We are now being told that all of Princes Street will be closed for seven months from the beginning of January 2009. As soon as the city fathers get rid of the lively tourists from Edinburgh's Hogmanay, the roads will be dug up.

The necessary works for tram lines don't just involve installing electric cabling under the roads, but also relocating other services such as gas, water and telephone cabling so that they can be accessed in the future without disrupting the tram service.

In the meantime, buses and cars will have to be re-routed via George Street and Queen Street for seven months, and who knows what effect this will have on shops in Princes Street.

I can see a picture in my mind just now featuring shiny, new trams full of travellers in 2011 but with boarded-up shop windows in the background! Perhaps I am wrong and that shoppers will be happy enough to walk from one end of the street to the other, but I have my doubts.

But what is that piece of news in small print near the end of the report? That the construction costs of the whole system are increasing – just a few millions (£10m) to bring the entire budget now up to £508m. It is not a particularly huge increase, but when did we hear of developments like this previously? Any connection with a well-known building not too far away from us?

It is planned to have 27 trams available for the service to use. That should provide some lasting employment for Scottish companies, but I'm afraid that is not going to be the case. They will be built in Spain. In that case they ought to know their way to the Airport since that is also Spanish-owned!
Waiting for an allotment in the city!

It wasn't unusual to hear people at home talking about going up or down the 'lot'. Many a time we did that ourselves. But I remember how unusual it was coming to the big city and hearing Highlanders talking about the 'lot' they had a short distance from home. They were of course referring to an allotment and there are still many of them to be found in the city despite the demand for land on which to build housing.

A house in the city generally does not have much of a garden, and because of that, allotments were in great demand. People are still after them and it is said that it is more difficult to get one in Edinburgh than it is to get your child into private education in the city. That's saying something.

If you want an allotment in Edinburgh you have to put your name on the waiting list and it will be eight years before you climb to the top of the list. In Aberdeen, the waiting period is two years. Why? Because when someone gives up an allotment (and please note that you can't pass one on to your family like you can a croft), the Council splits it in half so that two people get the chance to acquire a plot.

At one time, allotment users used to be pensioners with flat caps, but nowadays an allotment is very fashionable. The green people – saviours of the environment and organic food growers, are after them so that they can work a plot of land to grow fruit and vegetables for themselves. Good for them!

I never had one but I think having a plot would be a good pastime on a summer's evening to go out and spend time caring for potatoes and vegetables without fear of being attacked by the midges that plague those similar food-growers in the Western Isles!

Best wishes,

Siarach

Future events:

Friday 02.05.08 – 8.30pm 'Bothan' Gaelic Club ceilidh with Griogair Labhruidh & Sile Denvir, Canon's Gait, 232 Canongate, Edinburgh (Cont: 07801 703274)
Saturday 03.05.08 – 11.15am Family Gaelic Club, TollX Comm. Centre, Fountainbridge. (Cont: 07729 307487)
Sunday 04.05.08 – 12.30pm Weekly Gaelic service, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Rev. Prof. Donald Macleod. (Cont: 225 1900).
Tuesday 06.05.08 – 7.30pm Gaelic Conversation Circle – SNP Rooms, North St. Andrew St. with Calum Cameron. (Cont: 334 7005)
Wednesday 07.05.08 – 4.00pm Gaelic drop-in music session for teenagers, Black Medicine Coffee Shop, Marchmont Rd. with Rona Wilkie. (Cont: 07729 307487).
Wednesday 07.05.08 – 6.30pm Gaelic 10-week tuition course (adult beginners) Edinburgh Language Academy, 6 N. Junction St. (Cont: 555 1221).
Wednesday 07.05.08 – 6.45pm "Gaelic for Hillwalkers" 4 wk. course (2hrs) at Telford College, 350 W. Granton Rd with Gaelic tutor Neil McGregor. (Cont: 559 4421)
Saturday 10.05.08 – 7.30pm Edinburgh Caithness Assoc. buffet/ceilidh, Braid Hills Hotel. With Nancy Nicolson & local musicians. Dancing to John Stuart's band. (Cont: 07906 318561)
Saturday 10.05.08 – 11.15am Family Gaelic Club, TollX Comm. Centre, Fountainbridge. (Cont: 07729 307487)
Sunday 11.05.08 – 12.30pm Weekly Gaelic service, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Neil Martin. (Cont: 225 1900).
Tuesday 13.05.08 – 8.00pm Leith Folk Club, South Fort St. ceilidh with Gillebride MacIlleMhaoil, Ewan MacPherson & Kathleen Graham. (Cont: 0131 478 7810).
Tuesday 13.05.08 – 7.30pm Gaelic Conversation Circle – SNP Rooms, North St. Andrew St. with Calum Cameron. (Cont: 334 7005)
Wednesday 14.05.08 – 6.30pm Gaelic 10-week tuition course (adult beginners) Edinburgh Language Academy, 6 N. Junction St. (Cont: 555 1221).
Wednesday 14.05.08 – 6.45pm "Gaelic for Hillwalkers" course (2hrs) at Telford College, 350 W. Granton Rd with Gaelic tutor Neil McGregor. (Cont: 559 4421)
Saturday 17.05.08 – 11.15am Family Gaelic Club, TollX Comm. Centre, Fountainbridge. (Cont: 07729 307487)
Sunday 18.05.08 – 12.30pm General Assembly Gaelic service, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Rev. Dr Roderick Macleod & Rev. Norman Maciver (Cont: 225 1900).
Monday 19.05.08 – 4.00pm General Assembly Highland Lecture at Netherbow Centre, High Street, by Rev. Norman Maciver – "Cànan ar dùthcha – worth saving?" Light refreshments. All welcome.
Tuesday 20.05.08 – 4.00pm General Assembly Fringe Meeting organised by An Comunn Gaidhealach, Session Room, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place.. "Ag àrdachadh mion-chànan. Uallach air an Eaglais?" with representatives of different denominations. All welcome.