Sunday 8th August 1971

Baird's Newsagents Morningside Drive

I was out early to do my papers but at a slightly more respectable hour. There's a different feel to Baird’s on a Sunday partly because it's Pamela Baird's day off but also because Sunday is Sunday, if that makes sense. 

The City Hospital with 'The Village in the Sky' in the background

I cycled up to the City Hospital with a pretty big bundle on the back of the bike. It's slightly trickier than doing the afternoon run when I'm only selling the Edinburgh Evening News’. This morning I've got the Sunday Post; Sunday Express; News of the World etc. so it's a bit more challenging. Also I've got my favourite patients so I always make sure they get a copy of the newspaper they're after; that said I'm sure some of the patients share and swap their papers. 

After I finish it's always a braw feeling and I casually cycle back through Firhill, Colinton Mains and back home to Oxgangs; the world is still coming to and I've already put in a shift. On the way I stopped off at Colinton Mains and picked up some Sunday rolls from Andretti's - a braw breakfast for the working laddie. 

We spent all morning cleaning out the back shed and we now have a great wee gangy. After dinner Boo-Boo; Iain and a few others all played in the shed. 

Paul; the author; Iain and Boo-Boo

It was great fun; we've got wee boxes for seats; candles for light; and a deck of cards for playing ‘Trumps’. Every now and again we hear someone out in the back alley and it goes all quiet while wee fight over the keyhole whilst trying to keep quiet and not laugh. Sometimes it's some of the mums going back 'n forward to the washing line; other times it's some of our pals. Often they don’t even realise we are in the shed and they scratch their heads at the sound. The only slight drawback with the gangy is the oxygen begins to run out; it gets a wee bit low and stale - just a slight drawback! If I'd only paid attention in Chemsitry 'n Biology at Burrie in first year I would have kent all about that! 

A T.V. evening including a very good comedy on called The Old Dark House - the critics might not like it but Retep thought it was good.

Woolies in Summer!

'Rita was sixteen years
Hazel eyes and chestnut hair She made the Woolworth counter shine...' Nanci Griffith

When we had some money we sometimes took a trip into Woolworths at the east end of Princes Street.

One reason for our visit was to buy some cheap gold crucifixes, a reaction to us watching too many Hammer Horror Dracula films!

Paul Forbes; Peter Hoffmann; Iain Hoffmann; and Boo-Boo Hanlon  at Woolworths circa 1971
(Ironically the only person 'not smoking' (Iain) is the one smoker today!)

When a wee group of us ventured in we had some brilliant fun and many laughs. 

Woolworths staff circa 1970/71 Photograph Janet Duff

There was a cafe within Woolies on the first floor where we would treat ourselves to a plate of chips and a drink. 

Afterwards we would see who could be the most daring by making up awful confections or cocktails from the array of condiments on the table; we would mix together a little salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar and knock it back! 

Afterwards a regular feature was to crowd into the photo-booth within the store for a photograph with much fun and hilarity as we all tried to squeeze in clambering over one another!

Paul Forbes, Peter Hoffmann, Iain Hoffmann and Boo-Boo Hanlon at Woolworths, 1971/72 - who would believe the 'two smokers' on the left would be running for Scotland at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in the 800 metres and 4x400 metres relay together at Edmonton, Canada!

PS Check out Nanci Griffith's rather lovely Love at the Five and Dime which references Woolworths and the journey through life from there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GK462XnRjQ

Friday 23rd July 1971

I got the 6.00am number 16 bus down to Morningside and joined the rest of the milk crew. It was absolutely pouring with rain; in fact it stayed on for the rest of the day. Half-way through the round I was drookit but it was actually quite refreshing on a summer's morning scampering from the milk float back 'n forward along the garden paths as well as up 'n down a few stairs too. And being the summer holidays it wasn’t as if I was having to turn up later at Boroughmuir all bedraggled. 

Iain Hoffmann (6/2 Oxgangs Avenue) and Ali Douglas (8/3)

Ironically probably because of the rain Iain and Ali Douglas went off to Warrender Baths to get wet inside rather than outside. 

Although I cycled down to Bairds Newsagents in the afternoon it was so wet I decided just to leave my bike at the shop. I'll collect it the morn; so I instead took a number 41 bus up to the City Hospital to sell the Edinburgh News' around the wards. 

