Coffee a good source of antioxidants...
Patrick Barkham
Monday August 29, 2005 The Guardian
"If your hand is trembling over your third coffee of the morning, do not despair. You could be getting more healthy antioxidants from your liquid fix than are from the fruit or vegetables you eat, according to a study of US diets... Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee emerged as the biggest source of antioxidants, given that Americans do not eat sufficient quantities of fruit and vegetables. Black tea came second, followed by bananas, dry beans and corn..."
"...But Professor Vinson, who presented the findings at the American Chemical Society's meeting in Washington DC yesterday, advised drinkers to stick to one or two cups. "Unfortunately, consumers are still not eating enough fruits and vegetables, which are better for you from an overall nutritional point of view due to their higher content of vitamins, minerals and fibre," he said."
See what I find on bank holiday Mondays!
Mearns, Strathmore & Perth
Come to me my people, and let me tell you a tale... Today's trip was a mix of last-days of some operators on certain bus routes, looking forward to new, and a slightly personal moment, before picking up some shopping in Perth, and heading home. Initally intended to go for the 0630/35 bus to Montrose/St Cyrus - Citylink - but I managed to miss it, after forgetting which of these two it was! Anyway, managed to get the train to Montrose, 0654 (2nd of the day) and then still get Strathtay's last 101. Strathtay do one 101 from St Cyrus to Montrose only. In the August timetable, Bluebird will revert their 0700 Stonehaven-St Cyrus to run at 0640, and continue to Montrose. The bus will then run light to St Cyrus, and then return from there. (It's not a typo, it's in the registration!) Strathtay ran the 101 from 1985-1986 with Northern Scottish (when it was Dundee-Aberdeen), and also ran the 101 on two other occasions - firstly, placing journeys to/from Montrose Depot to Stonehaven for their half of the 24, and second time was emergency tender (tied in with one of the St Cyrus primary buses) when Bluebird made cutbacks in 2000. After this, Nicoll's 8 to Laurencekirk, stopping at their depot to collect new timetables, and also see the new Solo ready for action. Continued via their last day on the 102 to Stonehaven, and I had to get change of my £10 note after I scraped the last £1.75 in silver for the 8 driver! Managed to get £3 in change, before I continued to Stonehaven. One of the lift-equipped mini's was on the 24, which took me to Brechin for £3.50. I then bought my Strathtay Rover to continue, and bought it on the Brechin Town Service, using this to take me to the library for the few missing leaflets of the new Angus Council august series... Forfar saw the planned launch of the new Forfar Town Services. The routes start on Monday, but the two ordered Optare Solo's have not arrived. So, those delivered to Arbroath and Montrose (252/4) have been moved to Forfar, at least for now, although the new ones may end up going straight to the other depots. I then went back to Dundee (dumped off what I'd collected so far, only to find the Angus subscription updates behind the door!), and then had the rest of the day "free". I wanted to go to Perth, but had done most of the other "ways" recently. What I'd not done was to visit my dad, who has been resident in a home for the last year. Nearly a year now, in fact. He remembered me, but he does not speak much. I had intended to stay for about 30mins inbetween buses (between the 1400 and 1445 from Dundee via Newtyle and Blairgowrie to Perth), but the first bus was late, so this had to be cut a little short. My aunt is a resident in the same home. This is for next time. Left the home, went for something cold and sweet from the local post office (who have the Meffan's 124/125's behind the counter but no Strathtay 57 leaflets...), before getting the mobile out and phoning my mother to tell her I'd been in. Just in case anyone asked... you know how it is... don't you? Well, I called her, got through, and then the bus turned up. I said I'd call back, got on, sat down, and I did. So, managed to talk about things in brief all the way into the next county (Newtyle is in Angus, four minutes up the road into Meigle which is Perth & Kinross)... before having a chat with a friend from the West Midlands, re a forthcoming development in buses up here... keep watching... Got to Perth, got a few things, and got some prints made of today's expeditions. Got the 54X home, and had a few hours doze before going to bed proper. You can see all today's (bus) pics.
I look at Ninewells, to have a look at me
Was I dreaming, or did things work out today?
Today's early start was for a trip to Ninewells, aplty enough in the depths of the lower levels. My mother had agreed to come with me, but after the 17 arrived at Ninewells without her (this was the bus she was meant to be getting on, as was I - but I ended up in a taxi as I didn't feel too awake!), I tried calling her. She didn't answer (at home), so no-one there. Just as I do so, a 22C pulls in, with her on it. She had missed the 17, so got the 15 nine-and-a-half-minutes later to town, then changed to a 9X... until Whitehall Street, and then she decided to get off for the 22C. The 9X was waiting its time, but did get here earlier. Anyway, still arrived on time.
