Life plans

The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley.

I guess I knew this day would come. In past years I have made a few trips up to Scotland to see my parents and to play golf. When and for how long these trips were depended on my diary. The last visit was a few weeks ago when I took my parents for a drive through to Inverness and down to Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. We have booked to go to Malaga for a week at the end on this month.

Then on Monday, my Mother had a stroke. A serious one. She is in hospital in Elgin and went up to visit her this weekend. She is paralysed down the left side and having difficulty swallowing. The hospital is 20 miles away from their home, so my Dad, at 91, is having to make the journey to Elgin each day by bus. A bus shelter can be very cold in Scotland in November.

So there is the short term aim to try to see an improvement in my Mother's situation. But there is also the long term scenario to consider. I doubt she will be able to return home. My Dad will not be able to look after her. So what do we do? I live 600 miles away. Suddenly there is a big decision to be made.

Edinburgh

Today I was in Edinburgh for the AGI Scottish annual conference, entitled 'Inspiring Scotland 2007' a reference to the INSPIRE European Directive on sharing of geospatial data.

It was a very successful conference and I enjoyed my brief time in Edinburgh on a very bright October day. The previous evening I'd enjoyed a few beers in the bars along the Cowgate.

I am pleased that my new role at work allows me to do a bit of travel within the UK. Next year I'll try to stay a bit longer so that I can visit some friends while a I am in Edinburgh.

Leicester

I travelled today to Leicester for a SPLINT (SPatial Literacy IN Teaching) meeting. I left from St Pancras and this just happened to be the first day of the new Eurostar service from St Pancras. The renovated station looked fantastic.