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archhist.bsky.social
Sort-of Architectural Historian | Public Servant | Community Trust Vice-Chair | Bookshop Assistant. I like things to do with buildings, heritage, community, books. And cats.
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Spent all morning at my desk and had no idea what a gorgeous spring-like day it was until I headed off to provide lunch cover at the bookshop. My word, the warm sun is a splendid mood-lifter. Hope it’s as gloriously sunny wherever you are ;-)

On Wednesday I had the pleasure of joining my Stow Community Trust colleagues in welcoming Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, to open The Station House. ScotRail made a really lovely video of the event. But here’s me chatting away to the cabsec ;-) www.facebook.com/ScotRail/vid...

It is Jack Coia - thank you, @langrabbie.bsky.social!

Well, tonight’s event - launch of Building Modern Scotland - was hilarious, erudite, enlightening & bloomin’ good fun: grin on my face absolutely genuine & can’t wait to read the book. But, of vital importance, check out @alistairfair.bsky.social’s brilliant Strathclyde Regional Council top ;-)

This afternoon I went along to a special preview of a wonderful short film, Who Will Be Remembered Here. An exploration of queer identity in historic places, with 4 writers, 4 historic places and 4 languages. It was utterly, utterly beautiful. offline-glasgow.org/2024/09/26/w...

Just back from what felt like a lovely little mini-break, literally two stops down the line, at Melrose. Splendid dinner in Gattonside - biggest langoustine I’ve ever had - and a v lovely hotel. Hurrah!

I shall be preparing a lovely, joyous thread of highlights and delights from Model Rail Scotland in due course. Suffice to say, I’m exhausted! Here’s a wee pre-show lift selfie in the meantime ;-)

Off to Model Rail Scotland this morning \o/ And, yes, I shall be working my way round the 130-odd stands in alphanumerical order, thank you very much.

Friday Night Partay. For one.

Currently enjoying this piece of 1980s Americana masquerading as 1990s Glasgow. I’m on the 15th floor, but even with its 20 floors, it only scrapes in as the city’s 19th highest building. Not even highest hotel (pipped by a Premier Inn).

A lovely photograph of a fascinating building I worked in for eight fun and interesting years! My office was on the first floor, with a window overlooking the Water of Leith ;-)

I should have clarified a #JoinAUnion hashtag in a recent post as #JoinAUnionThatIsNotAffiliatedToTheLabourParty. This is good stuff from the STUC. Always stand by, always support, always together. ✊🏼

/Thoroughly/ enjoyed this talk tonight! Miles is always a good presenter, and his talks full of incredible pics of industrial archaeology. Also lovely to see him show one of @threadinburgh.scot’s fantastic illustrations!

I’d have all of them. They’re heartfelt, glorious little snippets of wonderful words. I look forward to seeing whichever ones are selected on what is possibly one of my favourite stretches of wall ;-) ❤️

The Scottish Parliament wants your thoughts on poetry! In honour of the Holyrood Building's 20th anniversary, three more quotes - chosen by the public - will be added to the Canongate Wall. Vote for your favourites here: www.parliament.scot/get-involved...

My sickbed chambermaid has decided to go and, I dunno, open their bookshop or summat, so I’ve got this little chap looking after me instead today. Much soft purrs, but useless at bringing me hot beverages.

Currently wondering if self-administered tonsillectomies are feasible yet. Surely preferable to nonsense of tonsillitis every 2yrs? (And it is every 2yrs, like clockwork.) On plus side: off work; OH room-service; and a hefty way through newspaper backlog. Coz you know me, looking on bright-side etc.

So the OH, on occasion, suggests that I may have a tendency towards procrastination. This I /entirely/ deny. On an unrelated note I have just finished untangling, testing, repairing and packing away the Christmas lights that I took down on 12th night \o/

Booked a table in our local eatery on Valentine’s Day. And (having worked for many years helping this happen) I’m so, so happy our tiny wee village has this place. An incredible mushroom wellington for me, with splendid miso chip things that I cannot tell you how amazing they were. And much wine \o/

This is perhaps my favourite stained glass window in St Mary of Wedale Parish Church. It depicts King Arthur, who legend associates with the Wedale valley (perhaps with greater validity than other parts of UK that claim a connection.) But I like it for the wee depiction of the predecessor kirk ;-)

I almost never wear a tie, so this pic is a rarity, but today the village said goodbye a very lovely woman who was a friend to many. The pews of St Mary of Wedale were full, which was lovely to see. I also heard the incredible organ for the first time which added to the specialness of the service x

Well, tonight’s @theahss.bsky.social Forth & Borders lecture was a real treat. Fiona McLachlan (my former uni Director of Studies, as it happens) on ‘An Evolving Identity: Colour at Cables Wynd House.’ But actually it was so much more: history, philosophy and application of colour in architecture.

Thoroughly enjoyed a @prospectunion.bsky.social talk on LGBT+ History & @nationaltrust.bsky.social this lunchtime. Fascinating discovery of diversity through Plas Newydd (Henry Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey), Monk’s House (Virginia Woolf) and Clouds Hill (TE Lawrence) #LGBTHistoryMonth #JoinAUnion