Test went well - nothing unusual in place. Perhaps relieved on that score. there was no real pain. The camera tube resembled a garden hose on sight (I've never had one of those in up my ****...), and actually it was the air that caused mild cramps, but again I've had worse without any medical assistance.
Afterwards, mum was asking how this felt to know there was nothing concerning there. Fair enough, but it still left some questions unanswered. Questions we may never know the answer to, on unrealted problems. So, we chatted for a bit in the cafe, and then headed into town, so I could head home, and she could get some party baloons for some religious kids club type thing she runs on Tuesdays. She was telling me of the rest of the family - Dad is doing well (as well as can be expected I suppose), Timothy has graduated, and my little sister now working in a nursery. I didn't bring up the time my sister poured a bag of icing sugar over the carpet and walls, as mum brings this up often enough.
And, before we ask - no objections, even when the nurses called me in. It seems as if she was prepared for this. Towards the end, she started calling me Timothy, then cycling through all the names, and I said "come on, keep going..." but she knew what I meant.
Why did all this happen?
Sometimes I wonder if there is a deeper meaning to these things. Was my pain and suffering just a way to find to bring us closer again? Lets hope it lasts. I came home, had a lie down, went online, and then went to bed again.
You think you know someone....
It has to be said - I've been doing a lot of soul searching recently. A lot of questioning - everyone and everything. I was explaining the forthcoming procedure (tommorrow) to a friend from the USA. She suggested I took someone with me. Yeah, short notice, but who? She then suggested my mother. OK, she did know the history of this. It kind of appealed to me, because of future testing etc. that will happen, then it might be nice to see how she reacts to me beforehand. Or at least, that's what I would think.
I called her up, and asked what she's doing tommorrow. Not a lot, in the morning at least. Oh good, I said. Can you come to Ninewells? I then explained what was happening, and she agreed.
Now, by the end of the call, she's still not called me Andrew, or anything else, so we are doing well. I don't know what's happened, has someone talked her round to my way of thinking?
Well, it should (hopefully) all be good tommorrow. Today I've just been at home, managing to run between here and the loo, whilst the medication does its worst. To someone like me, it seems a bit mad taking all this. If it helps them see anything better, then so be it, but it's a bit like making you suffer even more before they find anything - or, hopefully not. Incidentlly, the medicine managed to burst out the envelope on the way here. So, the recent losses from the posted items to me include one Travel West Midlands leaflet, some more local timetables, and two sachets of industrial strength laxatives. Sounds like a nice weekend for someone in the sorting office...
Lothian Buses strike resolved
The Lothian Buses pay dispute looks like it is now almost over. Last week, in the week following the Lothian Buses driver strike last weekend (on 30/31 July), management sent a letter to staff to try to get them to accept the pay deal. If 50% of drivers agreed, there would be no need for negociations with the trade union. As drivers heard of this, they turned their buses short, turfed passengers off, and proceeded to the depot. There was then a series of negociations, and by the end of the week, the drivers were preparing to vote on an improved offer. The strike and overtime ban were called off, but there were still those who wanted more, and less. Now, service changes are due to go ahead in September, and First (Edinburgh and Aberdeen areas) will soon be completing a ballot on industrial action.
Omnibus Soc trip to Berwick & Northumberland
Day two of five, and the first of two rather early starts!This was somewhat of an unusual trip. From Edinburgh, the tour took us to Berwick -upon-Tweed, then to Perryman's Buses depot. The latter properitor made us very welcome, with a talk on the history of the company, tea & coffee etc. as well as showing us around the site. We then proceeded via Seahouses, Alnwick, Amble, Otterburn, Jedburgh, Edinburgh, and then back to Edinburgh, and home to Dundee. You can see all the pictures online. As ever, thanks to all involved, esp. the Perryman family.
Quiet Friday
Yeah, another quiet one, with reason. This is the first of five back-to-back days off work - one paid leave, three rest days, one medical prepartion.
Earlier in the week, I recieved word from Ninewells re going in for one of these. Sometime last month I'd been in to see the doctors, and whilst I thought this was going to take forever, it is both concerning and welcoming that it's not that far away! So, I will be off Monday (see the link above), and the test itself is Tuesday morning, so they can place said camera into me... yes I am aware of the irony!
Friday and Sunday are normal rest days anyway (as is Tuesday) for me, and Saturday has been added as paid leave. Tommorrow is an OS tour to the north-east of England, so today was just a walk around town. Took some pics. The only thing reasonably noteworthy was one of Travel Dundee's Gemini's blinded for Fowlis - but this changed before I could get the camera out! DOubt it would be on the 51 though.
