Make our railway stations pretty

I think elsewhere local people set themselves up a “Friends” of a station and perhaps some of you could think of doing just that? Seems to me when you come to a station and trouble has been taken to prettify it, it says something about that community and incidentally would encourage you to visit. Just a thought.

‘That’ Tapestry

Now, I’ve held my tongue long enough, but I simply cannot understand why Tweedbank is the unchallenged chosen home for the Great Tapestry of Scotland.

I may be wrong, but I don’t recall any in-depth survey or analysis of why Gala, or say Melrose, were unsuitable.

Rumour has it that the trustees, and I’m not sure who these all are, made it plain that if it was not Tweedbank then it was not to be the Borders.

Is that right? I don’t know. If you do, let me know. Was, for example the former Gala Crown Post Office and the site attached to it considered?

The sorting office and parking area could easily have been relocated at Tweedbank.

You see, it all seems to me to be shrouded in mystery, as if a decision was made for Tweedbank before anything else had been given full consideration.

If I am wrong, then I am wrong, and I would be happy to have this publicly clarified. Were the trustees holding a gun to the head of SBC councillors? If, however, it was so the railway would encourage tourists, it’s proven it can do that anyway.

But where if located at Tweedbank is the financial benefit to our local businesses, for our town centres?

It seems to be a great opportunity to inject an economic transfusion where it is needed, not create another place to draw even more money away from our towns.

I am flummoxed.

Busy Bees Nursery

On a drookit Monday I spent a happy hour or so with the wee ones at the Busy Bees Nursery – much praised and rightly so.

My efforts at dance, mime to music and drawing didn’t keep pace with the toddlers, but storytelling was right up my street. I knew my grannie experiences would come in handy one day. Staff are happy and dedicated and the fact that so many of them have worked there for years speaks volumes for their enjoyment and commitment to their charges.

Thanks for a grand time to them all big and small.

Borders Pet Rescue Centre

Next stop – it was still teaming down – was the centre at Earlston.

Now as companion to pet rescue Mr Smokey (cat) and chair of Animal Welfare Cross Party Group here, I have total admiration for those who work to rescue neglected animals.

Let’s just say I have harsh unprintable words for their human owners.

Half starved, flea ridden and unneutered – and that was Mr Smokey – it was the same for the many cats at the centre.

As usual, there were, of course,Staffies looking for homes, great dogs with the wrong press. I left hoping all the inmates would find good homes. They deserve it.