Aberdeen has a visible, recurring pattern that you can observe from almost any bus window. Across the city sits a long list of landmarks that once defined our industrial, civic, or commercial life, but now sit empty, fenced off, or perpetually half-redeveloped. This isn’t happening over months or a few seasonal cycles—these sites remain stagnant … Read more
I’ve travelled to London for nearly eight years now, flying out most weeks for the better part of a decade. More recently, I’ve managed to cut it down to a couple of trips a month, which has done wonders for my sanity. On a recent trip, I did something I rarely do: I upgraded my … Read more
I was in B&Q last Saturday, standing in the grouting aisle trying to find the smallest possible amount of grout for a single tile repair. The bathroom is being replaced soon anyway, so the whole exercise felt faintly absurd. I just needed enough to fix one gap temporarily, and everything on the shelf came in … Read more
My son is in his second year of an Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering degree at Glasgow University. It is one of the most demanding study paths you can choose, and he chose it. I am proud of that in a way that is difficult to put into words. He doesn’t like coming home to Aberdeen … Read more
This bank holiday weekend was one of the warmest on record in parts of the UK. Not Aberdeen, of course, but warm enough that my wife and I walked to Hazelhead Park on Sunday afternoon. As I reached the garden that holds the Piper Alpha memorial I could see the three bronze figures and, as … Read more