CARRICKDRIVE

Scumbags

This is the name I have given the culprits who violate our personal space in and around our homes.

Yesterday at the unearthly hour of 4am my house alarm goes off I proceeded to the kitchen to deactivate within 30 secs to be confronted with a very cold kitchen as the doors and windows were open. It is fair to say my brain was not at its best at that time trying to piece together the doors and windows. I did close them and drop snips the night before. Look in the conservatory and it is easily apparent someone had made entry to the property.

Police called and arrived within the half hour with an update as to their progress by telephone. They were doing a sweep of the area before coming to me.

Best I could tell at that time in the morning only my wallet and a mobile phone was missing.

The rest of the day was spent making statements calling various agencies and insurance company to secure the property.

I was asked by the police if I had lost a pair of binoculars, looked in conservatory and a small set was missing.

Update

Police called round last evening at 11-30 pm to ask me to identify if a set of binoculars were mine, they were and someone had been taken into custody following the sweep in the morning in a street just behind Carrick Drive.

Scumbags whoever you are violating our personal space and causing in the grand scheme of things minimal damage to property which can be repaired you cause us an enormous amount of stress and anxiety. Persons less able than me are in fear of living in their own homes as you appear to make repeated returns to add further stress to an already difficult situation.

Luckily I did not encounter the person/persons involved but at that time in morning nothing is happening in the correct order but I would have inflicted as much injury as possible to the person/persons but dressed in my best PJ’s was not exactly Kung FU attire.

We remember them all with great affection.

I thought I would share the flowers that were displayed in our church last Sunday. The weekend was the date chosen many years ago by Margaret as it was the closest to many of our family members passing into the Lord’s arms. Without getting into dates these included Margaret’s sister’s husband Alan McArthur, Margaret’s mother, my sister’s husband Ted, my mother, (January and February)  Margaret’s father (June) and my father (July). With Margaret added to the list I will continue to take up this weekend for ever.

Thanks to the flowers team at Sandyhills for the arrangements each week.

We are most grateful to receive via a colleague at Garrowhill Bowling Club Roddy Thomson a cheque for £1000.

Leuchie House

JustGiving Margaret Abbott

This all came about :-

Jonny Scott takes up the story

VP Plc

I was in Roddy’s company at the bowling club on closing day last year and I mentioned I was running the half marathon for Leuchie House (where my best friends mother who died recently Margaret Abbott spent some respite time there. She had suffered with MS since 1982) the following day. Roddy’s work
 ‘VP PLC’ had recently launched an initiative among its 800 employees challenging them to raise £30,000 for a common charity pot and if successful, the company vowed to match it and contribute another £30,000. Each member of staff was then asked to nominate a charity of their choice to have a chance of being selected at random for a £1000 stake……….so Ronnie nominated Leuchie House as his chosen charity and as it turns out Ronnie was one of the names pulled out of the hat!
Jonny
Picture Gallery

[Click on Image]

Philip and Jacquie scheduled to travel back to Northampton around 2 pm.

Make plans for their visit in May. Garage front needs repair, materials itemised – weather permitting – as well as a couple other jobs planned.

Early lunch before they set off and bus packed.

This was the moment that I had not talked about WHEN I am left on my own. This was it and to be honest it was very traumatic as this was like the final moment in the last three weeks of a roller coaster road that I have been on. A moment was taken – well a long moment with them both talking through with me our feelings over the last three weeks and what plans we might make when the time was right in the coming months.

See them off wish them safe journey

I hope that you have followed the blog and I have tried to be as accurate as possible with the daily updates. I have found it a useful release to document Margaret’s death and the emotions that I felt at the time. Whilst 31 January will always be a day that I will always remember, I place it along side a few others:-
28 December 1968 – the day we saw each other in Glasgow for the first time – falling in love in Aviemore and exchanging of letters thereafter till
16 September 1970 – Married
July 1973 Steven born, October 1975 Philip Born, July 1982 Matthew born.

Margaret and I had a great life together but sadly cut short at 64 years.

Decide as Valentines day was coming up to get a card “Thinking of you” this I will do on significant dates going forward.

A new life for me without Margaret but her memory will always be in my heart.

One more day to go before Philip and Jacquie have to travel back to Northampton.

Only one more draw to go as we set to again in the room upstairs another bag to be filled and emptied.

We have been at this for a couple of days now and still no documents very frustrating, still fielding phone calls the one stop of tell all does not seem to be working as it should.

A CHEER goes up we have found the documents you have guessed it last draw right at the back and had fallen off the rails and guess what they were in the draw marked certificates/wills. It is not surprising the brain has nor been in a coordinated phase this last three weeks. Philip comes up to see what all the fuss was about.

We cannot stop now must finish.

Perhaps we will take a refreshment to celebrate.

I am so relieved to find these papers.

Call from Motabilty we agree a month extra to keep the car before I have to hand it back.

After yesterday and doing our heads in file after file relocated in folders still no important documents. Jacquie and I seem to be knee deep in paper.

Philip located in the lounge hooked up to his work remotely.

The usual stop for refreshments and some shopping to be done.

Jacquie and Philip keep the humour going as well as singing to the odd tune on the radio.

You have guessed it still no documents think of alternative locations for where they might be still not thinking straight.

Still reflecting on the last fortnight make call to Leuchie to set up JustGiving page for Margaret. The family have decided to help raise money to refurbish the upper room in Margaret’s memory. It is room with a lovely view into the parkland where deer can be seen early in the morning as well as other wildlife.

 Philip and Jacquie decide that they could stay till Saturday coming before going back to Northampton.
Philip set up in lounge so he could work from Carrick Drive.

If you recall from earlier in the week that i could not find documents so now was the time that  needed to set to and find them. Jacquie in charge we set about stating at the top of filing cabinet and go on a find and shredding spree. This is going to take some time.

Continue to field phone calls from various agencies as well as make some to banking etc as well.

Stop for lunch and dinner (still no documents but have filled a bag with shreddings)

There is always tommorrow

Today Matthew, Fiona Logan and Ellis fly to their summer house as Logan calls it in Muscat, Oman.
Flight scheduled fro midday check in get to airport in good time.
This was quite an emotional departure for Matthew and I firstly – the death of his mother just a week ago and that I will not see them till they return later in the year. Matthew is only just starting his second year of his contract with Aecom. Philip, Jacquie and Fiona’s family wished them safe journey and through the gates they went.

We went off to IKEA for some things that Philip and Jacquie were looking for I spent some cash as well for a couple of not very exciting things.

Set about planning the rest of the week

Hit computer to setup notification to various agencies one stop hopefully.

Contact motabilty to discuss options.

Chat with Matthew re arrangements for him flying back to Oman tomorrow – we will be at airport to see the family off.

Philip decides to work from Carrick Drive – we set up a work area for him in the lounge for later in week.

Speak with financial adviser to set up meeting and the way forward to sort Margaret’s estate.

Make contact with solicitor arrange meeting in the next couple of weeks.

Things get a bit sketchy after thinking back a year.