The park from the car park end, remember what this place was like on Market days of old?
I recently made a massive change in my life, I’ve given up my work and gone freelance. Maybe I’m self employed…not really sure what the difference is, not really sure if I ever will know that – doesn’t matter, I’m free! I can get up when I want – funnily enough I actually get up half an hour earlier now than I did when I was working for the man; can work the hours I choose – to an extent. Deadlines have a bigger impact on this than anything; but the fact of the matter is it’s now up to me to get out there and find the work, up to me to do it, and it all depends on my own standard of performance as to whether the customer will come back or not. I’m pleased to say that all the clients I’ve worked with already are looking to have a long-term relationship with me and I’m hoping to tie down a few decent contracts within my first couple of months of trading that will keep me going for the rest of my days, I’m not in it for profit, I just want to help people get ahead in business as much as I can.
However, this blog isn’t about me…I have another blog for that…I just wanted to start off by explaining how after almost twenty years of gainful employment and being tied down to fixed working hours I can finally get myself along to Bonnyrigg Market again on a Thursday and you wouldn’t believe how happy I am to be able to do this! I think it’s time somebody tried to revive it!
I’ve been there for the last two weeks now and had been starting to go regularly before Christmas too. It has now become a priority in my life that I have to get down to the market on a Thursday to get my fruit, veg and meat for the week. It’s not the only place I shop; I always try to support local business and I love going over to the butcher’s in Poltonhall on a Saturday morning to get the breakfast in. You could serve me breakfast blindfolded in a Pepsi challenge with anything and I’d know the Lorne Sausage with the black pudding in the middle from Campbell’s every time – and even though I do like to do the odd hame-made one myself here and there…the steak pies they serve up really are the stuff that legends are made of!
Food is such an important thing in my life, I really can’t understand why everybody isn’t passionate about what they eat and doesn’t just eat good food all the time. I just can’t understand why anybody would go to a big supermarket now and keep filling the shopping trolley with the same guff as they bought the last time they were there. Actually, I can understand…it’s because they are filling themselves with processed muck that doesn’t provide them with enough nutrients to make a rational decision. Not enough brain power to think outside the everyday routine and not enough vitamins for the decision-making matter to say “wait a minute, this isn’t right!” I do apologise if this offends but if you find yourself reading it and getting a little upset that I’m pointing the finger at you then it’s an easy rectification…give yourself a shake mate and stop buying those shitty Tesco burgers!
I talk to a lot of people about food all the time and I think compared to most I’m quite aware of the current situation and how the market works. In my mind I can quite easily see the connection between people buying horse burgers from Tescos and kids dying of starvation in the Horn of Africa famine over the last few years. In fact…anybody who’s been watching Attenborough’s Africa on TV at the moment and saw those starving elephants…remember how he said the rains hadn’t come for two years and they were already late in arriving this year…baby elephant that died…remember? Think that’s not connected to our supermarket culture? Think again. there’s a film called Food Inc, I suggest you watch it. Drought, famine, floods, tsunamis, we’ve had them all recently. Guess what, we’re causing them, with our eating habits! Think of that the next time you munch a MacDonalds…Ronald kills elephants! Bit out there but I’m quite happy to discuss this if anybody has any comments!
Bonnyrigg market needs a revival. I know it would be weak of me to think I could go a couple of times, write a blog and turn the place round but if enough people agree and pass this story on then who knows, Bonnyrigg Market might just come close to reigniting its former glory.
When I were a lad…Bonnyrigg Market was the biggest, most popular and sprawling market around. I think Dalkeith market is probably more popular than it now because it is on a Saturday and more people can get to it but I think it’s a sad reflection on society’s view of food that the market that is at the weekend is better attended than one that is during the week. For me it show’s that it’s people who are actually in work who use it more. I’m not being scathing now, not meaning this to be a dig at anybody but surely it would make sense that people who don’t work should be going to the market more than people who do…in fact, what am I saying…everybody should be going to the market more! EVERYBODY!
Think of it in terms of food quality or value for money. Supermarket food is absolute crud and actually expensive; no matter how cheap they claim to be compared to each other. Market food is fresh, cheap and top quality. It’s a no-brainer…surly I’m not the only one who thinks this??? For under £20 yesterday I completely filled my rucksack with supremely fresh vegetables and I went over to the butchers to ask about the products and see if they actually knew where it came from. The Bacon, I am very pleased to say was Robertson’s of Ayrshire. Proper Ayrshire bacon where you know the pigs have had a good life, no stress, lots of lovely mud to wallow in and it is packed and sold to me as fresh as fresh can be. The best bacon you can actually get by far.
