Hope Springs Eternal.

        Well Sunday was a special day for me. After almost 18 months of medical problems from internal examinations to tumour removal, from chemo to fractured foot, from A&E to blood transfusions, from Acute Assessment Units to urine infections, from flu to pneumonia, from being carted off in an ambulance to labyrinthitis, and energy levels that dipped below zero, I was beginning to think that I would never get back on the bike.        

         However, hope springs eternal and Sunday being a nice day, sunny intervals and a light wind, I decided now was the time. So a small outing on the dream machine was called for, and the legs didn't complain too much, though there has been a drop off of power in the wee legs, but I was out pushing the pedals. I'm too embarrassed to say how small a run it was, but I was out there just as a wee test run to see how I got on, and it was fantastic. I am now looking forward with immense delight to a long hot summer that I know Scotland can deliver. Yeeha.

Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk.

Old Age Never Comes Alone.

 

       At the age of 83, I have to admit that it is a true saying, old age never comes alone, one thing it does come with is a set of automatic brakes. It slows you down, it stops you from time to time, and it sets the pace. Over the years I have always been a very active person, never seeming to tire, always juggling several things at the one time. Now it is very difficult to keep doing the things I want to do. In recent years I have researched and compiled a list of working class people and events that have helped to shape the conditions in our city and further afield, strugglepedia, from that was born  the book Radical Glasgow, now in its third edition. For a number of years I produced and distributed on the streets of Glasgow, a small free paper, The Anarchists Critic, which was monthly, then bi-monthly and latterly quarterly, the last issue, No.113  was a special 2017 General Election/May Day issue. Some are listed HERE, though no longer up to date. However one of the things that I am exceedingly proud, is the fact that I was one of the founder members of Spirit of Revolt, an archive of the struggles of the ordinary people of Clydeside and Glasgow. I consider it a extremely valuable resource for younger people, and others not so young, to learn of, and from, the on-going struggles of others. It also records a history that would otherwise be lost, helping to complete a more accurate picture of the mosaic of OUR history. The history of those grass-roots movements and individuals, non-aligned with the party political machines and unions, people struggling for that better world for all. 

      Then there is this blog, in which, over the years, I have spouted my mouth off on matters that hit my passion spot. However, because I can no longer get out and about, no demos, protests, marches, meetings, talks, discussions, pickets, etc. I am starting to feel out of touch. Therefore feel less able to speak as someone involved, and have no desire to become "an armchair anarchist". So the blog will fall silent, there might be the odd sporadic outburst when something slams into my passion spot, and that passion prevents me from keeping my mouth shut. Other than that, I will concentrate my time to Spirit of Revolt, attempting to get out on the bike, playing chess against the computer, and read more poetry, and perhaps, attempt to add to those I have already written.

      So I would like to say a big thank you to all those who took the trouble to read my outpourings, made a comment, or followed the blog. I have enjoyed doing it, and I hope it added something positive to your thinking. 

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Thankful For The Rain.

     Out on the bike on Friday, nice run. Kept looking at the beautiful lush green all around me. Then started moaning at getting caught in a heavy shower, but thought, if it wasn't for this abundance of showers, I wouldn't be able to look at the beautiful lush green, felt better. Luckily not too far from a tearoom, where I could continue to watch the rain wash that beautiful lush green land.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Bloody Puncture.

      Another lovely ride round the Campsie area, unfortunately got my first puncture in three years. A sharp tiny granite chip embedded itself in my tyre. Still a great day.

The road home.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Let Sleeping Horses Lie.

         First run out on the bike since getting out of hospital. Delighted the legs still worked, well kind of worked. This means that you get another opportunity to see a another wee bit of our beautiful country.

Near Glasgow.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Free Travel In A Beautiful Land.

        Another delightful outing on the dream machine, which means that you get lucky and see another couple of lovely snippets of our beautiful country. 

Enjoy:

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

The Escape Machine.

       I got a bit pissed off with all the double speak coming out of that cesspool, the Westminster House of Hypocrisy and Corruption, and the thought of the oncoming assault on our people. So today I thought I would take a wee break and go for a spin on my carbon-fibre dream machine, see the photo below. It was wonderful, came back renewed, and ready to start my ranting once more. No prizes for guessing where the photo was taken, but I wonder when they will privatise it, there's lots of money to made there!!!.  

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Wind, Sea And Hills.

 Whitehills.

