denburn car park - and against Sir Ian Woods warnings - we headed for Union Terrace Gardens (The massive easy access entrance to the side of HMT - where wheelchairs can easily get in)... anyway, We bumped into a journalist from the Scotland on Sunday interested in the UTG / ACSEF story... and I said "well... " I really can't help myself some times.

Mummy, please let me wash...

Mummy, please let me wash your feet, as I am an expert

Poppy getting all biblical! ho ho... a hard day at claypots clearing out the steading today so gabi had a bath before me and poppy decide to help... bless poppet.

If the £50 million is a gift...

If the £50 million is a gift, can we have the receipt please?

Attending the land use forum last night - I was moved to speak because the pro ACSEF / Wood fans there kept feeding us the usual rhetoric about sir Ian's "Gift". I don't think I've even been given a gift where I had to stump up the cash for the other 3/4 of a thing I didn't want...

I never thought I'd be a fan...

I never thought I'd be a fan Annie Lennox!

What? Annie Lennox has posted on her mySpace blog that the people of Aberdeen to sign the pro UTG petition and stop this "idiocy and madness" amazing (scotsman article). the UTG petition skyrockets today too. We also see that @mySpace also tweeted the news... and they have 64,000 followers...

I decided to make a "best of" list of Annie's songs

• "Never Gonna Cry Again Tom?"
• "Beunda (concrete)"
• "This Isn't the House"
• "The Walk (is 2 mins quicker)"
• "Love Is a Stranger not visiting Aberdeen"
• "Sweet Dreams (Are Not Made of This)"
• "Who's That Gugenheim?"
• "Right by Your Side (Belmont Street)"
• "Here Comes the Rain Again"
• "Concretecrime"
• "Julia (is pro UTG signature 5837)"
• "Would I Lie to You? (yes ACSEF)"
• "There Must Be an Angel (who wants a contemporary arts centre)"
• "Sisters Are Doin' It for UTG"
• "It's Alright (ACSEF are in meltdown)"
• "When Tomorrow Comes (we'll have a garden and arts centre)"
• "Thorn in My Side (sorry ACSEF)"
• "The Miracle of Common People"
• "Missionary Man (to get concrete squares popular)"
• "Beethoven (wouldn't want a CitySquare)"
• "Shame (indeed!)"
• "I Need a Man (who cares about cool architecture)"
• "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart Dave"
• "Revival (of UTG)"
• "Don't Ask Me Why (business men think they know everything)"
• "The King and Queen of UTG"
• "Angel (Station, a bit like the UTG metro?)"
• "(My My) ACSEF's Gonna Cry"
• "I Saved UTG Today"
• "17million Again"
• "I've Got a Contemporary Arts Centre"

Long Live Annie...

Long Live Annie Lennox!

The power of twitter came to my attention again togay... I've an "#Aberdeen" column set up on my tweetdeck - and I spotted that someone had put a link to Annie Lennox's blog - where she's posted a note of support to the saving of Union Terrace Gardens - we've heard she wouldn't be drawn on the subject (sensitive about connections to Aberdeen) - seems like she's swatted up on the whole thing and realised she should say something... it is important to the future of our city afterall! so, from all us pro UTGers - we want to say THANK YOU ANNIE!" also - thanks to @ethrillnet for the initial tweet! http://ethrill.net/2010/02/08/annie-lennox-supports-initiative-to-rescue-aberdeen-union-terrace-gardens

woah, the big boys....

Woah, the big boys are in the big pall pit daddy!

Poppy, Gabi and I went to hoodles in the morning to hook up with friends, and as ever, we head to the yoga ball pit - great fun - but when those energetic, boysterous 7 year old boys are in there throwing a 3 foot diamete ball of your head full force...it's not so much fun....

North East Open...

North East Open Scotland!

I am tired and I should be doing four jobs at once. (2 are important). My other work is Creative Cultures Studios...err.... zzzzz

I can't watch Postman Pat...

I can't watch Postman Pat, because he's in garlic this morning

Aww, Pops heads down the stairs this morning before us and she switched on the TV...Postman Pat in Gaelic on BBC2... so poppy puts the Despereaux DVD on instead.

Can you not hoover...

Can you not hoover daddy, because you have a big head?

I think I know what Poppy meant... and no, it's not what you think... honest

Watch out for the snow...

Watch out for the snow spiders girls!

Poppy and I were invited to the regular, once a month "mums dinner" from Poppy's nursery... I took a deep breath, and said yes... Gladly so too - some interesting ladies with some strong opinions! (got to get used to parent etiquette!) - needless to say, we all had a lovely time, Ross's cafe came and told us all off for having "rowdy, noisy children"... so don't go there. they don't care about you once they have your diner money! ANYWAY!.... we ended up playing outside, chatting etc... and I did my usual pied piper with the kids, playing the clown and having fun in the snow...Poppy's making friends, so that's cool, but she does seem to be quite reserved and watchful...

Poppy has a TV...

Poppy has a TV sitting on her back tooth

Gabi was describing Poppy's mouth, whilst getting her teeth brushed tonight - each side is a part of the house - and the back right teeth were "the living room" - and I convinced her she had a small Telly on her molars... he he - *beep* "I switched it off!" said Poppy./p>

People who think questions are a threat...

People who think questions are a threat are just frightened of the answers they know to be true.

Just having a think about certain statements that have been involved in the promotion of the concreting over of Union Terrace Gardens - who attack the people asking "awkward" questions they really don't want to be asked. It's a real shame that we're not given facts - and yet advertised we are. It's an awful shame that people putting out information on BOTH directions for the space in Aberdeen are being called "Agitators" and "Propaganda" merchants. Yes folks, scared indeed.