Claymore

[SammyQ]

Has anyone been in contact with Brian please? I know there is considerable delicacy around asking this, but he was a nice fella in a bad place and I wondered if knowing at least some of us were still thinking of him would help?
Hoping this is not tactless, Sam.

 

[MrTeroo]

Not tactless at all Sam.
I often wonder how he is. It would be brilliant to have him back on here.

Hope you're ok Brian.

 

[AES]

Agreed, not tactless at all. A good idea. I think I was last in contact with him 2 months or more ago. Since then I've heard nothing and must confess I haven't E-mailed him. Several reasons for that, including that most important (to me) I've had my wife in hospital for the last several weeks, also the reason for my lack of activity on here.

Last time I was in contact, he did ask me not to publish his E-mail here so I won't. But I will E-mail him again soon and advise results. Like you I miss him on here - as said, a good bloke in a really bad place.

More later chaps, I MAY be collecting my wife back from hospital later today.

 

[Droogs]

Hope all goes well for you AES and pass on my regards to Claymore

 

[SammyQ]

AES, I feel for you. My Missus also has seen the inside of too many hospitals these last two years,including an emergency casivac from Lake Garda in Italy to Belfast, when things went badly wrong.
Please, if you get the chance, emphasise to Brian we are NOT getting a gratuitous thrill from being nosey, but rather, trying (clumsily ?) to reach out and help him feel part of something again.

Sam

 

[AES]

Thanks for your thoughts and understanding Sammy, it's much appreciated. Yup, when things go bad for the other half it's worse than when it happens to yourself!

Re Brian, I quite understand your concerns and I'm sure (hope?) then when I contact him (within the next few days) I'll be able to explain that all of us are doing nothing other than care about him and his awful situation. From the little I know about his personal situation he's pretty much alone now that his wife has died and I'll try my best to make sure he understands that from the viewpoint of quite a few members on here he's NOT all on his own.

BTW, just to explain a little, it's purely fortuitous that I have his E-mail. Shortly before his wife died I was in direct contact with him because he was helping me (a LOT!) to sort out a photo of an aeroplane that I want to turn into an Intarsia (one day)! That involved numerous Qs (from my side!) plus As (from his) plus the exchange of several attached files - obviously something that was not suitable to be carried out directly on the Forum, nor on the PM system here. Nothing more to it than that, and like (I guess) everyone else here I wouldn't "know Claymore from Adam" if he walked into the room right now.

I did pick up my wife from the hospital today but she's still very weak, so I'm still quite "in a tizzy", sorry. But I shall E-mail Claymore (Brian) within the next few days, message as above, and report back on whatever answer he gives. Hopefully he may feel straight enough now to re-join us all here.

Cheers for now, and thanks again (nice place Garda See).

 

[AES]

To SammyQ and the rest of you who posted above:

My E-mail to Claymore has now just been sent. I'll advise whatever reply I get as soon as it comes.

Apologies for my prolonged absence on the Forum - please see my post "AES back again" of today's date in the Scrolling section for explanation.

Cheers all

 

[SammyQ]

Seen, replied to. Family are the priority. Always

Sam

 

[AES]

"Mornin all".
Claymore (Brian) has asked me to post here on his behalf. First off, he thanks everyone for their concern and isn't in the least offended that members here are wondering about him. It's now a little over a year since his wife died quite unexpectedly and unsurprisingly he's still finding it difficult to come to terms with that. In addition he's having some health problems of his own so has not been spending much time in his shop. But he asks me to assure everyone that he's NOT being "stand-offish" and WILL be back here on the Forum when he feels able.

In the meantime he has done a little scrolling and has asked me to post these 2 works on his behalf - as you'll see, IMO they're both up to his usual very high standard:

Also Brian and his wife enjoyed their lovely little dog together ("Rory) and since her death Rory has been a big comfort to him:

OK, that's it for now. If anyone wants to comment on the above, by all means post here and I'll make sure any posts are collected and forwarded.

