Thursday 1 January 2015

Dull, Dreich New Year.



The year begins as I suspect it wishes to go on, dull, dreich, dismal and damp. I took myself out after the Dundee derby played in the usual dull, dreich, Dundee derby style weather and sauntered around the empty streets.  Imagine my surprise to find a near empty 'Argos' shop open for business. One or two other shops also considered it worth while paying time and a half, or even double time, to lose money opening today.  Few people trawling the shops for bargains, clearly many still in bed judging by the closed curtains all around.  Scotland would have been entirely closed today, and probably similar tomorrow, as the effects of the season wore off.  I still after all this time find it amazing that so many folks are keen to work on such a day.   So it's a quiet dreich start, with little in the way of new years greetings from passers-by down here, but that is nothing new, and a new year full of promise and bad weather ahead of us.
The only smiling faces to be seen were those of the dogs in the park.  From the grubby window I watched several happily wagging tails sniffing their way through the early morning gloom.  Well wrapped individuals trailed along, desperate to get back to the fireside, while the dog rummaged through the grass for friends unseen.  Today one hairbrush with a collar noted a rabbit that lives near the car park on the other side and chased after it.  Bunny was quickly back inside the bushes and no doubt deep underground within minutes.  The hairbrush cared little at his loss and made off in the other direction with the owner.  Yesterday the man with several dogs was seen clearly on the white ice covered park. He stood out clearly from the white background as did the mutts wandering about, tails wagging in the frozen ground.  Did they realise it was ice cold?  Yes, but did they care?  No!  The dogs had a whale of a time as always, no matter the weather.  
I did manage to fit in almost three complete football matches but my attention was distracted by becoming hooked on 'Watson's Block Game.'  That irritating block game that is so difficult to stop!
In the real world people pay vast sums for an 'X'-Box or PS something or other and buy violent guns and explosions type games to while away the hours. Rarely do any of these hero's enlist in the armed forces but if they do the training helps.  Me, myself and I however find one of the Solitaire games exciting enough and occasionally something else comes along.  For some years now I have taken periods where I get hooked on the block Game and today has been one of them.  Luckily there were vast amounts of goals being scored to distract me now and again but I did lose concentration on the football.  The problem is I have become addicted to using the keyboard!  If I am watching something on here my fingers demand to press keys.  Therefore I must play the Block Game or find something similar if any exists to occupy my fingers.  Life is so hard when you are an addict!
I hope your day has been good and the new year portends well for each and every one, in spite of all those difficulties we all face.  Remember, it could be worse, you could be English!

       


8 comments:

Mike Smith said...

Your first two words of 2015 are dull and dreich....Happy New Year, auld fella!

carol in cairns said...

They used to have to pay double time and a half for public holidays here in AUS, but many companies have found other ways to avoid paying penalty rates to workers thanks to our illustrious politicians passing such legislation ~ and most unfortunately, younger workers don't seem to care that they give up some of these employment conditions that previous generations fought so hard for. I think they are ignorant of the fight for better working conditions myself. Maybe we should send them all back to the coal mines and cotton mills instead of school ~ what you think Adullaman?

Lee said...

New Year's Eve was very wet here in a couple of ways!

I spent New Year's Day drying out! ;)

the fly in the web said...

You could be English...a shiver ran down my spine....
And there was me about to suggest you took up knitting to occupy your fingers...

Adullamite said...

Mike, You make me laugh!!!

Carol, I would not send them to the cotton mines, the Bangladeshis do it cheaper. Coal mines however sound good - for them!

Lee, yes, I bet.....:)

Fly, You calling me a great knit?

Lady Di Tn said...

I must google the game so I can understand your addiction. LOL
For a long time I was told I was Irish and American Cherokee Indian. If I can believe Ancestry.com I am neither but one with English genes. Peace

Adullamite said...

Lady, You poor thing you are English? How awful!

Adullamite said...

Lady, You poor thing you are English? How awful!