Le Tout P'ti FC

Doug Allan was a good guest. A little bit outwith the norm. Could have listened to much more of him.

That's really sad news about Lanark. That was a superb ground to visit, been there a good few times. Full of character. Hope they can restore that.

Red weather warning from 3pm. Pretty nice day here currently.

Hmm. Not sure why that didn't embed. Here's the actual photo. Credit above.

Any thoughts on where this was taken? I'm wondering if it might be Gayfield. Unsure though.

Irvine Vics 1 Shotts Bon Accord 3 HT. Utterly magical day. Started with a wee cruise over to Arran and back, bite to eat at Irvine Beach, then a first visit to this wonderful wee ground. It's a ramshackle place, but with bags of character, trains pelting past and they sell onion pies. What more do you need? Glad I chose this over my Plan B of Saltcoats.

Ooft.

This lot played like a bloody pub team.

Pint of Jarl followed by a pint of Diamond Mine by Fyne Ales in the finest pub of them all. Love this place.

Last Ben Bracken Islay 18yo just claimed by me in Dalkeith. Will be drank responsibly.

Bob Paisley?

Have you ever taken an easel into a football ground? I don't think it's on the list of prohibited items for Hampden Park. Would be a bugger getting it through those turnstiles though.

There's a lot of masks at Mogwai. A lot.

Excellent selection, our shelves have a lot in common! I've never seen the American Craft Ale cask on my travels over there. Intrigued by that one.

Oh what's this now? No drinks inside the auditorium.

I've been at the Barrowlands twice since lockdown and masks were ditched universally once through the door. No masks last week at Tim Burgess, and none in SWG3 a couple of weeks ago. Mogwai will be the same. Imagine a few people wearing masks around themerch and bar area, but barely any inside the hall.

"verbally confirm"

Biden will have a nightmare getting this lot parked behind the Kelvingrove.

Did you see any lost train drivers Marten?

Edinburgh College v Bathgate Thistle at the Oriam spaceship (outdoors synthetic pitch). 11th (bottom) v 8th in Conference X. Crowd maybe 25. Hard to say who has paid in and who is part of the hingers on. Three cameras filming this, and I have definitely seen films at the GFT or the Cameo which have been made with fewer. Scoreless at HT, the game isn't the best, but I'm enjoying looking at the spaceship, and had a lovely walk around the HWU campus before the game, so all is good here. EDIT - finished 3-0. Some nice goals in second half.

Completed the trinity today with mixed results. Ardbeg was closed today but we could wander about. Laphroaig was open but a power cut yesterday knocked their internet out so they had no card machine, and I was agonisingly a few quid short of having enough cash on me to buy a PX finish (Cadonais?) bottle. (I should have haggled but I have some self respect.) Leading me to Lagavulin where I was welcomed like a returning war hero. Was able to acquire a Feis Isle 2020 bottle of Caol Ila (sister distillery) which should hopefully have some rarity value if I decide to punt it many years down line. More likely it will be drunk over Xmas. Since Bruichladdich was closed for lunch when I visited on Friday, I've not had a great run of luck at actually being able to buy whisky on Islay this week (although there is always the Spar in Bowmore which has a sensational selection). And the less said about Kilchoman's new visitor centre the better. It's like an outlet of House of Bruar now (not a complement), and the range of whisky on sale is risibly tucked away in a corner. I love their whisky too but not a fan of this new set up at all. Islay remains spectacular, and will be back Easter 2022 (to actually use the cottage booking I paid for in 2019!).

Good to be back on Islay, so very good. It has been 22 long months since my last trip. Came over yesterday to a day of t-shirt weather (mostly). A bit stormy today, but I can cope with that.

Pilgrimage to Bunnahabhain. Took away a 70cl Port Pipe finish. About 1,000%. Dark brown in the glass. Stunning wee taster. New shop is quite the setting.

On the road again. Standard views from Inveraray. Weekend on Islay awaits. Now, if we could get Islay into this pyramid...

A wee pitstop before a gig. Tremendous.