Straighten up lads! We're in the Army now!

Typical Bank Holiday weather! By that I mean that I was enjoying my extra day off from work in Scotland where for the main part, there wasn't a Bank Holiday. I thought I'd better at least go out to get a picture despite the torrential rain and blustery wind!

I decided to struggle up the hill over the bridge to TK Maxx again where my favourite birds hang out but even they looked fed up with the dreary weather. This little group were stood together huddled against the wind as if they were queueing up for a bus or waiting to sign on for the dole or they'd joined the Army! Poor young things!

Dad was in the Army for 27 years. He joined up when he was 18 after a few years with the Post Office in Edinburgh. He was, what you would call Army Barmy. He loved Army life and it was with some reluctance that he decided to go into Army recruiting which didn't involve moving about every six months or so and he was based at the big, old office on the ramp at New Street in Brum. I was just starting secondary school then so dad wanted a bit of stability for me.

He loved Status Quo! A few of us went to see them probably as much as 20 years ago at the Birmingham NEC - now the O2 Arena - and we were in the third row from the front. He was singing all the way though the concert, especially for this one!

In the Army Now