I then just walked home squelchin' all the way back to Oxgangs Avenue through the hospital woods across the burn and through Colinton Mains Park. I was so flipping wet I could have lain down in the burn and it wouldn’t have made any difference! Mum and John are away to the Dom (Dominion Cinema) to see When 8 Bells Toll. So it was a wee T.V. evening for me and a large poke of Rissi's chips whilst I dry out for at least the third time today. Simon the cat is on my lap so that's helping to speed up the process.

Tuesday 18th July 1972 Stobo Peebleshire

Paul Forbes; Peter and Iain Hoffmann  Stobo 18th July 1972

Normally the problem with camping in Scotland is the weather; people often get washed out and have to give up and go home. Ironically we’ve had some difficulty with the weather too but for the opposite reason. We’ve chosen one of those very rare occasions when Scotland has a heatwave so it’s been a mixed blessing.

This week is the hottest summer I can recall with the temperature in the eighties. It’s become so hot that most of us have begun to suffer from heatstroke.

Alison Blades and my brother Iain aren’t feeling great at all so I went down to the wee phone box at Stobo and phoned Nana. Fortunately Gaga was able to drive over with Nana and Aunt Heather from Portobello to transport the two of them back home to Oxgangs. Alison in particular was suffering. I’ve been feeling crap and have just been sick.

Alison and Fiona Blades; Paul Forbes; Peter and Iain Hoffmann with our grandparents Stobo 18th July 1972

However in between we’ve had a great time, up early with the light and staying up late into the evening sitting around our camp-fire before turning in for the evening after games of Trumps and talking. And before we all drift off to sleep inside the tent the craic is always good with much story telling, nonsense and hilarity.

And then being awoken in the morning by the sounds of birdsong with the only sound during the night the gentle plashing of water as it lapped against the small pebbles but once or twice during the night there would be a strange sound or screech which broke the silence - What was that? - but we've felt safe and secure in one another's company and soon fall back to sleep.

Saturday 15th July 1972 Stobo Peebleshire

I got £7.30 for my pay which gave me plenty of money to buy in provisions for our camping trip.

St Cuthbert's Co-op Photograph SPL

Paul Forbes and I went down to the Store (Oxgangs St Cuthbert's Co-op) and bought in lots of food plus he persuaded me to buy two large flagons of cider!

We set off for Stobo at 7pm. There was five of us - Alison and Fiona Blades (6/6 Oxgangs Avenue); Paul Forbes; Iain Hoffmann and me.We got a lift down there from Douglas Blades in his red Austin pick-up. 

Douglas's van can only seat two passengers in the cabin so Alison and Fiona sat inside with Paul, Iain and me in the back with all the camping gear and luggage. We were completely open and exposed to the elements but the weather was great. It was a good feeling sitting in the back of the pick-up with the rushing breeze blowing our hair back.

We felt cool, metaphorically and then literally, wynding through the open roads of the Borders. After we travelled through Penicuik we passed Leadburn Junction and made our way to Eddlestone where we turned right for the drive over the gentle Meldon Hills and then on through old Lyne Station, Stobo Castle, Stobo Kirk and the tiny hamlet of Stobo.

To keep sheltered from the wind we had to snuggle up together and kept as low down in the vehicle as possible. Fortunately we didn't come across any policemen en-route, as they might well have stopped us if they'd seen us sitting in the back of an open vehicle.

Stobo Kirk James McIntosh Patrick

Stobo is a bonny spot in Peebleshire set amongst the beautiful Borders landscape. The farmer gave us the go ahead to camp in his field. After setting up the tent with a hand from Douglas we thereafter managed a swim in the River Tweed followed by a good supper washed down with cider which was a deadly combination! We were tipsy.

Paul had drunk too much and was sick. During the night he swore he’d seen a shooting star.

Monday 2nd July 1973

I went up to town from 45 Durham Road Portobello first thing, quite early on. 

With the birthday monies from Nana and Gaga I bought myself a new jumper and then headed out to Oxgangs to join the lucky schoolboys on holiday (I've got two days' holidays from working at Thomas Graham & Son Ltd. Balcarres Street). However only Iain was about; when I knocked on the door he was still asleep. 

Alongside Les Ramage we spent much of the day sitting out on the shed roof sun-bathing; halfway through Paul Forbes arrived from Broomhouse. 

Caerketton, Dave Hennicker

It’s always such a wee sun trap out the back of 6 Oxgangs Avenue as it faces south on to the Pentlands. 

We travelled down to Meadowbank to run a session before I came back to Oxgangs to stay the night. We had the gloves out and I was boxing with Iain.

Training: 300 metres (40.0 seconds); 2 x 200m (26 secs); 4 x 100m (11.9; 11.3 (p.b.); 11.7; 11.7)