Cheers folks

 

[SammyQ]

Thanks AES. Good that Brian has 'kept his hand in' synonymous with a very difficult time. My circumstances are such that I identify very strongly with Brian ( and yourself) and can only convey my utmost empathy and best wishes for him.

Sam

 

[AES]

Thanks Sammy, for myself it IS appreciated mate.

BTW I've just has a quick response from Brian thanking me for the post and everyone for their interest - he's off to the "local" hospital for treatment, but as he lives out in the wilds that means a 100+ mile round trip so don't expect any more from him today.

Cheers

 

[SammyQ]

From many years commuting from N.I. across Dumfreeshire et al to central England and to north-western Scotland up the Ayrshire coast, I am only too well aware what "the wilds" are regarding Brian. If his 'local' hospital is Stranraer, he's far out indeed. You need a lot of concentration on those roads and I expect the journey will be knackering; so you might add 24 hours onto any expected note from Brian.
The stars are good up there though; little light pollution!

Sam

 

[AES]

Thanks for that Sammy. I don't know that area at all well, but from the odd comment from Brian I did rather imagine single lane cart tracks rather than 3 lane dual carriageways

 

[AES]

Hi all,

I did get another short E-mail from Brian yesterday pm. He's very pleased with everyone's good wishes and moral support.

His trip to hospital went OK but he must go back for a few more visits for more regular treatments.

Meantime someone's left him a couple of pieces of "scrap" furniture, including a solid Oak coffee table, AND he's just got a new blade for his band saw. So (my guess) we may well be seeing him back on here fairly soon now. Hope so.

Cheers all, I'm sure that in our own small way we're helping him along a little. Awful situation for him.

Edit for P.S. For Sammy Q's benefit (see above - and anyone else who knows the area) the hospital Brian is attending is Dumfries. He did say he found the drive there and back pretty knackering.

 

[Paul200]

It's heartwarming to know that people who don't really know each other can empathise and concern themselves to this extent. I don't know Brian at all but I do know that he lives fairly close to me in Galloway and I can confirm that everything you've heard about the roads here are true.

I haven't been involved on here in recent months because I've also spent far more time than I want in the hospital at Dumfries lately. I find the journey intimidating, to say the least. The A75 is an important transport link for goods to and from Northern Ireland, as well as a primary spine road for local traffic - but you wouldn't think so if you saw it. I've honestly driven on better maintained farm tracks. My journey to Dumfries is 35 miles and takes just short of an hour on a good day - Brian's journey would be far longer and on even smaller and equally poorly maintained roads initially. I have every sympathy.

 

[SammyQ]

Howdy Paul. Agree wholeheartedly with you re A75; its easily on a parr with the (one carriageway!!) A1 just north of me here on he north east coast. But, amazingly, it - the A75 - is SO much better than it was. I first came across it in 1972 and I can tell you, that was...epic.

Sam, who saw better carrigeways onnthe Delhi Ring Road...

 

[Paul200]

I can only imagine what it was like in the seventies Sammy, but I know the whole area was quite sad and neglected. It's still a largely forgotten part of Scotland, and that's why we enjoy living here, but you'd think that an important Trunk Road would be subject to the same maintenance regime as, say, those around the Home Counties. We're used to it and plan our journeys accordingly, but it can be a bit of a trek, especially if you are unwell or incapacitated in some way.

 

[Noel]

Howdy Paul. Agree wholeheartedly with you re A75; its easily on a parr with the (one carriageway!!) A1 just north of me here on he north east coast. But, amazingly, it - the A75 - is SO much better than it was. I first came across it in 1972 and I can tell you, that was...epic.

Sam, who saw better carrigeways onnthe Delhi Ring Road...

It was great fun Sam wasn't it, I'm sure you recall being stuck behind 3 Dukes/Montgomery/McBurney trucks for 10s of miles all the way to Gatehouse of Fleet or somewhere.

 

[SammyQ]

Absolutely Noel; there or Newton Stewart. I remember well the days before the by-passes.

Sam