Check them out here: http://www.robertsonsfinefoods.co.uk/
There’s no way you could call it expensive; three packets for seven quid but there’s at least eight or nine slices in each packet, not your usual seven rashers of Tulip now. How annoying is that eh? Bacon rolls for two…don’t think so, your a rasher short every time. It’s like…not only is Robertson’s bacon amazing and not only do their animals enjoy the utmost of welfare standards but they actually give you enough bacon in each packet for two people to have two proper bacon rolls…that’s the icing on the cake for me, total winner!
That’s the meat bit, the fruit and veg is equally as amazing. I made a pot of lentil soup last week when I got home with all the veg and all you could smell when I put it on was celery; the whole kitchen just filled with the smell of celery – it was that strong. I’ve only ever experienced that from stuff I’ve grown myself before. As for the tatties…I hope beyond hope that I now never have to buy another supermarket tattie as long as I live. I am quite possibly the world heavyweight tattie munching champion of the world and one day I’m going to write a book with all the different ways I know to demolish a spud so I am so glad to know that I can now get truly fresh and seasonal fellies every single week at my local market again.
Twenty years ago I used to get dragged round the market by my old man in the school holidays to help him up the road with all the stuff. Back then if I got seen it would have a ribbing from all my mates for the next week until somebody else got caught “at the market”. This is Bonnyrigg, lets not forget that we are a wee mining town and when I was a kid the shame of being seen there has probably left an impression on my generation that it’s not actually the place to be. It must have because it’s still there but now everybody is choosing Mr Fat Cat Supermart as the best option for their shopping. Well not me, from now on I’ll be down every week to get my gear for the week ahead and I’ll be delighted to do it every time! I honestly haven’t felt better in my whole life than I do right now in terms of general health and fresh vegetables has everything to do with it.
Until the next blog,
Peas and love,
The Mondo Loco Blogger
It doesn’t matter what age you are, your imagination is what makes you do everything you ever do and Story Craft is a wonderful example of how kids can use them to be social while at the same time learning and developing skills for life. Project managers at a very young age without even knowing it as they are coming up with an idea, processing and manufacturing and reporting back on what they’ve done. What a great way to learn! Beats sitting in front of a TV or Playstation any day.
After speaking to Darius the plan is for Story Craft to develop over the next four sessions; after which all decisions will be made by a formed committee as to what to do for the four after that. Effectively the parents of the kids attending regularly will become the owners of the project and make decisions among themselves. Definitely a very community driven and focused project that all the kids that were there loved.
When Michael Logan, committee member of Danderhall Heart’s Supporters Club got in touch he asked if I would be able to come along to his fundraiser that’s coming up at The Roses Club in Bonyrigg on the 25th of November. After a few minutes chatting it was quite clear that what they are doing deserves a lot of credit and so I decided to dedicate a story on Blog Bonnyrigg to them. They have organised a pretty special brunch event with some very interesting guest speakers to keep everybody entertained throughout the day. Bill Leckie, former sports writer of the year and ex-Scotland international fullback Tosh McKinlay with compere and award winning speaker Sandy Strang overseeing proceedings. Tickets are £20 and are available from members of the club or from The Ship Inn in Dalkeith. There will be auctions for signed football strips, golf packages and tickets for Championship football matches, with free breakfast rolls to line the stomach! 
To be able to fill a supporters bus from a village the size of Danderhall to go to any game is no small achievement; it takes a lot of organisational skills, patience and dedication. To be able to do it every week for 59 years; with around 70 members of the Danderhall community going to all the games for all that time is nothing short of amazing! The Danderhall supporters bus is a family orientated bus that travels to every single game, home and away and does large group bookings to get discounted travel for away European ties. Not only have they run a successful supporters club for so long; last year long standing member Alex Jones (Secretary and Treasurer) was presented a silver quaich by local player turned coach Gary Locke in recognition of his 21 years service to the Hearts Youth Development Committee. A moment everybody in the club is very proud of! 
Every year the supporters club members vote for a player of the year and a young player of the year and the trophies they own are presented to the players at the end of season dance. Every year the trophy is presented to players by a different member of the community; a tradition they are proud to carry into the diamond jubilee year next year! Last year the trophies were won by Marian Kello and Ryan McGowan who you can see here with members Emma Tulloch, Stuart Gillies, Andrew Pilcher, John Hosbourgh and Mikey Gillies from the supporters club. Michael wanted me to stress that it doesn’t matter what team you support you are going to be entertained by some very polished speakers and when the banter stars to flow you will be glad you never missed out. The supporters club extend their warm invitation to everybody and appreciate that without the ongoing support of the general public they might not have been able to go on for so long and with the diamond jubilee year just round the corner I think they definitely deserve our support! Mondo Loco Blogger.
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