Ken Dodd proved to be the festive TV highlight
Scottish Society WHILE doing some decluttering I came across a photo taken at the first meeting of what became Hinckley and District Scottish Society founded by Ronne MacFarlane who then lived at Sapcote.
The photo was taken in the early 70s at the constitutional club on Station Road. The building is still there but the club like many of those pictured are no longer. Indeed I might be the only survivor as I am sure my dearest GLM (whom I lost three years ago) and me were the youngest there. It would be interesting to know if there is anyone else still around.
The society itself also seems to have died as I have not seen or heard anything of it for a few years now, around the time that Jim Anderson passed away. Jim was a stalwart of the group, often taking a leading role in events like the address to the haggis at the dinner to mark Burns Night which this year falls on Friday.
I shall be having a solo celebration of the Ayrshire bard and raising a dram – slainte!
Terrrible telly I was not at all surprised last week when it was revealed that TV viewing figures over the festive season were the lowest ever as there was very little, if anything, worth watching.
Second highest was the much vaunted Michael McIntyre’s Big Show which to me seems all set up and not at all funny. However there was a real gem late one night with a programme about the life and career of Ken Dodd which was not advertised at all in advance and was truly hilarious showing a real master of the comedy art at work.
It reminded me of the shows Ken did at the Concordia when he was on a mission to play every theatre in the country. I can’t imagine McIntyre doing anything like that. For one thing it would not be anywhere near as good and would not be value for money that the notorious overrunning Doddy gave.
Puzzles paradox I love puzzles and so was very pleased to receive two books of them for Christmas.
One of them, from my elder stepson’s family, was “Grandad’s Book of Crosswords” and the other “Brain Puzzles”.
Now I know pensioners are encouraged to stretch their minds but you might expect the clues in the first to not be too difficult for someone like me who prides themselves on solving or very near completing The Times quick cryptic crossword most days. However, even allowing for the fact that success comes from getting in the compiler’s mind, these puzzles are a real challenge and I often get them wrong.
The second being brain puzzles you’d expect them to be cerebral. However, in the helpful instructions, when it comes to crosswords, the compilers write: “Answers to the across clues should be placed horizontally in the grid, starting in the square with the corresponding clue number in the corner. Answers to the down clues should be placed vertically. Where words in the grid cross each other, any filled in answers will help you to solve other clues you have not yet filled in.”!
One expects a certain amount of intelligence among those tackling “Brain Puzzles” and such guidance seems either insulting or infantile. Or is it just me?