BYDAND *

This is his Lordship's Gordon Highlander's bunnet saved from the jungles of Malaya where he did his National Service during the communist uprising of the 50's.
He is slightly miffed that military medals are being now given by the new Malaysian government to those soldiers who tidied up the uprising after independence from Britain in 1957, but not to the soldiers who did most of the dirty work before that in the ousting of communist guerillas during the worst years of the uprising, and which was instrumental in the country gaining its independence and then becoming the new Malaysia in 1963.

But I digress.

This is St Andrew's day and Edinburgh is a bit like the city of the doomed.
There are lots of public sector workers here, and those that aren't having a lie in, or looking after school children are standing on picket lines outside various venues.

I have surmised that 99.9% of early morning joggers are public sector workers.
I make this statement on the basis that I did not see one jogger this morning while I was out on my early foray. Usually there are many young lithe things pounding past me, but this morning I had the paths to myself.

You will be glad to hear that with his Lordship in commune with the Biggar sheep, I took the liberty of having a coffee in my new- best -cafe -forever, and in the company of a large table of striking office workers. I'm sure for them, that beat a day sitting at a desk.
This afternoon I am having a very mini blipmeet with Marchmont. I wouldn't be surprised if we talk about saltires?. and kitchens.

It's a nice life if you've got one foot in the grave and the other on a bar of soap.

* BYDAND is the Motto of the old Gordon Highlanders' Regiment.
It means Steadfast.
The regiment was amalgamated in 1994 with The Queen's Own Highlanders and I think they are now part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, but I will edit this if his Lordship corrects me on his return from the wilds.