Thursday May 30th 2024
Christine Grahame MSP writes her monthly column for Midlothian View
Well I’ll be frank. I missed Penicuik in the Park for the first time in years though I did make the installation of the Hunter Lad and Lass on the Thursday evening. That was really the reason I couldn’t make the Saturday. Just like today, as I type, the rain is relentless, monsoon-like so that Thursday as I left Parly for Penicuik. I should have realized as I hit the tailback at the Sherriffhall roundabout it was not going to go well.
Despite leaving in time I and others crawled for one hour till I reached the turn off for Penicuik, as you know, the first after the roundabout. Driving though Penny itself the road at times was like a river from pavement to pavement but I made the Town Hall, made a wee speech then set off again. The rain meantime had not stopped. The “river” was deeper and despite crawling through it as I exited, the car made loud clanking and grinding noises which set alarm bells ringing.
I pulled over, tried the AA but frankly you don’t get to speak to a human being-it’s all press this and press that. I’m cancelling my 25 year old subscription. I gave up on that and did make it home but the next day the car was in for intensive care.
Fortunately the damage was on the minor side of the damage spectrum but I wasn’t. The whole thing was exhausting and stressful and so Saturday was spent recuperating. I hope you understand. In the meantime, today as I type the rain continues to batter down. I have a feeling as our climate changes, so must we as flooding becomes more common, crops are ruined, animals in the fields seek shelter. As the heavens open it is a reminder that we need as a species to change our ways.
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