DORIC COLUMN ROBBIE SHEPHERD

To contact Robbie, email yourlife@ajl.co.uk and mark your message FAO Robbie Shepherd

Yet come what will to ilka ane May He who rules aboon, Aye whisper though their pows be bald “Oh, bairnies, cuddle doon” CUDDLE DOON – ALEXANDER ANDERSON

Ere’s been a kine o a calm sough aboot the place es wikk wi the faimily safely back tae Leigh-on-Sea efter their twa-three days holidayin wi’s. Like ony Grannie and Granda o oor age, my patience nott aa its time files wi the kids’ cantrips. Foo dae ye tell Dougie (7) tae stop an ging ootside, him coopit up on the cooch, hans firmly huddin his Nintendo switch computer game, fingers an thooms gyan twinty tae the dizzen an comin oot wi the odd “ooh” “ah” an “YES” fae the depths o the cushin?

It fairly kept him quaet bit it wis Granda at did aa the worryin fin we fun twa battery chargers in wir kitchen efter they hid left on the road hame. Jist imagine aa the kerfuffle an tantrums gin it be een o them at fittit his favrit gadget. Syne there wis twayear-auld Rose bawlin her heid aff in the riggins o the nicht fin it was discover’t Mam and Dad hid left her bunnie comforter in somebody else’s hoose.

Ach, if at wis aa, bit I wis up to high doh wi Gordon imsel on him shiftin ma car an pittin the handbrake on ower hard. They were wytin up at the Atholl Hotel for a get-thegither lunch and I hid tae chap at a few doors in oor street or I got somebody to slacken’t aff. I wis in a swither o swyte on foo the littlins wid cope wytin for their denner in a hotel, bit dasht they were calmer than me.

We widna o miss’t their visit for onything and are left wi the happy memories o a joyfu reunion. Here’s tae the neist time we can aa meet.

Noo again, last wikk I leet dab on foo we’re nae sae fit for the gairden nooadays an hid aa wir annual plunties deliver’t fae the Gairden Centre sae last wikkeyn there wis me sittin like Airchie on a gairden cheer at the front border dictatin tae wir eident helper Nick on far an fit tae plunt first and losh he hid the patience o a saint adherin tae ilka command. Thanks tae him we look forrit wi pleesur on yet anither colourfu Simmer.

Thinkin noo on Dougie wi his Nintendo, ma myn gings back tae the ploys we eest tae taikle as bairns an at brings me tae the hinmaist wird on oor recent topic on bandies wi es email fae Martin Ross bidin in West Lothian:

“I’m a Lumsden chiel who went to school in Alford and the word “bandie” brought back fond memories of holidays in the Black Isle where my brother and I would scour the rockpools with our bandie nets seekin out natural treasures.

I have since become an obsessive amateur wildlife photographer, a spark I’m sure which was ignited all these years ago.”

Nae doubt this calm sough will be sair tried wi fitba’s Euro 2020. Efter Scotland daein well in their twa freenly games prior to the actual competition, here we go again biggin up oor hopes o further success. Like Rose, I’ll be roarin ma heid aff wi the lave – Come on Scotland!

See ye neist wikkeyn.