Freedom From The Mundane

Dear Green Place

Image: The Blag.com

Glasgow was brilliant this weekend; family, laughter, food, drinks, and the weather held up, too. Not that it mattered once my posterior found its way onto my sister’s couch. It could have snowed a blizzard and I wouldn’t have noticed.

It was a relaxing journey through on the bus early on Saturday, listening to various Book Fest podcasts and a selection of reggae and rock tracks, and landed in good old Glasgow at around 11am. I took a walk through city streets, taking in that feeling one only ever gets while in the Dear Green Place, and then hopped a train out to Mount Florida on the south side. Even that train journey holds memories, as it was a train I often got while heading home if I’d missed my usual one, and it was also the train I would get when visiting my Gran on my mother’s side.

My folks soon joined us at my sister’s flat and we headed out for a pub lunch. I didn’t want to eat too much what with a big dinner impending for the evening, so I kept myself to a lean plate of macaroni and cheese with garlic bread and salad, with a pint of Guinness to wash it all down. Nothing heavy you understand.

It was a hilarious lunch; my parents were in fine form and much laughter emanated from our table for the couple of hours we were there.What we would term a “typical Galbraith gathering”.

Back at my sister’s flat we had coffee before my parents headed home, leaving my sister and I to chill out for the rest of the day. We watched a couple of movies and some West Wing on DVD, and later on tucked into a mighty Chinese meal. I had my old favourite of Chicken Maryland (chicken breast in breadcrumbs, pineapple fritter, banana fritter, onion rings, tomato and large portion of chips) with Irn-Bru.

Something tells me a Glaswegian had an influence in that particular Chinese meal. One might safely say my digestive system was pretty much defucked—sorry, defunct—after eating all that, but I still had some room for a bag of popcorn later on.

Eventually it became too much and I keeled over and fell asleep on the couch, where I remained until 11am yesterday morning; such a delight as hardly every do I get such an unbroken, long, and undisturbed sleep. It was bliss!

We got ready and headed round for lunch to the new-look Ludovic’s Cafe. It has moved to new premises since we were last there and is much more modern, large and slick in appearance and service. But to me it’s lost that Glasgow charm. It’s now on it’s way to becoming a chain, and one of the reasons I loved it (apart from the food) was the traditional Glasgow sensation when you were inside it. Gone is the intimacy, the homely feel and the rawness; in is professionalism, cleanliness, and top class service. Change isn’t always a good thing, but the food was still great and it still has a very friendly feeling. I think I might just need time to get over it.

My journey back through to Edinburgh was eventful thanks to Scotrail diverting us to the Forth (yes, the river). I had got on the 3pm train, due into Edinburgh at 3:45, but the conductor sent my blood pressure soaring when he announced: “due to a diversion and subsequent delay, we are due into Waverly at 16:50”. I could have screamed, but it turned out he said “16” instead of “15”. Lucky for him.

Back home and with Laura at her Gran’s, Gail and me spent the rest of the day together. I took part in a photo shoot under her new studio lights; not something I particularly enjoy after about five minutes but the results were worth it. Then we just chilled and watched some TV with a pizza (not a good weekend for the diet).

I’ve got a lot on this week, from deadlines, to website work, to potential gig reviews, to other GDR tie-ups. I’m going to be busy, or rather I need to be busy, and with it being my quiet week at work I should be able to get through a lot of it.

Later today my interview with Blazing Trailers will be online on their website. You will be able to view it here: http://blazingtrailers.blogspot.com

Also, if you missed it, check out my gig review in yesterday’s News of the World, this week Theoretical Girl.