Scottish writer. Not sure about this at all.https://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mu5hz3tlu22gSpotted on the cycle path on my way home thid morning: someone whose door opens directly onto the pavement, creating a garden out of virtually nothing. Beaitiful.28 Aug 2026 13:33 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu5hz3tlu22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mtygatj3ks2zToday's haul from Picaresque Books. As a child, I'd spend hours poring over Ian Grimble's 'Scottish Clans and Tartans'. Then, one day, Ian Grimble came to our house and I was allowed to sit (silently) in the same room. I could not have been more awestruck had the Pope turned up on the doorstep.26 Aug 2026 13:18 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtygatj3ks2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mtw5bj4thc2lBob Servant. [contains quote post or other embedded content]25 Aug 2026 15:32 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtw5bj4thc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mttqfvm3kc2mA niche question for Scottish medievalists etc., but I am reading something that keeps calling John of Fordun, 'John Fordun', and I'm wondering, is this because the world has gone to Hell in a handbasket, or am I just really old? (Only recently stopped spelling medievalists 'mediaevalists', btw.)24 Aug 2026 16:36 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttqfvm3kc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mtq2qyjwx22uI've just been woken by my sister's dog breaking into my room & jumping on my bed. This is a good thing because I was dreaming I was teaching at Moniack Mhor & had forgptten it was my turn to cook and so was trying to buy chips for 27 angry Americans in a place with no chip shop. Well done, Dandy.*23 Aug 2026 05:31 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtq2qyjwx22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mtojrjxf7c2bNever pass this without thinking of Jim and George, and all their couthie blethers, and I'm not even a gardener.22 Aug 2026 14:54 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtojrjxf7c2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mtnozo3hks2qDogsitting my sister's tiny 5 y.o. mongrel rescue this weekend, I got up at 1/2 past 7 to let him out and give him his breakfast. "Nope," says Dandy, "and nope again, I'm off back to bed." As someone who has a labrador back at home, this is utterly mind-blowing (and not the talking dog bit, either).22 Aug 2026 06:56 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtnozo3hks2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mtmmw4dnx22eReally sorry to read today the 'Only Child' is not being renewed for a 3rd season by the BBC. A really clever, perceptive comedy. Genuinely good TV with an excellent cast headed by Greg McHugh and Gregor Fisher. Making way for more reality/celbrity dross, I suppose.21 Aug 2026 20:45 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtmmw4dnx22ehttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mt2lbesjh22bWas cycling home from a tea room today, and my neice drove past me with her 5 y.o. in the back of the car and he didn't understand how "that girl" could be his granny's sister (she is my youngest sibling). And now I am leaving him all my money.14 Aug 2026 16:28 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2lbesjh22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3msy2kyjgr22qThank to the lorry driver who stopped, holding up all the traffic so I could cross the road at the bit where cyclists are told to cross & where there is no actual crossing. I didn't have to (a) wait 2 hours till all the cars were home or (b) play 🐔with oncoming vehicles. Hope he had a lovely night x13 Aug 2026 16:24 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3msy2kyjgr22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3msqfiz6egk2sOn a 1st visit to the home of a writer friend today, and his wife, brought in coffee and a big plate of home bakes. "I'll start with one of those," I said, pointing at a substantial slab. I could have prsented her with my entire CV and still told her less about myself than with that 1 word, 'start'.10 Aug 2026 15:18 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3msqfiz6egk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3mskrwboyqs2mWhere in the name of the wee man is my History of Scottish Literature, which is not even called that? Why is it not anywhere to be found on my shelves? Why is my life like this?08 Aug 2026 09:44 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mskrwboyqs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3msfoprsm4226Dear Scotrail, I only want to check the time of the next train, but no, it seems I must get the new ap0. Ok. But lo! In red ink you inform me that my email is a no-no because it already exists. Yes, dear Scotrail, it does. On your old app. Are there not enough circles of hell? I will get the bus.06 Aug 2026 09:04 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3msfoprsm4226https://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3ms6p3z2v422qAn absolutely mad amount of cherries overhanging the cycle path betwen the old lane and the busy road into town just now. I didn't do so well with the rasps, though, as they were growing on the other side of a ditch, and I'm not at the cycling in my wellies stage. Yet.03 Aug 2026 14:22 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms6p3z2v422qhttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3ms2iopz3p22oMiss Rhoda MacDonald who said one day, "Shona could write a book." She also valiantly tried to interest us in Steinbeck. To a man and a woman (or a 14 year old child at a Highland comprehensive school), we hated Steinbeck. [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Aug 2026 22:16 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms2iopz3p22ohttps://bsky.app/profile/shonamaclean.bsky.social/post/3ms2ci7ksgc2jCal looked at the clock.. "Can I have a bath?" "It's Thursday." [Sorry. I'll stop quoting now. So good though.] [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Aug 2026 20:25 +0000at://did:plc:oextqtxdrlvblu4e6vu5q4m4/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms2ci7ksgc2j