Monday June 25th 2018
Christine Graham MSP writes her monthly column for Midlothian View.
Recess
Well not only are we in the last week before recess-though let me get this in before I am accused of one long holiday-I will still be working in Parliament, in my local office and out and about and although my TESCO surgeries are suspended till the beginning of September I can still be contacted. Indeed my Summer Surgery Tour will be on the third and fourth of July and details are at the bottom of this column. I hope to see you somewhere on that route. I will be in a campervan with saltires and my brother driving. Saltires, grand, Tony’s driving , hmm not so grand…..
Sunshine
A wee bit of sun and temperature at the time of typing 23 degrees with blue skies all round. Is this Scotland? Today at Parly mother nature is in charge. The hawk has been brought in to scare away the huge Scottish gulls and devious pigeons now screaming and birling all around the building. Ah, it’s gone quiet now so I think the hawk is off for its midmorning break ( I hope it’s none of the former).
But you know, the birds will be back as soon as the hawk if off in the van and it will be avian business as usual. And why not? They were here first and when we are all gone (what a thought) both they and the sleekit mice will take over. Yes we do have mice (possibly bigger rodents and I’m not speaking politicians here) built as we are where the brewery once stood and no doubt with wells beneath. Today insects joined the general hullabaloo and I couldn’t help but share with you the following email to us all.
”You may have noticed that honey bees are currently flying in great numbers around the garden . We are unsure whether they are Parliament bees or visitors, however we have taken advice from our bee keeper. He informed us that they will eventually move on of their own accord therefore we do not plan to intervene at this stage.”
A falconer and a bee keeper, what next? A rat catcher? And can our beekeeper identify them as aliens or residents? I await the next e-mail.
Summer Surgery Tour timetable
Tuesday 3rd July
10:00 Oxton – centre
10:20 Lauder – centre
10:50 Earlston – Square
11:20 Newstead
11:35 Melrose – centre
12:40 Tweedbank – station
13:20 Stow – near town hall
13:55 Fountainhall
14:20 Heriot
14:45 North Middleton – community centre
15:00 Gorebridge Station
Wednesday 4th July
10:00 Auchendinny – community centre
10:25 Lamancha – hub
10:50 West Linton centre
11:15 Romanno Bridge – Newlands Community Centre
11:40 Broughton
12:05 Tweedsmuir – Crook Inn
13:00 Walkerburn – Caberstane Cafe
13:50 Innerleithen – near the Coop
14:45 Eddleston
15:20 Silverburn