     Last Monday, April the 7th. ann arky and partner, took off with the bike and headed for the north eastern corner of Scotland. We stayed in a small village called Gardenstown, near Banff. It is a small area at the bottom of an extremely steep hill and the houses are all crammed together with virtually no space between them, and right on the rocks at the shore facing the North Sea. Your heart bleeds when you think of the life of hardship the residents of the late 19th. early 20th century, must have had to endure just to survive in such a harsh and cramped environment. Herring fishing was their life's blood. Now, most of the cottages are holiday homes, one of which we rented. There is no mobile phone signal and no wi-fi. In the kitchen of the cottage there was instructions telling you that there was no phone signal, but if you walk towards Grovie, past the harbour and the steps down to the beach, there is a phone signal. I had a vision of walking there and seeing this "thing" on the beach with a label, "phone signal". Or perhaps at certain times of the day the village population of holiday makers, congregate at that point and stand in groups with their mobile phones stuck to their ear chatting to the outside world.

McDuff.

      I also believe it is the windiest and hilliest spot on the planet, making it very hard work for ann arky's legs when on the bike. Perhaps I should have recognised the signs, lots of very large wind turbines, always turning at a fair pace. 

McDuff.

      In saying that, it is a very beautiful area and we will be back, though perhaps not to Gardenstown, beautiful as it was, I didn't like the feeling of being trapped, unable to get out of the village without a car. I didn't tackle the hill on the bike.

Near Whitehills.

      I regret not having been able to post a poem a day for the whole month of April, but here we are with today's rendering.

JUST IMAGINE!

If only we could find the imagination

to see this world as one rich colourful nation,

not a collection of camps, insular and small

always eager to mount a border brawl

sending forth an army of fruit growers

to shed the blood of some seed sowers,

holding high a coloured rag

proclaim, "the blood we shed is for this flag",

believing this justifies the countless dead

across nature's beaty spread.

Can't we learn from yesterday's errors

borders breed false fears and foolish terrors;

each flag waving hand sows the seeds

of tomorrow's pointless brutal deeds.

If only we could find the imagination

to see this world as one rich colourful nation,

all free to walk our chosen path

free from fear of the strangers wrath.

A brother rich or poor we can accept,

a different coloured skin is cause to reject,

smile at a brown eyed sister with reddish hair

yet mock one who walks a jungle path, with bosom bare.

Shower with praise and welcome embrace

anyone from our spurious race,

greet with snarl and angry glare

those strange people from over there;

then using our culture as some kind of shield

guarantee our future in isolation sealed.

if only we could find the imagination

to see this world as one rich colourful nation.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

       I am a keen cyclist, yes even at my age, and as such I admire Bradley Wiggins, the man and what he has achieved. However I was disappointed and saddened at the thought of him becoming one of those kneeling and touching forelock individuals that think that Sir, in front of your name makes you a better person. So it is with that in mind and the hope that this message may reach him, that I post this article. So if you know him, pass it on. From A World to Win:

Me, not Wiggo.

Don't do it, Wiggo!

       Bradley Wiggins, heroic winner of the Tour de France, Olympic gold medallist and BBC sports personality of the year, with sideburns that help mark him out from the crowd, is reported to have accepted a knighthood. My message to him is simple: don’t do it Wiggo!

     Don’t let us see a picture of you kneeling before the Queen to become Sir Bradley. Do what Olympic opening ceremony creator Danny Boyle has done and say “No”.

       You were brought up by your mum in a small flat in Kilburn, north London. Your absent father’s passion for cycling rubbed off on you and the legendary Herne Hill velodrome in south London, was where you started out.

      You became popular through your common touch, your rapport with ordinary people. So much so that the French took you to their hearts, especially when you made jokes in their language.

       So why join the establishment? Why join the elite? Why help out the ConDem government, which is recommending you to Buckingham Palace? As US baseball fans might respond, “say it ain’t so, Wiggo”.

Read the full article HERE:

ann arky's home.

PEDAL ON PARLIAMENT

     As a keen cyclist I am obviously eager to stay alive on the roads and so welcome any attempt at trying to impliment a more sane and humane system on our roads. It seems crazy that enjoying cycling should come with a high risk of death at the hands of a vehicle driver.

EDINBURG <<<<<<<<<<< GLASGOW

PEDAL ON PARLIAMENT

is a mass ride on Holyrood, the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, which will be happening on the 28th of April. It is aimed to make Scotland a safer place for cyclists, and to demand better facilities for cyclists, and cycling to be taken seriously by the Scottish Government. It's a grassroots campaign, and is not allied with any political group or party. Our aim is to make cycling a real political priority and give a push to make Scotland a more Cycling-friendly nation. We want a really good showing from Glasgow and we know there are lots of keen cyclists in Glasgow as well as across the country. Feel free to adorn your bikes with buntings, banners and any electronic or circuit-bent wonderfulness!

You can get more information at
http://pedalonparliament.org/

PLEASE - download and print a poster and put it up at your University or workplace!
http://pedalonparliament.org/resources/
Any Cafes, bike shops, lunch places, universities, workplaces - please get posters up there!

Feeder rides from Glasgow on the 28th - at a nice easy pace:
https://www.facebook.com/events/346583735388533/

Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pedal.on.parliament/

ann arky's home.